Spasmodic Torticollis Recovery Clinic      Overview

SPASMODIC TORTICOLLIS RECOVERY CLINIC, INC. Since 1986
(aka)  Cervical Dystonia

In-House Program   •   Long Distance Program

S.T.R.C., Inc.

is a non-profit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) corporation reaching out to ST’rs worldwide.
This program does not produce a “cure” as there is no known cure for Spasmodic Torticollis/Dystonia, and it does not result in a remission, but rather it enables you to achieve a state of ongoing recovery via the program, which you will maintain in order to live symptom-free. It’s a reprogramming process that becomes a lifestyle. This takes some time but what a joy to get your life back!  I, the Director, had Torticollis for 24 years, 8 of those being chronic and crippling. It took 2 years to achieve recovery, and I have been straight, normal, pain free, med-free and leading a full, active life for over 25 years. I want to share this with others who suffer as I did – thus the formation of S.T.R.C. This clinic is international. We have had clients from every state in the U.S. and from over 37 other countries. I am a Christian, but ST’rs of many faiths and lifestyles have attended the clinic, including: Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, New Age and agnostic/atheist. This clinic was, I believe, inspired by God to reach out to and help all those who suffer with S.T., regardless of race or faith. God loves us all, and your world view will be honored and respected. In order to accommodate as many people as possible, an attempt has been made to keep the clinic fee affordable.
We take one client at a time, so you will get all our attention.

The advantages of this program over other modalities of treatment

• This program sets you free to care for yourself …without being dependent upon anyone to administer continuous and expensive treatments.
• Healthy, effective and risk-free
• Gives you a blueprint to, not only get well, but to maintain your recovery and live a normal life
• Compassionate, patient care in a private setting from someone who has suffered with S.T. and understands what you are going through

Travel to Taos, NM working one-on-one with the Director and nutritional consultants. If it’s not possible for you to come here, we offer a Long Distance Program. Clearly you will get more from the program if you come to Taos where we can work with you personally, but we have clients all over the world doing well on the Long Distance Program. Please view the remainder of our web site,and then contact us by email, postal mail or phone. We welcome you and look forward to working with you as you come into recovery. Be encouraged…there’s hope!

What is Spasmodic Torticollis (S.T.)?

S.T. is a form of Dystonia, also referred to as Cervical Dystonia. Dystonia is the umbrella term and includes many various form, S.T. being one of them. It is classified as idiopathic or of unknown original origin, and there is no known “cure”. S.T. is a neurological condition thought to originate in the basal ganglia portion of the brain.Genetic studies are ongoing, and there is some evidence that in most cases we inherit a proclivity for Dystonia,  An overabundance of both Acetylcholine and Adrenalin in the brain appear to stimulate onset of spasms and, in many cases, pain. The primary muscles involved are the Trapezius, Levator Scapulae, Splenius Capitis and the Sterno-Cleidomastoids (SCMs). S.T. is NOT related to Parkinson’s, Essential Tremors, Wry Neck or Muscular Dystrophy, although symptoms can appear to be similar.

What does S.T. look like?

I think of S.T. as the same song/different verses. It can cause the head to pull back (Retrocollis), forward (Anterocollis), rotate to one side (Rotational) or a lean to one side (Lateral) or a combination thereof. It can also manifest with only pain and no visible pulling. A person can experience a sustained pull or a jerking to one side. Tremors are also frequently involved due to the stress of the spasms.  Although the spasms and pulling of the neck and head are are most noticeable, spasms can occur in the back and other parts of the body, as the body attempts to cope with the pulling in the neck and head. It can become difficult to do everyday functions and almost always involves depression, fear and a tendency to hide at home due to the embarrassment and stress of interaction with others.

Spasmodic Torticollis positions

What causes onset of S.T.?

That seems to be different for everyone, but here is a short list:
stress, an accident (such as a whip lash), certain medications, poor posture and a compromised weakened immune system, and research indicates it can be inherited. Genetic markers have been found. Most neurologists now believe this disorder is genetic.

Why does the S.T.R.C. Program work?

People have asked me why this program works, and I have no proof for this, but this is my theory. ST’rs produce too much Adrenalin and Acetylcholine in the brain; Adrenalin inflames both muscles and tendons, and it’s the Acetylcholine that flows through the nerves to the muscles generating the spasms. It’s the substance that is being chemically blocked by injections such as Botox, Myobloc, Dysport or Xeomin. One or more of the cranial nerves at the basil ganglia is misfiring, and this is the source of the problem though no one yet knows why those nerves misfire. My hunch is that the misfiring of the nerves causes these chemical changes in the brain. There is also the reality of muscle memory and brain’s adaptation to the condition – for example our brains have learned that crooked is straight – so that when someone straightens your head it feels crooked. This S.T.R.C. program with the DAILY reinforcement of the exercises to lengthen the muscles and massage to help lengthen the muscles, break up scar tissue, detox the muscles and bring circulation and life back into the musculature, along with the nutritional aspects of the program to, again, detox and nourish the body – begins to, over time, as the body is reprogrammed, establish new muscle memory for normal and to actually create new neural brain pathways – the same thing that happens when you learn a foreign language or musical instrument. In the surgery DBS, the Dr. probes through the brain and lays a hair line electrode on the misfiring nerve and then puts  heart pacer-like devices into your chest. When it works it’s like a miracle, but is still experimental and potentially fraught with high risk. So far I’ve had 3 calls from ST’rs who had that half million dollar surgery, and now it’s no longer working and they are back to square one. It’s tragic!
So , when the surgery works, it only makes sense to me that normalizing the misfiring cranial nerve then normalizes the overproduction of both Adrenalin and Acetylcholine and thus the symptoms disappear. But the body can eventually figure out a way to circumvent the surgical “fix”. I do want to clearly state that we at S.T.R.C are NOT anti-doctor nor anti-medication; thank God for good doctors and meds when they are needed, and some of the muscle relaxants, pain meds and Botox can actually enhance the recovery process, because they calm down the pain and spasms and make it easier to  do the exercises. Anything that lessens the trauma to the body and does no harm is a huge plus, but clearly the goal here is to get into ongoing recovery and to be drug-free and free of injections of chemical denervation.
Then why does the S.T.R.C. program work as an ongoing recovery? Again, my hunch is that as the muscles lengthen and you begin to achieve bilateral equality in the neck muscles, and the head begins to straighten, a more normal flow of information up the spinal column into the brain begins to be reestablished, which may very well help to normalize the misfiring of the cranial nerve, and thus normalize the excessive overproduction of both Adrenalin and Acetylcholine, and so you are able to achieve a state of ongoing recovery from the symptoms. We CAN change our brains. All of this works together to create a sort-of new reality for the body to live in that is normal. You still have S.T., but you have replaced the phenomena of it with a new normal state of being and driven the S.T. symptoms into dormancy. This will happen over time, slowly in bits and pieces IF you will do the program, but you must be diligent and not expect much at all at first. You will lay an invisible foundation deep within the muscles LONG before you actually SEE anything that could be called progress. I and others who have hung in there and kept up with the program can testify that this does happen, but we have to maintain the program if we want to stay well. I’ve been living a normal life now for over 25 years. It becomes simply  the way you live – like I have to put in my contacts everyday to see well. We CAN overcome the symptoms of this horrible condition and live a normal life again. That’s why our motto is “Be encouraged … there’s hope!”

Help for those with Spasmodic Torticollis