Summer Adventures at Home

Tara and Chris Alter needed to get creative when their annual summer vacation to their "happy place," Kiawah Island, South Carolina was disrupted not by a hurricane but by the force of their four children, Brody, Harper, Colton, and Tucker's, summer schedule.

"Brody is on the 8U Travel Boys Baseball team and Harper is on the 10U Travel Girls Softball team so there are lots of games during the week and the weekend," said Tara. "Colton does Wyckoff Recreation Camp and Tucker is at the YMCA camp."

Instead of a trip to the beach, their vacation was closer to home, including a day to Point Pleasant, Mountain Creek Waterpark, a hands-on tie-dying experience, and a camp-out.

"I set-up a tent in our backyard and we all camped out overnight together," said Chris. "We could look up at the stars and it was special for the six of us."

Sleeping under the stars together as a family may have been special but what became the most talked about aspect was the morning wake-up alarm.

"I heard my dad scream at 4:45 a.m and he got squirted in the face with water," said Harper. "We were in our pjs so we grabbed the pillows and blankets and ran into the house."

"I thought I shut off the lawn sprinklers," laughs Chris. "Waking up to the sprinklers is the story they told all summer."

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A Family of Athletes

It's back-to-school in September and a new schedule of activities.

Their youngest, Tucker, attends Wyckoff Reformed Church Nursery School while Harper, fifth grade, Brody, third grade, and Colton, first grade, attend Lincoln Elementary School.

Harper is in the Xcel Silver Team gymnastic team at US Gymnastics in Mahwah.

"I am looking forward to a competition in February at Disney World," said Harper. "Last season, I was awarded four medals as a 9aah when I placed first at the Star Struck Invitational in Atlantic City."

She is also a competitive dancer at In the Spotlight dance studio in Waldwick.

"We won in the Digi competition in our age group at Starbound National Talent Competition," said Harper. "Digi is kinda like hip hop."

"We get manicures and pedicures together," said Harper. "We are going to go see 'Wicked' on Broadway."

After his travel baseball team made it to the playoffs, Brody switched cleats to gear up for a new sport - joining the Wyckoff Raiders (third/fourth grade) football team.

"I also plan to play travel baseball in the fall and basketball for Garden State Grind," reports Brody.

His parents aren't quite sure about his ambitious participation plans.

"We will have to see what all the schedules look like before we know if we can make all of this work," warns Tara.

Colton plays baseball as well as hopes to try out for the 8U travel team in January.

At 4 years old Tucker is just along with the ride right now, playing with all the other sideline siblings.

"He has big plans to play football, basketball and baseball, just like his big brothers," said Chris.

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One sport the family plays together is golf.

"We enjoy playing golf in Kiawah Island," said Chris. "During the pandemic, when the school year was virtual, we relocated to our house there and enjoyed all the outdoor activities."

Enjoying sports is in their DNA.

Chris played both soccer and baseball at Columbia High School in Maplewood.

He then attended Villanova University, initially as a physics and calculus major, before switching to an Economics degree.

"The family are big Wildcats basketball fans and I have taken Brody to some games," said Chris.

Chris volunteers as a coach for his children's teams and recently left the sidelines for the field as a player.

"I played left field, center field, and third base on the Giants, part of the Wyckoff Men's Softball league," said Chris. "Our season was 12 wins and 7 losses."

The Giants won the championship game in July with a score of 12 to 5 over the Dodgers.

Tara was raised on Long Island.

She graduated from Briarcliffe College and was pursuing her Master's degree in elementary education when she decided to take a different career path.

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Finding Their Home in Wyckoff

"I went to work for UnitedHealthcare and that's where I met Chris 18-years ago," said Tara.

Tara says Chris was hired two weeks after her and they attended the same training program and became friends.

Chris said he knew the first month that he wanted to date Tara and asked her out multiple times.

"It was a new job and I was concerned about what the corporate policy was on relationships," said Tara.

After six months, Tara finally agreed to a date before Christmas which included a Broadway show, a visit to the Top of the Rock and frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity.

"I finally realized I was pushing-off how I felt for Chris and it was worth sacrificing my position at work if it came down to it," said Tara. "Our co-workers had seen our chemistry and there was no issue."

The couple will be married for 14 years in October.

The Alters first lived in Hoboken and later purchased a two-bedroom townhouse in West New York. When their family expanded to a second child, they began house hunting.

"I remember visiting family and when Harper stepped on the grass and was confused as to what it was it was time to find a house with outdoor space," said Tara.

Tara said she wasn't "sold" on living in New Jersey and wanted Long Island.

"My aunt and uncle lived in Ho Ho Kus so I was familiar with the Bergen County," said Chris.

"Our boss lived in Wyckoff, as did some co-workers, so we focused on Wyckoff, Franklin Lakes and Mahwah."

The Alters found a house but didn't make an offer.

"I couldn't get the house out of my head," said Tara. "It was now under contract with another buyer."

They reached out to the seller's agent and told them how interested they were in the house and if anything changed to please contact them.

"Lucky for us the deal fell apart and we signed the papers to buy the house in the kitchen of our new home," said Chris.

They have been Wyckoff residents for eight years.

When not shuttling the children to their activities, Tara and Chris will try to squeeze in a weekday "date night" for themselves, but the weekends are about family time.

"The kids like when we invite family over for Sunday Dinner," said Tara.

Their weekend family time includes movie nights, game nights, and watching sports.

"We try to spend as much time together as possible because life is so hectic," said Tara.

While they agree on the Jets football team and the Yankees for baseball, it's a house divided when it comes to hockey.

"Harper and I cheer for the New York Rangers and Chris, Brody, Colton, and Tucker love the Devils," said Tara.

This fall, Harper will bring her enthusiasm to the sidelines of the Wyckoff Youth Cheerleaders.

"I will be an assistant coach for Harper's cheer team," said Tara.

What are Harper's feelings about being the only girl with three brothers?

"They made me a frustration but now I am the oldest I tell them what they need to do," said Harper. "One good thing is that I get my own bedroom and bathroom."

Harper also gets special time with her mom.

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Although July has passed, the month where irrigation providers recognize "Smart Irrigation Month," our growing season and need for efficient watering has not stopped. In fact, August, September and October are critical months for irrigating and maintaining lawn and plant health as we move toward the close of another year.

One of the most undervalued and over-sought efforts to ensure your irrigation system is running at peak efficiency is the seasonal (or monthly) check-up, commonly referred to as an inspection. Mid-season check-ups and/or inspections provide numerous benefits in a single visit. First, controller reprogramming is a key factor in managing water cycles and water usage. Second, head adjustments and nozzle selection ensure maximum coverage and equal water distribution. Lastly, discovering leaks and identifying problematic zone valves helps to minimize water loss and excessive water use.

Irrigation controllers, commonly referred to as timers, are the "brain" of the operating system. I preach about smart controllers, specifically their advantages of automatic watering adjustments based on current weather patterns. Here's the honest truth: a smart controller is only as smart as the person programming it. The same idea goes for standard (conventional) controllers – the settings within the program(s) are only as efficient as the programmer. Controllers are not a "set it and forget it" type of device. Spring, summer and fall each require different program settings. Taking this idea a step further, each month within a growing season should have programming that matches the current climatic conditions and weather patterns. Whether you are paying for water or not, wise, well-sequenced irrigation controller programming is one of the single most critical steps toward efficient use of water. A mid-season or monthly check-up should always include a review and (possible) changes to the program settings.

A physical walk-around and hands-on adjustments of the individual heads is the second step to a thorough inspection. When I mention "hands-on," I literally mean touching and each head and verifying the direction and distance of the spray pattern. As the majority of irrigation systems cycle in the early morning hours, it's easy to miss a non-rotating head or a clogged nozzle.

These small, yet common examples are easily preventable through proactive inspections. Have you had visitors recently who accidentally veered off your driveway or along the street? Do you have a lawn maintenance provider who uses large machines to cut your grass? Again, these are common examples of instances where heads could be damaged or mis-aligned without knowledge of the issue for a long period of time. Whether you choose to invest your time in routine inspections, or bringing in professional irrigation personnel head and nozzle adjustments should be part of any inspection and/or check-ups.

The last key component to an irrigation check-up should be a thorough underground zone valve assessment. Leaks within the underground piping system are typically the leading cause of wasted water. An accidental slice or puncture from new plantings, deep tree root feeding or edging a mulch bed can cause an immense amount of water loss when undetected. Furthermore, if you have drip tubing, be aware of the thirsty squirrels and chipmunks! Due to the heat, these animals will seek out moisture and condensation on exposed tubing and chew through the pipe wall, creating a leak that commonly goes undetected.

As part of the aforementioned hands-on approach, a careful eye to zone valve operation is imperative. Specifically, zone valves that may be stuck open. Whether the valve is partially or fully stuck in the open position, water is continually being used when and where it should not be. As previously mentioned, the majority of irrigation systems operate overnight or during the early morning hours. Unless you watch your system operate at these early times, a stuck valve and subsequent leak will likely go unnoticed for a long time. Detecting (and rectifying) pipe leaks and valve issues during a daytime inspection will help minimize wasted water and lead to peak performance of existing zones.

In closing, smart irrigation is not all about the newest products or the most technologically advanced controllers. The secret to efficient irrigation is periodic check-ups. Whether you as a homeowner invest your time to perform an inspection or you have a trusted, licensed professional, the value of irrigation system inspections is underestimated.

It is important to note that the age of an irrigation system does not make a difference. All irrigation system components are subject to failure from outside factors. Systems have numerous moving parts that affect each other. Many potential problems can be addressed at seasonal check-up visits. Water conservation and efficiency efforts are found in the simple details like periodic controller reprogramming changes, head & nozzle adjustments and leak identification coupled with resolving problematic zone valves.

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Test article about local restaurants in Wyckoff.

Arthritis will affect most of us at some point in our lives. Finding out what you can do to prevent arthritis from developing, or reduce its progression, all through natural and lifestyle-based approaches, will help you stay strong and ensure a healthier lifespan with an increased quality of life.

If you are looking for a drug-free way to treat arthritis, or help prevent it from developing, a functional medicine doctor can help you enjoy healthy joint function. Functional Medicine is a dynamic approach to assessing, preventing, and treating complex chronic diseases, such as arthritis. By utilizing innovative laboratory testing, we can uncover triggers and inflammatory responses for arthritis. These specific blood markers of inflammation are not routinely tested but can assess the hidden 'drivers' of arthritis.

Arthritis is almost always preceded by a period of declining function and health in one or more body systems. For all of us, such dysfunctions are the result of lifelong interactions with our environment, lifestyle, and our genetics. The good news is, with new healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors, many chronic diseases are very manageable and sometimes even preventable! Even people with a genetic predisposition to arthritis can learn to maintain healthy lifestyle choices to reduce their risk, defer the onset, or at least better manage the progression of this condition.

The genetic tendencies a person has towards any given disease could, in large part, be influenced by their environment and lifestyle. Unhealthy lifestyle choices such as a lack of exercise, poor diet, and inadequate, stress-tempering techniques to relieve chronic stress can all lead to the development of chronic disease or increase the progression of it. A functional medicine doctor committed to bringing their patients to greater health, focuses on patient education, therapeutic lifestyle choices, and integrative therapies that support the person's own genetic expression of health.

While many people understand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, they lack the skills and dedication needed to sustain these good habits. Finding a doctor who can provide appropriate interventions and encourage healthful behaviors by educating you with nutritional counseling, physical reconditioning, and stress-tempering techniques to start and maintain these healthy lifestyle habits, will help you prevent arthritis, preserve your function, and stay strong for life.

If you are looking for a drug-free way to treat arthritis, or help prevent it from developing, a functional medicine doctor can help you enjoy healthy joint function.

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Introduction

When one thinks of dizziness or vertigo, the typical image of a person swaying or losing balance or even someone vomiting comes to mind. These types of issues are also quickly associated with something abnormal with the ears.  The famous ear crystals are often at the forefront of the discussion.

“Do the Epley’s maneuver, it cured aunt Jane’s vertigo,” might you have been told by uncle Rob.

Although dizziness and vertigo can certainly be caused by something wrong with the ears, it is not always.  As a matter of fact, vertigo and dizziness can also be caused by something abnormal with the eyes, but that won’t be the subject of this article.  No, this article will focus on the 3rd and largely overlooked cause of these issues, the neck.

I often get emails or patients will ask me during a consultation if their neck pain could be associated with their dizzy symptoms.  Or if a “pinched nerve” could be the source of their vertigo.  I have also heard many times someone tell me their symptoms began after an accident or injury, sometimes a whiplash, others a concussion, some also report a very benign trauma (they definitely don’t call it a trauma themselves) where they bumped their head on something or their kid (or wife) fell on their neck. Ouch…

If this sounds like you or someone that you know, this article will be rather shocking and will teach you much little-known information.  If that isn’t you, well, I promise to keep it entertaining while educational!  And if you know someone suffering from dizziness or vertigo, don’t be a hoarder, pass them information!

The Epley’s maneuver is also known as canalith repositioning maneuver/procedure.  It is a maneuver where the head is turned and moved in an effort to reposition the crystals inside one’s ear.  This is great if the person suffers from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) but otherwise, it will be of little use.

Article Outline

Defining Dizziness, Vertigo and Cervicogenic Dizziness/Cervical Vertigo

First thing first, slightly boring definition…

Dizziness is defined as: “[…] a term used to describe a range of sensations, such as feeling faint, woozy, weak or unsteady” by the Mayo Clinic

Vertigo is defined as: “[…] a sensation that the environment around you is spinning in circles” by the Cleveland Clinic

Cervicogenic dizziness, also called cervical vertigo, is the medical term used when dizziness, or less often vertigo, is caused by a neck-related problem. Cervicogenic dizziness can also occur following a cervical spine injury. Though, in most cases, symptoms don’t appear until months or years after the initial trauma.

*I think it is important to note here that neck pain is frequently associated with cervicogenic dizziness but not always.  “Cervicogenic” means, in its simplest terms, originating from the neck.

Cervicogenic Dizziness Symptoms

As with any type of dizziness, certain symptoms are typical but some are also unique to cervicogenic dizziness.  All individuals are different and symptoms can vary from person to person however the below list applies to most:

Common symptoms:

Less common symptoms:

Rare symptom:

The 3 Systems Maintaining Balance

The human body requires constant input and information from 3 different systems to maintain balance and steadiness.

These 3 systems are:

The vestibular center (ears and associated structures)
The eyes
The neck and the receptors in its joints and muscles

If one of these systems is dysfunctional, dizziness or vertigo can result.  Cervicogenic dizziness/cervical vertigo happens when the neck is the main source of the issue.

The Neck as the Origin of Dizziness or Vertigo — Cause NËš 1: Proprioception

The joints and muscles of the neck are packed with sensors called proprioceptors.  These detect motion and position of the neck.  When the messages sent to your brain by the eyes and ears do not match the messages sent by your neck proprioceptors, there is an information mismatch.  This mismatch creates confusion and this is the most common cause of cervicogenic dizziness.

Proprioception is the way your brain comprehends where your body is in space.  They are mainly found in muscles and joints.  The area of the body most dense with these small receptors is the upper cervical spine — the uppermost aspect of the spine including the joints between the skull and the Atlas (C1); first vertebra of the neck and the Atlas and Axis (C2); second vertebra of the neck.

As a side note the feet have the second highest number of receptors, which is why barefoot walking can be so beneficial (whether you have dizziness/vertigo or not).

Proprioceptors located in the upper cervical spine joints and musculature are highly sensitive to: 
joint malposition or abnormal motion and; 
abnormal tension in muscles  

As I wrote above, these receptors can start sending confusing messages to the brain about the position of the neck, abnormal joint motion and muscle tension.  This mismatch in messages is what can ultimately give rise to dizziness or vertigo.

Other Causes of Cervicogenic Dizziness

1.   Vertebral artery compression

The vertebral arteries snake up through both sides of the spine before they enter the base of the skull to bring blood to the vestibular centers and areas of your brain processing motion.  A misalignment of the upper cervical spine (upper neck vertebrae), compressing one or both arteries, can reduce blood flow to the ear organs or brain and cause dizziness or vertigo.

2.   Sympathetic nervous system dysfunction

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the “Fight or Flight” response.  If overly stimulated, it can lead to dizziness or vertigo.  Important sympathetic nerves are found in the upper neck and can be affected by a misalignment of the upper cervical spine.

3.   Migraine

About 1/3 of migraine sufferers also battle dizziness.  There is increasing evidence linking dysfunctions of the neck and brainstem nerves with migraines and dizziness.  I do a deep dive into headaches and migraines in my article Headache? Probably a Neck Problem.

4.   Chronic neck pain

Pain (nociception) can, when chronic, affect different messaging pathways throughout the body.  Nociception can interfere with normal messaging between your neck and brain and lead to dizziness.

Risk Factors for Developing Cervicogenic Dizziness

Cervicogenic Dizziness Assessment

There are no specific tests or procedures to identify cervicogenic dizziness.  It is more so a diagnosis of exclusion which means that other possible causes of the ailment have been ruled out.  This makes the assessment tricky and requires a professional who will be able to exclude other possibilities while identifying risk factors and indicators of neck-related problems.

In our clinic, we perform:

Cervicogenic Dizziness Care

A focus on the neck’s joints and muscles is at the forefront of any cervicogenic dizziness care.  Below are some of the methods/techniques applied.

Upper Cervical Care

That is always the first step we take, and, in our opinion, the most important.  The upper cervical spine misalignment must be at the very least reduced, if not corrected, to give the best chance to your body to heal.  Aligning the spine reduces joint friction and “stickiness,” muscle imbalance and restores normal nervous system functions.

Soft Tissue Therapy

We commonly see patterns of muscle dysfunction in our patients suffering from cervicogenic dizziness.  Even though correcting the misalignment of the spine goes a long way in helping reestablish balanced tension throughout the muscular system, a bit of help is sometimes necessary.  Soft tissue therapy is a form of gentle muscle/fascia work done in conjunction with your upper cervical care.

Posture Imbalance Correction

Poor posture and poor work/gaming ergonomy can often increase your symptoms of dizziness and slow down your recovery. These issues we see with most of the population (not just cases of cervicogenic dizziness) can worsen muscle tension, and joint irritation and can even contribute to nerve dysfunction.  Forward head posture (FHP) is the most common problem we see and strive to improve.

Physical Therapy/Vestibular Therapy

Physical therapy can be a great asset in helping with cervicogenic dizziness.  Stretching and strengthening different muscle groups of the neck can greatly improve one’s recovery.  Exercises to stabilize joints of the neck can be helpful as well. 

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can help reduce pain, and muscle spasms and increase blood flow.

Surgery 

In some rare cases, when there is the presence of artery compression or nerve compression, surgery might be warranted. This is of course a last resort option and patients who need this are few and far between.

Will I recover?

This is likely the burning question on the tip of your tongue.  Luckily, if there are no complicating factors, you will fully and permanently recover from cervicogenic dizziness.  However, some factors may contribute to the chronicity of the issue and may cause relapses.  Some of these are:

Cervicogenic Dizziness Treatment Near Me

Atlas Spine and Wellness Care has experts in the assessment and care of cervicogenic dizziness and cervical vertigo. Our upper cervical chiropractors are highly skilled in the gentle correction of the upper cervical spine misalignment and soft tissue therapy.

Until you’ve tried upper cervical chiropractic, you haven’t tried everything!  Click here to book a free consultation today and get better faster.

References