Strengthening brain pathways to make everyday activities easier and more enjoyable
Highly personalised and safe treatment with focus on improving problem areas
Easy-to-understand visual brain scan lets you track before and after results
Treatment by one of a handful certified practitioners in Australia
Are you or a loved one having trouble with everyday activities?
Have you been to many doctors and specialists with little result?
Not being able to do seemingly ‘simple’ activities can be frustrating. Everyday activities everyone else can do so easily yet you can’t seem to do easily - or can’t do at all.
You are in pain. You may be sick of being tired all the time. The days seem way too long. And your temper may flare up more quickly than you’d like. Perhaps your child is not keeping up with school or peers because of their pain.
You are not alone.
When you’ve gone down a few avenues already, but are still looking for answers, you may benefit from chiro neuro-rehab.
What is chiropractic neuro-rehabilitation?
Chiropractic neuro-rehabilitation is an area of chiropractic that focuses on strengthening the electrical connections or pathways in your brain.
What does this mean?
Everyday activities can be hard to learn and remember when certain paths in our brains don’t work as well as they should.
Imagine walking along the same path every day for a number of years. This path is a well defined track.
One day you decide to venture off the path and onto the nearby grass. Looking behind you, you wouldn’t see a path but merely footprints. If you repeat this new route every day, you would eventually create a new path.
Think of these paths as the connections in your brain:
The more we use a path or a brain connection, the more defined and stronger it is.
Learning and memory depends on the way we create and change connections in our brain (known as ‘neuroplasticity’).
We help people build stronger paths.
By walking those paths again, you can learn and remember more easily to do everyday activities many of us take for granted. Such as moving pain-free, holding a knife and fork, sleeping peacefully & painlessly, or not falling over when you stand up too quickly.
Who may benefit from chiropractic neuro-rehabilitation?
Chiropractic neuro-rehabilitation has helped those with conditions affecting the nervous system like:
Concussion headaches or funny feelings
Rehabilitation from injuries
Living with these conditions can leave you feeling tired, frustrated and hopeless. Getting the right treatment can help you feel more independent as you strengthen your brain’s pathways - and get used to doing activities you’ve had trouble doing on your own in the past.
Are you having trouble with simple activities?
We often think an activity such as catching a ball is easy. Yet so many parts of our body and brain are involved in this simple activity.
You need to:
Plan the movement
Decide to act
Calculate speed, weight, and trajectory of the ball
Identify the position of your body in space
And so much more
All in a fraction of a second!
Our body calls on a huge amount of activity in our brains to catch a ball: motor, reflexes, coordination, range of motion, and more.
Not as simple as it sounds is it?
Yet it’s important to realise how complex the process is - because when we can’t do ‘simple’, activities, it’s easy to get angry, frustrated, and anxious.
Especially when we need to depend on others to do everyday activities like tie our shoelaces or hold a fork to our mouths. Even getting to an appointment may require assistance from a loved one.
We help you strengthen the pathways in your brain so you’ll find it easier to do everyday activities.
What exactly does a session involve?
You’ll get a thorough assessment, including:
Chat about your health and goals
Reviews of reports, X-Rays, MRIs, CTs or blood tests
Posture and muscle check
Neurological check eg. muscle and eye reflexes
Cognitive tasks and games (to see what you understand, sense, and experience)
This is your chance to ask questions, and share concerns.
We may also arrange a brain scan, also known as ‘Functional Brain Scans - Quantitative Electroencephalograms (QEEG)’.
Functional Brain Scans
A brain scan gives us a map of how your brain works. It analyses the electrical activity in your brain and highlights patterns.
When you see this map - and we explain what it means - you’ll have better knowledge of what's going on. Coupled with your story and test results, we'll help you understand what's is causing your pain, dizziness and suffering. This helps you take control of your health.
You’ll know when you’re making progress - when you can do something you couldn’t do before. We may also compare before & after brain scans.
Brain scans are not a magic solution - we don't recommend them for everyone. For some, it can be very insightful. This is why we always have a chat first. First to see if we think we can help or refer you on, and second to see if a scan may be of benefit or not.
The brain communicates with electrical impulses called brainwaves. Emotions, digestion, thinking - it all comes from these brainwaves. Fast brainwaves help us solve problems and make decisions. Slow brainwaves heal, learn and control gut function.
We can measure the connections and sequences of brainwaves using sophisticated technology called Quantitative Electroencephalogram or QEEG for short. Different patterns are seen with stress and over-thinking or having dizziness or attention difficulties.
In chronic pain and migraines, there are more slow waves. In a migraine attack, slow waves travel through the brain like a tidal wave. In anxiety, there are too many fast brainwaves.
When we can identify the brainwave patterns, we can create an action plan for you!
Computerised Balance Assessments
As the name suggests, Balance Force-Plates track your stability and balance. They provide greater detail and accuracy than watching someone trying to stand on one leg.
This is especially useful in concussion, falls risk assessment and dizziness patients.
Techniques used
Just as your brain is unique, the range of techniques - and the way we apply them to strengthen your brain’s pathways is unique. We may use:
Specific joint and muscle mobilisations and movements
Visual tracking patterns
Vestibular rehabilitation - this trains the balance systems
Neuromodulation techniques
Sensory tricks
Integration of retained primitive reflexes
Cognitive tasks and games
Tactile stimulation - that is touch, deep pressure massage or light tickles
Neurofeedback
Biofeedback such as Heart Rate Variability
What are we looking for during an assessment?
You may wonder why you’re being asked to play a game, touch your toes, or look sideways. There’s good reason!
It’s also important to realise we’re not testing you. There’s no pass or fail. We’re checking to see how how easy - or hard - it is for you to do specific activities. And that gives us an idea of what we can help you improve.
We never focus on one area in isolation. Instead, we take a whole-body approach that considers areas of your brain relating to:
Mental status
Sensory
Motor
Visual reflexes
Balance
Coordination
Reflexes
Posture
Muscle tone & strength
Range of motion
Body - brain connection
Can you get better faster?
The more involved you are, the more likely you’ll improve.
Remember, the more you use pathways, the stronger and more defined they’ll be.
That’s why we give you simple take-home exercises. We’ll show you how to do the exercises, explain why you’re doing them - and give you clear goals.
This makes it easier for you to track your own progress and keep motivated in between treatments - and give yourself the best chance to get back to doing (or begin to do) everyday activities you’re having trouble with.
Is chiropractic suitable for kids?
Yes.
We have paediatric-trained chiropractors, a child-friendly treatment room, and a gentle, safe approach.
Wondering if there are any side effects? Or if it’s safe for babies? Read more about our chiropractic service for kids.
Types of chiropractic appointments available
First appointment: 40 minutes
Second appointment: 30 minutes
Regular appointments: Up to 60 minutes depending on the complexity of your presentation
Review: 30 minutes
Chiropractor appointments: read more on the Chiropractor page
About your neuro-rehab trained chiropractor
Dr Cassie Atkinson-Quinton (Chiropractor) has completed several postgraduate certificates: Sports Chiropractic (ICSSP & ICSC), Chiropractic Neuro-Rehabilitation through the Carrick Institute in America (DACNB) and finally, in QEEG Functional Brain Scans (QEEG-T & QEEG-D).
She is the only Australian practitioner with this unique combination of qualifications. Cassie is often invited to speak at local and international events and educates people about natural ways for better brain and body health.
You can expect easy explanations and down-to-earth, friendly sessions with Cassie. She is a caring, dedicated practitioner with a personal interest in helping her patients live ‘normal’ lives.
As a child she struggled with learning difficulties and headaches - this has driven her passion for neuro-rehab chiropractic.
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Chiropractic neuro-rehabilitation in Melbourne’s western suburbs
We’re based in Moonee Ponds and are visited by patients from the Western suburbs of Melbourne, and beyond. Includes:
Altona
Ascot Vale
Brunswick
Coburg
Essendon
Flemington
Footscray
Maribyrnong
Moonee Ponds
Niddrie
Pascoe Vale
Williamstown
Yarraville
Melbourne
Chiropractic neuro-rehabilitation at Body and Brain Centre
Thorough assessment to confirm diagnosis before treatment
Take-home activities give you more value from every session
Simple explanations so you always know what is going on
Brain power improves with brain use, just as our bodily strength grows with exercise.
