Dr. Steinecker has over 35 years experience as an adult Neurologist with special training in Osteopathic Cranial therapy. This combination of skills allows Dr. Steinecker greater insight and ability to help patients regain their lives. Recent studies have shown this to be the only therapy capable improving outcome and speeding recovery after closed head injury and concussion.
Most practitioners believe the state of the art medical treatment for concussions is rest and over the counter pain medication. But, Osteopathic Medicine in the Cranial Field is uniquely poised, in the hands of the highly specialized physician, to not only treat the symptoms of concussion – headache, dizziness, lack of focus, blurred vision, nausea, poor sleep, poor libido, anxiety, irritability, weakness, depression, and altered mood – without medication, it ALSO removes the force of impact of injury from the brain and nervous system itself!
The benefits of immediate treatment are immeasurable. While the body-mind-spirit complex does tend towards healing, it does so at the expense of developing residual patterns of adaptation and integration of the injured state deep within our psyche and soma. This downward cycle in health and wellbeing can be avoided.
The concussion can be removed and the symptoms reversed at any point post injury. Even very old concussions leave their signature frequency, which are detectable and treatable by knowing hands. This is quite important as research now shows that untreated concussions can lead directly to further brain injury and a greatly increased susceptibility to sustaining future concussions.
Studies have also shown “There is no evidence that medication improves recovery after concussion”; that “There is insufficient evidence to support absolute rest after concussion”; and “The recovery for pediatric and adolescent athletes is generally longer than for older athletes.” (http://www.emedicine.medscape.com/article/92095-treatment#d1) Research has also shown that 77/104 patients, developed chronic post-traumatic headaches with associated nausea and head throbbing lasting 3-12 months, where over 50 percent were likely due to “probable medication overuse for headache.” (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/813762)
Although new MRI, MRA and PET SCAN imaging techniques have identified some brain patterns that are consistent with concussion, a great number of concussions remain undiagnosed, especially when injury is not perceived to be due directly to head trauma. Whiplash, all falls, and any impact of force sustained by the body can translate into a concussion. Once the patient knows that her/his symptoms are caused by what might be called a “silent concussion,” and are treatable, fears are allayed. Many patients have seen their family physician or pediatrician, a neurologist, ENT, GI, Orthopedic or psychiatrist to no avail. I have been able to diagnose and treat concussions that had remained a deep mystery to multiple medical practitioners. You can read some of my patients’ stories below.
What do you do when there is no where else to go? We tried the GP and she couldn’t figure it out so then we went to a naturopath and he said it was adrenal fatigue. Elise got all of the blood work done and it came back fine. We put her into therapy and this is helping but what is it and where did it come from? No one could figure out what was going on until we went to Dr. Steinecker. We are so fortunate to have in Dr. Steinecker both a neurologist and an osteopath. Dr. Devorah was able to diagnose our daughter’s concussion and begin to fix it through her osteopathic treatments. We are so grateful for the kindness, warmth and wonderful work that Dr. Steinecker and her office provide.
My daughter began having anxiety attacks the week school got out. She was dizzy and had blurred vision. My active, happy teenager suddenly needed to be in bed in a darkened room, with whispers only. We tried everything; her doctor, a psychiatrist, blood tests, supplements, therapy and nothing was helping until we brought her to see Dr. Steinecker. Suddenly her diagnosis was a concussion. With Devorah’s treatments my sunny daughter’s energy and personality has begun to come back.
“Words cant fully express the profound experience I had upon receiving treatment with Dr. Steinecker. The quote above envelopes the feelings of security, safety and profound love that I felt each time Dr. Steinecker laid her healing hands on my head. While Dr. Steinecker was working on my severe concussion, I literally felt like a newborn baby being held in the hands of her loving mother. A feeling so profound, no word can justly describe. Within 3 treatments, Dr. Steinecker had reversed the damage of my concussion and I was fully functioning again. My greatest wish is for all beings to experience the profound love and healing that I did with Dr. Devorah.
With love & gratitude,
Katherine H.
“I hope this email finds you happy and healthy! We all have been doing great….except for Kaitlyn. In the last month due to sports, she has had 3 concussions, 2 of them were on the same day back on November 4, 2010, and the 3rd one was on Aug. 3, 2011, which resulted in a broken nose and whiplash. On Sunday, March 3, 2012 Kaitlyn woke up with a headache, vertigo, nausea and double vision. No fever, cold symptom, no trauma. No medications have helped relieve her headache pain, and now the vertigo is gone, but she is light headed, unbalanced, and her headache is on its 24th day. Her eyes are jumpy, not tracking normal, either. She was hospitalized at Children’s in Seattle for 2 days, her MRI and CAT Scan were clear, eyes and ears, clear.
We were having trouble getting her scheduled with another Neurologist (the soonest they can get her in is this Monday), and will probably be taking her back to the ER today to try to get her some relief. I don’t think they have done a scan on her neck, which is causing her some trouble with muscle spasms. She has missed 3 weeks of school, reading and the computer work makes it worse. I would love for her to have an appointment with you to see if you can help her.”
“During one year, my teenage daughter, Kaitlyn, suffered from 3 concussions and a broken nose, due to sport injuries. She had seen 3 different neurologists, had 3 MRIs, missed over a month of school, was hospitalized and had many concussion symptoms. Her symptoms ranged from loss of memory, mood swings, fatigue, headaches, migraines, loss of muscle control and coordination, lack of appetite, depression, dizziness and vertigo. No medications helped her symptoms. She wasn’t getting better and her doctor’s didn’t have any answers.
Kaitlyn saw Dr. Devorah when she was little for asthma and chronic upper-respiratory infections. After a few office visits back then, Kaitlyn’s energy increased and her body started to heal itself. Now, coping with concussion symptoms, she went back to see Dr. Devorah. David was wonderful, working her into their busy schedule. Within minutes of Kaitlyn’s appointment, Dr. Devorah asked about her symptoms, listened to both Kailtyn and myself and then she told Kaitlyn she was going to get better!
You should have seen the relief that simple sentence brought to my daughter, her worry was gone, she could now focus on healing. Finally, a doctor listened to her and said she would be ok. Dr. Devorah’s care and healing touch, once again, helped Kaitlyn’s body to heal itself, with no medications, just a prescription to rest and listen to your body. Kaitlyn has made a full recovery and is symptom free. Yes, she has to be careful because of her past concussions, however, she can now focus on her future.”
Pictured in the happy scene on the left is JW, who first showed up in our office desperately looking for help. JW was suffering from the broad side effects of multiple concussions and closed head injuries she sustained by hitting her head when she would lose consciousness because of low blood sugar.
Enduring terrible migraines and low back pain, as well as incapacitating vertigo and anxiety, JW was prohibited from driving a car and unable to perform her full duties at work. Additionally, for many related reasons, she and her husband had been unable to get pregnant for a year and a half.
It was when our happy mama above, came for treatments over several months, the headaches, vertigo, hypoglycemia, anxiety, low back pain and passing out disappeared. Prior to our fortuitous meeting, JW had “the million dollar workup” by many specialists who told her “they could find nothing wrong,” or “sorry, there is nothing more they could do.”
Dr. Steinecker is happy to explain the anatomic and neuro-physiologic mechanisms that led to the healing of the many and varied conditions challenging JW, and is also happy to do the same for any of your personal family health concerns. JW never dreamed treating her concussions would lead to her being able to conceive. It’s always exciting for me to combine neurological and osteopathic expertise.
