Help Emily Treat Her Neck Ligaments (Prolotherapy)

Hi :) thank you for coming here to read my story and offer help through my journey towards recovery. In February this year (2024) I was diagnosed with what one of my doctors described functionally as a broken neck right at the base of my skull. The ligaments in my cervical spine have been damaged/weakened because of my hypermobility syndrome, which I was unaware of throughout my athletic lifestyle. This resulted in a diagnosis of my C2 vertebrae (cervical spine) experiencing severe rotational slipping and my C2-C7 discs incurring bulges and slight tears when I was doing bar squats and neck stretches recently. My physiatrist says this needs to be addressed right away due to the spine's proximity to critical vessels and nerves. My major vessels and nerves are restricted which leads to a host of distressing symptoms:

- heart palpitations & blood pressure dysregulation (jugular vein+vagus nerve)

- blurry vision & head pressure (carotid artery+occipital nerve)

- pre-syncope & dizziness (jugular vein+carotid artery)

- digestion/swallowing & nutrient absorption issues (vagus nerve)

- extreme fatigue & waves of anxiety (vagus nerve+jugular vein)

- so much neck, shoulder, back pain, & migraines

So how do I get well? At I am taking medical leave form my PhD studies and am now home in CA. I have wonderful team of doctors that have developed a prolotherapy, chiropractic, and physical therapy treatment plan to recover my neck and help manage my hypermobility syndrome. These specialized treatments are NOT covered by insurance, so I have to pay all my medical expenses out of pocket.

Expense Breakdown:

I'm only a PhD student so I really don't have much money to get better. Any amount of help would be so greatly appreciated <3