Use on or near the brain is always tricky. Safety is paramount, and I think at least two different mechanisms are involved: inflammation reduction and brainwave entrainment. So, generally I suggest using a pulse pattern that will effect both mechanisms in a desirable way. Individual responses vary so adjustments will be necessary, but generally I would try Alpha Wave on a low setting at first (5 or 6 using the M1), and then if well tolerated, increase the intensity and duration.
I wanted to do an update now that is has been over a year since I wrote this.
Up until 2 weeks ago he had constant extreme vertigo, and dizziness (they are 2 different conditions). He saw the vestibular experts at Oregon Heath & Sciences University in Portland, Oregon. It took 4 months just to get that appointment. They ran tests on him and told him he needed to go to physical therapy so that his brain could be retrained, PT did not help.
After searching the internet we learned about The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association or NUCCA. They are highly specialized, trained chiropractors. We learned how the upper neck can impact many parts of the body including chronic pain, migraines & headaches, fluid dynamics of the brain, concussion, facial pain, vertigo, neurodegenerative disease, and TMJ are a few. We located a NUCCA trained chiropractor a few hours away from us. We went not knowing what to expect, but with nothing to lose. We were told it would probably take a month to see any improvement. After his first appointment the top vertebrae was pushed half way back into its original position and he walked out with a 50% improvement in the vertigo. After only 3 visits so far, he has no vertigo, and only minor dizziness. It takes about 8 visits to keep the top vertebrae to learn to stay in position.
The moved vertabrae makes sense, it happened when he broke the drivers side window out with his head during the car accident. That is when he started having vertigo, neck pain, along neck popping. He saw an orthopedic doctor who told him it was arthritis.
Had we known about NUCCA sooner it would have saved him from a years worth of barely being able to function or unable to hold a job.
The pemf device did help a lot with his healing and he uses it, instead of ice, for the temporary inflammation caused after the vertebrae adjustments. Pemf is probably also helping the area to heal faster, so the vertebrae will learn to stay in position faster too.
Insurance is covering the costs, but we would have gladly paid the $1,000 it will be for all 8 visits that it will take. Even though the doctors and specialists have their place, don’t give up when they tell you to learn to live with it!
I wanted to share this information with others who are not getting helped with pemf. Pemf will always be my first, go to treatment, but if it does not help there might be other issues, like my husband had.
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This is excellent information, thanks. I agree that one important way to think about PEMF is as its use as an adjunct to something else that also is needed to help correct the condition. In almost every case that I know, PEMF improves the outcome when used as an adjunct, by making the other process work faster and better and more permanently. This seems to apply to a lot of areas, including orthopedic surgeries, acupuncture, light therapy, nutritional interventions, osteopathic adjustments, chiropractic, and many others.
Hello, I am so grateful that your husband has found a way to get over that awful vertigo! I have suffered a few times with it (not car accident), as well as my sister. We have both had relief from chiropractors, not necessarily the NUCCA associated ones. I only wanted to add in case someone wanted to try their regular chiro that they trusted for this problem. It seems that our atlas bone was out of alignment. Once, I had such a terrible case and had immediate relief after the adjustment like you described for your husband. I know this is a forum for the M1 and A9 instruments, but I thought it would be uncaring not to share other remedies for vertigo. A few other times I experienced, it turned out that the crystals in my ear canal had moved out of place and my ENT was experienced in the Epley’s maneuver to put them back. He eventually taught me to do it myself when I feel it coming on. It’s usually when I have a cold or allergies. Blessings and continued improvements for your husband.
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It is good to know that other chiropractors could be capable of moving the atlas bone back, not everyone will have a NUCCA trained one near them. Unfortunately, it does take a number of visits. X-rays must be done before the procedure to make sure the bone is actually out of alignment and by how much, so I would not trust anyone that does not do that first. You were lucky to have a chiropractor that you trusted.
Like you said, the Epley’s maneuver is the first procedure to try. My husband had it done by a Dr and at PT, and also did it many times at home after he was taught. They all seem to do it differently. There are a lot of different versions on Youtube. It gave my husband some relief, but as you know, if your atlas bone is misaligned it does not help.
Thanks for bringing up the Epley’s, and you kind words.
@LeahCSmith and @Linda_Lynn I think it is awesome that you are able to share solutions like that, and that people are finding it helpful. I can say that after my stroke that the Epley Maneuver really helped me a lot with the terrible vertigo I was suffering. so it formed a very important part of my overall solution.
As for this forum: It’s great if ICES-PEMF can help people, but it usually works best when combined with other things, and a lot of the time people on this forum who are trying ICES-PEMF also have a lot of experience with many other things that they found very useful and will help people, even if in the end the best solution has nothing to do with ICES-PEMF. The only requirement for content on this forum is that the information is helpful, honest, and kind.
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I am grateful that you created this forum to help others and to us help each other. I am sure many others are grateful too. I finally have the time to be more involved on the forum. I feel sorry for all the people out there who have never heard about it, and also those who are not willing to listen and learn about it because they think it is voodoo science, but that is their loss.
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@Linda_Lynn thank you for updating us on your husband’s condition, and thank you also to @LeahCSmith for sharing your experience. I had never heard of NUCCA chiropractors before and when I researched it, I realized it could really help my frequent low level migraines, dizziness, and vertigo, as well as moderate shoulder pain that has bothered me for years.
The migraines are what drove me to try the A9 and M1. They have been getting worse in the past year, I think possibly because my teeth and bite are being corrected with Invisalign and the tooth movement and bite change is “stirring things up” so to speak.
I haven’t yet found the sweet spot for headaches with ICES yet. Luckily they are not debilitating but I am tired of popping Advil and know that something is just off with me and my neck.
I wear the devices 24/7 usually on Omni 8, at M / L9 power, focused on my shoulder and back area. I would like to wear one on the back of my neck / base of skull since I have found some relief that way, but have not figured out how to get it to stay in position without tape (I have long hair so tape removal is painful). If anyone has tips, let me know. I have tried a thick headband but it doesn’t stay in place.
I also recently rented the Vasindux Pro+. I enjoy ending my day with it. It seems to relax me (using settings that are similar to the A9) but too early to know for sure. I just kind of like lying there quietly feeling a mild grounding energy. It is also a good excuse for me to hide from my kids 
Anyway, I have a NUCCA appointment scheduled in a month and am really looking forward to seeing if it will help me. I am planning to use ICES to help reinforce the adjustment, and hopefully help my muscles retrain more efficiently.
Thank you again for sharing your advice.
Thank you for creating this forum and for facilitating openness. When researching PEMF, I was drawn to some of the bigger commonly known brands at first, but when I kept digging, I found that your ICES product was the only one that didn’t seem like a money grab. On the contrary, it seemed — due to your zero marketing and straightforward product line — that you weren’t terribly interested in getting my money at all. I have benefited greatly from your content online, and from this community, and look forward to using the ICES devices more rigorously.
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Hello, I wanted to update on my migraines since using ICES and PEMF. I have not my usual migraine series this month (usually I have them for 3-5 days, usually towards the end of my menstrual cycle). I believe using ICES Omni 8 and the vasindux PEMF mat on a setting that has a square wave is helping my overall health. I have noticed that when I skip a few days, I go back to being very fatigued (falling asleep around 4pm for a nap), which I used to do all the time before. Something about PEMF seems to help my energy level, even though I sleep the same number of hours and have generally the same fair-to-good quality of sleep as before.
Today I had my NUCCA appointment with X-rays. My c2, right below the atlas, was very rotated, almost 7 degrees off where it should be. She did a very gentle and quick adjustment and got it close to where it needs to be. I will go back next week for a follow up and expect to go back regularly for a while. I can’t really notice a difference yet, other than my shoulders finally seem to line up. Also some gastrointestinal distress, which she warned me could happen.
I used the A9 - one coil at each side of the base of the neck - to help “hold” the adjustment and plan to sleep with them under my neck. I will also rest on the PEMF mat since it seems to help me relax. I am hoping NUCCA + ICES + PEMF will further reduce the frequency and duration of migraines.
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Thank you for your update. I decided to have our NUCCA chiropractor check my Atlas alignment. I was out of alignment from several accidents in the past. I have had neck crackling, along with tenderness in my neck and shoulder area for many years. He said my left leg was 1/2" shorter, this was causing me to feel unbalanced and making it easier for me to fall. I have had two adjustments so far. After the first visit I was sore, more than normal, in the neck area for about 3 days. After the second adjustment the tenderness was much less and only lasted a day. The Chiropractor was especially happy with the progress on that visit. I am also using the PEMF coils to help hold the adjustment, instead of the ice that was recommended. I can now move my neck all the way to the left and right easily and without pain. I make sure to do it gently for now so I don’t move it back out of place, which is easy to do during the treatment phase. I am glad that I learned about this treatment, had I continued chalking it up to old age and arthritis I would have eventually needed surgery, like my daughter had to recently have.
My husband has completed his 8 visits with great results. A week ago he lost a little bit of his progress after turning his neck too far, too often, and too much while plowing snow for 10 hours. After that happened he had a minor amount of vertigo, but it was remedied after another small adjustment. He has a hard time understanding what “take it easy” means.
We did extensive research about hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatments and decided to buy an affordable soft chamber style one for home use. We live too far away for the frequent treatments that are necessary. Hyperbaric treatments are highly recommended for recovering from a TBI and the accompanying dizziness. They also work for any kind of wound healing, diabetic issues, headaches, etc. In larger towns there are plenty of places that offer them and the soft ones can also be rented.
It sounds like you are on the right track with your treatments and use of PEMF. I have found that stimulating the vagus nerve was very helpful for my energy levels. If you are unfamiliar with doing this you can find a lot of information right here on the forum.
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Thank you for this info!
I believe many people would benefit from the combination of NUCCA, PEMF and hyperbaric chamber. I will look into the vagus nerve work as well.
Wanted to update - it’s been 5 months since I started NUCCA and I now go in monthly for adjustments. They aren’t holding longer than that for me yet. While my case was not nearly as traumatic as your husband’s, it’s been progressing for 20+ years, and my body very much likes to regress back to its crooked ways lol.
I have had only ONE migraine in the last 5 months, and it was during the detoxification that occurred in the days after an early adjustment. It sort of felt like flu or that icky post covid vaccine sickness that lasts a day or two and “comes out of nowhere”. Anyway, as the toxin pathways open up after a realignment, you may experience a toxic “die off” period that is quite unpleasant. Liver support is needed (milk thistle or a specific liver support complex is very helpful, starting at last a week before NUCCA)
I have been migraine free other than that incident!! I am amazed.
Note: I find that my adjustments hold longer if I use the coils immediately after treatment.
I also recently began seeing a functional medicine doctor for my fatigue and other issues and had the Genova ION panel - it was very eye opening! Strongly recommend looking into it if you have time. You can order it without a doctor, though it’s very helpful to have one to help come up with a treatment program for you (there are also doctors who will do this by phone if none are available locally).
Excellent conversation. I just had one thought to add: for liver support (and pulmonary and kidney) have you considered NAC + Glycine (aka: Gly-NAC). In my experience, this is one of those few golden strategies that seems to make everything else work even better. My 2 cents.
Yes, those are both included in my ever lengthening list of supplements (at least for the next few months). There seems to be something about this combination that is very helpful for glutathione production and phase 2 liver support (hopefully I remembered that correctly - there were A LOT of big words in my panel).
I also have some sort of genetic issue processing carnitine, and I carry that MTHFR variant - I can’t remember the details but it’s “the bad one” that messes with the enzyme that converts homocysteine. It’s all been a learning experience but very enlightening, albeit slightly depressing. But I’m happy to have the knowledge now.
Thanks again for this forum @Bob - this thread in particular has been incredibly informative and useful for solving some of my body’s mysteries. I will update here for as long as it’s useful to “pay it forward”!
My husband can now go 2 months before he needs to see our NUCCA chiropractor. His back and neck were both bothering him. After a 20 minute session the pain was gone, along with the mild vertigo that was starting to come back. His C1 was only out a little bit, indicating he is starting to hold the position. Our chiropractor does a massage of C2 and C3, which also helps.
My sensitive stomach does not handle NAC or glycine very well. The enteric coated NAC works better for me. I also take Pure Encapaulations Sunbutyrate TG liquid for my stomach.
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My functional medicine dr had me start on glutathione (Pure Encapsulations makes a good one) supplements because my body might not be making glutathione efficiently yet, even when given all the raw ingredients (NAC, glycine, magnesium, and sulphuric foods in diet). If you don’t see improvement from your current regimen @Linda_Lynn you might want to switch to taking glutathione directly. Seeking Health makes a version that is very well reviewed, if Pure Encapsulations is not readily available.
After 2 weeks of taking it (2 in AM, 1 at lunch or early afternoon), I realized I no longer feel tired to the point of needing a nap in afternoon/evening. So I think it’s actually working.
I also have been taking Acetyl L Carnitine for the last month, which seems to have helped my brain fog (my tests showed I am very deficient in carnitine).
Glad your husband is still seeing results with NUCCA. I’m still using PEMF after my treatments to help hold the position. I’ve progressed to 5 weeks between treatments. I need to get another A9 (I also have the M1 but favor the A9 for nighttime use bc it’s so simple) bc I gave mine away to a friend who recently was diagnosed with cancer, and I’m hopeful it will help as an adjunct to chemo.
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