" I’ve suffered episodes of Meniere’s disease for more than 40 years. The exact cause of Meniere’s is not known, but the symptoms are devastating: unilateral deafness, dizziness and vertigo, pain and fullness on the affected side of the face, sound distortion, brain fog, and deep depression. Symptoms last for weeks or months, and there is no effective medical treatment. Four years ago, during a severe episode of Meniere’s, my holistic internist insisted that I see an atlas orthogonist who specializes in upper cervical spine disorders. X-rays showed significant displacement of my C1 vertebra, probably caused by a traumatic head injury when I was a child. The resulting pressure on my spinal cord impinged on my vagus nerve and inhibited proper circulation of blood and CSF. Once my C1 was properly aligned, my Meniere’s symptoms resolved within 3 days. I was elated to have found a “cure” for this disease that had me spending a third of most years in misery, wishing I could die.
In January 2017 I had another episode of Meniere’s, but this time getting my atlas properly aligned did not relieve my symptoms. My atlas orthogonist did her best, but finally told me that the muscles on the left side of my head and neck were so tense, they were pulling my atlas out of position. That sent me into utter despair, because I had always held my body like a clenched fist, and no amount of meditation, medication, exercise, or conscious effort had made any lasting difference. I went back to my internist, who said, “Well, if the problem this time is your nerves and muscles, not your bones, then I recommend you contact Ryan Moschell. I’ve worked with him myself and he’s excellent.”
At my first session with Ryan, I slumped in a chair and said, “I don’t do hope anymore, but I’m here and will give you my full cooperation because I have nowhere else to turn.” I explained that I also have severe fibromyalgia, but that I didn’t expect Hanna Somatics to have any effect on that. However, I said, if HS could help to alleviate the symptoms of Meniere’s, I would feel I had got my money’s worth.
Luckily, Ryan was unfazed by this charming introduction. His kindness, optimism, encouragement, and good humor put me at ease immediately, and his skill as an educator and trainer raised my hopes in spite of myself. After my first session, he gave me exercises to do at home, and after just a couple of days I had no more symptoms of Meniere’s. After my fourth session, I was able to work for 90 minutes in my yard pulling weeds and hacking bamboo without having to take extra medication for fibromyalgia pain. My mood has improved, and I’m learning how to “locate” tense muscles and release them to neutral—the greatest long-term benefit of Hanna Somatics.
I’ve always taken a multimodal approach to my complex nervous disorders, and am very grateful to have Ryan and Hanna Somatics in my armory. I would definitely recommend Ryan to anyone who suffers from Meniere’s disease or fibromyalgia as part of a holistic approach to health and pain management."
Bonnie C.