Southlake, TX | Patient Testimonial for Neck Pain and Tongue Tie | Integrative Pain and Wellness

Speaker 1: Hi there, Jackie.

Jackie: Hi.

Speaker 1: Can you tell us what brought you into Integrative Pain and Wellness Center?

Jackie: Yes, I was having a pain on the right side of my neck, the back of my neck, and I mentioned it to a neurologist that I was going to. And he said, "Oh, it's arthritis." I said, "No, I don't think so because I have arthritis. It comes and goes, this is constant. It hurts all the time." And I wanted to go to a chiropractor, but I was afraid of having my neck manipulated. And then I was going to a therapist to talk, told her about it. And she told me her experience with Dr. Barker and her son. And Dr. Sprinkle and Dr. Barker helped her son a lot. And she said, "Dr. Barker is very gentle, very good."

Jackie: So I came to him, and he immediately diagnosed tongue-tie, which I had no idea of. Best way I can describe it, when I then subsequently saw Dr. Sprinkle, he said I had a very forward setting head because the muscles in my tongue weren't working properly. They were trying to keep my face from falling in my lap, which is a great description. And I did, I was hunchbacked, very forward setting head, walked like I was looking down where I was going all the time.

Jackie: Dr. Barker worked on my neck. I also came to Taylor, his massage therapist. She worked on it, and they sent me to a speech therapist, Kayla, who also diagnosed the tongue-tie. They all agreed I needed the release of the muscles in my neck, tongue-tie release, and I had the procedure two weeks ago. I still have a little bit of pain in my neck, which is even better right now after Dr. Barker just worked on it. My posture is incredibly better. I can turn my neck now. I still have a little pain when I do it. I'm hoping that get better, but the difference has been amazing. And it's fun to have friends that haven't seen me for a while, they look at me, and they kind of look puzzled. And they say, "You look good, Jackie." And I know they're noticing I'm standing straighter. My face isn't trying to fall in my lap, and I'm feeling better, which means I look better.

Speaker 1: That's great. And what treatment had you gotten for your neck pain prior to coming here?

Jackie: Oh, this particular pain, I hadn't. I'd had it for six months, and I just kept putting up with it because I've had two cervical disc surgeries and fusions, and each one, I had one in my forties. Then 20 years later, I needed it again. And I had spent 20 years again, close to, and I thought, I'm afraid I'm going to go to the doctor, and they tell me I need another fusion in my neck. And that scared me because I have a titanium plate back there now supporting four fused discs and really didn't want to go through that again. And it looks like I'm not going to have to.

Speaker 1: Wow. Just to think if someone had diagnosed your tongue-tie earlier, it might've improved your posture and prevented the surgeries in the first place.

Jackie: Yes. I think back to that and I think, "Oh, my goodness, had I only known."

Speaker 1: Well, so glad you're feeling better. Thank you for coming in.

Jackie: Thank you.