This region should have particular care in search for individual
lesions. It is quite easy to pass over some small cervical lesion that
may be causing serious disturbance, especially if the neck happens to
be fleshy. I have corrected cervical lesions and stopped twitching of
the eyelids (orbicularis palpebrarum) and other muscles about the face.
The first case I ever saw was twenty-two years ago when I was a junior
at Kirksville. Dr. F. P. Millard, now of Toronto, was a room mate of
mine. He was constantly annoyed by a twitching of an eyelid. I did not
find any lesion for it. We went one day to see Dr. Still at his home
and told him of our difficulty. He said without examination that the
3rd cervical was in lesion. There was a senior student present whom
the “Old Doctor” directed how to use the proper technique. There was
a sharp pop, the vertebra evidently went into right relation, the
twitching stopped. I understand the patient has had very little trouble
since.
Injuries, exposure and strains to the spine may have antedated an
innominate lesion and caused weak joints, muscular and ligamentous
tension, local inflammations and partial immobilization of joints.
All this would have its modifying effects upon the manifestation of
secondary lesions from the innominate abnormality. This makes the study
of the bony relations very complex and the effect upon the numerous
blood vessels, nerves and other soft tissues still more complicated.