Cervical Spondylosis Syndrome (Part 4): A Ghost in the House
When "seeing ghosts" isn't a mental issue, but rather caused by cervical vertebrae compressing the vertebral artery.
Case Study: A 30-something female accountant's "ghost-seeing" experience
Many years ago, I had a patient, a female accountant in her thirties, whose symptoms were quite unusual. One day, she had an argument with her husband, and he hit her, causing injury. Her sister later brought her in for treatment to assess the injuries.
While treating her, she asked me, "Doctor, do you believe in ghosts?"
I immediately stopped what I was doing and asked her, "Why do you ask that? You're a professional with a Western education; why are you so superstitious about ghosts?"
She replied, "This time, getting hit by my husband was because of this. Every day when I come home, I always feel like there's a ghost following me, always appearing on my right side, but never on my left."
After hearing this, I understood the cause of her injury. It turned out she was constantly seeing phantom images on her right side, like a ghost following her around the house all day, making her paranoid and disoriented. Eventually, her husband couldn't take it anymore. He felt helpless and finally snapped, hoping to knock some sense into her, but he hit her too hard and injured her. That's why she came to me for treatment.
I told her that her injuries were not serious and said, "How about I also examine your hallucination symptoms?"
She said, "Okay, but I'm currently seeing a psychiatrist and taking a lot of Western psychiatric medications."
I said, "It doesn't matter, let's examine you first."
Diagnosis: Vertebral Artery Type + Sympathetic Cervical Spondylosis
After palpation and observation, I found that the patient had scoliosis, facial asymmetry ("big and small sides"), and her cervical spine leaned to the right. This caused the second cervical vertebra (atlas and axis) to chronically compress the vertebral artery, preventing normal blood flow to the brain, leading to ischemia and hypoxia in the right brain, affecting the sympathetic nerves, and causing her series of hallucinations.
🔍 Dr. Cheung Yung's Diagnosis
Confirmed Diagnosis: Cervical Spondylosis – a combination of Vertebral Artery Type and Sympathetic Nerve Type
Cause: Displacement of the second cervical vertebra (C2 atlas and axis) compressing the vertebral artery, leading to ischemia and hypoxia in the right brain, affecting sympathetic nerve function.
Key Findings: Scoliosis, facial asymmetry (big and small sides), right-leaning cervical spine.
Important Clarification: The patient did not have mental health issues but was misdiagnosed with anxiety, taking numerous psychiatric medications that left her with no energy or desire to work.
Treatment Process and Recovery
Treating "cervical spondylosis" is my specialty. Once the cause was diagnosed, the treatment direction became clear.
I asked her to stand up and look around. After looking around, she said, "I feel great, very relaxed, my mind is clear, and I can see things very clearly!"
After returning home, her "ghost-seeing" symptoms were gone. She quickly returned to work and later became a regular patient and a good friend.
Vertebral Artery Type and Sympathetic Cervical Spondylosis: Clinical Manifestations
Symptoms of this type of cervical spondylosis are often easily confused with psychiatric illnesses, leading to misdiagnosis. Below are common clinical manifestations:
Common Symptoms
- Blurred vision, dilated pupils, swollen eyes
- Vascular regulation dysfunction, irregular heart rate, palpitations, abnormal blood pressure
- Difficulty sweating, cold, pale, or red limbs
- Horner's Syndrome
- Sensation of a foreign body in the throat, frequent insomnia, low-grade fever
If you or a family member experiences the above symptoms, especially long-term unexplained blurred vision, palpitations, hallucinations, or mental disorientation, and psychiatric treatment has been ineffective, it is recommended to consider examination from the perspective of cervical spine issues to avoid delaying treatment.
Suspect discomfort caused by cervical spine issues?
Dr. Cheung Yung has over 40 years of clinical experience in TCM orthopaedics, specializing in treating various types of cervical spondylosis with bone setting, acupuncture, and Tui Na.
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Disclaimer: The case studies and treatment methods contained in this article are for educational reference only and do not constitute medical advice. Each patient's condition varies, and treatment effectiveness differs from person to person. If you have any health concerns, please consult a registered Chinese medicine practitioner or a qualified medical professional. The case study described in this article has been shared with the patient's consent, and some details have been modified to protect privacy.
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