Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning occurs when the oxygen in your bloodstream is replaced by too much carbon monoxide in the air. When oxygen no longer binds to the hemoglobin in your body begins to suffocate.

Despite making up only 2% of the body's weight, the brain uses over 20% of the oxygen we consume. As a result, brain function is quickly affected by carbon monoxide poisoning. Varying degrees of brain damage can result depending on the severity and

duration of poisoning, and many of the symptoms associated with carbon monoxide poisoning are directly related to the lack of oxygen supply to the central nervous system.

Many of these symptoms can persist long after the acute phase of carbon monoxide poisoning has past. To make things worse, the poisoning event is often accompanied by a loss of consciousness, leading to a fall. Even minor head injuries caused by such a fall can lead to additional inflammation and immune response by specialized cells in the brain, a condition known as excitotoxicity. Unless steps are taken to reduce this inflammation and ensure that optimal circulation is restored to the brain, the level of recovery may remain minimal and symptoms can worsen over time.

There are two extremely important considerations to take into account when recovering from an even such as carbon monoxide poisoning.

Excitotoxicity in the brain needs to be immediately addressed by targeting the physiological pathways that allow this runaway inflammation to persist in the brain. Anti-inflammatory compounds such as curcumin, quercetin, resveratrol, DHA, and others help to slow down and eventually bring to a halt the inappropriate activation of neural support cells which release excitotoxic substances that can prevent an effective recovery.

The supply of blood to the recovery neural tissue depends upon the alignment of the cervical vertebrae. The blood vessels leading from the heart to the brain must pass through openings in the wings of each of the bones in the neck. Additionally, the fluid surrounding the brain (cerebro-spinal fluid) relies upon normal positioning of the uppermost vertebrae in the neck in order to circulate normally. When these vertebrae are positioned abnormally, the fluid is unable to circulate normally and the pressure inside the skull can increase, impairing both the flow of blood into the brain and the removal of toxic substances away from the brain.

The steps necessary to recover from the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning and other types of traumatic brain injury need to be taken as soon as possible to avoid permanent damage to the brain. Proper nutritional therapy and specific upper cervical spinal care are essential to ensuring the greatest possible recovery.