Dr. Cameron Bigge is a spine ligament injury expert located in Anacortes, Washington.

Some of the possible symptoms of spine ligament injuries are: severe fatigue, sinus congestion, migraine headaches, visual disturbances, loss of voice, facial pain, facial numbness, difficulty shallowing, ear pain, ringing in the ears, bowel and/or bladder dysfunction, difficulty breathing, anxiety, disturbances in memory, numbness or tingling or a sense of weakness/heaviness in the arms and/or legs, difficulty breathing, drop attacks, increased intracranial pressure, TMJ pain, Vertebrobasilar artery ischemia, dizziness/vertigo, Cervicocranial syndrome, autonomic nerve system dysregulation, autoimmune conditions, balance difficulties.

How does Dr. Bigge evaluate for spine ligament injuries?

He takes specialized and specific x-rays.

What can be done for people with spine ligament injuries?

Dr. Bigge provides specialized care that is designed specifically for spine ligament injuries.

The spine is made up of only two types of anatomy: bone
(in your spine these are vertebrae) and connective tissue (ligaments). Injuries to vertebrae are called fractures. These we diagnose using general x-ray images. There are two different injuries to spine ligaments. One ligament injury is a disc herniation. Many people have heard of “discs”. These are the 23 spinal ligaments that provide spacing between the vertebrae and shock absorption to the spine. While the discs are very important, and can be quite painful if injured, they are not the most significant injury. If we feel your disc may have been damaged (herniated) an MRI study is used to capture its image. We will send you out for this test if needed. The most significant injury may be to the “spine support” ligaments. These ligaments connect and hold your vertebrae in position. There are 220 support ligaments.
Of the three injuries, the one that has the potential to be most problematic and cause long-term chronic pain is damage to the spine support ligaments - causing instability.
When these ligaments are damaged, that section of the spine becomes unstable, causing vertebrae to move excessively, creating inflammation and irritation to the spinal nerves. This injury also causes the joint or joints to wear out (degenerate) faster over time. This is the most common reason for chronic pain and disability. This injury is not tested for by most doctors and is left undiagnosed. Don’t worry, we will be using specialized x-ray imaging to test you for this injury, and are experts at diagnosing and treating them.