What is Upper Cervical?
Are you only going to adjust my neck?
What is Subluxation?
How can a Subluxation cause me to have physical problems?
How does a Subluxation occur?
What is Body Imbalance and how do I know if it has happened to me?
Is it painful to correct?
Does it have to be corrected often?
How soon should I get my children under this care?
How much does it cost?
Upper Cervical is a procedure that maintains proper positioning of the head and neck in order to correct health problems that have resulted from a misalignment and to prevent future problems from occurring.
Are you only going to adjust my neck?
Many people, especially those who have been to a chiropractor before, make the mistake of thinking that Upper Cervical doctors are going to ignore the rest of the spine and just take care of the neck. This could not be further from the truth. The large majority of problems and imbalance throughout the spine stem from a misalignment of the upper neck (even though there may or may not be any pain in the neck area). Because of this, it is possible to make major full spine changes by correcting the Upper Cervical subluxation.
A subluxation is interference to the nervous system that results from a misalignment of the spine. This misalignment occurs at the top of the neck, just beneath the skull. This area is unique because it is the only area of the spine that is attached to the spinal cord. Because of these attachments, a misalignment will cause a torque or twisting of the spinal cord and brainstem. This twisting of the spinal cord and brainstem interferes with the body’s normal flow of information from the brain to all parts of body.
How can a Subluxation cause me to have physical problems?
Your nervous system is responsible for controlling every single function of your body. If it is interfered with due to a subluxation, your body will begin to malfunction. When that happens, your body begins to build itself sick. This can cause muscle or joint pain, organ dysfunction, lowered immune system and countless other conditions that you would not ordinarily relate to a problem originating in your neck.
A subluxation can occur from any number of things. It could be the result of an accident, emotional trauma, or chemical toxicity in the body. In most people, their subluxation began in childhood. A fall from a bike, tree or swing could have caused a subluxation. In many people it happened when they were born. The birth process, even under optimal conditions, is traumatic for the baby and can potentially cause a subluxation. One of the largest misconceptions is that a subluxation only occurs with a serious trauma. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Some of the worst cases of subluxation are caused by minor accidents that are rarely associated with the resulting health problems and pain.
What is Body Imbalance and how do I know if it has happened to me?
Body Imbalance is what we call the overall changes that your body makes over time when a subluxation persists. When a subluxation occurs, the rest of the body starts to make physical changes. What starts at the very top of the neck will eventually make structural changes that can be seen all the way down to the feet. One indication of body imbalance is having one leg slightly shorter than the other. You may also notice that when you stand in front of a mirror one shoulder is slightly higher than another, and one hip is higher than the other. These are all signs of body imbalance.
For most people, no. Many people describe an adjustment as a brisk thrust on the side of the neck just behind the earlobe. Sometimes people will hear a loud pop or series of tiny ticks as the bone moves back into place. There is NO twisting of the neck. This correction is engineered to reposition the weight of the head (10 to 14 pounds) over the center of the body in order to restore proper nerve function and ultimately body balance. When the correction is made the POWER IS ON!! Your body will begin healing itself like it is designed to do.
Does it have to be corrected often?
That depends on your own body, habits and lifestyle. The longer a person is under care the fewer corrections they will need to maintain a healthy spine. If someone has never gone to a chiropractor before, they may only hold their correction for a few days. Once the spine has stabilized, people can often go several weeks and often longer without needing an adjustment. Everyone is different. Regular Upper Cervical checkups, just like dental checkups and physicals, should be part of your personal preventive health care program. People who make Upper Cervical care a part of their wellness lifestyle will often have a Upper Cervical check-up at least once a month.
How soon should I get my children under this care?
As soon after birth as possible. Some studies say the as many as 80% of children are subluxated at birth. This means that 8 out of 10 children are experiencing health problems because of an uncorrected subluxation. Many childhood illnesses that people would consider “common” are caused by subluxation (see “kids care” section). Children respond very well to care because their body has not spent years developing bad health habits. Because the nervous system controls every function of your child’s body, it is incredibly important that your child’s nervous system be functioning at 100% during these crucial developmental years. You could not possibly give your child a better gift than to make certain their nervous system is doing its job without interference.
An initial consultation can be done for you at no charge to help us determine if Upper Cervical care can potentially help you. The overall cost of care will vary from person to person depending on how much correction is needed and how much your insurance will contribute toward your care. Be sure to bring your insurance card in with you on your first visit and we will check on it for you. If you don't have insurance, don't worry, we have special cash rates and family discounts available for you and your loved ones to allow you to get under care as soon as possible.