What Can An Upper Cervical Doctor Do For You?

by Drs. Molina and Salera

Click here for source article

What Do Upper Cervical Doctors Do?

Simple! The nervous system is responsible for the regulation and coordination of all the actions of the human body - including keeping you alive, happy and healthy. Your nervous system knows how to heal a cut, how to give you a fever when fighting an infection, how to give you a cough when you need to clear your lungs, and it even knows how to rid your body of cancer. Our only job is to keep your nervous system functioning properly and allow life to flow freely through your body! A healthy nervous system leads to a life of optimal health, increased human performance, and maximum human potential.

What is Upper Cervical Care?

Since the late 1920s, a small group of Chiropractic specialists have abandoned typical 'full-spine adjustments', limiting their practice to precise adjustments of two vertebrae, the Atlas and Axis; these specialists are referred to as upper cervical doctors. Unlike the other bones of the spine, which are anatomically locked into a certain position, the Atlas and Axis are located at the top of the neck (upper cervical spine) and are free to move around and therefore are uniquely vulnerable to misalignments. This small group of upper cervical doctors were committed to making the care as scientific, specific and efficient as possible, and realized that a misalignment of the Atlas and/or Axis may be one of the causes of decreased health and performance.

Understand: We care for, and maintain, the entire human frame (from the top of the head to the bottoms of your feet), but we only adjust the upper cervical spine. We have found, and the scientific research supports that correcting misalignments of the upper cervical spine improves function throughout the entire human body.

Why Is The Upper Cervical Spine So Important?

The central nervous system is responsible for all functions of the human body and is divided into three parts: the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord. The Atlas and Axis surround a portion of the nervous system referred to as the brain stem. Simply put, the brain stem is responsible for keeping you alive. It controls your immune system, emotions, vision, consciousness, hearing, balance, breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, muscle tension, posture, hormones, and many other functions. Also, almost every single nerve that travels from the brain to the body has to pass through the brain stem.

               

Misalignments of the Atlas and/or Axis may potentially injure, impair, compress, and/or compromise the function of the Brain Stem. In other words, an Atlas and/or Axis misalignment can decrease the function of the nervous system. Without proper brain stem function, the human body could ultimately reach a state of sickness or disease but at the very least it will decrease human potential/performance. Upper cervical doctors are committed to detecting interference to brain stem function and, if present, removing the interference to the brain stem and improving health and function!

Can Upper Cervical Care Help Me?

Yes! Upper cervical care can help everyone - newborns to seniors, "sick" or healthy. Everyone will benefit from proper brain stem function. If you are sick, and we detect irritation to your brain stem due to an upper cervical misalignment, we can help you! If you are not "sick", and we detect irritation to your brain stem due to an upper cervical misalignment, we can help you reach your optimal potential!

               

Regardless of which condition you may have, or not have,

you need a good nerve supply.

Regardless of whether you're an athlete, or a couch potato,

you need a good nerve supply.

Regardless of whether you eat organic food, or eat junk food,

you need a good nerve supply.

Regardless of whether you drink water, or drink whiskey,

you need a good nerve supply.

Regardless of whether you have cancer, or back pain,

you need a good nerve supply.

And upper cervical doctors can help with that, they can help you attain and maintain a good nerve supply and that is important to anyone who want to reach closer to their potential in life.  

Avoid the Flu…Upper Cervical Care Can Help

The first line of defense against the flu or any contagious dis-ease is a healthy, fully functioning immune system. The immune system is affected by the nerve system through the connections with the endocrine and the autonomic nervous system. Stressful conditions lead to altered measures of immune function, and altered susceptibility to a variety of diseases. Many stimuli, which primarily act on the central nervous system, can profoundly alter immune responses. The two routes available to the central nervous system are neuro-endocrine channels and autonomic nerve channels. Upper cervical care improves this function by removing nerve interference and allowing brain to body communication to be resumed.

We encourage you to explore the wonders of upper cervical care if you currently know little about it. Who can benefit? – Everyone, from infants to seniors, mothers-to-be, athletes, and accident victims will benefit from a healthy spine and nervous system.

A Simple Concept

Upper Cervical Care is based on the universal law of cause and effect. For every effect or symptom (physical or mental), there must be a cause. Upper Cervical doctors focus their efforts on locating and correcting interference to the nervous system and this may be the cause of your health condition. Correcting this interference can allow the body to heal itself naturally. An Upper Cervical Correction is gentle and there is no forceful pulling, twisting or jerking motion of your neck. The correction is applied using a precise and controlled touch that allows the head, neck, and spine to return to their proper positions, restoring balance to the body and removing the interference.

What Is Upper Cervical Care?

Upper Cervical care is a rapidly growing form of chiropractic that focuses on the intimate relationship between the first two bones in the neck, called the Upper Cervical spine, and a vital portion of the nervous system, known as the brain stem. This relationship is essential to the body’s ability to preserve and restore health. Think of the brain stem as the control center that extends down an opening in the base of your skull, making it vulnerable to injuries or irritation around the upper neck. The brain stem works like a telephone cable with thousands of individual wires or nerve fibers sending signals back and forth between the brain and spinal cord to every cell, organ and system in the body. Every nerve impulse between the brain and the body must pass through the brain stem. The nervous system is responsible for all communication within the body. It coordinates and maintains your immune system, emotions, vision, hearing, balance, breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, muscle tension, posture, hormones, and every other function. Irritation or pressure within the central nervous system can interrupt communication between the brain and the body, thus contributing to a variety of health problems.

The top vertebrae, the Atlas, is especially vulnerable to injury or misalignment because it is the most mobile segment of the spine. If neglected, an Upper Cervical misalignment may lead to irreversible spinal degeneration and chronic ill health. Upper Cervical misalignments can be caused by falls, auto accidents, sports, job injuries, concussions, physical or emotional stress, poor posture, or even birth trauma.

To learn more about Upper Cervical Care, please visit www.uppercervicalcare.com or www.upcspine.com.

Amazing What The Living Body Knows

Your Body KNOWS

by Dr. Jason Watts

In today’s world, there is a doctor or specialist for every part of your body. The best doctor ever created works to keep us healthy and alive 24 hours a day. It is inside of us and it is referred to as the innate intelligence. Regardless of your beliefs, it is self evident, and we could all agree that life is intelligent.  This intelligence within us…

■Draws the blueprint and organizes every living organ for your body

■Regulates, directs and controls the body all of the time

■Knows when something is wrong inside of you and how to fix it.

■Rebuilds all tissues, organs, muscles and bones

■Tells you when to sneeze, when to blow your nose, when to go bathroom, when to sweat and when to shiver

■Raises the skin into a blister when the skin is burned

■Heals a broken bone or cut on the skin

■Tells you when to blink your eyes

■Grows your toe nails, fingernails, and hair

■Beats your heart and puts air into your lungs

■Regulates your body temperature

■Tells you when you are tired, thirsty or hungry

■Gets any sick organ or part of the body well

■KEEPS YOU ALIVE!

This intelligence uses our nerve system to coordinate and maintain us in a living and hopefully optimally healthy state. If there is an interruption or disturbance to your body’s inborn wisdom, odds are you are Subluxated.

SUBLUXATION is a condition that occurs when the top two vertebrae in your spine misalign causing the messages from the brain to the body to become distorted due to the pressure placed upon the Brainstem. Living in this state, your body is breaking down and beginning to malfunction.  The longer you live in this state, the less of your potential your body will express.  Sickness and/or disease can result.

Atrial Fibrillation, Hypertension and Upper Cervical Care

Upper Cervical Research and Atrial Fibrillation and Hypertension

by Dr. Kevin Lin

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia which can cause palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure. Atrial fibrillation can also increase the risk of stoke by seven times over the average population. It is a serious condition that affects over 2.3 million Americans and the latest research indicates that Upper Cervical Care can be effective in providing  a resolution.

The patient in the research article was a 68- year old female that presented with Atrial fibrillation and Hypertension. She initially presented with a blood pressure of 193/98 that was reduced to 124/74 by the second month of Upper Cervical Care. In addition, the patient no longer had occurrences of arrhythmia. In total, the patient only needed 4 corrections over the first two months of care and currently still under care and is no longer on any medication to control her hypertension or her arrhythmia.

Upper Cervical doctors have such good results with heart issues including hypertension and arrhythmia because when a correction is made to the Upper Cervical spine it releases tension and pressure from the brain stem. When the brain stem is free from interference the body is able to function and heal properly in the fashion that the body was designed.

This research article can be found here.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

Diabetes, Brain Stem and Upper Cervical Care

by restorationspecific at Health Restored Blog

How can Upper Cervical Care help with Diabetes?

“The medulla oblongata is the lowermost portion of the brain, continuous with the spinal cord, that is responsible for respiration, circulation and the body’s autonomic reflexes, including function of the pancreas.”

Recent studies done by Dr. Peter Jannetta, MD the leading advocate and developer of microvascular decompression surgery has discovered a possible link between the vascular compression of the Medulla Oblongata (a portion of the brain stem) to metabolic disease such as Diabetes. Dr. Jannetta, MD has performed more than 6,000 microvascular decompression operations and he believes that inadequate blood flow to the brain stem is vital to insulin resistance and poor autonomic nervous system function. 7 out of 10 patients in Dr. Peter Jannetta’s latest study had improved glucose control without additional lifestyle changes.

When there is a misalignment in the upper cervical (neck) area, vascular compromise of the Brain stem is one of the most devastating possible consequences. Unlike most tissue that would die without proper blood flow, tissues in the central nervous system lie dormant until blood flow can be restored. With upper cervical care, the correction releases the torque on the Brain stem which decompress the vascular network that Dr. Jannetta’s believes contributes to metabolic diseases including Diabetes. In essence, the upper cervical correction reawakens the dormant tissues in the Brain stem area without expensive and invasive surgery. 

Do you know anyone with Diabetes? Please share this information with your friends and family.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for diabetes or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

What Can Upper Cervical Care Do For You?

NUCCA OUR TECHNIQUE

Health sciences agree that every single body function, regardless of how large or small, is controlled by electrical and chemical messages that travel back and forth from the brain to all parts of the body at the rate of thousands of messages per second.  These messages pass through the brain stem, which is an extension of the brain and is located at the top of the neck where the brain and spinal cord meet.   Dr. Roger Sperry, PhD., won the Nobel Prize by discovering that 90% of the brain’s activity is used to balance your body within the gravitational field of earth. He stated that if your body is mechanically distorted (off balance), it begins to effect the other 10% of the brain’s activity, which controls all the other body functions.

                               

Body Imbalance can put stress, tension and/or pressure on the brain stem and block or impede the flow of these vital messages to the body.

This interference can cause pain, sickness and suffering.

                                               

When Head Tilt develops and the body becomes imbalanced, "The Brain Stem" can be compressed, restricting the flow of health and healing messages from the brain to that part of the body serviced by these compressed nerves.  This can cause pain and suffering and decrease the quality of your life.

The NUCCA Spinal Correction, which is painless and barely felt by the patient, is a specialty in the field of chiropractic, designed to restore body balance and normalize the flow of healing messages from the brain to all parts of the body so it can reactivate it’s natural self-healing process.  The NUCCA spinal correction requires NO CRACKING, TWISTING OR POPPING OF THE NECK OR BACK.  This is possible because of the precise X-ray analysis using physics and mechanics to calculate the exact formula used for each spinal correction.  No two formulas are the same, each one is developed for the individual person.

Published research studies have shown that when body balance is restored, the body enters a healing cycle that alleviates pain and symptoms, elevates the immune system, increases blood and oxygen circulation, normalizes nervous system communication and creates more optimum body performance.

The Upper Cervical Spinal Correction procedure is designed to re-position the weight of the head (10 - 14 pounds) over the center of the neck to restore the body balance.

This procedure removes interference and reactivates the normal transmission of the brain messages to the affected part of the body, so the natural self-healing process can begin.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

7 Important Things To Remember About Upper Cervical Care

1. Upper Cervical Care is a specific system of analyzing and correcting the upper cervical vertebrae of the spinal column.

2. The atlas and axis are the only vertebrae in proximity to the brain stem. When they misalign to the extent that they put pressure on the brain stem and or spinal cord they interfere with the vital messages being sent to and from the brain to all parts of the body.

3. Any part of the body can be effected when there is pressure on the brain stem or spinal cord because almost all of the nerves have to pass through this area before reaching the part of the body they innervate.

4. Each correction is unique to the individual. Upper Cervical Care looks to correct interference to health and healing, not just treat your symptoms.

5. Upper Cervical Care isn’t about twisting, popping or pulling the spine. It’s about a very specific correction for the greatest results with the least amount of care.

6. Upper Cervical Care utilizes neurological tests, heat sensitive instrumentation and other means for detecting when interference from head/neck misalignment is present or absent. A correction is made only when nerve pressure is present.

7. Upper Cervical Care utilizes precise x-rays of the upper cervical area to determine which way the vertebrae has misaligned so that a precise and specific correction may be tailored and administered to that individual.

The Medullary Lock: The Basis Of Upper Cervical Care

Editor's note: This is a little on the technical side so some readers may get lost with some of the terminology. For some people who are more skeptical and analytical minded this will serve to explain upper cervical care in a more detailed way.

Medullary Lock

by KCUCS.com

The Brain Stem, from a Neuro-Physiological standpoint is the center of life in the body. It is one of the first organized structures formed in embryo (1) and the last place life is evident before a person passes. The lower portion of the Brain Stem lies in the cradle where the head sits on the spine. Therefore, a Head/Neck Misalignment can potentially manifest in a wide variety of symptoms and diseases.

The Medullary Lock is an elaborate network of hard and soft tissue that acts as a stabilizing support for the medulla and upper spinal cord. It secures the medulla and upper spinal cord in the center of the spinal canal and foramen magnum in cases of trauma. Otherwise, even minor slips and falls could be devastating to the body.

With atlas and/or axis misalignment, the very safeguards the medulla and upper spinal cord are afforded through the Medullary Lock become the very mechanism creating cord distortion.

The development of the Medullary Lock was built upon the foundation of Dr. John D Grostic's Dentate Ligament theory (2).

To introduce the Medullary Lock we need to consider 4 basic components.

1. Upper Cervical muscles and their roles
2. Supportive ligaments and membranes and their roles
3. 4 known structures with external attachments to the Dura Mater
4. One structure internally attached to the Dura Mater and intimately connected with the cord.

Each of these components not only work together but are synergistic one with another. There are 4 pairs of muscles called suboccipital muscles (3-5) that act to extend, rotate and laterally bend the Upper Cervical Spine and head. They as well are called proprioceptive muscles because they are chalked full of proprioceptive nerve fibers and carry the responsibility of relaying info to the brain stem as to head position at any given time.

There is an elaborate ligament system that secures the Upper Cervical spine (6-10). The Alar ligament attaches to the lateral margin of the dens about half way up from its base and connects to the medial aspect of the ipsilateral condyle. In the neutral head position these ligaments are in their most relaxed position. The purpose of the Alar ligaments is to check lateral bending and head rotation on the contralateral side. The Alar ligaments do afford some protection for the medulla in checking extreme head rotation. When Alar ligaments are compromised the atlas slides lateral ipsilateral upon lateral bending.

The tectorial membrane works together with the alar ligaments providing stability for the upper cervical region in flexion. The atlanto occipital membrane provides stability in extension. The anterior longitudinal ligament and posterior longitudinal ligament as well provide craniovertebral stability.

The muscles, ligaments, capsules and membranes all provide support for the cranio vertebral region working synergistically. They provide stability and positional awareness for the upper cervical region.

Some of these structures; ligaments, muscles and membranes have direct connection with the dura mater at the cranio vertebral junction. There are four known structures external to the cord that attach to the dura mater.

1. Attachment of the dura mater to the foramen magnum (11)
2. Attachment of the dura mater to the posterior arch of C1 & C2 (11)
3. Connective tissue bridge between the rectus capitus posterior minor muscle and the dura mater (12)
4. Connective tissue attachments between the ligamentum nuchae and flavum to the dura (13,14)

There is one internal structure to the dura mater, the dentate ligament, which stabilizes the medulla and upper spinal cord within the spinal canal space in the upper cervical spine. Dr. Grostic outlined its detrimental effects (2).

The Medullary Lock is a stabilizing factor for the medulla and upper spinal cord (15). The 4 known structures described above external to the dura and the one internal, the dentate ligament, all work together as a network of support. Regardless in what position the head moves, whether rotation right or left, flexion or extension, lateral bending left or right, or any combination, it is important for the medulla and upper spinal cord to remain fixed within their position relative to the spinal canal and foramen magnum. This becomes even more crucial in the cases of trauma. Movement beyond a small amount in the vertical superior or inferior, anterior upon flexion, posterior upon extension or any combination can prove to be fatal. In fact, it is reported that most fatal car crashes are the result of a fractured atlas. In these cases, it is easy to see how the Medullary Lock could lose its integrity.

The Medullary Lock is a mechanism that provides security and stability for the medulla and upper spinal cord. However, because of its mechanism of support, when the upper cervical vertebrae are in a 3 directional torque misalignment, stretch and tension are exerted through the dentate ligaments exerting forces on the cord as described by Dr. Grostic.

Dr. Grostic's dentate ligament cord distortion hypothesis was consistent with what BJ Palmer described (16) in Volume XVIII, regarding cord pressure.

BJ Palmer expounded upon the original 4 elements of a subluxation:

1. Misalignment
2. Occlusion of a foramen
3. Pressure upon nerves
4. Interference to the mental impulse.

BJ explained the necessity of a 5th element (17) describing the subluxation as a 3 directional torque, misaligning on three planes simultaneous. In this manner, the misalignment becomes permanent more or less. It is the permanency of the upper cervical subluxation that leads to the weakened ability of the body to adapt to the environment and grow in dis-ease.

The longer a person is able to stay balanced in the upper cervical area, remaining relatively clear from nerve interference, the stronger the Medullary Lock becomes. The stronger the Medullary Lock becomes the more difficult it is for a person to subluxate and the higher the potential is for that person to recover from long term illness or simply achieve their highest potential health. The reverse is true, the more unstable the Medullary Lock, the more easily it will be for that person to subluxate and the more susceptible the person will be in 'growing dis-ease'.

It is our opinion that over adjusting or adjusting too often, especially with upper cervical procedures, can weaken the Medullary Lock.

KCUCS practitioners view their purpose as Upper Cervical doctors to be guardians of the Medullary Lock, to facilitate more stability of the Medullary Lock over a long period of time. Putting particular emphasis on substantial long-term growth in health and life. This is consistent with what BJ Palmer referred to Accumulative Constructive Survival Value (ACSV) (18). The greater the ACSV, the greater the ability to grow in health, adapt to the environment and overcome disease.

REFERENCES:

1. Sanes DH, Reh TA, Harris WA: Development of the nervous system, 2nd edit. 2006, Elsevier Inc. Burlington, MA ISBN: 978-0-12-618621-5.
2. Grostic JD: Dentate ligament - cord distortion hypothesis. CRJ Vol 1(1): Spring, pp 47-55
3. Gray H, Pick TP, Houdin R: Gray's Anatomy: The unabridged running press edition of the American classic. ISBN: 0-914294-08-3.
4. Hallgren RC, Fernandez C: Suboccipital muscle contribution to tension-type headache chapter 7 in diagnosis and management of tension-type and cervico-genic headache. Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury, Massachusetts, 2008.
5. Hallegren RC, Andary, MT, 2008. Under-shooting of a neutral reference position following cervical motion in the sagittal plane. J Manipulative and Physiol Ther, 31(7):547-552.
6. Bogduk N, Mercer S: Biomechanics of the cervical spine, I: normal kinematics. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2000; 15:633-648.
7. Dvorak J, Panjabi M, Gerber M, Wichmann W: CT-functional diagnostics of the rotatory instability of upper cervical spine, 1: an experimental study of cadavers. Spine, 1987; 12:197-205
8. Penning L: Kinematics of cervical spine injury: a functional radiological hypothesis. Eur Spine J. 1995; 4:126-132.
9. Swartz EE, Floyd RT, Cendoma M: Cervical spine functional anatomy and the biomechanics of injury due to compressive loading. J Athl Train. 2005 Jul-Sep; 40(3): 155-161.
10. Singh AP: Biomechanics of upper cervical spine. Bone & Joint. Feb 10, 2010, http://boneandspine.corn/spine/cervical-spine/biomechanics-of-upper-cervical-spine/
11. Hinson R, Zeng ZB: Epidural attachments in the Upper Cervical Spine. Abstracts from the 15th Annual Upper Cervical Spine Conference, November 20-21, 1998, CRJ, 1999;6(1):31-32.
12. Hack G: Anatomical relation between the rectus capitus posterior minor and the dura mater. Spine, 20(23): 2484-2486
13. Shinomiya K, Dawson, J, Spengler DM, Konrad P, Blumenkopf B: An analysis of the posterior epidural ligament role on the cervical spinal cord. Spine, 1996; 21(18):2081-2088
14. Dean N, Mitchell B: Anatomic Relation between the nuchal ligament (ligamentum nuchae) and the spinal dura mater in the craniocervical region. 2002 Clin. Anat. 15:182-185.
15. Kessinger, R: KCUCS instrumentation module notes. 2009, Cape Girardeau, MO, pp 20-23.
16. Palmer BJ: The subluxation specific the adjustment specific, Vol. XVIII. 1934, Palmer School of Chiropractic, Davenport, IA. pp 322-323.
17. Palmer BJ: The subluxation specific the adjustment specific, Vol. XVIII. 1934, Palmer School of Chiropractic, Davenport, IA. pp 248-251
18. Palmer BJ: History repeats, Vol. XXVII. 1951, Palmer School of Chiropractic, Davenport, IA. pp 707-708.

What is Atlas Orthogonal?

Atlas Orthogonal is a very effective and modern form of upper cervical care, using state-of-the-art technological advances. In fact, it is so advanced that many medical neurologists in Europe are trying to emulate the method. However, they are still 30-40 years behind a trained Atlas Orthogonal doctor.

Atlas Orthogonal is very safe, gentle, painless, and has shown to be extremely effective for a wide variety of health problems.

Your body has an amazing natural ability to heal itself, so in most cases, there is no need for drugs or surgeries. Those alternatives should be considered last, not first, resorts. Many health problems are can be caused or contributed by “short circuits” within the nervous system. The Atlas Orthogonal doctor is highly trained at detecting and safely correcting nerve interference due to head neck misalignment.

The corrections are done with a gentle and safe percussion instrument. The instrument is non-intrusive, non-threatening and low force. Depending on the specific misalignments and nerve interference (determined through proper examinations), the instrument is placed specifically and accurately. Once the patient is properly positioned, a gentle percussive force is generated at the site of the misalignment.

Sometimes, patients are surprised that the corrections is so gentle. Once the nervous system starts working better, the body starts to heal, and the symptoms often start to go away, which is when patients truly begin to appreciate the healing nature of Atlas Orthogonal upper cervical.

An Atlas Orthogonal doctor is a specialist in the brain stem and upper cervical area. The brain controls the body’s functions through the brain stem. The Atlas Orthogonal doctor can positively affect the body’s function and health by properly aligning the Atlas, which is the first cervical bone also called C1.

Because this specialty demands more schooling beyond chiropractic school and because of the focus and accuracy needed from an Atlas Orthogonal doctor, not many chiropractors continue to seek accreditation in this procedure. There are approximately 300 Atlas Orthogonal doctors in the whole world!

What is important to remember is: Atlas Orthogonal (Upper cervical care) does not treat any particular disease or symptom. It's goal is to correct nerve imbalance and restore the body’s proper function and health, and then the symptoms usually alleviate naturally. The nervous system controls all of the body’s functions. This is a natural method of health care. First, try to remedy your pain or cause of the problem naturally through upper cervical care. Then, if needed, seek prescription drugs second and surgery as a last resort.

For more information on Atlas Orthogonal Care or to find an Atlas Orthogonal Doctor in your area, visit www.GlobalAO.com.

Upper Cervical Care Stories Of Healing: Part 2

Editors Note: Here is another person's story, again from Dr. Margaret Banitch in Montclair, New Jersey.

Barbara's Story

My back problems began about 29 years ago, shortly after the birth of my first daughter. I was plagued by random bouts of sciatica that sent pain shooting down my right leg, and sometimes completely numbed it for a minute or so. The doctor said that I could expect temporary back problems after childbirth. My lower back pain came and went, sometimes I would "throw my back out" so badly that I was bent sideways and couldn't sit down because of the pain. I've had numerous cortisone shots, which helped temporarily; I've taken strong pain medication: valium & darvocet & percoset, during the times my back was "out". I lost a whole summer one year because I was all twisted up and in pain, and couldn't do much. I had my first daughter with natural childbirth, but my back pain felt worse. I had MRI's which revealed three herniated disks in my lower back, which were very thin, as well as some arthritis.

I've had lots of chiropractic adjustments: three different general chiropractors who don't do the Blair method. They helped a lot initially, but as time went on, the adjustments didn't do much any more. I had always been very physically active, and running was my favorite workout. My doctors & chiropractors told me "no more running", since it may have contributed to my problem. Every time I exercised my back felt so bad, that I exercised very little, and gradually gained about 25 lbs. (over the course of about 15 years).

I finally thought that my only option now was to have surgery. I decided that I would just live with the side effects caused by surgery so I could get somewhat back to normal again, and I made an appointment with a surgeon. Meanwhile, my oldest daughter kept begging me to try Blair (upper cervical). She was in a car accident years ago, which left her with mandibular (jaw) pain, migraines, and neck & upper back pain. Her boss was a patient of Dr. Forest, a Blair (upper cervical doctor) in our home town of Pleasanton, California, and he recommended Dr. Forest to my daughter. My daughter's jaw pain is gone, migraines, and all other symptoms are completely gone. She just goes in for "tune-ups" now as needed.

I kept telling my daughter that she just didn't understand: I had lower back problems, and Blair (upper cervical doctors) just worked on the neck area. How can the method possibly help me? Finally she persuaded me to try the Blair method before resorting to surgery.

I was impressed by the thorough explanation of how the Blair (upper cervical) method works, as well as by the fact that Dr. Forest actually gave me a timeline for when I could expect to be completely healed. No other (doctor) had done that. He took detailed x-rays and measurements, and showed me that my atlas, the bone that sits at the top of the spine, was twisted to the left side and downward, thus pinching the nerves that run from my brain to the right side of my body. This caused the muscles to cramp and pull up my hip on one side, causing the discs in my lower back to be squeezed in an unnatural manner. Each time I went in for an adjustment, he first checked to see if I even needed adjusting. If I didn't need it, he wouldn't do anything. He explained how once the nerves coming from the brain through the atlas are freed, the muscles and other body parts that they serve can relax and begin the healing process in stages. Each time I went in for a treatment, I was taught something new about the healing process, and told what exactly to expect next. Everything went exactly how Dr. Forest had said, and though it was too good to believe at first, I actually began to get better! I felt like I'd gotten my life back. I was able to begin exercising again, and have been able to lose 10 pounds so far, and looking forward to losing the other 15, plus skiing again, maybe tennis again too.

Shortly after beginning my Blair treatments with Dr. Forest, my husband's job required us to move to Connecticut. Dr. Forest recommended Dr. Banitch, and I have received the same quality of care from her that I received from Dr. Forest. I am steadily improving to the point that the chronic pain I used to live with is just a memory. I don't mind having to drive all the way from Connecticut to New Jersey for treatments, because it is worth it to me to feel like my old self again, after many years. I just wish I had taken my daughter's advice sooner than I did, because it would have spared me a lot of misery. I'm so thankful to Drs. Forest and Banitch for restoring my health and energy. And all this without any popping or cracking, or medicine! I'm soon going to turn 52 years old, and I feel better now than I did ten years ago.

Upper Cervical Care Revisited

This comes to us from www.seeonedoc.com

What is Upper Cervical Care?
by Dr. Autumn Monteiro

Upper Cervical Care is a unique system of finding and correcting nerve interference in the upper neck area.

Upper Cervical Care focuses on the intimate relationship between the first two bones in the neck, called the Upper Cervical Spine, and a vital portion of the nervous system, known as the brain stem. This relationship is essential to the body’s ability to preserve and restore health.

Think of the brain stem as the control center that extends down an opening in the base of your skull, making it vulnerable to injuries or irritation around the upper neck. The brain stem works like a telephone cable with thousands of individual wires or nerve fibers sending signals back and forth between the brain and spinal cord to every cell, organ and system in the body. Almost every nerve impulse between the brain and the body must pass through the brain stem. The nervous system is responsible for all communication within the body. It regulates your immune system, emotions, vision, hearing, balance, breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, muscle tension, posture, hormones, and every other function.

Irritation or pressure within the central nervous system can interrupt communication between the brain and the body, thus creating a variety of health problems. The top two vertebrae, the Atlas and Axis, are especially vulnerable to injury or misalignment because they are the most mobile segments of the spine. If neglected, an Upper Cervical misalignment can lead to irreversible spinal degeneration and chronic ill health. Upper Cervical misalignments can be caused by falls, auto accidents, sports, job injuries, concussions, physical or emotional stress, poor posture, or even birth trauma.

Birth Trauma and Upper Cervical Care

Birth Trauma during Deliveries Dangerous to Newborns

The most common cause of this damage is excessive traction and twisting of the infant’s neck when using the head as a lever to extract the infant from the birth canal, damaging spinal structures, the spinal cord and brain stem. Survival of the infant depends on brain stem functions such as respiration, heart activity and reflex actions.

Unfortunately, such damage often goes undiagnosed and unreported since many doctors are unaware of the significant trauma that can result. Routine examination of spinal structures is not normally done of newborns.

Spinal damage can occur in numerous ways. Rupture and tearing of the covering of the brain and spinal cord (Meninges), tearing of the spinal nerve roots and laceration, swelling and compression of the spinal cord and brain stem are common. While heart function may or may not be normal in such cases, respiratory depression soon after birth is a cardinal sign of brain stem injury.

By way of commentary on this article, Upper Cervical doctors correct the head/neck misalignments that can occur during even routine deliveries. If your child, or any you know, experienced a difficult delivery, it would be helpful that their head and neck alignment be checked by an Upper Cervical doctor. Upper Cervical correction of spinal problems should take place as soon after they occur as possible in order to help insure a lasting correction and good health.

The Upper Cervical Procedure

Precision Upper Cervical adjusting is a little-known chiropractic procedure that corrects the position of the top vertebrae of the spine, the atlas and/or axis. By correcting the tilt, shift or rotation of these vertebrae, the body is better able to overcome the affects or, in some cases, completely eliminate many different conditions.

The atlas is a single, 2 oz. doughnut-shaped vertebra at the top of the spine. Trillions of nerve fibers from the brainstem travel through the small opening in atlas and flow down into the spinal column. Because of the smallness of the opening and because of the atlas’ close proximity to the brain stem, if the atlas has moved out of position even a fraction of a degree, two very serious things can result.
Body Imbalance

When the atlas and/or axis are out of their proper position, the head moves off center of the body. This creates body imbalance from head to toe. More weight shifts to one side of the body than the other. If these vertebrae are also rotated out of position, they can twist your entire spinal structure, including the pelvis, so that one leg becomes shorter than another. (See illustrations.) Not having your atlas corrected to restore body balance is like continuing to drive a car that is misaligned. Your tires are going to wear out prematurely. You can keep replacing the tires, but unless you have the car aligned, you’ll just be wasting your money. The same thing is true for headaches or ADD or hundreds of other conditions that have been known to respond well to Upper Cervical health care. You can keep taking medication, but if your atlas is out of its proper position and causing the problem, it’s not going away until you get your atlas corrected and body balance restored.

Restriction or Distortion of Brain Messages to Different Parts of the Body

The second serious result of an atlas and/or axis being out of position is the restriction or distortion of critical messages from the brain to all parts of the body. Every cell, organ or tissue that is not receiving adequate nerve supply from the brain will suffer and degenerate. Example: Ball your hand into a fist. This represents your head. Extend your index finger as if you are pointing at someone. Your index finger represents your body. Take a rubber band and wrap it tightly around your index finger where it is attached to your hand. The rubber band represents your atlas, which is wrapped around the spinal cord right near the brain stem and has moved out of its proper position. Wait a few minutes. Your entire finger begins to turn white and blue due to the circulation being cut off by the rubber band. You can massage your finger to restore circulation. You can inject a syringe with pain medication to stop the pain. In severe cases you can cut off the finger to erase the pain. However, only the symptoms of the problem have been addressed, not the cause. The rubber band is the cause.

The same thing is true for an atlas that has moved out of its proper position. It can constrict or distort proper brain messages to organs and limbs throughout the body. Your feet may hurt or you may be having kidney problems, but the cause of the problem may not be in those areas at all, but in your neck where a misaligned atlas is restricting or distorting brain messages to areas throughout the body. If your atlas remains out of position for years, degeneration of organ, muscle and cell tissue can result. Over time, that could be serious, since in many conditions, pain is the last symptom to occur.

Now, here’s the Good News! Repositioning the top vertebrae of the spine brings healing! The repositioning of the atlas vertebrae is done by hand or by instrument. Depending on the doctor’s technique, it feels like a light tap, a brisk thrust, or a soft massage at the side of the neck as the atlas is moved precisely back into its correct position. It is completely “underwhelming.” There is no twisting of the neck. Patients are often surprised how anti-climactic it is until, over a period of time, they feel their bodies healing. The procedure cures nothing. It simply restores body balance and brain-to-body communication so that organs, limbs and tissues can resume normal functioning. The body can now self-heal. That is why we see many different conditions responding to the same procedure. However, too many of us wait too long to get our atlas corrected. This is mainly due to ignorance of the vital role the atlas plays in the health of the entire body throughout life.

It is becoming increasingly clear that parents should have their children’s atlas examined as soon after birth as possible and have regular atlas check ups throughout their lives. Countless problems could be avoided entirely. A rightly positioned atlas is so fundamental to good health; children to grandparents need to get their atlases examined now.

Upper Cervical Care And The Living Miracle

Adapted from "You Are A Living Miracle!"

By Dr. Edward Weller

You have an intelligence inside of you that is amazing. Think about it:

It created you from 2 cells. Now you have 70,000,000,000,000 (trillion)!

If you cut yourself, you will heal. In a few days, the body replaces the damaged skin with new skin and the cut heals.

In 12 months you will have an entirely new body. As you’re reading this, the inside lining of your stomach is dying and new cells are replacing them. Your heart cells are dying and new cells are growing. Constantly, everyday, cells die and new ones are growing.

You and your children are in a constant cycle of life and healing. If, in 12 months, you will have a new heart, then why can’t the body heal heart disease? If, in 12 months you will have a new pancreas, then why can’t the body heal diabetes it’s had for 7 years? It can, if you can figure out what’s stopping the body from functioning at 100%.

The brain, spinal cord, and nerves are responsible for all your functioning and healing. We can get sick and build disease when something interferes with our brain, spinal cord, and nerves. This interference can cause nerve damage, the brain’s messages are distorted, sending abnormal messages to the body, the body produces abnormal cells, those abnormal cells multiply, and then you can have disease.

An Upper Cervical Correction releases pressure off the nerves, opening the life channels, and life returns back to the body. With these clear channels, abnormal cells are replaced with normal cells, and a miracle takes place in the body!

Who gets cancer first, a body that’s working at 100% or a body that’s working at 80%? You know the answer now!

We work with Life, not against it. That is why miracles can happen everyday with Upper Cervical Care! Share this with others. They may not know the miracles inside them!

Upper Cervical Care Reviewed

This is one person's overview of NUCCA care. I thought it was very well done and worth sharing as it covers many of the basics of Upper Cervical Care.

By Lennard Zinn

The top, or Cl vertebra (C is for "cervical," i.e., "neck") is also called the "atlas" vertebra. Cl is concave on top to accept the convex base of the skull, and it is convex on the bottom to fit into the concave top of the next vertebra. Central to the vertebrae runs the spinal cord, carrying body control messages from the brain. Between each pair of vertebrae are 31 pairs of nerves extending out to organs and muscles.

Misaligned (or "subluxated") vertebrae can impinge on the nerves and hamper body function. Chiropractors apply force to parts of the spine with the intent of returning vertebrae to their normal positions. Cracking sounds usually accompany the adjustment. Upper Cervical Technique is distinct in that the adjustment is only performed on the Cl vertebra and the adjustment normally makes no sound. Furthermore, the direction of the application of force to perform the adjustment is not based simply on palpation (the chiropractors "feel") but rather on detailed analysis of X-rays. From the X-rays, a three-dimensional force vector is calculated and then applied to Cl to correct its position.

A misaligned atlas throws off leg length and distorts the entire body. The skull and the other vertebrae rotate and tip to compensate for rotation and tip in C1. The head weighs between 8 and 14 pounds. If it is not sitting straight on top of the spine, the muscles of the body must do something to counteract this bowling ball hanging off to the side. If the muscles on one side of the spine are tighter than those on the other, then the pelvis is pulled up on that side, thus "shortening" that leg.

I went to Farmington, New Mexico, a town of 40,000 near the four comers area, to view this procedure, as there are no practitioners of it within hundreds of miles of my Boulder, Colorado, home. Lloyd Pond, D.C., who practices with his son, Lonnie, is recognized among those who follow the subject as one of the leading practitioners of upper cervical technique.

Diagnostic Methods

The Ponds use a complex diagnostic machine with a digital printout called an "Anatometer" to quantify body distortion. It measures the degree of vertical pelvic tilt, pelvic rotation in a horizontal plane, the lean of the spinal column at the shoulder level, and the amount of weight the patient carries on each foot.

Patients first lie flat on a table to have leg length differences measured.

Patients said that they only feel a very slight pressure and the warmth of the hand on their neck. There was no deflection of the patient's head or neck during the procedure, nor was there an audible sound.

A heat-sensing probe is passed up the spine on the back of the neck. The probe has a temperature sensor on either side, of the spine hooked up to a machine that graphs the temperature readings as a function of position. The graph shows large surface-temperature variations on either side of the spine, indicating interrupted nerve supply.

The adjustment direction is based on X-rays, which one of the Ponds takes to ensure accuracy. Patient position and distance to the lens is precisely set in each of three different X-ray angles.

On a light board, lines are drawn on the X-rays through a series of bone points. The precise relative angles of Cl, the head, and the spine are measured in three planes. Once the exact misalignment of the atlas is determined, a vector direction in three dimensions is determined, precisely opposing the misalignment.

Adjustment procedure

The chiropractor applies a force directly along the determined vector direction to return the atlas to its proper position. The force must be applied with enough pressure to overcome the body's internal resistance to the adjustment without going too far.

The patient lies on his or her side on a low inclined bed with a head support. The adjustment is performed with the side of the heel of one hand on a comer of the Cl vertebra located just behind the patients ear lobe. Lloyd or Lonnie Pond takes a number of measurements with the tape measure to determine where to stand and how to orient his sternum relative to the patient, a different position is used with every patient.

He clasps one hand about the wrist of the other hand, sets the heel of the lower hand on the bone and aligns his arms and the top of his sternum directly down the force vector determined from the X-ray. He does not push by straightening the arms, nor does he push by rocking his back or body forward. With either of those motions, the heel of the hand does not move along a line connecting the top of the sternum and the heel of the hand. Instead, the chiropractor locks his body in place, and the force comes from the shoulders by contracting the head of the triceps muscle. To call it subtle would be an understatement.

I observed the procedure being performed on a number of patients, and interviewed them before and after. They were long-term patients of the Ponds (some on the order of 15-20 years; Lloyd Pond has been doing this work in Farmington for 40 years). Several of the leg-length discrepancies were originally around an inch. Most Patients were coming in for a semi-annual or annual checkup, although one had been involved in an automobile accident dent three days earlier.

Patients said that they only feel a very slight pressure and the warmth of the hand on their neck. There was no deflection of the patient's head or neck during the procedure, nor was there an audible sound.

Afterward, the leg lengths were even, and the thermographs showed consistent temperatures on both sides of the spine.

Patients' comments

The patients reported feeling immediate relief. The reduced strain in the face of the auto accident victim was obvious.

Patients commented that while many joke about "having magic words said over them... half the people in town come to the Ponds." One woman, noted that Pond's rates have gone up from $11 a visit when she first started seeing him 20 years ago to the current $30 per visit but quickly added that she "would pay any amount for it" Patients told me of not only a reduction in the symptoms of body aches, but generally improved overall health.

Lloyd Pond claims only to correct the position of Cl, and he acknowledges that it can improve overall health by improving delivery of nerve impulses and instructions from the brain, helping the body combat disease processes. Due to Cl's close proximity to the brain stem, it simultaneously affects the brain and the entire spinal cord, and thus the entire body.

Lloyd Pond comments that his method is simply the application of physics to the human body. The adjustments can hold for years, unlike most chiropractic adjustments. After the initial series of treatments, visits are separated by many months, and Pond says if alignment is not off, "we don't touch 'em".

When asked why less than 1 percent of chiropractors specialize in this technique, Lonnie Pond says that chiropractors are pulled in many different directions toward various chiropractic specialties, and, he added, "it is easier to crack backs."

John Dunn, D.C., a cyclist, and upper cervical chiropractor from Tallahassee, Florida, says that it takes a certain type of person to practice the technique. It is an exacting method and a real-life application of vector analysis, and therefore, attracts "the pocket-protractor types who drive used cars."

Dunn notes that the work-up is time consuming, the adjustment is sublime, and the follow-up visits are less frequent so there isn't much motivation for a chiropractor to pursue the approach.

"It also takes balls to tickle someone behind the ear and tell them they are going to be just fine," joked Dunn.

Upper Cervical Spine Neurology

From The International Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (IUCCA)

Of the voluminous research compiled in the literature on spinal arthrokinematics and neuropathophysiology, the most neurologically intensive is on the upper cervical spine. The current literature is replete with information on aberrant upper cervical biomechanics and its possible ramifications on brain stem and higher order functions. Neurological pathways have been traced with radioisotopes from the upper cervical spine to brain stem centers. Dysfunctioning and non-functioning areas of the brain have been mapped, the cause found, and the solution traced to possible causes in the upper cervical spine. The amount of supporting research is staggering and exciting.

No other site in the human body has so much data on the possible effects of an adjustment on global body function than the upper cervical spine. Although lower spinal dysfunction has been shown to potentially cause local neurological disturbances, the magnitude of these disturbances are significantly less than in the upper cervical spine. This junction between the brain control centers and the body below deserves critical attention if one is intent on consistently affecting the body as a whole.

The Beginnings of Upper Cervical Research

From www.neurologicalfitness.com

NEUROLOGICAL FITNESS INTERVIEW:
LISA ZAYNAB KILLINGER, D.C.

Interview:

1. What surprised you the most when you actually began to work with the B.J. Palmer Clinic (BJPC) files?

As a Palmer student in the 1980's, I had never been given any information regarding B.J. Palmer's research. My perception of B.J. Palmer was more of a showman than researcher. When I began to read through the patient files of the B.J. Palmer Clinic, I was very surprised at how detailed they were, and how well the patient care was documented. I then began to realize what dedication B.J. Palmer had to chiropractic research. He utilized every state of the art tool available in his time, to assess the Palmer Clinic patients before and after their adjustments. Another surprise to me was how infrequently patients were adjusted. Many patient files showed one or two adjustments over months of observation and evaluation. This careful monitoring and follow-up impressed me greatly.

2. How has your work with the BJPC files affected you as a clinician?

I am humbled as a clinician at how carefully the B.J. Palmer Clinics documented chiropractic care. Clinicians often fall into the trap of just writing a bare minimum in the patient file due to time constraints of a busy practice. The message I get from working with the BJPC files is, "document, document, document!" I think most clinicians know the importance of documentation, but if our predecessors could do such a fantastic job of it half a century ago, we should certainly document our patient care perfectly today. Documentation is the key to research, and subsequent dissemination of information about chiropractic care.

3. Do all the cases you're reviewing and working with involve strictly HIO? If not, what types of techniques were used?

In all of the files I have reviewed, including the 1930's-1960's, an atlas or axis adjustment is the only treatment recorded in the files. I have conducted semi-structured interviews with several of the DCs who worked in the BJPC regarding the exact chiropractic procedures used. Each clinician has indicated to me that the adjustments were exclusively Toggle-Recoil (former Upper Cervical Specific) adjustments, usually performed on a side posture table. The knee-chest table was also used, but sporadically. One clinician who worked in the clinic in the mid-late 1950's stated that "when a side posture table wasn't available, or the room was too small for a side posture table, a knee-chest table was used." He also stated that the type of table used was a matter of personal preference, but that it was not a big issue.

4. What have you learned from working with the BJPC files that would make you a better patient educator? Please share that with us!

As a researcher, I want to be very careful about making statements that are not supported by the scientific literature. Working with the BJPC files has opened my eyes to a level of care-giving and patient monitoring that most of us may never live up to in our own practices. Patients came to the Palmer Clinics by ambulance, in wheelchairs, on crutches, and came to be treated at the best, or at least one of the best facilities that chiropractic had to offer at the time. It was a sort of chiropractic ICU. The patients didn't just come for back and neck pain. Around half of the patients, from my preliminary review of the files, came in with viscerosomatic or neuromuscular disease. These people saw the big picture, and came to understand the nervous system's relationship to all body systems. Seeing this in the files has really sparked my enthusiasm for chiropractic and in never underestimating the body's power to heal itself. This renewed spark will carry over into my enthusiasm for patient education.

5. What do you find different about a scientific endeavor guided by a specific set of principles and a specific philosophy?

Pure research or scientific endeavor is simply curiosity, and through that curiosity asking research questions. In scientific research you have to ask those questions, and then report the answers you find regardless of whether your results match your philosophies. Although B.J. Palmer was definitely outspoken on matters of philosophy, I really think he went about reporting what happened in his clinic, and in his studies of field doctors' practices, in a very 'research-minded' way. I will always admire Dr. Palmer for his contribution to our profession, and for working so hard to be a researcher (not an area in which he had training). I hope that all chiropractors will respect the very respect-worthy research that is currently being done in chiropractic. I also hope they will strive to be effective research consumers, keen to the methods of evaluating the quality of the research, and recognizing its strengths and its limitations.

HYPERTENSION AND NEUROLOGY

BY GILBERT SCHMIEDEL, D.C.

Blood pressure of 140 mm Hg systolic and 90 mm Hg diastolic is now considered by many authorities to be high blood pressure—hypertension.

Why? Is this a condition unto itself or is it compensation or a normal reaction to the demands of the body? Certainly the blood pressure (controlled ultimately by the nervous system) will elevate to accommodate exercise or increased body activity or other body needs. The blood pressure is often elevated during periods of stress or anxiety. However, increased blood pressure is often associated with pathological conditions that increase the body’s demands for increased circulation; vascular disease, kidney or respiratory conditions, obesity and hormone disturbances invariably place an abnormal demand on the heart. Many of these conditions and others are, of themselves, often responsive to Upper cervical care and therefore, concomitantly, high blood pressure may be alleviated. Some of these conditions may be the subject of future articles.

I would like to specifically address what might be called idiopathic hypertension—with no apparent etiology. Toward that end, let’s consider the neurological implications of cardiac control. The heart is one of those organs mutually innervated by two major components of the autonomic nervous system: vagal and sympathetic elements.

The autonomic elements of the vagus nerve arise from the nucleus ala cinerea in the medulla oblongata. Fibers from these neurons synapse with neurons in the cardiac plexus (at the base of the heart). The fibers from these neurons are generally inhibitory for the myocardium and constrict the coronary arteries.

The sympathetic elements arise from intermedio lateral cells of cord levels T 1-4. These fibers are conducted out of the neural canal through intervertebral foramina formed by upper thoracic vertebrae and ascend via the cervical part of the sympathetic gangliated trunk to the superior cervical ganglion (lies alongside C 2-3 vertebrae), middle cervical ganglion (at juncture of C 5-6 vertebrae), and stellate ganglion (at C7–T1 vertebrae). Fibers from these cells pass through the cardiac plexus and carry impulses that are the accelerators for the myocardium and cause dilation of the coronary arteries.

In addition to the autonomic (visceromotor) elements given above, there are vaso afferent structures that reflexively influence cardiac activity. The carotid body (glomus caroticum) located near the juncture of the common carotid artery and carotid sinus, which is a dilation at the commencement of the internal carotid artery, are respectively concerned with chemoreception (CO2 and O2) and baroreception (blood pressure reception). Other chemoreceptor cells are located in the heart wall. The glossopharyngeal, vagus and sympathetics supply these specialized receptor cells. The nucleus of the tractus solitarius (which receives impulses from the baroreceptors and chemoreceptor cells), nucleus ala cinerea and reticular formation (which carries autonomic impulses from the brain centers of the hypothalamus to intermedio lateral cells of the spinal cord) are found in the medulla oblongata, specifically that part of the medulla oblongata supplied exclusively by the lateral branch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (a branch of the vertebral artery).

Atlanto occipital complex is most directly related to the neurovascular elements influencing cardiac function. Misalignment of the atlas or occiput may physically affect the medulla oblongata and the neuronal elements concerned with cardiac function; including the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (ala cinerea), nucleus solitarius (which receives vaso afferent impulses from blood pressure receptor cells and chemo receptor cells), and the reticular formation (of which some fibers synapse with intermediolateral cells in upper thoracic cord levels).

Along with neuronal elements directly affected, the vascular elements may be compromised, including the posterior inferior cerebellar artery, the lateral branch of which is the only source of blood to vital parts of the medulla oblongata. In conclusion, high blood pressure is often the consequence of many other predisposing factors—many of which are amenable to Upper Cervical care. High blood pressure may, however, be due to interference with the complex control system of the heart. In this case, interference at the atlanto occipital level is most likely and should be especially scrutinized by the Upper Cervical doctor.

It Just Makes Sense

by Dr. Daniel Clark

Head/Neck misalignment may be the direct or indirect cause of most health problems because it can disrupt or distort the normal flow of brain health and healing messages to the body.

Upper Cervical Corrective Health Care is an effective and scientifically proven procedure in the chiropractic profession.

It is designed to restore Head/Neck alignment (body balance) to remove interference at the point where the head and neck join, in order to re-activate normal brain to body communication.

For the moment:

Forget everything you know about Chiropractic

Forget everything you know about Medicine

Chiropractic and Medical experts agree that electrical and chemical messages (health and healing) control, monitor and maintain all body functions. They also direct all body healing.

These messages leave the brain by way of the brain stem, (extension of the brain) pass through the neck, down the spinal cord and over the entire nervous system to all parts of the body.

Head/Neck misalignment can cause interference at the point where the head and neck join, and disrupt or distort the flow of these vital health and healing messages to the body.

Disrupted or distorted brain messages will allow pain and/or health problems to develop in the body.

All Upper Cervical Doctor’s have the same objective, restore Head/Neck alignment (body balance) to re-activate efficient flow of brain health and healing messages to the affected part of the body so its natural self-healing process can regain and maintain optimal health.

When Head/Neck misalignment is corrected and body balance is restored so healing messages can flow uninterrupted to the affected area, immediately muscles begin to relax, blood and oxygen circulation is increased, the immune system is enhanced and the body’s natural self-healing process begins.

Therefore, it would be logical to say, “The proper diagnosis for health problems that respond to the Upper Cervical Correction is Head/Neck Misalignment.”

When there is pain and sickness, check for Head/Neck misalignment (body Imbalance) to determine if the brain is communicating efficiently with all parts of the body.

Any part of the body not receiving sufficient brain communication will begin to develop health problems.

The Mouse That Roared: Connecting the Nervous System to Diabetes

Excerpt from Dynamic Chiropractic, Jul 16, 2007 by Rosner, Anthony L

With a clarion-like pronouncement that would do Gabriel proud and which brings tears to the eyes of basic science researchers seeking their day in the sun with a medical breakthrough, researchers from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto proclaimed a link between the nervous system and diabetes. In a paper published in the basic sciences journal Cell, Razavi and her colleagues stated: "Our observations open new avenues for therapeutic strategies, raising the possibility that sensory nerve dysfunction may contribute to prediabetes initiation and progression in diabetes-prone humans."...

...What does all this mean? A neuropeptide is intimately connected to a hormonal defect leading to diabetes. In addition to suggesting further research leading to a possible new means of treating this debilitating and fatal disease, it tells us in no uncertain terms that the nervous and hormonal systems are intertwined. This obviously leads to the question of neural integrity and chiropractic. It offers more than a modicum of support to the very sparse observations in anything but the established frontline refereed medical journals that manipulation seems to have a palliative effect in diabetic patients:

1. One very preliminary observation tells us that in two patients undergoing a neurovascular technique, such complications as vision deterioration or development of foot ulcers seen in diabetic patients did not occur.

2. In another observation that was only barely more robust, using markers that are far more objective and reliable, Kfoury demonstrated that in a single patient, both glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels returned to normal after chiropractic adjustments.

Granted that these two factoids may be equated by some to reading tea leaves, they still provide food for thought when coupled with the thorough and groundbreaking findings of Razavi and her colleagues. This entire story emphasizes on no uncertain terms how basic research can uncover such key information to understanding the processes of disease and degeneration. It is the only way in which future productive clinical trials can be designed. And even though the chiropractic community can bask in the glory of having its central premise of chiropractic (the connection between neural integrity and health) supported in this research, it must learn from this key investigation to never lose sight of the basic sciences in being able to justify its means of health care delivery.

And of course Upper Cervical Care is targeted at removing, as precisely and completely as possible, the irritation to the most important part, the brain stem!