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.

Is Upper Cervical Care Really That Simple?

Upper Cervical Care Is Easy To Understand

As experts on the upper cervical spine, upper cervical doctors focus on the intimate relationship between the top two bones in the neck, called the upper cervical spine, and, more importantly, a vital portion of the nervous system called the brain stem. This relationship is absolutely essential to the body’s ability to restore and preserve health.

In order to grasp the upper cervical concept, you must first understand how the body is created and, more importantly, how it is designed to function normally and remain healthy

The brain stem controls and coordinates virtually every vital function of the body and acts as a conduit between the brain and the body. It extends from the brain down through an opening in the base of your skull and into the upper cervical region. Working much like a telephone cable, the brain stem has millions of individual wires, or nerve fibers, that send signals back and forth between the brain to every system, organ, muscle and cell within the body. We must have 100% brain-to-body communication in order to function properly and remain healthy.

The top two bones in the neck, the atlas and axis, are the only two vertebrae in the entire spine that don’t have an intervertebral disc. They are designed to move in six directions and are considered freely movable. By contrast, every other bone in the spine, from the 3rd vertebra all the way down to the bottom, not only have a disc but also four inter-locking joints that only allow the bones to move in 2 directions. As a result, the top two freely movable bones are much more susceptible to misalignment.

If one of the upper two bones becomes misaligned, two things happen. First and foremost, it irritates or interferes with the brain stem and reduces the brain-to-body communication. Wherever those messages were intended to go, whether it’s your foot, kidney, pancreas, heart, lungs, eyes or ears, it is going to malfunction in some way, subtle or obvious. Secondly, consider the upper spine as part of a kinetic chain, connected from head to toe. If either of the top two bones becomes misaligned, the rest of the body must compensate or adapt, resulting in total “body imbalance”. In the end, your health and physical body will be compromised. This is called head/neck misalignment.

Every healing profession acknowledges that the body has an inborn or innate ability to heal itself. By restoring these healing messages, your body will operate closer to its potential from the top, down and from the inside, out.

See...Upper Cervical Care is that simple.

Brain, Spinal Cord Disorders And Upper Cervical Care

Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health

The research discussed a case of a child diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia and spinal variants similar to Arnold Chiari malformation, whose problems completely resolved following upper cervical care. Cerebellar ataxia is a disorder that results in balance and coordination problems and Arnold Chiari malformation occurs when the back of the brain protrudes through the hole in the bottom of the skull.

“Research is revealing that there is a relationship between abnormalities in the spine, the nervous system and the brain,” stated Dr. Adam Willemin, the author of the paper. “Basic science research shows that the proper development and function of the brain relies on proper structure and movement of the spine from an early age.”

Research has shown not only that the developing brain relies on normal structural integrity and joint movement, but that complex neurochemical communication and pathways involved in helping humans to adapt to their environment and even to “feel good” are tied into spinal biomechanics and their related neurological pathways.

“It makes perfect sense when you think about it,” stated Dr. Willemin. “The brain constantly needs and wants to know where our body is in space. If there is interference with the neurological communication between the spine and the brain all sorts of malfunctions can occur and this can lead to balance problems, dizziness and visual disturbances.”

Researchers studying the connection between upper cervical care, brain stem compression and neurological disorders believe that these types of functional disorders can be caused by even slight misalignments of the bones in the upper part of the neck.

“There are very important functional relationships between the upper cervical spine and the brain that if disturbed can result in a host of problems with how the brain functions,” remarked Dr. Matthew McCoy, a chiropractor, public health researcher and editor of the journal that published the study.

According to McCoy “If there is compression of the upper part of the spinal cord from abnormal position or movement of the spinal vertebra this can lead to nerve interference. It is this interference that (upper cervical doctors) correct.”

The child reported on in the study not only had interference but also had protrusion of the back of the brain into the spinal canal causing even more compression. As a result she suffered from balance and coordination problems, could no longer attend school or perform her normal daily activities and experienced improvement after just a few upper cervical care visits. The author of the study called for more research on the role of upper cervical care in patients with these types of disorders.

(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.)

Questions About Upper Cervical Care?

adapted from: Frequently Asked Questions About Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

By Dr. Brandon Harshe

Below are typical questions regarding Upper Cervical Care by new patients. If you find you have a question about Upper Cervical Care that is not addressed below, contact Dr. Harshe here (or myself and we) will be happy to answer it for you.

What is Upper Cervical Care?

Upper Cervical Care is a very specific technique in which a misalignment of one or both of the top two cervical vertebrae is reduced. These misalignments cause interference to nervous system communication between the brain and body. The specific direction of the misalignment is carefully analyzed so that restoring normal alignment of one of these two upper cervical bones will be as precise as possible. The specificity of Upper Cervical Care is what makes it so gentle. The top vertebra in your spine, the Atlas, is the only vertebra capable of freely moving and narrowing the opening in which the spinal cord travels through. Because of its relative instability compared to the other 23 vertebrae, the Atlas only requires a quick, gentle force to restore its proper position.

Is Upper Cervical Care painful?

No. As stated above, the specificity of the Upper Cervical analysis allows for a very gentle force to move the Atlas (C1) and/or Axis (C2) in a very specific direction. This allows the body to begin its return to its optimal spinal alignment and thus proper brain to body communication.

Will Upper Cervical Care make me sore?

Usually no. In some rare cases, people might experience more pain after an upper cervical correction simply because their spine is realigning, doing something it hasn’t done in a while, maybe ever. This is similar to exercising for the first time after being sedentary for years. In these cases, healing may take longer.

Is Upper Cervical Care a one time thing?

No. However, the goal of Upper Cervical Care is to have you holding your spinal alignment as long as possible. Depending on the person, this may be days, weeks, or months at a time. It is similar to getting in shape. You won’t achieve the level of fitness you desire after one workout, and the alignment in your spine won’t return to its optimal position after one office visit. It may change significantly, but in most cases, will take time to restore completely. Holding your alignment is what keeps the stress and tension off your spinal cord. This allows your body to function at its highest potential and heal itself optimally. We want you to only come in as often as your spine dictates to us, ie. if you are maintaining your correction on multiple visits in a row then we need to see you less.

Will Upper Cervical Care relieve my pain?

It depends. When the Atlas has become misaligned, it can cause endangering stress or tension on the spinal cord near the brain stem. This can result in any combination of symptoms; from conditions like low back pain and headaches to digestive issues and high blood pressure.

The goal of Upper Cervical Care is not to relieve your pain, but to open up the nervous system communication between the brain and the body so that your body can heal itself effectively. This happens by reducing head neck misalignment. This will not only reduce the stress and tension on the spinal cord, but may also balance the body by returning it to a more optimal alignment.

Often times when these things happen people experience an immediate reduction in their painful symptoms.

If you only practice Upper Cervical Care, does that mean you can’t help the back or other parts of the body?

No. Reducing the misalignment in the upper cervical spine allows the spine to reduce its compensations. If you think about the spine as three segments, it makes more sense. There is the skull, the Atlas (c1), and the rest of the spine from Axis (C2) down to the sacrum. Since the rest of the spine from C2 and below is connected by intervertebral discs and ligaments, it moves similar to a wave when head/neck misalignment is present. Think of it as if the spine has been wound up. This winding up involves vertebral compensations, stress and tension on the nervous system pathways, with often a resulting muscular and/or visceral disfunction.

By reducing head/neck misalignment, the spine is able to unwind, so to speak. As a result, the spinal compensations diminish, the nervous system can communicate optimally with the body, and overall bodily function improves.

In short, reducing interference at the level of Atlas affects the entire body, not simply the upper cervical spine.

Get it Right, Get Upper Cervical Care

From atlas4wellness.com
by Dr. Chad McIntyre

"If you don't get this right, you'll never get where you need to be."

A patient of mine was recently relaying to me how he explains upper cervical care to people that he knows. The above paraphrased quote stuck out in my mind from that conversation because it really gets to the core of what Upper Cervical Healthcare is all about. He was referring to the brainstem and making sure that it was free and clear of any interference (i.e. a misalignment of the anatomy that surrounds it) that could keep it from performing its absolutely vital role in your body. When you strip away the whole host of health conditions that have been named in our society, from M.S. to migraines to seizures to Ulcerative Colitis to fibromyalgia to disc degeneration, the undeniable fact of the matter is that if your brainstem is in any way disrupted in its ability to route the communication from point A (the brain) to point B-Z (all the various parts of the body)...then you won't be able to achieve HEALTH.

What my patient pointed out should be a reminder to everyone of the importance of Upper Cervical Care because of its focus on the area of the body that either directly or indirectly controls all the other parts - not just for people that have already developed conditions, but also for those that haven't yet. However, I also want his statement to serve as another kind of reminder. Everyone, be it doctor or patient, too frequently looks for the one, cure all method of obtaining and maintaining health. Upper Cervical doctors and their patients are as guilty of that as anyone else. So, I want you to remember that Upper Cervical Care is not an all encompassing model to achieving health. It is a significant piece of the puzzle...but it's not the entire puzzle. Which leads me into topic number 2...

The Evolution of the Revolution

Some might say that, slowly but surely, the United States is moving toward a health care revolution. Never has the currently established system been so flawed and ineffective and never have alternative means to obtaining health been so plentiful. You've got a lot of new options out there, in this day and age. Health has become this generation's version of the industrial revolution, where everyone was trying to invent the gadget that would modernize society in a way never thought possible (i.e. automobiles, airplanes, light bulbs, telephones, televisions, etc.). Take a look at a natural health magazine and you'll read about dozens of new concepts every month. The established system knows that alternatives are becoming more popular, so they are attempting to capitalize on hot button keywords like "Wellness" and "Prevention" to get people making new mental associations for medications.

Health, though, is not like coming up with a new model for a better, more efficiently run car or electronic device. The idea of taking something outside the body and putting it into the body is the premise upon which the majority of the latest and greatest means to achieving health are based...and I'll make a strong argument that it is THAT way of thinking that has helped put us into the mess we are in when it comes to healthcare in our country. The President's health care reform ideas that we may one day see implemented are noble in their attempts to make change; I've even had people sending me documents and news briefs that show coverage improving tremendously through the proposed reform. But it isn't about health providers getting better coverage to get paid more money...it's about a need for a fundamental shift. It's about the EVOLUTION of the healthcare revolution.

The next step in moving forward with health care is taking it outside the symptom-based model and into a realm that is virtually unheard of in this day and age...at least here in the States...to a place where it's not all about symptoms, but a more realistic, logical view that involves the things that it actually takes to be healthy.

Upper Cervical Care Do’s and Don’ts

Before and after each Upper Cervical Correction, it is vital that these measures be taken to protect your correction. Adhering to these guidelines will help ensure the longest lasting correction and help you reach your optimal health potential. Questions are encouraged because the better you understand why upper cervical doctors do what they do, the more you can help them help you.

Follow these helpful hints:

Avoid the following before office visits:

4 hours before your appointment; NO over the counter drugs, pain relievers (Example: Tylenol, Excedrin, Advil), antibiotics, or antidepressants.

2 hours before your appointment; NO caffeine, cigarettes, or chocolate, or use of heating pad or ice on your neck or back.

30 minutes before your appointment; NO sugar or candy.


*Upper cervical doctors are measuring brainstem and nerve function; the above products alter their readings. They must have accuracy in these readings in order to increase the odds of success in your case. Please let them know if you have used any of the above products or other prescription drugs before they test you.

Avoid the following for at least 24 hours after a correction:

Repetitive arm motions (sweeping, vacuuming, yard work, etc.)

Bumps, jolts, and vibrations (mowing or tilling, running heavy machinery, etc.)

Overhead work (reaching overhead and looking up)


Avoid the following:

Sleeping on your stomach with your head turned to one side

Using big, thick, fluffy pillows


Do the following:

Keep all your appointments at your appointed time. This “schedule of corrections” is tailor made for you to ensure maximum correction.

Drink 8 glasses of clean water, either spring/purified, or reverse osmosis, (not tap water), per day

Start walking. Walking on even surfaces helps strengthen your correction and builds strength and stamina.

Rest flat on your back with pillow under your neck during the middle of the day (10 to 20 minutes). This helps maintain your correction.

Let the doctor know of any slips, falls, bumps or other injuries, no matter how insignificant.

Sleep with a pillow designed to contour and support your neck, either flat on your back, or on your side.

Include your family in your care. The more your family understands Upper Cervical Care, the more support they can provide.


While upper cervical doctors do want their patients to feel better, do not expect them to treat your symptoms. The corrections they make are not designed for pain or symptom relief. They are designed to remove an interference to healing, so the body will heal itself. As the body heals, symptoms will go away. Be a patient patient. Corrections are only given when objective tests say you need one. Please don’t expect a correction based on how you feel.

If you have a problem with any of these, please do not get under care, as it is not a good fit for you at this time. If you have just begun care and have a problem with any of these let your upper cervical doctor know immediately so they can resolve the issue before you start something you cannot finish.