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.  

Upper Cervical Care?...What is that?

What is Upper Cervical Care?

By Dr. Eddie Weller

Upper cervical care is a strict discipline of Chiropractic that focuses on the upper most portion of the spine called the cervical spine. This vital area is where the brain and spinal cord meet forming the brain stem.  The brain stem is protected by a vertebra called the ATLAS or cervical vertebrae #1. This small, 2 oz ring-like vertebra is not only responsible for keeping your head on top of your spine, but more importantly, it protects the brain stem at the base of your skull. Upper Cervical doctors focus on this area because just about every nerve in our spine originates at the base of the skull. Most of us would agree that our body was divinely created, and our brain was programmed to send life to the body via the nerve system. If the top vertebra in your spine misaligns, healthy nerve signals from your brain get distorted by compromising your nerve system. This compromised nerve system is the precursor to the body malfunctioning. In time, sickness or disease will ensue.

“What types of conditions are seen?”

There are thousands of titles that man has given the body due to the symptoms that it presents when not functioning properly. I have seen conditions from Headaches to Herniated discs, Colic to Cancers, Reflux to Respiratory issues, Spinal fusions to Scoliosis, and from ADHD to IBS. Regardless of the condition, how long, or the severity of the condition, everyone benefits by having an optimum functioning nerve system.

“What is a good age to begin having my spine checked for upper cervical subluxation?”

Clients range from a few hours old to the elderly. Infants frequently experience birth trauma, toddlers are constantly falling and bumping their head, children play sports and fall off their bicycles, swings, etc. Just about everything we do in life causes some form of stress to our body. Physical, chemical or emotional stressors compromise our nerve system and cause our body to begin to break down. Regardless of one’s age or health condition, everyone benefits from having their nervous system functioning optimally. The upper cervical spinal correction is gentle, precise and tailor-made per each particular spine. At no time will your spine be twisted, popped or snapped, thus making it safe for your entire family.

“Is Upper Cervical Care compatible with my existing healthcare?”

Yes! Restoring nerve and spinal function is consistent with all healthcare options. We encourage you to continue to consult with any of your other healthcare providers to coordinate with your upper cervical doctor for optimum recovery and maintenance. At no time will upper cervical care interfere with any of your healthcare choices. In fact, upper cervical care will only enhance your healing abilities.

Who Is The Greatest Doctor On The Planet?

At first glance you'd think an upper cervical doctor was responsible for these words. But they were actually written by a Harvard medical school instructor and practitioner in the late 1800's. While this belief is trivialized today by the medical and pharmaceutical community, it remains the core foundation of Upper Cervical Care.

Upper cervical care humbly acknowledges that "the ONLY thing that can heal the body is the Power that created it." The wisdom Dr. Cabot refers to in his quote is often referred to as Innate Intelligence. It is the power of life that animates our cells, tissues and organs. It is the coordinating force that maintains our body's intricate chemical balance. It silently and confidently orchestrates all steps involved in the healing process from mending a broken bone to putting cancer in remission. It is in favor of you living, rather than you dying.

Upper cervical doctors often, and most certainly should, let you know about this great force inside you. If you really want to know who's responsible for getting you better from the weak state, chronic illness, incapacitating pain or depressing condition you first walked in with? Take a look in the mirror. It was the best doctor on the planet, the one staring right back at you, that did ALL the work.

Cancer, Nutrition And Upper Cervical Care

There are more and more cancer treatment centers that are promoting the idea that they have a nutrition program for the cancer patients who come to their hospital. They believe that utilizing a good nutritional program will strengthen the body’s immune system and improve the person’s overall physical well-being which in turn will enable them to better fight the cancer. Apparently, they also think that is a novel idea among cancer treatment centers and it may very well be. However, it demonstrates a sad state of affairs as far as the prevailing attitude among people who treat disease. It suggests that it has never occurred to the medical community that in treating a disease, it makes sense to also do the things necessary to maintain health. You see the problem is that they view health as an absence of disease and if they can successfully treat the disease, health will just naturally return. That could not be further from the truth. Effective treatment for cancer will not make you healthy if you have a poor diet, are overweight, do not exercise, consume unhealthy foods, do not get enough sleep and are under stress. It is not designed to. It might make you an unhealthy person who, at least for the time being, no longer has cancer. The point is that while having a disease may mean you are not healthy, not having a disease does not mean you are healthy. In that sense, health and disease have very little in common. What this hospital has apparently come to realize is that even if you have cancer, you should be doing those things necessary to be healthy. That is, if you can raise the level of your health, you have a better chance of successfully handling your disease.

However, the real problem with this approach is that they are thinking in terms of doing things to be healthy when the individual is already sick or has shown the signs of a medical condition. It is important for sick people to try to raise their health level, but why not apply and promote that idea to all people? Question: Who needs to do all the things needed to be healthy more, the person with cancer or the person without? Answer: Everyone needs to do them equally. Sure it would seem that a person with cancer needs to address health-raising measures more than an apparently disease-free person. However, appearing to be disease free does not mean you really are or that you are healthy. People who seem fine today will be dead or dying from a disease tomorrow. They are not healthy simply because they have not been diagnosed. You cannot know whether you are healthy. It is not something that can be measured like a disease. It is largely an intangible. We need to make a concerted, systematic effort to do all the things that promote health, things like eating right, sleeping well, exercising and keeping the nerve system free of any interference on an on-going basis. Upper cervical care contributes to the health and well-being of mankind in this small but very important way. Everyone should have their spine and nerve system checked periodically to maximize their expression of health.

The "Perfect" Diet And Upper Cervical Care

“For every illness, there is a country where it simply does not exists.”

This quote, from a direct mail promotional advertisement, is designed to get you to subscribe to a publication that claims to give you the secrets to preventing cancer, stroke, heart attack, diabetes and other diseases. They suggest that a natural diet which includes certain substances is responsible for the absence of certain diseases in certain countries. They further suggest that if you take these substances in supplemental form, you will not get these diseases either. There are a number of interesting aspects to this theory. First, independent of diet, people in these countries do not live to advanced age. In fact, they die at just about the same age as people in other countries, just not from these diseases. For example, countries with low mortality rates due to breast cancer have high rates due to bowel cancer or something else. It appears that people in these countries are not any healthier, they just suffer from different diseases.

This bit of information tells us that clearly there are a variety of factors involved in the development of any disease. Eskimos do not ordinarily die from cancers, but they do have an increased incidence of cardiovascular problems. Island populations that do not eat a lot of red meat do not have cholesterol-related conditions, but they often have stomach and bowel cancer from the high fish and seafood diets. The point is that there is no perfect diet just as there is no perfect environment. All have certain advantages and all have certain drawbacks.

This is not to suggest that what you eat is not important. Quite the contrary, everything that you eat is important. Likewise everything you do or do not do has an effect on your health and your longevity. Where you live and how you adapt to where you live are certainly significant factors in your health. Hereditary factors are also important, as is your ability to handle stress. So what is not important? Everything is important. There are literally hundreds of factors and causes. So the next time someone says they have the answer to disease, realize that they may or may not have an answer but they surely do not have the answer. Supplying a nutrient that is lacking in your diet may be an answer to one thing, the lack of that substance, but it is not the answer to all or any disease.

That is one of the great things about upper cervical care. We do not claim to have the cure for all or any disease or even the answer for back problems. We do, however, have the answer to one problem, an interference in the nerve system due to head/neck misalignment which deprives the body of working at its maximum potential in all areas. Upper cervical care is not a substitution for medicine, nutrition, exercise or anything else. It is one thing, only one thing, but this one thing can play a large role in you reaching your potential in every area of life.

We must also realize that since there are so many factors in health and in freedom from disease, it behooves us to focus on what we should be doing for our health rather than trying to prevent the thousands of diseases. No country is free from all disease. If there was such a country, it would be the most crowded spot on earth. Fortunately or unfortunately, the major cause of disease is not within the environment but within the individual and his or her ability to live in and adapt to the unique environment of that country. If you want to take supplements that is up to you, but realize that only addresses one factor relating to your health. Of course, ideally you would develop good enough eating habits that you would not require supplements and you would do a variety of other things necessary for good health and a productive life. Some of these things might include regular exercise, appropriate amounts of rest and a good mental attitude and by all means have your spine and nerve system checked periodically by an upper cervical doctor.

Sharks, Tumors And Upper Cervical Care

One of the “breakthroughs” a while back in the war against disease is the use of shark cartilage as a treatment for cancer. That’s right! The cartilage of “Jaws” ground up into a powder or taken in liquid form is considered to be an effective treatment for certain tumors. Research has demonstrated that some tumors upon reaching a specific size will begin to secrete a chemical called “tumor angiogenesis factor” (TAF). This chemical causes blood vessels to form, which feed the tumor, which in turn grows, spreads and becomes lethal. If the blood vessels are not formed because the chemical is not produced, the tumor is benign. The tumor needs the nutrients that the blood supplies in order to grow. Here is where the shark comes in. Research indicates that shark cartilage inhibits the production of this chemical. Apparently, sharks have almost no incidence of cancer and, of course, their body structures are primarily cartilage.

As usual, the DT’s (Disease Treaters’) idea sounds good at first but then raises a number of questions. Is shark cartilage dangerous? Apparently the FDA has classified it as a food so its use is not regulated. Does it offer a cure or is it temporary? It seems that when the treatment was cut back in research animals that had cancer, tumors began to grow again. But more important than the questions, which have been raised, is the fact that the disease-treating approach continues to take us in the wrong direction. Does it really make sense that mankind has been plagued with what is perhaps the most horrible of all diseases and that the cure has been hidden in the cartilage of what is perhaps the most horrible of all creatures, not to be found until the 90’s? I do not think so! Like every disease with which mankind suffers, the cure is not found in the depths of the ocean but in man himself. The ability to get well must come from within. Shark cartilage may inhibit the growth of a tumor but the body must restore proper function. It may be another effective treatment of a particular disease but it has little to do with health.

The real benefit of the research into shark cartilage is that it reinforces the correctness of the inside-out approach to health. While it may have been proven that the tumor produces TAF, which enables it to grow, apparently most people’s bodies produce a chemical that neutralizes the TAF, at least up to a certain age. This indicates that the body does have the wherewithal to fight off potentially cancerous tumors before they can take hold. If the chemistry of the body is functioning as it should, cancer is not a fear. Rather than trying to find drugs or shark cartilage to change body chemistry in order to fight cancer, it would seem to be more sensible to keep your body’s chemistry working as perfectly as possible and thereby increase your potential to stay healthy. If we can do that, our incidence of cancer is bound to decrease and we can leave the sharks in the sea where they belong.

Maintaining head/neck alignment and brain to body communication with periodic upper cervical care promotes a healthier body physically, chemically, emotionally and intellectually.

The Cancer Experiment: A Lesson Learned

An interesting experiment was done some years ago at Ohio State Penitentiary. Volunteer convicts were purposely injected with cancer cells. The scientists wanted to see if they could promote cancer in an apparently healthy person. They found that healthy prisoners, with no history of cancer did not develop cancer after the implantation. Within a few weeks every trace of cancer was gone.

Next, in those patients who had fought off the cancer cells, they introduced more thinking that while the body had fought off the first “dose”, it was now weakened and more susceptible. To their surprise, the patients’ bodies got rid of the second group of cancer cells even faster than the first!

The important lesson here is that the body has an inborn ability to resist cancer. So everyone and especially those with cancer should be finding ways to boost their immunity and resistance to cancer.

Likely cancer is caused by a combination of a number of factors that lead to a breakdown in the body’s ability to attack and kill cancer cells. But rest assured that these factors are all within the body and treatment and cures that come from outside the body are not the answer. The answer is in staying healthy, and Upper Cervical Care should be an important part of any program to help you stay healthy.

What Can Upper Cervical Care Do For _______?

I don't know about you but I often get questions similar to the ones below and I thought Dr. O'Shea does a great job of answering them. While this post is not written from an Upper Cervical Care perspective directly it illustrates, hopefully, the mindset that many patients start at and where we hope to take them. He has a focus on nutrition which, while not being my focus, I feel is as equally important to a good nerve supply. I like his no nonsense approach and putting the responsibility directly where it should be, with the patient. Not saying we do not have a responsibility but each individual person is ultimately and totally responsible for their own health. Anyway, here is what Dr. O'Shea has to say, enjoy.

From THE LAST RESORT
by Tim O'Shea

(Read the whole article here)

People keep asking me - what can you do for diabetes? What can you give me for arthritis? What do you got for high blood pressure, weight loss, thyroid, hot flashes, cancer, reflux, chronic fatigue... What they're really saying is - what magic bullet can you give me that will allow me to continue my current lifestyle of self abuse? I know where this idea came from. It's how we're raised: solving health problems is not our responsibility. See the doctor. He'll know what to give us.

When it comes to health, we try the easiest stuff first. Doctor appointments, tests, MRI, procedures, drugs, and more drugs - sometimes even surgery. All the things that THEY do - anything that doesn't require our participation. The comforting illusion that we're doing something about our problem by letting somebody else do it.

After a while, when all this has failed, a little light goes on - for some. And that's the idea that these guys really don't know what they're doing. And that if you're going to stop this downward spiral, it'll be totally 100% up to you.

Blind luck may suddenly reveal that the cause of most of your health problems is what you're putting in your mouth, both food and drugs.

And now you've come to that point of self-loathing or desperation or confusion or being fed up or whatever where you really want to make a change because you know you have to. Maybe it's a chronic digestive problem. Or a "weak heart." Or diabetes. Or chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, or MS. Or arthritis, or allergies, or asthma. Or a cross reaction from those combinations of medications that all those guys are giving you, without much consideration or concern, after that 5 minute office visit. With a nurse.

Lotta people jumping ship here. And many of you are washing up on my beach. After we start getting the spine in order, you want to know what else you can do. That's when we start looking at detox - cleaning out poisons that are stuck in the colon, the blood, the tract, the arteries. Rotting food, experimental medications, years of over the counter stuff, all those party drugs - it's stuck inside you. Time to clean house. Time to try something - anything, because whatever you've been doing so far just isn't working. You know you're dying, and that's not just an expression.

So here's your last resort - participation . Do-it-yourself health care. Many people find out, some too late, that this is the only thing that was ever going to work in the first place. What particular disease you have doesn't really matter that much. So much of it is just a name game anyway - they're usually just guessing. If your body's going to survive, the same rules of cell nutrition apply in every case. No matter how advanced your particular problem, you're still just flesh and blood like every one else. Your body follows the same physical laws. Every day you're alive, certain fundamental problems occur for your cells. Either these problems get solved or they don't.

It's really very simple once you realize that you're only going to be putting stuff in your mouth that will do one of two things:

cleanse and/or nourish

Couldn't be simpler. No matter what ideas you may have or what physical condition you're trying to solve, or what you've been through, if some of your cells are still alive, this is the basic program, the starting line for everyone.

So give yourself one last break. Whatever you need to do to get the self confidence to win this battle, do it. If this is the hardest thing you've ever had to do, seems like life's been pretty easy so far.

Quoting Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right”.

Anecdotal Evidence

Testimonials

Since I have been under upper cervical care I have noticed my posture is getting better, my allergies are less severe and I get fewer migraines. – Sarah

Since receiving care I have noticed many changes in my body and mind. My back pain is gone, I handle stress much better. I rarely get any headaches. My biggest change has been in my concentration. I drag race and I believe upper cervical care is giving me an edge on my competition. I am more focused than ever before. I am having one of my most successful years ever. Thank you so much. – Jarod

Before starting upper cervical care I was having digestion problems, after my first alignment I was regulated! I also was having issues with my cervix for a year my tests would show a low grade 4th stage cancer on and surrounding my cervix. After receiving upper cervical care my test came back negative. Upper cervical care makes me feel energetic and balanced. – Kylie

Feel much better overall – headaches gone, able to go (comfortably) without left heel lift, pain in knees (had two surgeries) gone for the most part. Occasionally left and right hands still fall asleep, starting at the elbow and wrist. – David

I have always had neck problems, waking up and having to crack my neck. I have noticed a huge difference after be under upper cervical care. I have less neck pain and it cracks less. I do feel more relaxed after every appointment. Some has to do with the 15 minutes of dark/quiet time that I necessarily wouldn’t get otherwise. – Heidi

I was pregnant with my 2nd child and started having problems walking. I couldn’t get my right leg to rotate properly and this caused me to fall. I got under upper cervical care after getting no relief from 2 other Chiropractors, one of whom I had gone to for 3+ years! The doctor explained upper cervical care and then “adjusted” me. Okay it wasn’t like any other “adjustment” I had previously. It’s more like it gave my body “cues” for alignment. I was never uncomfortable and there was a noticeable improvement in my mobility. I continued care and continue to see improvement. After my son was born, I brought him and my daughter in and we now visit periodically for check-ups. The visits are fun! Can you say that about your doctor? I trust the doctor with not only my health and life but with the health and life of my 2 beautiful children. – Barbara

Since I have been under upper cervical care I have had less back, neck and shoulder pain. I was taking Zomig on a regular basis for migraines and now very seldom use it. I also broke my ankle in 3 places in December 2004 and had knee surgery in April 2005. Walking normal again has been difficult, but the care has helped me with that also. Keeping my body in alignment is so important for all my general health. Thank you for caring about me and how I feel and for my future health. – Kathy

I have been experiencing increasing back pain for several years. I am not a person who uses medication, but the past three years, I have had to use extra strength Tylenol to get through the days (3x/week). I have received massage therapy and tried to increase my exercise (which helped a little). Recently, however, exercise was not relieving my back pain. My posture was getting worse – I could tell I was leaning forward just a little. Since I came under upper cervical care my back pain is significantly better. I feel as if I have more energy; I can exercise freely again and I am back to living life without the use of Tylenol. One side benefit is that even though I only use stairs to get to my destinations, recently my knees were beginning to hurt – Now I walk up and down stairs without pain. I have only been under care for 6 weeks! – Sharon

Before I was under upper cervical care I had suffered from migraines and back pain. Since starting care I have not had any migraines or back pain. Occasionally I will get a headache but that is much easier for me to treat than a migraine. I can only take Tylenol, due to being on Coumadin, and Tylenol doesn’t do much for me. I am a single parent and I need to feel my best at all times. Upper cervical care has given me that reassurance, in that the last few months I have felt great. I would recommend this type of care to anybody that wanted to lessen their amount of pain that they were experiencing. This type of care may not eliminate the pain 100%, but it will more than likely decrease the amount of pain you are suffering. The doctor is not only a wonderful doctor, but a fun person to talk with and joke around with! There is always new information to read up on at every visit. I am very pleased with the results that I have received under upper cervical care! – Kelly

What a Cancer Specialist Thinks of Upper Cervical

I am saddened by the thousands, and probably millions, of patients that have problems that could be helped by Upper Cervical Care, but don’t know that it exists. We want every single patient we have under care to have his or her spine examined by an Upper Cervical Chiropractor. If the alignment is wrong, the nervous system is not going to work well no matter how good their nutrition is. They are not going to be able to assimilate that nutrition sufficiently. The majority of cancer cases we see have overt cervical spinal problems, even the ones who don’t have a history of spinal trauma.

Dr. Nicholas Gonzales, MD, Immunologist, Cancer Specialist