Are You One Surge Away From Sickness?

Adapted from "Surging Your Way to Sickness" by the Weekly Sticky

What would happen if you plugged 10 appliances in one outlet and turned them all on at the same time?  You'd blow a circuit, right! Well, the same thing could happen if you surge your 'nerve circuits' with too much STRESS...

Picture your nerve system as an electrical outlet with multiple stresses plugged in. Turn on all those stresses at the same time and POW, you'll quickly overload your system, blow a circuit and fry your state of health! Upper Cervical Chiropractors call this head/neck misalignment. Depending on what nerves (circuits) are involved, you can experience symptoms from mild aches and pains to more significant health problems like High Blood Pressure (Journal of Human Hypertension 22,1 G Bakris, MD et al). So how can you avoid the dangers of stress surge?

Although it's impossible to eliminate all stress from your life, you can increase your odds of  staying ahead of their negative, accumulative effects with regular upper cervical care.  Your Upper Cervical Chiropractor performs his or her job much like an electrician... skillfully checking your nerve system for overloaded circuits and turning them back on so you won't experience an interruption in your state of health and wellness. When it comes to basic, preventative care, nothing beats 'keeping your Power on.'

One Parkinson's Patient and Upper Cervical Care

Parkinson's Sufferer has Quality of Life Significantly Improved Under (Upper Cervical Care)

The July 30, 2012, issue of the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published a case study documenting the improvement of a Parkinson’s patient using chiropractic care.

The author of the study begins by reporting that in the United States, 50,000-60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are diagnosed each year. It is estimated that over one million people currently suffer from this chronic and progressive disorder.

According to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, "Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that progresses slowly in most people. What this means is that individuals with PD will be living with PD for twenty years or more from the time of diagnosis. While Parkinson’s disease itself is not fatal, the Centers for Disease Control rated complications from the disease as the 14th top cause of death in the United State."

In this case, a 63-year-old male pastoral counselor complaining of resting tremors of the right hand, anxiety and stabbing middle back pain, went to the (upper cervical doctor). His complaints started a year and a half earlier and seemed to start shortly after he suffered a severe case of the flu that lasted 2-3 weeks which caused him to lose 15 pounds. Due to his symptoms, he was diagnosed by a neurologist with Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease.

At the time the pastoral counselor presented himself for an evaluation, he appeared frail, had a low tone of voice, and had reduced facial expressions. He stated that he also works as a marriage counselor which increases his daily stress level, and he had been experiencing restless leg syndrome at least twice a week for the past two years which affected his ability to get quality sleep.

Multiple examination procedures and x-rays confirmed the presence of (head/neck misalignment and resulting neurological interference), most notably at the level of the top bone in the neck, the atlas. A specific course of corrective adjustments was initiated to correct the (misalignment and the resulting interference).

Following his first adjustment, the man noted an improvement in his tremors. After a week of care, he also reported an increase in energy. The study records that by the end of the second week of care, he had a greater range of motion in his neck and higher level of energy, allowing him to complete his week of work and participate in extra activities on that weekend. Shortly afterwards, his mid back pain also stopped.

In his conclusion the author wrote, "We conclude that improvement of the Atlas alignment was associated with reduction of most of his Parkinson’s symptoms including decrease in frequency and intensity of his middle back pain, improvement in his quality of life and improvement in his motor function."

(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.)

What Does Upper Cervical Care Cure?

Adapted from "Chiropractors Do Not Cure Anything!" by Dr. Jason Watts

Upper cervical care doesn't cure anything; not headaches, not asthma, not stomach disorders or even back pain.  Then what does upper cervical care do?

Upper cervical care is based on a very basic scientific fact.  Your brain is responsible for every bodily function you ever perform from before you were born until the time you die.  Your brain sends those instructions through a vast telephone network (known as the nervous system) to every cell, tissue and organ in your body.  If those telephone lines are interfered with in any way, those instructions coming from the brain can get distorted and the result is lost function.

Your spine is designed to protect the telephone lines.  If the spine has been injured (even very slightly and especially where the head and neck come together) it can become a major irritant to the nerve system, this is what upper cervical doctors call head/neck misalignment (vertebral subluxation).  How serious is this problem?

“Vertebral subluxation changes the entire health of the body by causing structural dysfunction of the spine and causing nerve interference.  The weight of a dime on a spinal nerve will reduce nerve impulse transmission by as much as 60%.” - Chang H. Suh, Spinal Biomechanics Specialist, University of Colorado

“Nerve dysfunction is stressful to the visceral nerve and other body structures and the lowered tissue resistance modifies the immune response and lessens the overall capability of the immune system.” - The Journal Science, 1981

“The quality of healing is directly proportional to the functional capability of the nerve system to send and receive nerve messages.” - J Edwards, MD, PhD., Journal of Neurological Science

Knowing how important the role of the nerve system is, it should become clear how vital the job of the upper cervical doctor is.  The objective of upper cervical care is to correct head/neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication.  Considering another medical study which states that 80% of newborns receive their first spinal trauma during the birth process, when do you think is a good time to begin checking the spine for head/neck misalignment?  Perhaps at birth, just a thought.

And at what point in life does it become acceptable to have head/neck misalignment distorting your nerve system?  Hopefully never.

This is why periodic care throughout life makes so much sense.  Not to treat or cure any disease or disorder, but to maintain your nervous system function at optimal levels.  Allowing your brain and your body to communicate with maximum efficiency every moment of your life, that is the real definition of wellness and that is what upper cervical care seeks to provide, not a cure for a specific disease.

When people have head/neck misalignment reduced or corrected and their nervous system is able to function better, do some diseases and disorders and other symptoms go away?  Frequently, but in every case their body is able to function at a higher level.

The Gentleness of Upper Cervical Care

The NUCCA Procedure is a Gentle Correction

A gentle touch and controlled contact on the first vertebrae in the neck is designed to restore balance to the spine. Even though the primary focus is the neck, the effects of the correction influences the whole spine and all body systems. This is because the NUCCA procedure influences one of the highest control centers over body balance, the brain stem and central nervous system. The C-1 vertebrae, also known as the Atlas, is a small donut-like bone located at the top of the spine and the base of the skull that surrounds the brain stem. When the spine is subjected to stress it can become misaligned. This head/neck misalignment is also known as the Atlas Subluxation Complex or ASC .

The Balancing Act

The nerves in our spinal column are very sensitive to pressure and stress. When the spine becomes misaligned sufficiently it stresses the nerves, compromises their normal impulses, and changes function throughout the body. Nerves are responsible for four primary functions:

    Control and regulate all vital functions including circulation, breathing and digestion.

    Activate muscles allowing us to move.

    Allow us to sense, perceive and feel.

    Relate us to the world outside ourselves including learning, experiencing and behavior.

                               

Evaluation, Evaluation, Evaluation

Once you have decided to be examined for a spinal misalignment, an extensive evaluation process begins. The process begins by looking at your detailed health history including any past traumas, motor vehicle accidents, surgeries, other treatment programs and other diagnostic tests including other x-rays. Your chief complaints, including location, onset, and duration must all be evaluated and assessed. After concluding this initial process, the doctor will begin the steps necessary to determine if you are a candidate for NUCCA care.

Finding the Problem

The NUCCA Doctor will focus attention on the relationship of the head to the neck. The top bone of the neck, known as the atlas, must be in line with the head, as well as the vertebrae below. Spinal injury or damage can misalign these structures resulting in:

    Postural imbalance.

    Pelvic distortion.

    Leg length disparity also known as the "short leg" phenomenon.

As you lay on your back, measurement of the leg length equality will be made. Additional evaluation of posture may include shoulder height, hip height and deviation of the head to either side. Ranges of motion may also be measured. Specific instrumentation may also be used to evaluate body weight distribution, pelvic rotation and normal nerve function. If a spinal misalignment is indicated by history and examination, a series of x-rays are taken. It is important to know you would only be accepted as a patient if the consultation and exam results indicate that you could benefit from NUCCA care. The X-rays are only taken if care is to be initiated. 

Table Time 

Each correction is determined from x-ray measurement. Patients lay on their right or left side on the upper cervical table. By gently contacting the side of your neck, the doctor will direct your head and neck back toward a balanced, healthy position.

Precise, Accurate and Small  Corrections

The upper cervical correction depends upon precise mathematical calculations, physics, and biomechanics. X-rays are a critical part of ensuring the spinal correction is accurate and successful. The doctor will take pre-correction x-rays from different angles focusing on the atlas. These x-rays determine the direction and degree of spinal misalignment and how to properly restore the spine to normal.

Continuous Monitoring

Because each correction experience and healing response is unique to the individual, you will be monitored closely for any changes that you might experience which are linked to the healing process. We have stressed the importance of receiving the best possible correction during the first visit. The doctor will take x-rays after your correction to confirm results. This is typically done only after the initial correction. What we know is "The better the correction, the better the chance of recovery."

Upper Cervical Care: Helping Kids With Scoliosis

Can you Protect your Children from Scoliosis?

By Dr. Bill Davis

The Problem

“Scoliosis is a disorder that causes an abnormal curve of the spine, or backbone. The spine has normal curves when looking from the side, but it should appear straight when looking from the front.” (see picture) www.emedicine.net According to WebMD “In about 80% of cases, the cause of scoliosis is not known.” 80%! Wow that is a lot! In 8/10 of the people who have been diagnosed with scoliosis or curvature in the spine the medical profession have no clue what causes it.

Generally, the scoliosis is found when a child is examined for scoliosis in middle school. But frequently scoliosis is undetected until adulthood. Regardless, the earlier the curvature can be found the better. If it is identified at 13 years of age and it is already 15 degrees…it would have been much better to find it at 7 years of age when it was 8 degrees don’t you think? Especially if the underlying cause can be corrected and the progression of the scoliosis can be stopped. Also the earlier the scoliosis is identified the more likely the condition can be reversed.

Scoliosis has psychological consequences as well as physical consequences. Self image can be negatively impacted, especially in the formative adolescent years. Scoliosis can be so mild that an untrained eye cannot see the curve, or it can be severe enough to cause deformity. Children are often made fun of as a result of these deformities.

The physical consequences are much worse though. People with scoliosis are a greater risk of developing heart problems, breathing problems, osteoporosis, accelerated disc degeneration and spinal pain, reproductive function and pregnancy problems can be just some of the consequences associated with untreated scoliosis.

The medical approach has 3 main strategies. Wait until it gets worse! Put a brace on the entire trunk for up to 23 hours a day! Or dangerous surgery! Doesn’t sound like fun to me! Which of these approaches gets to the underlying cause?…none of them? The medical approach is focused on the effects and not the cause obviously.

The Upper Neck Connection

Two medical doctors from Europe have done extensive research into upper neck problems in newborns and how that relates to the health of children. Dr. Gutmann was researching the connection all the way back to the 1960′s… in 1987 Dr. Gutmann published his research linking the upper neck to problems ranging from scoliosis to ear infections, torticollis, colic and many other common childhood conditions.
Dr. Biedermann also has published extensively on this subject and published his findings in 1992. Between the 2 medical researchers they have studied over 1000 newborns and have observed a very high incidence of upper cervical misalignments on x-ray. Gutmann found over 80% in his study had problems in the upper neck that needed to be addressed! Birth trauma was the most common cause. Forceps delivery, vacuum extraction and even just normal birthing methods with a woman flat on her back rather than in the standing position where gravity can work, can be an extremely traumatic experience for the head and neck of a newborn.

It is reported that within the general population the incidence of Scoliosis is about 2.5% or about 25 per 1000 people. However, that is only the people who are identified as having scoliosis and it only includes those that have a 10 degree curvature or more. A 7,8, or 9 degree scoliosis can still have dramatic affects on the health of a person’s spine and body. Also many individuals have no idea that they have a curvature in their spine until adulthood. I have seen patients in my office who are in their 60′s who were unaware of a 10-15 degree scoliosis!

If the weight of the head is not balanced over the spinal column due to accidents and injuries to the upper neck this can result in postural changes including head tilt, shoulder tilt, hips uneven, and leg imbalance. The earlier the child develops this upper neck misalignment the more likely it is for them to develop a scoliosis when they hit their growth spurt.

A Solution

Early detection is the key to stopping the progression and possibly correct the scoliosis completely. All children should be evaluated after birth and regularly thoroughout the childhood years for the presence of an upper neck misalignment that could start this process in their spine. If a curvature is detected than the misalignment should be corrected as soon as possible. If the scoliosis is already very advanced due to lack of evaluation, than the misalignment should still be corrected and maintained and postural exercises should be given in order to prevent future progression. The longer the curvature has been there the more likely it will be to not correct completely.

(Editor's note: Certainly some people, especially young people, who have head/neck misalignment and have it corrected will experience drastic improvements in scoliosis. However, please 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 scoliosis or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

Upper Cervical Care, Anxiety And Panic Attacks

Adapted from Question Answered

By Dr. Myron Brown

I received this question in an E-mail today. I thought that others might be interested in this subject, so the question and answer are copied below (the person’s name is omitted). This person has anxiety and panic attacks and asks if Upper Cervical Care will help that condition.

Answer:

Upper Cervical Care benefits people by correcting interference that can occur in the body’s central nerve system.

The brain is responsible to control and coordinate the function of the body and it uses a vast network of nerves, like a wiring system, to communicate with the various cells, tissues and organs of the body. The spinal cord is the main “cable” that carries messages from the brain through the movable bones of the spinal column. Those bones are intended to protect the nerves passing through them. However, if the head and neck get misaligned it can have just the opposite effect. Instead of protecting the nerve system, head/neck misalignment can become an insult to the spinal cord and nerves passing through it.

The resultant nerve interference can disturb function in ways that are both predictable and unpredictable. But either way, interference due to head/neck misalignment is damaging to the performance of the body. Simply put, it interferes with the function of the body.

Since communication between the brain and other body parts is essential to regulate body chemistry, deleterious effects are inevitable, while remaining difficult to forecast. When an upper cervical doctor identifies head/neck misalignment, he or she will endeavor to correct it, not to treat any particular condition or disease, but because good nerve supply is essential to the function of the body.

To address your question most specifically, I would not offer upper cervical care to treat anxiety, panic attacks or any other condition. Yet an important question needs to be asked. Who needs a good nerve supply more than someone who is experiencing anxiety and panic attacks? Precise upper cervical corrections allow for better performance. In my practice experience patients have reported positive changes in many conditions that were not predictable, yet through the correction of head/neck misalignment, they observed pleasing improvements in many facets of their family’s health and performance. So the right answer to this question is that upper cervical care is not for treating conditions, but to improve function. Every family member benefits from improved nerve system function. I would recommend finding an upper cervical doctor who can provide a precise spinal analysis and correction of head/neck misalignment to allow proper brain to body communication.

Upper Cervical Care And The Patient With Brachioradial Pruritis

(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 Brachioradial Pruritis, vertigo, neck pain or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

Upper Cervical Care Helps Patient with Brachioradial Pruritis, Vertigo & Neck Pain - A Case Study

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, April 26, 2011 issue, published a case study documenting upper cervical care helping a woman with Brachioradial Pruritis, neck stiffness, and vertigo. Brachioradial Pruritis (BRP) is a nerve condition of the upper extremities characterized by intense itching, burning, and tingling sensations that often prevent the suffering individual from sleeping.

In this case, a 37-year-old woman described her condition as an intermittent bilateral itching with burning sensations to her arms for the past 9 months. She noted that she was getting progressively worse, and was now at the point that she was unable to sleep for more than 4 hours a night due to the intense itching. By the time the woman presented for care, her condition had gotten so bad that her lack of sleep affected her ability to care for her young children as well as work as a registered nurse. Additionally, her arms were itching so intensely that she would scratch them until they would bleed.

In addition to the severe BRP symptoms, the woman suffered from neck stiffness and vertigo (dizziness). The study reports that she was taking non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) several times per week for the neck discomfort. In the previous 6 months, she had also experienced 3 or 4 episodes of vertigo so severe that it caused nausea and vomiting. In her history, it was noted that 8 years earlier she fell down stairs injuring her head and neck, causing immediate numbness in both arms.

An upper cervical examination showed positive findings in postural abnormalities, thermal scans, spinal x-rays, leg lengths and ranges of motion. It was determined that this patient had nerve interference due to head neck misalignment. Care was inithttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifiated using specific corrections designed to reduce the misalignment and improve neurological integrity.

The results noted that after the woman's first correction, her dizziness had stopped. After the second, her symptom of itching diminished significantly that night. After her third, the woman stated that she was able to sleep for more than 6 hours without the discomfort of itchiness. After being under upper cervical care for 2 ½ months, she reported that all of the BRP symptoms had resolved. Three months into care, the study reported that the woman had a normal neck range of motion, no muscle spasms, and a 70 percent reduction in neck stiffness.

In their conclusion, the authors wrote, "Dramatic improvement in the symptoms associated with the condition is noted following the introduction of upper cervical care, concomitant with a reduction in vertebral subluxation."

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.

Headaches, Pain, Pregnancy and Upper Cervical Care

Relief from Headaches during Pregnancy + Better Function too

by Jason Blackketter

When she came into our office she was 18 weeks pregnant and had a history of difficult pregnancies, including 6 miscarriages. Her 2 and 1/2 year old son was born 1 month premature.

She was referred in for headaches by another client of ours. After just one specific upper cervical adjustment (and in just two short weeks) her body has begun healing dramatically & functioning better.

[Note: her results are not typical because most people are unwilling to try something new & different. Thankfully this client was willing to get help and try something new (she'd never been to an [upper cervical] Chiropractor before) so her results were different.]

Prior to care, our new client examination and her subjective concerns revealed the following:

–headaches every day, sometimes migraines, wondered if it was hormonal…

–pain and tightness in the right hip, low back, and sacroiliac joints

–stiff, tight, sore muscles in the neck with multiple tender spots

–reduced cervical range of motion (ROM)

–diminished sensation and motor strength in arms & hands

–paraspinal temperature imbalance from infrared Tytron nerve function scan

After the 1st adjustment in our initial program of upper cervical specific care she reported these functional changes:

–fewer and less intense headaches (only in the morning every other day instead of daily)

–NO more pain or tightness in the neck
–reduced pain in her hip and low back, although sacroiliac joints were still tender to the touch

–NO more acid reflux or heartburn (a common occurrence with nearly every meal during all of her pregnancies, but a symptom she had not mentioned during our initial consultation)

–paraspinal thermography balancing, showing better neurological brain-to-body connection

After 2 and 1/2 weeks under care she reported and we observed these results:

–NO more Headaches

–NO more pain or tightness in the neck, hip, low back, or sacroiliac joints

–a new sense of better balance and function in pelvis

–right hip feels more aligned

–improved digestion (NO more acid reflux or heartburn)

–normal ROM in cervical spine

–paraspinal temperature scans adaptive and balanced

–TMJ region feeling better, no more pain or tightness in her jaw, and it seems to work better when eating (TMJ disorder with jaw pain and dysfunction was another symptom not discovered in consultation)

–she said “I feel like everything is lined up and working better.”

–she also thanked me for encouraging her to drink more water (something she knew was good for her, but wasn’t doing regularly)

–and she noticed she’d been sleeping better and more comfortably

So, do you think her 20 week old baby developing inside is benefiting from Mommy’s better function?

Is it possible the baby will be stronger & healthier now too?

She is absolutely thrilled with the improved function since beginning her care (not to mention that she’s feeling a lot better too after the pain relief). Her friends and family members are hearing her story and noticing the changes as well.

In my opinion, every expecting mother owes it to her baby and future generations to get checked (and adjusted if necessary) to ensure her body is performing at its very best!

Thanks to Dr. Jerry Kennedy of Belleville, IL and Dr. Brandon Harshe of Dallas, TX for sharing the video and blog post about Pregnancy and Headaches relieved through Specific Upper Cervical Spinal Care.