A Patient's Personal Hell On Earth

By Dr. Tron Malachowski

From www.palmerbeacon.com

Surgery after surgery, spinal fusion after spinal fusion, from Percocet to Valium, Mr. Jones had been subdued to a life of pain and misery. His life consisted of walking, sometimes assisted to the bathroom, and back to the bed. Most of his life was spent in bed, left to think about why him and he had been dealt the life he had, or lack thereof. He often hoped that God would take his life because he could no longer take the pain. His burning eyes felt like they were going to pop out of his eye sockets, his clavicle felt as if someone was taking an iron to it trying to pry it away from his body. His cluster headaches incapacitated him while his eye one day just stopped watering. It was constantly dry and irritated. His feet were cold. So cold that he always had a heating pad on them and had not gone to bed without socks on in 9 years. The pressure in his head he described as a vice wrapped around his head that would just not let up. Doctors in 2001 had fused his C4-C5 cervical vertebrae. Then again in 2004, those plates were removed and a second plate was placed at C5-C6 where one screw is quite visible in the disc space.

Mr. Jones also has cervical radiculopathy, Barrett’s esophagus, impaired vision, and intolerance to bright lights. His case was extensive: as his problems began in his teen’s when he was jumped by a local gang that put him in the hospital, he has been in multiple car accidents, and has fallen 15 feet down stairs and 20 feet of a ladder. As one could imagine, just watching Mr. Jones ambulate was painful. His gait was guarded and his steps were small. He spoke with a raspy hillbilly voice that we often hear only in the movies. As Mr. Jones began to unveil the horror he had been living for the last thirty years, his one good eye began to well up in tears. I see a lot of sick people, but to see a grown 52 year old man cry right in front of you because he is in so much pain was difficult. He was vehement towards his previous doctors prescribing unnecessary medication, sending him to psychologists because they felt he was a drug seeker, and ultimately dismissing him. This man had been broken. He had seen every doctor under the sun and not one person helped him. He was at the end of his rope. He was desperate. After listening to Mr. Jones it was immediately apparent to me what all of his doctors had overlooked. I explained to Mr. Jones that the trauma he has suffered from for the last 30 years has had a tremendous impact on his brainstem and nerve system. I explained to him what his brainstem does for him and how vital it is for function and life itself. He understood. I then went to explain to him that if the brainstem is affected or is impaired, his body will suffer. I went onto explain to him that if a tree took down one of his cables, as he used to bury cable, what would happen to the signal of the cable? He said their would be static. I said, “Exactly!” Once he was able to understand the cable analogy, he was able to understand exactly how his body was malfunctioning due to the trauma and stress. He immediately paid in full and began care.

Mr. Jones nerve system evaluation on the K4 Thermoscribe revealed nerve pressure at the Occipito-Atlanto-Axial area. His orthopedics showed decreased range of motion and pain upon specific motions. And his specific x-rays showed small misalignments at C1 and C2 with fusion of the C4-C5-C6 vertebral bones with a surgical plate attached to C5-C6. Keep in mind part of the bottom screw was protruding into the C5-C6 disc space.

During his report of finding, we explained to Mr. Jones what we had found and how we could help, and laid out a plan for him. We spoke about what was right with him instead of what was wrong with him. He liked that and was excited about beginning care. We elected to adjust C2 – entire segment left on the Kale Knee Chest Solid Head Piece table.

After Mr. Jones was adjusted, he was asked to rest for 45 minutes. Immediately after the adjustment and while he was resting, Mr. Jones felt the pressure release from the back of his head for the first time in 30 years. The first time in 7 years, his feet were warm and actually began to sweat and his “bad” eye began to water and did not feel dry anymore. His intolerance to bright lights went away, and his ability to see far away greatly improved, merely by removing the brain to body congestion in his brainstem.

Over the course of the next few days, Mr. Jones reported: less cluster headaches with less intensity, his collar bone felt sore and not painful, his double vision had disappeared, and the cervical radiculopathy melted away because he no longer had numbness in his hands.

After one of Mr. Jones’s visits, he asked me if I was married and after smiling, I replied, “yes sir, why do you ask?” He then remarked, “because if your wife ever leaves you, you will always have a home at my house!”

(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.)

Why Travel 4,646 Miles for Upper Cervical Care?

by Alison

4646 miles is how far it is from Boulder to Norway. A recent patient of mine, Sigmund, traveled here from Norway because they do not have Upper Cervical Chiropractic where he is from. Sigmund has been dealing with pain, numbness, and headaches for 8 years. He has tried everything to get the pain to stop, but he has only received temporary relief. His friend, Monica, searched the web for neck trauma treatments and found our site. Sigmund had been suffering for so long that he was willing to try almost anything to be able to go back to work and have fun with his wife and children without the fear of pain.

Sigmund booked a flight to Colorado for his first trip to the United States. He underwent the initial exam and received his first adjustment. He came to the office everyday while he was here for checkups. When Sigmund went home, he was so grateful and excited to go on his family vacation because he was without pain for the first time in 8 years. He also set up an appointment with his boss to see if he could start to come back to work full time.

Here in the U.S., I hear all kinds of reasons why people don’t have time for care, or they live too far to come in for treatment, yet others travel incredible distances and will do anything to take control of their health. The last thing Sigmund said to me before he went back home is, "I wish everyone knew about this care, and the people in the United States are so lucky that there are clinics 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.)

Why Upper Cervical Care Can Help Low Back Pain.

From this Website

If someone were to say to you "Chiropractor", what would be the first thing that comes to mind? If you’re like the majority, it’s likely LOW BACK PAIN! And you’d be right because 80% of the people that seek out a chiropractor have some sort of pain in their lower back. So as an Upper Cervical doctor, one that only adjusts the top two bones in the spine, does that leave me with the remaining 20%? Can adjusting a bone in the neck really help? Well sit tight because it’s a beautiful Monday morning and I’m in the mood to do a bit of myth busting.

The Misconception

Let me begin by saying I absolutely love what I do for a living and because of that, I try to share it with as many people that will tolerate hearing about it. On occasion (more than I’d like to admit), however, the dialogue I have with people goes something like this:

　
Person: "Oh, so you’re a chiropractor? Can you crack my back?!"

　
Me: "Ha, I get that a lot. Actually, I’m an Upper Cervical doctor and I look for misalignments of one of the top two bones in the neck. They can squeeze down on the brain stem and prevent the messages from the brain to communicate with the body. That could be causing your problem."

　
Person: "You only adjust the neck? Oh, well I have low back pain. You wouldn’t be able to help me."

　
In that very moment, I know I’ve lost them because no matter what I say after that, they’ve already settled back on their preconceived notions of what a chiropractor does. SMH (google it). To say the least, it’s incredibly frustrating! That’s ok though, because as a doctor, that’s my lifelong job…to educate.

Lesson #1

Repeat after me class, "Upper Cervical chiropractic helps low back pain (and SO much more)."

The spinal column is just that, a column that supports the entire body. Not only is it the body’s primary support structure, but it also houses and protects the one thing that animates us- the spinal cord. It’s designed to not only be strong, but resilient to all of the really dumb and daring things we do in life. Of the 26 vertebrae, 24 have locking facets or joints that are all intricately wrapped with connective tissue, fascia, ligaments and muscle to essentially form one continuous functioning unit. The top two vertebrae on the other hand, do not have the locking facets so as to allow maximum motion of the neck. If you’re from the South, you’d know them as the "Yes Ma’am, no Ma’am, and I don’t know Ma’am" bones. The down side to having this great mobility is that they’re more vulnerable to injury or misalignment.

Okay, so a bone in the neck is out of whack, how does that relate to my low back? Ever play the game Jenga? Jenga is a great example of what can happen when even one block (vertebrae) is out of alignment. Even if you have the perfect foundation, if you don’t place the blocks on top perfectly, the entire tower crumbles. Because here’s the deal, your head, which weighs 12-14 lbs rests on your Atlas which weighs in at a paltry 3 oz! You want to talk about a juggling act? There are literally thousands of so-called "sensors" (second only to the number found in the under side of the foot) in the upper region of the neck that communicate to the brain to keep your head upright and level. When a misalignment occurs, the spine WILL compensate by twisting, turning, or rotating the body – whatever it has to do to get your head straight again. Yes, you could look like a pretzel, but if it meant the head was level, the brain would allow it.

This will trigger a chain reaction from the top down and compromise the rest of the spine causing an entire imbalance of the body. The result? Weak spots in what should be a relatively strong spine. And what area of the spine do you think would be compromised the most by a weak spot? I’d wager to say the area that supports the most weight, the low back. Make sense?

Lesson #2

Think low back pain is the only side effect to a misaligned Upper Cervical spine? Think again. Degeneration and arthritis might be in your future forecast as well.

Now if you know me at all, you’d know that I love cars, almost as much as I love using car analogies to explain the proper functioning of the body. Apologies in advance if you’re not a motor head, but please, bear with me for a moment. For example, let’s consider your car tires. Usually, they’ll carry a warranty for a certain number of miles. In this case, we’ll say 60K miles. If properly aligned, rotated, and balanced, you should expect those tires to last the lifetime of the warranty, right? Now suppose you’re a tiny bit negligent and forget to do that all together? Do you think they’ll last? Of course not! They’ll wear unevenly or even prematurely, and could eventually turn into a real safety risk.

This principle can be applied to ANYTHING, because when something is not aligned, it will always wear out faster than intended. Ever wonder why someone will only get arthritis in one knee and not the other? Aren’t the knees the same age? Well, I’ll put it bluntly, age has nothing to do with arthritis or degeneration! Believe me, the hunched over teenager is going to have a worse looking spine when he’s 30 than that of an elderly person that has always been mindful of their posture.

The Bottom Line

If you have chronic low back pain or it "keeps going out", then I would strongly suggest you reconsider the idea that a "neck doctor" can’t help. There are plenty of people much smarter than me (hard to believe) that have done extensive research on the topic and the evidence speaks for itself. Personally, I’ve had low back cases that have time and time again, gotten well WITHOUT ever touching their back. It’s not magic, but sure seems like it.

If you’re curious whether or not your low back pain might be related to a misalignment of the Upper Cervical spine, go ahead and do a rudimentary self check at home. Next time you look in the mirror, look at your ears. Are they level? Are your shoulders? Lie flat on your back on the floor and have a friend look at your feet. Are the heels even with each other? If you answered "No" to any of these questions, you’re more than likely misaligned and a ticking time bomb waiting to be in pain. Please share if you found this article useful!

(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 About The Nerves That Don't Sense Pain?

(Editors Note:  Our post today comes from my good friend and colleague Dr. Adam Tanase, A wonderful and knowledgeable Upper Cervical Chiropractor.)

Not All Nerves Sense Pain

by Dr. Adam Tanase

                                             

Thanks to our body’s sensory nerves, we’re able to tell when something doesn’t quite feel right, like pain.

But did you know that your body has two additional types of nerves that have nothing to do with pain?

Motor nerves control our movements, while autonomic nerves (or “automatic” nerves) govern things you don’t ever have to think about, like heart rate, digestion, and breathing.

This helpful infographic (produced by Mager and Associates Consulting) demonstrates how “feeling good” doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in good health. Nerve irritation can be present in your body without pain.

 

That’s why it helps to get periodic checkups from an upper cervical chiropractor. With the help of objective assessment tools like computerized thermal imaging, upper cervical chiropractic doctors can help restore healthy function to the body by identifying and reducing autonomic nerve tension related to head/neck misalignment.

Be thankful...This family is...especially for Upper Cervical Care

The Pain of Life

Adapted from the mama birth blog titled Painful Birth-Loving it, Embracing It, Accepting It

I live at the top of a hill.  I try to stay in shape by running.  The easy part is getting DOWN the hill.  But, inevitably I must come home at some point and that includes going UP hill.

Sometimes, since I am tired and at the end of my run, I try to avoid the hills.  I see one coming up and so I turn before I get there.  But then I find something awful.  ANOTHER hill.  Then I try to turn again.  Surely, I can get home without going up a hill, right?

As it turns out, NO.  I live on the top of a hill and to get back home I must go up a hill.  Trying to avoid the hill is simply going to drag out the inevitable and possibly get me lost.

When it comes to life, I think all of us have done ourselves a disservice.  We have told ourselves over and over that life doesn't have to be painful.  It can be painless and easy.  You don't have to sweat!  You don't have to suffer!

Different groups go about this in different ways.  Medical doctors give you drugs and Chiropractors often feel adjustments should solve your pain.

I am not advocating that we all should expect life to be excruciating and scared to death about the prospect. 

But over and over again I see people who are actually ashamed to admit that they feel pain of all types in life.  It is like it is some kind of badge of honor to have a pain free life.

Guess what.  I think that is lame.  I think we have sold people a bill of goods and we are not adequately preparing them for the realities of life when we act like they can have a life without pain if they just "do everything right" and "have their mind free of fear", etc.

There.  I just said it.  I think the idea of pain free life is a little lame.

Let me explain. 

The most beautiful thing about life to me is what it can teach us about real life.  I think that is why the journey of life is so intense and beautiful and multifaceted- it is teaching us lessons that will serve us for the rest of our life if we listen and learn from them.

That lesson is this-  Real joy requires some pain.

I don't know how much of my life I have spent avoiding the hard stuff, but I can tell you that it was far to much.

Too many a year was spent waiting for things to get easier and hoping that THEN I could really enjoy life.  I missed out on enjoying the hard times and learning from them.  I dragged out the misery and I didn't appreciate what I could have been learning at the time.  I told the universe to keep trying like mad to teach me the same lesson, over and over again, because I didn't want to learn it.

I don't believe life is supposed to be easy.  I don't believe it is supposed to be pain free.  

What should you love, embrace, and accept about the pain of life?

Embrace that it is teaching you that you are strong and the only way that it can teach you this is by having you go through something that you didn't think you were capable of.

Love that when it is over you will feel joy and satisfaction.

Embrace that life makes you a person that knows they are capable and willing to do what they must.

Accept that it is something you must, no- are BLESSED- to go through.  It isn't a punishment, it is a journey and it is great one.

When we try to avoid the hills of life we short change ourselves, we fight what was meant to be and make longer a journey that, though it includes difficulties, gives us an amazing ride throughout.  When we fight this, avoid this, or are surprised by this it simply makes that hill harder to climb.

We need to stop avoiding the pain of life and we need to love what it teaches us, what it does for us, and what it means to us when we have gone through it.  The pain of life is your teacher, your lover and your friend.  It is not something to be feared.  It is what makes life so magnificent.

Multiple Sclerosis and Upper Cervical Care: Results, Discussions and Conclusions

Editor's Note: This is the last of a seven post series where I have shared five case reports on patients with MS that received upper cervical care and the results that occurred. The full article with all the reports can be read at length here.

RESULTS

At their first upper cervical chiropractic office visits, computerized thermal scans showed thermal asymmetries and cervical radiographs showed upper cervical misalignments in all five subjects. Because these exam findings indicated upper cervical injuries, all five patients consented to upper cervical chiropractic care. The five subjects underwent upper cervical care for a minimum of four months and a maximum of two years at the time of this paper's submission for publication. Before the intervention of upper cervical chiropractic care, four out of the five patients (Cases 2 through 5) showed patterns of constant, progressive MS symptoms for a minimum of six months. After upper cervical care, MS symptoms were improved or corrected, including L'hermitte's Sign, paresthesias, pain, balance, muscle weakness, bladder control, bowel control, cognitive ability, vision loss, insomnia, dizziness, and fatigue. The only case that followed the typical MS relapse-remit pattern, Case 1, had a history of MS relapses once per year for nine years. After the intervention of upper cervical care, this subject had no further relapses and remained symptom-free for two years. Therefore, results of the five cases indicated that upper cervical chiropractic care prevented the progression of MS, stopped the MS relapse pattern, and improved and/or reversed symptoms of

DISCUSSION

An important parallel in the MS patients' medical histories was their recollection of head and/or neck trauma(s) prior to the onset of MS (also mentioned in the Palmer case described in the Introduction). All five patients remembered specific incidences of trauma preceding the onset of MS symptoms such as a fall on an icy sidewalk, an auto accident, and a ski accident. In addition, all five individuals showed evidence of upper cervical injury during exams (digital infrared imaging and cervical radiographs). The body of medical literature detailing a possible trauma-induced etiology for MS, or at least a contribution, is substantial. (33-35) In fact, medical research has established a connection between spinal trauma and numerous neurological conditions besides Multiple Sclerosis, including Parkinson's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), epilepsy, migraine headaches, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), vertigo, and bipolar disorder, to name a few. (36-43)

While medical research has shown that trauma may lead to MS and the other neurological conditions mentioned above, no mechanism has been defined. It is the author's hypothesis that the missing link may be the injury to the upper cervical spine. While various theories have been proposed to explain the effects of chiropractic adjustments, a combination of several theories seems most likely to explain the profound changes seen in these MS patients due to upper cervical chiropractic care. After a spinal injury, central nervous system (CNS) facilitation can occur from an increase in afferent signals to the spinal cord and/or brain coming from articular mechanoreceptors. (44-48) The upper cervical spine is uniquely suited to this condition because it possesses inherently poor biomechanical stability along with the greatest concentration of spinal mechanoreceptors.

Hyperafferent activation (through CNS facilitation) of the sympathetic vasomotor center in the brainstem and/or the superior cervical ganglion may lead to changes in cerebral blood flow, including ischemia. (49-55) Because of the close association between the nervous and immune systems (the immune system recently has been reclassified as the neuroimmune system), upper cervical injuries affecting sympathetic function consequently may cause a cascade of non-favorable immune responses. (56-58) Among these are uncoordinated immune tissue responses (auto-immune responses) and the release of cortisol, which ultimately can result in decreased immune function.

It is likely that the five MS patients sustained injuries to their upper cervical spines (visualized on cervical radiographs) during spinal traumas they experienced. It is also likely that due to the injuries, through the mechanisms described previously, sympathetic malfunction occurred (measured by paraspinal digital infrared imaging), possibly causing decreases in cerebral blood flow. Consequently, because the nervous and immune systems are so closely intertwined, it is possible that CNS facilitation and cerebral ischemia could have stimulated an auto-immune response such as myelin destruction. According to the results of each of the five patients discussed in this report, it seems correction of the upper cervical injury not only stopped but also reversed the pathological processes involved in MS. However, few conclusions can be drawn from a small number of cases. Therefore, further research is recommended to study the link between trauma, the upper cervical spine, and neurological disease.

CONCLUSION

All five patients discussed in this report recalled experiencing head or neck trauma(s) prior to the onset of Multiple Sclerosis symptoms. In all five cases, evidence of upper cervical injury was found using paraspinal digital infrared imaging and upper cervical radiographs. After IUCCA upper cervical chiropractic care, all five cases reviewed revealed improvements in Multiple Sclerosis symptoms. In fact, correction of the five patients' upper cervical injuries appeared to stimulate a reversal in the progression of MS symptoms. To the author's knowledge, these are the first cases reported on this topic using thermal imaging and knee-chest adjustments since Palmer's research seventy years ago. Further investigation into upper cervical injury and resulting neuropathophysiology as a possible etiology or contributing factor to Multiple Sclerosis should be pursued.

Why We Appreciate Upper Cervical Care

By: Daniel O. Clark, D.C., age 89

Now that I can live pain free without the use of drugs and pain killers ... it makes me appreciate Upper Cervical Corrective Care so much more.

Now that I am able to sleep through the night without getting up to go to the bathroom every two hours … it makes me appreciate Upper Cervical Corrective Care.

Now each morning when I wake up feeling good and anxious to work on the computer … it makes me appreciate Upper Cervical Corrective Care.

Now that I am able to eat food and it does not turn to pain … it makes me appreciate Upper Cervical Corrective Care.

Now that I am once again able to brush my teeth, comb my hair, tie my shoes and button my shirt … it makes me appreciate Upper Cervical Corrective Care.

Now that I am able to walk through the market with my wife and not be totally exhausted … it makes me appreciate Upper Cervical Corrective Care.

Now when I look around and see how other people my age are struggling with their health problems … it makes me appreciate Upper Cervical Corrective Care.

Now that I was able to put aside my wheel chair and dance at my grandson’s wedding … it makes me appreciate Upper Cervical Corrective Care.

Now that I can get up in the morning able to make my bed instead of wanting to stay in it all day ... it makes me appreciate Upper Cervical Corrective Care.

Now that I can once again enjoy the little things in life that I once took for granted … it makes me appreciate Upper Cervical Corrective Care so much more.

Upper Cervical Corrective Care, a new way to get well and stay well, restores the body's natural ability to resolve acute and chronic health problems without the use of harmful drugs and painkillers.

It requires the weight of the head be perfectly balanced on top of the neck to prevent misalignment interference in “brain to body communication” so brain messages can keep the body in a "healing mode" and provide a better quality of life for all ages.

Thousands of sufferers are now realizing the benefits of Upper Cervical Care despite there being so few of these Upper Cervical Doctors!

Upper Cervical Care And Athletic Performance.

Athletic Performance
What Upper Cervical Has To Offer!
From www.uppercervicalcare.com

What do Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana and Evander Holyfield all have in common? Not only have they risen to the top of their respective sports, they all consider regular chiropractic care essential to improving their health and gaining a competitive edge over their competitors.

The truth is, it doesn’t matter if you are at the top of your game, a weekend warrior, or a stay-at-home mom training for your first 5K run, upper cervical care can help you perform at your BEST!

Athletes undertaking rigorous fitness regimes often push their bodies to the limit. Since their performance is based on the health and strength of their body…whether they need to recover from injury, improve performance or increase joint flexibility, ongoing upper cervical care is a valuable addition to their training regime.

In recent years, spinal care has become a valuable partner in the everyday athletic health regimen. Athletes find it not only improves performance but also reduces the risk of injury. Studies show that upper cervical care improves athletic ability, agility, balance, power, speed, reaction time and recovery.

How does upper cervical care help to improve athletic performance? The answer lies in the nervous system. In our bodies, the brain and brain stem act as our “Master Control System”. Everything that we do is regulated by the nerve impulses that are sent from the brain/brain stem out to the body through our network of nerves. For the athlete who is looking for an edge to his or her physical performance, this improved communication between the brain and every part of the body, especially the heart, lungs and muscles can make the difference between winning and losing.

Upper Cervical corrections help to improve the overall function of the nervous system, which, in turn, improves the efficiency of the communication between the brain and the body. With a fraction of a second meaning the difference between gold and silver, many of today’s top athletes are checked regularly during training and off seasons to maintain peak performance.

Research

A research study conducted by Dr. Jon Schwartzbauer, studied changes in athletic performance in baseball players with and without upper cervical care. Each athlete’s performance was evaluated through assessment of the vertical jump, broad jump specified, standing broad jump, and muscle strength. Blood pressure, pulse rate, microcirculation (capillary counts), and treadmill stress testing were also evaluated. The results showed significant improvement at fourteen weeks in muscle strength and long jump distance in the group receiving upper cervical corrections. Moreover, this same group showed significant improvement in capillary counts after five and fourteen weeks of upper cervical care. Evaluation of the group receiving care revealed decreases in resting blood pressure and pulse rate as well as pulse rate following tread mill activity. By comparison, trends in these same measures showed increases within the control group (non-upper cervical). All this translates into better athletic performance! In another study by Drs. Anthony Lauro and Brian Mouch, upper cervical care improved athletic performance by as much as 30% after 12 weeks. Athletes were tested on several aspects of athletic ability including kinesthetic perception, power, reaction time, agility and balance. At the 6 week mark of this study those who received upper cervical care showed an 18% increase in performance while those who did not showed only a 1% increase in performance.

These studies showed that athletes who have full brain to body communication (subluxation-free athletes) react faster, have better coordination, execute fine movements with improved accuracy and precision, amounting to an overall better athlete.

Key Benefits

In addition to improving performance, ongoing upper cervical care offers several health and wellness benefits, including:

•Improved posture
•Increased range of motion
•Improved immune system that can ward off common illnesses or disease
•Better focus and concentration
•Reduction of migraines or severe headaches
•Increased blood circulation
•Better joint flexibility
•Reduced risk of injury
•Increased blood and oxygen flow throughout the body
•Improved recovery rates after a sports injury
•Reduction of pain in major joints

Some athletes turn to upper cervical care only after they have been injured, but it is much more beneficial to incorporate care into the weekly training routine. An upper cervical doctor can offer natural supportive care for runners, bikers, tennis players, baseball, football and basketball players - any athlete who is constantly on the move.

For both casual sports participants and high-performance athletes, a natural method of stress reduction and toxin removal is necessary for better health overall. Upper cervical care can play an important role in the lives of these athletes throughout their training season, and during their most competitive seasons.

So, You've Got Stress

Your boss is getting on your nerves; you have to get a project finished but the phone keeps ringing; you still have not met the right person to marry to have the children you want so badly or you have children that are so bad you hardly want them; your car breaks down; your bills are piling up; your in-laws are coming to dinner; your mother says she never sees you anymore; you are overwhelmed by your cholesterol count, your sodium intake, your sugar intake and your fat intake; you or someone you know has cancer or AIDS and YOU’VE GOT STRESS!!!

There is simply no escaping it. Our lives and the world we live in are loaded with stress. More than 66% of all visits to a primary-care physician are for stress-related disorders. Every week 112 million people take medication for stress-related disorders. Job stress costs American industry more than 150 billion dollars yearly in absenteeism, lost productivity, accidents and medical insurance. It is worth noting that some stress may be good. Many people are more alert, more productive and consequently happier and healthier with a certain amount of stress. Beyond that, however, it stops contributing to your ability to function and starts inhibiting it.

Stress is a double-edged sword. Things going wrong produce stress and it causes things to go wrong. Stress over an extended period of time can make you quit your job, can lead you to depression or to drugs and alcohol. All of these can and will certainly affect your ability to perform, your ability to earn money and your quality of life.

We all need to do more to combat stress, we have to learn to find a balance in our work and personal lives. Certainly there are some things that you simply cannot do anything about, for example, the unexpected death of a loved one, natural disasters and accidents. However, everyone can and should carefully examine their lives and make an honest attempt to reduce the stress-producing circumstances that make unnecessary demands upon them. Determine which things you can do something about, concentrate your time and energy on them and try to avoid the obvious ones. We should emphasize wellness, focus on the positive and relaxation, whatever the circumstance.

Upper Cervical Care should also play an important role in your stress management. When a stress-inducing event occurs, muscles contract, breathing becomes faster and deeper, heartbeat increases and digestion is halted. This all occurs as a response to a nervous impulse. Continually contracted muscles can contribute to head/neck misalignment and this can lower your ability to deal with stress. Of course, just as different situations produce varying amounts of stress for different people, different stress management techniques will have varying degrees of effectiveness. Some may benefit from exercise while others respond to meditation, deep breathing or spending time on an enjoyable hobby. Upper Cervical Care, however, can work for everyone because it removes nerve interference and interrupts the contracted muscle/increased stress cycle.

Upper Cervical Care coupled with positive thinking and other stress management techniques can create a sense of well-being and a zest for life and lead to a longer, more productive, happier and healthier life.

Why I Am An Upper Cervical Care Advocate

By John A. Sanders

Ask anybody who knows me, and they’ll tell you I’m always anxious to share the good things I’ve discovered, whether it’s a great new movie, or restaurant, or a product. When my wife and I came up with a terrific way to cook ribs, and people asked for the recipe, we didn’t tell them it was a secret. We gladly shared it with them. And now, people are enjoying Sanders’ Sassy Ribs all over the country.

So, when our amazing Upper Cervical Doctor successfully treated my wife and me for our long-standing pain conditions, I naturally told my family and friends who might be helped. And, they are being helped. But, that just didn’t seem to be enough. About 8 years ago, after leading an active, busy and successful life, I was thrown into prison… a prison of pain. I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that my strange headache condition, and the back and neck pain I experienced, took away my freedom to live as I had before. And, eventually, I was told that this was a life sentence, and that the conditions of my “imprisonment” would worsen over time.

Despite the care and concern of the people who love me, most of my time has been spent in solitary confinement… just me, and my pain, in a constant, never-ending, battle for sanity. Like Steve McQueen and his baseball in “The Great Escape”, I sought to distract myself from my incarceration. In the past, I’d use my guitar and my music to take me away from troubles. But, my pain would not allow me to play. It was like my guitar was sitting just outside my prison cell, and I couldn’t do anything but lament what I once had… what I once was.

I used to travel extensively, all over the world. Obviously, being in jail severely curtails your frequent flier miles. Being a prisoner of pain is no different. I won’t go into the mental and physical torture I went through, because a lot of it was inflicted on me by a well meaning, but increasingly impersonal healthcare and insurance system that doesn’t seem to understand its priorities, and what’s best for us.

The worst part was when my wife was thrown into the cell next to me. Her lower back problems got so bad, she couldn’t stand for more than 5 minutes at a time. And, a drastic back surgery was the torture they had in store for her.

So, when my Upper Cervical doctor released my wife and me from our pain, I couldn’t just run to freedom without taking my fellow “inmates” with me. Of course, not everyone will be able to go. Fear, and the comfort of “an evil that they know” will make it difficult for some to follow when the door swings open. But, you do your best, you keep going, knowing there are many who are ready for a solution.

One thing I’ve discovered: this “prison” is a lot bigger than I thought, and it’s filled with millions of people whose lives have been cut short. So, as I show people how they can escape from their suffering, I’ll be asking them to help spread the word, so everyone can be freed. For me, it came down to this: Once I knew the way out, how could I possibly leave anyone behind? And, how could I let anyone get trapped in that prison again?

That’s why I’m an Upper Cervical Advocate.
What about you?

Upper Cervical Care: Changing Lives

Upper Cervical Care, first and foremost, is not about pain, disease, or making you better or improving upon you. Never has been and never will be. Well, what the heck good is it then? Why would or should anyone even be under care? Upper Cervical Care is about allowing that which is inside of you, THE POWER OF LIFE, the chance to fully express itself free of interference.

We know that when you take away the brain the body dies. This tells us that the brain regulates and maintains all body functions. If the brain can communicate with the body as it was intended then we can expect the body to be healthy. If the brain cannot communicate with the body as it was intended then we can expect health problems to develop. It has been shown that head/neck misalignment, whether felt or not, carries the potential to have a profoundly negative impact on this crucial communication cycle.

Upper Cervical Care recognizes the life importance of this communication and ventures to correct this structural interference to its expression.

Do symptoms and diseases go away under Upper Cervical Care? Many times they do but it is because the body begins to work correctly.

It ultimately comes down to this, do you want to express life closer to your potential? Then visit an Upper Cervical Doctor and see what your body can do, because the best doctor is the doctor within you. If it is just allowed to express itself, with time, it can heal you of most anything. It is as simple as that!

Frequently Asked Questions About Upper Cervical Care: Part I

“Just what is Body Imbalance and how do I know if it has happened to me?”

Body Imbalance occurs when the C1 or Atlas, and/or the C2 or Axis, the top two vertebra in the neck, are misaligned and out of their proper position. This can occur as a result of an accident, emotional trauma, or chemical toxicity in the body. Childbirth itself can move the atlas out of position because of the massive amounts of pressure on the head and neck of the baby as it passes down the birth canal. Or childhood accidents like falling from a tree, bike or skates can misalign it. In adulthood, the atlas can be shoved out of position during minor or major accidents such as sporting accidents, automobile accidents or slips and falls. Some of the worst cases of atlas misalignment and resulting pain have been caused by minor car accidents such as being rear-ended. One indication of body imbalance is having one leg slightly shorter than the other. You may also notice that when you stand in front of a mirror one shoulder is slightly higher than another, and one hip is higher than the other. Another indication your atlas may be out of position is by having different symptoms in your body that your medical doctor cannot explain or find the cause for on any tests.

“How can Body Imbalance cause me to have physical problems?”

The C1 or Atlas is a donut-shaped bone that your skull rests on. Your spinal cord coming out of your brain and brain stem passes through the center of the donut shape. Your spinal cord at that point consists of trillions of nerve fibers (the nervous system) that “bottle-neck” through the small opening in the atlas. These fibers eventually branch off carrying information to every part of your body. If the C1 is out of its proper position it can irritate, constrict or disrupt vital nerve signals to any portion of your body. This can cause muscle or joint pain, organ dysfunction, lowered immune system and countless other conditions that you would not ordinarily relate to a problem originating in your neck.

“Why do you call it Body Imbalance rather than a neck imbalance?”

Because it effects the entire spine and body. Wherever your atlas moves, your head moves with it. If this top bone in your neck has shifted out of position ever so slightly, no more than the thickness of a fingernail, it can move your head off center of your body. In an effort to keep the head over the center of the neck, the entire spine and pelvis will twist, pulling one hip up and one leg with it. You are now walking around on one leg that is shorter than the other. This places more weight on one side of your body than another. The wear and tear on your entire body is exactly like driving a car that is out of alignment. The result can be muscle and joint pain anywhere in the body. Without correcting the problem, which originated with a single bone (Atlas) at the top of your neck moving out of position, your entire body is now imbalanced.

When this continues over time, something else starts to happen. Because nerve flow is disrupted or distorted, degeneration of cells in organs can occur, causing internal physical problems that may not show up for years.

“Is it painful to correct?”

Fortunately, no. The Upper Cervical Correction can be described as a slight pre-determined direction of pressure applied to the first bone (Atlas) or second bone (Axis) in the neck. Depending on the technique, it can feel like a brisk thrust, a light tap, or a massage on the side of the neck just below the earlobe. That’s where the atlas is. Sometimes this is accompanied by a loud pop or series of tiny ticks as the bone moves back into place. There is NO twisting of the neck. This correction is engineered to reposition the weight of the head (10 to 14 pounds) over the center of the body in order to restore body balance and restore brain to body communication. When the correction is made, muscles begin to relax, blood and oxygen circulation is increased, the brain is able to communicate with the affected area, and the body’s natural healing process begins. The healing process continues as long as body balance is maintained and the brain can communicate with all parts of the body.

Retrace Your Steps With Upper Cervical Care

Please keep in mind while you read that Upper Cervical Care wants to achieve the most stable correction possible in the shortest period of time possible to help you regain and maintain your health and save you time and money in the process.

Retracing Cycles of Repair

By The Blair Chiropractic Society

What do we mean by retracing? Primarily it implies going over ground that has already been covered until the individual reaches the point from which they started.

When a patient is under Upper Cervical Care, it often occurs that they exhibit symptoms that have not manifested themselves for months, or even years. Their first impression is that they are becoming worse, but they are retracing the several stages through which their condition progressed in the making.

The question of time is essential in the matter of retracing. If a condition has been in progress for a number of years, the patient should not always expect to regain the normal state within a few days.

As it took time for the condition of the patient to change from health to a maximum degree of abnormality, so it takes time to retrace from the abnormality back to health.

What the Upper Cervical Doctor Does

The Upper Cervical Doctor is thoroughly trained to detect the abnormal positions of the upper cervical spine. They are further trained in the technique of restoring this area to their normal positions.

The question naturally arises in the mind of the patient as to why the Upper Cervical Doctor cannot return the upper neck immediately to its normal position and thus immediately restore the body to a healthy state.

What actually happens when a correction is given is the head and neck are returned toward its normal position. When an correction is done the ligaments and muscles are given an opportunity to regain, in part, their normal tone, and this permits them to hold the head and neck in a more nearly normal state.

Points To Remember

The spine, however, and the body in general is subject to more or less strain during the every day life, and it is possible that the head and neck may recede toward its old abnormal position, thereby necessitating another correction.

Keep in mind that tissues often must be rebuilt in order for the head and neck to hold its normal position.

In addition, tissues that have perhaps for years assumed an abnormal condition, due to the gradually increasing pressure upon the nerve fibers, must be allowed time to return through the various stages they have passed in the production of the abnormality.

This all takes time, and patience becomes a cardinal virtue, based on the knowledge that all is progressing as it should.

Gradual Retracing

It can thus readily be seen that there is a gradual retracing in the position of the spine from the time when it attains the maximum degree, to the time when it returns again to normal.

There is also a retracing in the condition of the tissues that are supplied by the nerve fibers impinged. They have gradually attained a maximum degree of abnormality and must return through those various stages by which they progressed in the attainment of that abnormality.

Not only is there retracing so far as the spine is concerned and the tissue cells affected, but there also may be a retracing in the symptoms exhibited by the patient.

Various Stages

Different stages of correction can give rise to different symptoms, and as the order reverses itself, symptoms that were present, perhaps years ago, may again occur.

If the spine is being returned rapidly toward its normal position, an entire series of symptoms may develop at one time and the patient consequently will believe they are getting worse.

As a matter of fact, the outlook is particularly bright at this time, and the patient should realize this fact. Naturally, if they do not understand the condition, they will assume that they are becoming worse and may stop Upper Cervical Care entirely.

It cannot be made too emphatic that this is the very time when they should continue with Upper Cervical Care, because the results are being obtained which will do the greatest good.

Must Be Retracing

It is immaterial whether the problem is one of long standing or an acute condition. There must be retracing in the position of the vertebra and in whatever structural or functional change has occurred.

Naturally, if this is true, there must be a retracing in the symptoms. In acute cases they may be so slight in degree that they pass unnoticed.

Finally, every patient should realize the necessity for continuing with Upper Cervical Care, even though they cannot note the progress made from day to day, or even though they believe the condition is worse.

It is essential for this period of retracing to be passed through, and they should not allow any temporary discouragement to preclude the ultimate health, which will be theirs if they continue.