Why Upper Cervical Care Matters

No Matter

But, I feel fine.......................No Matter how you feel.

But, I eat well........................No Matter what you eat.

But, I take vitamins...................No Matter which vitamins you take.

But, I meditate........................No Matter how often you meditate.

But, I get plenty of rest..............No Matter how much rest you get.

But, I exercise........................No Matter what form of exercise you do.

But, I have this or that condition.....No Matter what your diagnosis.

But, I have been told that.............No Matter what you have been told.

But, I take this drug..................No Matter what drug you are taking.

But, I can’t afford it.................No Matter what your financial situation.

But, I don’t have insurance............No Matter what your insurance coverage is.

But, I had this treatment..............No Matter what treatments you have tried.

But, I don’t have the time.............No Matter how busy you are.

No matter what else you do...if the messages from your brain do not properly reach each and every cell of your body; if your nerve system does not work correctly, then you will never be all you could be physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. You will never be truly healthy! Upper cervical care is dedicated to locating the a common cause of interference - head/neck misalignment.

Back Pain?

At least 80 % of the American public will at some point suffer from back pain. Anywhere between $16 and $50 billion is wasted on medical expenses and lost work time annually due to back pain.

While it is true that thousands of people go to upper cervical doctors across the country everyday for back pain, many of whom find relatively quick, affordable relief, IT IS NOT TRUE THAT UPPER CERVICAL CARE IS AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR BACK PAIN.

The fact is, some of those people would have experienced relief whether they received upper cervical care or not. For some, general chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, hot/cold therapy or exercise might have been equally effective. Others would probably have felt better in time with no treatment at all. Unfortunately, what seems to work today may not work tomorrow. For many years the medical community suggested two weeks in bed for back pain. Today it is commonly understood that more than two days of bed rest can often make back pain worse. We realize now that as the muscles that support the spine are not used, they become weaker and less able to do their job. The variety in what constitutes effective treatment can partially be explained by the fact that the causes of back pain are as varied as the sufferers themselves.

Eighty percent of all low-back pain originates in the muscles, ligaments or disks. Some pain is caused by sheer overuse of muscles, whether it is by repeated use or by asking a muscle to do more than it is capable of in a single situation. Some back pain is caused by joint conditions--inflammation, arthritis or degeneration. Another leading cause of back pain is the herniated disk. However, interestingly enough, 20-30% of people with herniated disks and back pain actually have discomfort for a reason other than the disk condition. This is noteworthy inasmuch as many of these people go on to have surgery for the disk, which is not the cause of their pain. Still, other pain is caused by unrelated disease in the back area such as kidney or digestive problems or even cancer.

So with the variety of causes of back pain, you may be wondering how any one thing can be effective. For example, how aspirin works to relieve pain is yet unknown. If we don’t know that, how can we know that there is not a less toxic or even cheaper means by which we can do the same thing? Or for that matter, how can we know that this unknown mechanism is not harmful to the body in some significant way?

While upper cervical care is not a treatment for bad backs, it is good for the overall health of the body. Whenever you do anything that is good for your overall health, your whole body benefits. When you get a good night’s sleep, you are more energetic, more coordinated and more clear minded. Exercise, diet and rest obviously play a significant role in lessening back pain, not because they are effective treatments, but because they are good for the body. They promote health. Likewise, while back pain may improve under upper cervical care, it is not because upper cervical care is good for bad backs. Upper cervical care is good for your whole body. So have your spine checked periodically whether you have back pain or not.

Reminder For The New Year

It is never too early or too late to get into good health habits. As a doctor, I see patient after patient come into my office with the “baggage” from years of neglect. This amazes me sometimes because we are supposed to be living in a health conscious society. Health officials constantly give us advice on how to avoid health problems. Americans just don’t heed the warning. Let’s face it, we think that as long as we feel okay, nothing could possibly go wrong – we’re healthy. Although at the same time we think we’re healthy, most of us are abusing ourselves with the standard high fat, high sodium American diet along with the ever-strenuous daily remote control workout regime.

So, to help make sure YOU are healthy, the following steps are recommended:

1. Eat a healthy diet. Watch those saturated fats and low quality carbohydrates. If you are already overweight, decide today that you and your family are worth the effort to lose weight. Remember, strokes, heart attacks and high blood pressure happen to people just like you everyday.

2. Exercise. You know why. I don’t have to tell you. Just Do It!

3. Rest well. We live incredibly busy lives. Be sure your sleep habits are consistent and your sleep surface is adequate to support your spine and limbs properly.

4. Eliminate unnecessary stress from your life. Some stress is good. It challenges and helps us to grow. Worrying, however, robs not only the quality of your life but also the quantity of your life. Negative people die young. They have nothing to live for. (Smile).

5. And last but not least…. (I saved the best for last): MAINTAIN YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM AND SPINE. Did you know the nervous system controls the function of virtually every cell, tissue, organ, and system of your body? Upper Cervical Care concerns itself with the relationship between the nervous system and the function of the body (i.e. your health).

Remember, life is not a dress rehearsal. Choose abundant health in the new year!