In promoting education about Upper Cervical Care, we try and answer as many questions as possible to empower people to make an informed decision, not only about Upper Cervical Care, but also about the Big Medicine in general. Below are a collection of some of the most frequently asked questions we receive.

What is Upper Cervical Care?

Upper Cervical is an elite form of Chiropractic care that focuses on proper neck alignment and the profound effect that head/neck misalignment can have the entire body.

Why haven’t I heard of this?

The simple answer has to do with numbers.  There are very few practicing Upper Cervical Doctors around the world which mean there are a limited number of people who have even been exposed to the care.  Upper Cervical was originally referred to as “Specific Chiropractic” but in recent years has tried to move away from the term in an attempt to avoid the Chiropractic stigmas that are held by the general public as well as the medical profession.  Sadly, most Chiropractic college don’t teach Upper Cervical, which means, just like the general public, most Chiropractors have limited or no knowledge of Upper Cervical care.

Who can Upper Cervical Help?

Because of the relationship between the upper neck and our overall health, it is possible that anyone could be helped by Upper Cervical care.  Over the years Upper Cervical care has developed an amazing reputation of getting sick people well.  The variety of symptoms that respond well to Upper Cervical care is so long and diverse that it’s hard to believe for someone on the outside looking in.  Some of the more common conditions seen in our office are headaches, migraines, neck and back pain, sciatica, Fibromyalgia, allergy/sinus trouble, digestive trouble (IBS, Crohn’s) and kids health problems like Colic and chronic ear infections.

But with that said, it is actually best to think of Upper Cervical care as a piece of the health/wellness puzzle that helps maintain good health and prevent future health problems.  Those patients who chose to maintain their care will experience the best that Upper Cervical care has to offer.

What is a Subluxation (Head/Neck Misalignment)?

An Upper Cervical Subluxation or Head/Neck Misalignment is locked misalignment of the upper neck that causes pressure/irritation to the nervous system as well as Body Imbalance.

What is Body Imbalance? (how neck problems affect your back, hips and knees)

Body Imbalance is the shifting the body does in order to compensate for a head/neck misalignment.  If the upper neck misaligns, it will cause the head to tilt to the side.  Just like when you walk on the beach or any unlevel surface, the body compensates for this tilt in order to keep your eyes level with the horizon.  If you could imagine always walking on the side of a hill, the stress it would cause to your body would be tremendous.  Many people who are suffering with reoccurring neck, back, hip, knee or muscle pain are actually dealing with a chronic Body Imbalance.  Their head is not properly balanced over their spine due to a head/neck misalignment.  Because of that, their body never balances out and heals like it’s supposed to.

What should I expect on my first visit?

Most New Patient first visits take anywhere from 45-60 minutes.  You will complete your consultation, examination and Upper Cervical x-rays.  99% of the time, no Upper Cervical corrections/treatment are done on the first day.  The doctor needs to take adequate time to analyze your x-rays and exam findings to ensure that Upper Cervical care is right for you.  At the end of your first visit, you will be scheduled for your Report of Findings where the doctor will do a detailed review of all of your findings.

What will happen after my first Upper Cervical correction?

The list of possible reactions after your first Upper Cervical correction is endless.  Just about when I think I have heard it all, a new patient will share some unique reaction that their body had that I can add to the list.  But how you could possibly feel can be boiled down into 3 basic possibilities: feel better, feel worse or feel the same.  Most patients will start noticing an improvement in how they feel within a few weeks of starting care.  Many people notice improvements much sooner than that and of course there are those who take a little longer.  Because the body will start making changes once you start care, it is important to limit your activity level for the remainder of the day on treatment days.  This will help you benefit fully from your correction as well as help minimize some of the body soreness that can occur as the body realigns and heals.

Why do I need xrays?

Every single Upper Cervical misalignment is as unique as the individual that has it.  Since Upper Cervical misalignments are so complex it is impossible to accurately determine the nature of the misalignment by simply palpating (touching) the neck.  At the present time, specific Upper Cervical x-rays are the best way to detect an upper cervical misalignment.  So in order for corrections to hold as long as possible and for patients to get the outstanding results that are possible through Upper Cervical care, it is essential to have an x-ray view of the misalignment before proceeding with care.

How long will it take to get better?

Most people that ask this question are really interested in when they will FEEL better.  But BEING better and FEELING better are two different things.  Most patients will start to feel better within a few weeks of starting care.  Of course there are those who feel better sooner and those who feel better later, but as a general rule most patients are likely to feel better sooner than later.

Now BEING better is a completely different story.  Most patients who are having symptoms from an Upper Cervical misalignment have had that misalignment for years and often decades before.  So to expect the body to heal itself of 20, 30 or even 40 years of problems in just a few weeks is unrealistic by even the most optimistic standards.  Research has shown that the average person will spend anywhere from 1 ½ – 3 years recovering from an Upper Cervical misalignment.  Of course, like I said before, it doesn’t take anywhere near that long to FEEL better.  But that is ultimately where the rubber meets the road.  Do you want to BE better or do you just want to FEEL better?  The choice is yours.

What is Retracing?

Retracing is a term that we use to describe the re-visiting of old symptoms as the body heals and repairs.  Many patients have spent their entire life covering up their symptoms and have never actually experienced the different things that can happen during an un-medicated healing process.  Patients can experience a flare-up of an old symptom or symptoms (even if they haven’t had it in a long time) as their body heals.  Typically, retracing symptoms only last for a few days and sometimes a few weeks.  It is very important to get checked by your Upper Cervical doctor during these flare-ups to ensure that it is in fact Retracing and not a new problem.

What about Surgery and Medicine?

75% of the medications in the world are consumed in the US.  And although there are times that surgery and medications are necessary and save lives, to say they are over-utilized in our country is an understatement.  Medications are a wonderful crutch in a crisis, but far too often patients view their medication as a solution and not a crutch.  More often than not, dietary and lifestyle (including healthcare choices) changes will go a long way toward living a healthy medication-free life.

Surgery should always be viewed as a last resort.  The average person does not take the prospect of surgery as seriously as they should and are often much more willing to go under the knife than they are to try conservative alternatives.  This is partly the product of our medical system, which doesn’t take the time to teach doctors about alternative treatments and therefore they are unequipped to inform patients about alternatives to drugs and surgery.

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