Ask Dr. Ray

In medicine you may have a cardiologist, an orthopedist and a neurologist; each is a medical doctors but they have completely different practices or areas of expertise.  The same can be said for general chiropractors and upper cervical chiropractors

As upper cervical doctors, our areas of expertise are the top two bones in the spine, called the Atlas and Axis, and most importantly, the brain stem.  This region is called the “upper cervical spine”, hence the name upper cervical doctors.

The reason for focusing on this region is two-fold.  The first reason is biomechanical; the top two bones in the spine are the most susceptible to injury and misalignment because there are the only bones in the entire spine that don’t have a disc or inter-locking joints.  As a result, they are freely moveable (move in 6 planes) which makes them vulnerable to misalignment.

Secondly, if a misalignment does occur, the brain stem, considered the master control center for the entire body, is compromised.  This condition is called a subluxation, and it’s the only location within the spine where is kind of injury can occur.

Two things happen when you have an upper cervical subluxation.  First, if one of the top two vertebrae becomes misaligned, you don’t have a choice, your spine compensates and the entire body shifts.  We call this “body imbalance” (Dr. Clark illustration).  Secondly, and most importantly, the brain stem houses most of the vital control centers and it is the conduit between your brain and your body.  If the brain stem is affected, you reduce the “brain to body communication” and the body begins the breakdown and grow dis-ease. 

Incidentally, the brain and brain stem do NOT have pain receptors so many patients don’t have neck pain.

We all want that “miracle case” where the patient immediately feels better after one correction but the reality is it takes time to heal.  Our typical patient has had their problem an average of 15-20 years.  Patients often notice “changes” within a few visits but to fully recover depends upon the following factors: how long have you been sick/injured, how severe is the condition, age of patient, are there degenerative changes (i.e. arthritis, disc bulges, bone spurs, etc), stress, diet and lastly, how well do you “hold” your correction.  These are all factors that play into the equation of time; how long will it take to heal.  Remember, corrections don’t allow you to heal, it’s “holding” the correction.  The longer you “hold”, the quicker you heal.

Health is a journey and not a destination.

The cost varies depending upon a number of factors but it is typically much less expensive then medical care.  As always, there is no cost to speak in person with one of our doctors to see if Upper Cervical Care is even an option for you and your family.  Affordable care plans are available which will minimize your expense while maximizing your health!

If you visit an Upper Cervical practice you will quickly notice that it is different from general practitioners and physical therapist.

For starters, the Atlas and Axis can misalign in a combination of 274 different directions.  As a result, highly specialized, laser aligned x-ray equipment is essential to get the most precise imaging possible.   A misalignment as small as ¼ of a degree can make a difference between sickness and health.  Traditional x-rays don’t provide enough detail or accuracy to make a proper upper cervical analysis.

Another distinction is the “pre and post examination” process.  “Pre” thermography, leg checks or anatometer readings are used on regular office visits to determine if the patient is “holding” or not.  If the exam reveals that an adjustement is needed, the correction is made and the patient rests.  Afterwards, the “post” reading is made to ensure that the correction was successful.  There is no guesswork!

Lastly, patients notice the difference an upper cervical correction and a general manipulation.  A manipulation typically requires twisting or jerking and is simply intended to increase the range of motion or movement of a joint(s).  It is often performed every time a patient visits the chiropractor.  The intent, of an upper cervical correction, is to restore the Innate, brain to body communication that allows the body to heal itself.  As we’ve said before, “holding is healing”.  The longer a patient can “hold” their correction, the quicker the healing process.  “Holding” for two days isn’t nearly as good as holding for two months.  So please, don’t expect a correction every visit.

The atlas and axis can misalign in a combination of 274 different directions.  As a result, highly specialized, laser aligned X-ray equipment is essential to get the most precise imaging possible.   A misalignment as small as ¼ of a degree can make a difference between sickness and health.  Traditional X-rays don’t provide enough detail or accuracy to make a proper upper cervical analysis.  There is no guesswork when it comes to your health!

Some Upper Cervical doctors use an instrument called a Tytron to check the a misalignment in the upper neck.  The way it works is by measuring the temperature of both sides of the neck.  Your body is symmetrical so the temperature on one side should be the same as the temperature on the other.  

But, if one of the bones is out of alignment in the upper cervical spine and causing interference to the normal nerve flow from you brain to your body one side of the neck will get hotter than the other.  The Tytron is used to measure the temperature of the neck to determine if there is symmetry of heat throughout the neck or not.  Using this information the Upper Cervical doctor then knows if he needs to make a correction or not and even more important, after giving a correction, the Tytron can be used to verify that a correction was made by showing a return of symmetry of heat throughout the neck. 

Yes. We focus on all our attention on the nerve system and the nerve system controls the muscles of the body. If the messages going from your brain to your body are interfered with then the muscles do not work correctly. Upper Cervical doctors work to remove any interference from the brain to the entire body to ensure that the body works they way it is intended.

We would recommend that you and your son speak to the doctor that is taking care of him. Without having all the details and exams for each patient, questions like these are better suited for the doctor whom you are seeing. With that being said, many people can experience symptoms of the healing process or even retracing for as short as a few minutes, hours, days, to even several weeks. Some symptoms can take several months or years to fully heal due to the time the Upper Cervical Subluxation has be present in that person. Each person heals differently and each person has lived with the Upper Cervical Subluxation for a different length of time.

Upper Cervical care has had success helping people with Meniere's Syndrome.  Upper Cervical doctors focus their attention on the Upper Cervical spine because it houses the Brain Stem.  One of the cranial nerves that come off of the Brain Stem is the Vestibulocochlear nerve.  Through this nerve the messages leave the ear and send messages of balance (vestibular) and hearing (cochlear) to the brain.  If those messages get interfered with the brain could get a distorted message that produce the symptoms found with Meniere's Syndrome.  Every case of Meniere's Syndrome is unique to that individual and because of that uniqueness, getting personally examined by an Upper Cervical doctor is crucial in determining if Upper Cervical Care is right for you.  There have been several studies done by Upper Cervical doctors validating the success.  

We ask that you bring in your insurance card to the closest Upper Cervical doctor and they will verify your benefits.  Due to there being so many different plans, it is difficult to determine coverage through this format.  The website will help you determine the closest doctor.

Upper Cervical Health Centers actually has a doctor in Anderson, SC that was diagnosed with bilateral Meniere's Syndrome in the 5th grade.  After a failed shunt surgery, he was left without options until Upper Cervical Care entered his life.  Upper Cervical Care changed his life completely.  He went from having an attack 200+ days a year to having only 9 attacks his senior year of high school.  He then went straight into college, which was not an option previously and then into chiropractic school.  We have several success stories just like the one above.

Due to the location of the Upper Cervical Subluxation and its proximity to the control center of the body, the brain and brain stem; the Atlas Subluxation has the potential to disrupt any or all normal function in the body. It is recommended that everyone be checked for an Upper Cervical Subluxation early in life to prevent health problems from developing. If health problems have already developed, it would be improtant to make sure there is no interuption to the healing process from the brain to the body.

There are many factors that affect sinus problems, stemming from allergens, food sensitivities, toxins in our environment and of course, our body's response to any and all of these factors. Many chronic sinus problems can arise from our body's inability to properly process these responses, often causing hypersensitivity responses. This is especially true if the Upper Cervical spine is out of alignment, cutting off the signal from brain stem to the sinuses and ultimately causing the sinuses to overwork. Correcting the Upper Cervical spine may be the first step in correcting this hypersensitivity. 

Upper Cervical care has been shown to help people suffering with Trigeminal Neuralgia. Check out our testimony section for a video testimony and also at www.whattimetuesday.com

As you are probably aware, the cause of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is not well understood.  Every patient is different but things such as a viral infection or other environmental factors can trigger PMR. Regardless of what triggered your case, your immune system isn’t functioning properly and is actually over-reacting and attacking the soft tissues within your body.  The result is pain, stiffness, limited range of motion, etc.

Your doctor prescribed Prednisone to suppress your immune system and reduce the inflammation.  While it may provide some symptomatic relief it doesn’t correct the cause and in fact has potentially serious side effects.

It is important to understand that the nervous and immune systems work intimately with one another to protect the body; a connection called neuroimmunology.  It is this relationship that protects us against allergies, viruses, bacteria and even more serious conditions such as autoimmune diseases (PMR) or cancer.  

If you have pressure or irritation near the brain stem, your immune system could be compromised, which can either contribute to or cause your PMR.  By removing the pressure and restoring the communication your immune system will function at it’s fullest potential.  Upper Cervical Care has helped countless patients with PMR and other autoimmune conditions or diseases.  You owe it to yourself to see if Upper Cervical Care will improve your health!

Patients under Upper Cervical care have seen a wide varity of symptoms improve, including anxiety and hormonal imbalances. To be clear though, Upper Cervical care does not specifically treat those symptoms or conditions. In fact, Upper Cervical care is not a treatment for any specific symptom. Upper Cervical care focuses on the nervous system, which is the control system of our body. We specific focus on the upper neck because it houses and protect the brain stem. The brain stem is a vital portion of our nervous system that is extremely important for all body healing. If you do have a misalignment of your C1, it can and does compromise the funtion of the brain stem which could lead to the malfunction of your body. It would be best to get a full Upper Cervical evaulation to see if the doctor closest to you thinks they can help.

Upper Cervical care has helped thousands of people with severe headaches.  Upper Cervical is very precise and specific. This allows us to give a correction that will hold for much longer periods of time.  Research has shown that headaches originate in the brainstem, which is the area that c1 and c2 surround and protect.  The brainstem is damaged by misalignment of these bones and therefore will malfunction.  If the adjustment is held for a period of time, the brainstem is able to heal and will then function properly.  The key is holding the adjustment long enough for healing to occur.  Our precise x-rays and adjusting techniques allow for that to happen.  

Certainly possible and worth the try.  Helped many in the past but depends on severity of herniation

Plagiocephaly can be caused by asymmetrical muscle tonicity over the cranium.  As, you may know a young child has more movement in the cranial sutures (where the skull bones meet)than an adult, as a consequence the skull is more easily molded either by asymmetrical muscle tone, persistently lying on one side while sleeping etc.

The upper cervical spine houses the brainstem which is responsible for controlling bi-lateral muscle tone through the body.  If your child was c-section or normal vaginal delivery, either process can cause enough pressure to the upper cervical spine to result in a misalignment to the atlas vertebra at the floor of the skull.  This misalignment irritates the nervous system and causes the body musculoskeletally to adapt by creating asymmetry in the muscle tone thought the system.  The answer is yes.  Plagiocephaly can be caused by an upper neck misalignment.  The younger the child is corrected for the upper cervical misalignment the better the outcome. Our recommendation would be to call the closest Upper Cervical Health Centers office and have the doctor evaluate your child for an upper cervical misalignment.

One of the most amazing things about Upper Cervical Care is that when adjusting the first two bones in the neck, the body falls back into place like dominos (in reverse).  This is because the control of your spine & posture is controlled largely by the position of your head on your neck, and when the Upper Cervical bones are out of place, that control is lost. This leads to compensations or adaptations in the spine that can be viewed as misalignments that other chiropractors may move in order to improve your health.  So an Upper Cervical Correction will allow the body to start aligning itself properly, even if other bones have been moved in the spine previously.  

With that said, there's a way the body heals that may make you think you need that T1 moved again. That's because the top and bottom bones of your spine align more quickly with their proper position when the Upper Cervical is cleared out. Those bones in the middle back may take a little longer to move back into place, as the rib cage, which is attached to those middle back bones (T-1 thru 12) slows down the progress for a while.  They'll get there soon enough though!

Upper Cervical has helped people with a wide range of bladder conditions.  Where medication for this condition tries to manage the symptoms, Upper Cervical looks to determine if the patient has interference to the controlling system of the bladder.  To determine if your specific condition can be helped by Upper Cervical, you would need an examination to determine if you are a candidate for this life changing procedure.  Locate an office near you for a complimentary consultation today.

Upper Cervical Care has been shown to help many of the more complex neurological conditions that get minimal results under standard medical and chiropractic care. There has even been some research done regarding Tourettes. I would recommend looking into the research link below, and then visiting an Upper Cervical Office for a more comprehensive evaluation for your son.

Many of our offices have helped patients with dystonia as well. While this disorder, like many of the complex neurological disorders, have no known medical cause, we have found that relieving the pressure in the upper cervical spine drastically helps in the healing process. As mentioned above, a more complete prognosis could be given after a more thorough evaluation.
 
Here is the link to the Tourettes research/case study: http://www.erinelster.com/pdfs/tourette.pdf

There is a variety of upper cervical adjusting procedures in which upper cervical doctors can be trained.  Different procedures are available depending on the location that you chose to consult. Continuing eduction and advanced education will be different for each individual chiropractor but in the upper cervical chiropractic world there are many continuing education opportunities available, some of which are technique specific and others of which are offered through chiropractic colleges or various chiropractic organizations.  It is suggested that you confer with the upper cervical doctor closest to your location and obtain a more concrete answer.
 
NUCCA is an upper cervical organization that has a set of procedures that their doctors use in the analysis and correction of the upper cervical subluxation complex.  Within the upper cervical world there are othogonal based organizations (NUCCA, Orthospinology, Advanced Orthogonal, Grostic, Atlas Orthogonal) and articular-based models (Knee Chest, Blair, Toggle).  
 
The commonality between all techniques is that they all have specific and precise procedures and all focus primarily on the relationship between the head, first vertebra and the neck.  All techniquesl work to optimize the communication between the brain and the body by reducing interference created by misalignments in the upper cervical spine  There is good rational for each procedure which is beyond the scope of this forum but I am sure this question can be quickly addressed by any upper cervical doctor with which you consult.

Upper Cervical doctors start seeing patients right after birth, often to prevent health issues from developing early on and to correct any possible effects of a traumatic birth. If it were my child I would not wait any longer. Upper Cervical care has been able to help others with Erb's Palsy. I would find the Upper Cervical doctor closest to you and see if your son can also be helped.

The short answer to your question is "YES!" and here is why: You have been doing everything right. You have taken her to all the correct locations for symptoms such as these, but when they do not resolve over time, then there must be an underlying cause. Upper Cervical Care is very good at locating  problems like this that are often overlooked. Secondly, if your daughter is getting some relief from regular chiropractic care, what that suggests is that the underlying cause is indeed in the upper cervical area. Upper Cervical Doctors are trained to take a very detailed look into that region of the spine; more detailed that most standard chiropractic techniques. With a higher level of detail in our work, we find that we are able to get a higher level of results. Hope you find the answers you have been seeking!

Cancers in any form can be devastating, and the treatments involved such as chemotherapy and radiation treatments can severely diminish an individual's ability to heal.  In fact, surviving the traditional medical treatments for cancer are often difficult enough! All that considered, muscle atrophy is not surprising, as I suspect Barry's energy has been very low, and he hasn't felt like do much as a result of 2 years of chemotherapy.  The big question is can Upper Cervical Care help?  The honest answer is we don't know if Upper Cervical Care can help until one of our trained doctors has evaluated him for an Upper Cervical Subluxation.  If a subluxation is present, and we are able to help correct it, then we can see how well Barry's body will be able to heal itself, including rebuilding and strengthening muscles.

Within Chiropractic philosophy, we have 33 principles.  One of those principles is limitation of matter, meaning that our matter only has so much capacity to heal.  Upper Cervical Care may not be the only thing that Barry needs to return to health, or it may be past a window of possible healing.  However, there are numerous studies showing improvement in immune function with Chiropractic care, and if that spark of Life is strong in Barry, and he's a fighter, Upper Cervical Care will be a strong ally in his return to health!

Upper Cervical has helped many people with these same conditions.  The best way to find out if Upper Cervical can help your particular case is to contact a Upper Cervical doctor near you.  Make the call today to find out if you can begin to live life pain free, and get yoir life back!

As you are probably aware, doctors aren't sure what causes RSD but what is known is that the nervous system plays an important role in the pain.  RSD is thought to result from damage to the nervous system, including the nerves that control the blood vessels and sweat glands.  The damaged nerves are no longer able to properly control blood flow, feeling (sensation), and temperature to the affected area.

If you have an injury or damage to the nervous system, it can cause and intense, burning pain.  In cases with RSD, the pain typically gets worse over time and often begins at the point of injury, but spreads to the whole limb, or to the arm or leg on the opposite side of the body.  Patients can experience changes in skin temperature, muscle spasms and joint pain, severe burning, skin that slowly becomes blotchy, purple, pale, or red, stiff joints and weak muscles, limited movement in limb, muscle wasting and eventually pain in the entire limb.  

As Upper Cervical doctors, our area of expertise is the nervous system.  We have extensive training, knowledge and experience in caring for patients with injuries or damage to the nervous system.  Through Upper Cervical Care, we assure your nervous system is functioning at its fullest potential and giving your body every opportunity to heal itself.

If you have RSD, do yourself a favor and find the nearest Upper Cervical Doctor to determine if you can benefit from this incredible procedure.  

Surgery at any level is traumatic to the body.  While under anesthesia, your muscles don't have the control to keep everything in place, especially your atlas.  So post surgery, you may have control of those muscles returned, but if that atlas bone is out of position, it'll be locked in that 'out' or misaligned state.  This could be enough to start putting pressure on the nerves in and around your spine, including the vagus nerve.  Your next step is to contact the Upper Cervical Doctor nearest you to see if you actually do have a vertebral subluxation.  From there, they will be best able to determine if it is causing your trouble. 

I am very sorry to hear about your chronic neck and upper back pain. It is very rare for someone to have a fusion of C1 and C2 but anything can happen. If you do have fusion at that level, there are still things that can be done to correct a misalignment and Upper Cervical doctors are the best trained professionals for such a problem. The analysis and corrections done by Upper Cervical doctors are vastly different than those found in a traditional Chiropractic office.

My sincere recommendation would be to have an evaluation with an Upper Cervical Certified Chiropractor. Someone who does Upper Cervical Care exclusively in their office to see if he or she can help you. Best Wishes!

We have seen many individuals with fusions of C5/6 (an area that is very commonly fused), and some have additional disc bulging as in your case.  These individuals have seen good results with Upper Cervical, and often tell us that this is only thing giving them relief from their past fusions.   You may also be a candidate for Upper Cervical Care.  

As with any health care procedure, there are risks involved, and that can include strokes.  However, the risk of strokes following ANY chiropractic treatment is estimated at 1 in 5 million, and is usually associated with spinal manipulations that involve twisting or popping of the neck.  Upper Cervical Doctors do not do that.  The adjustments are very gentle, and involve the patient being in a fixed position while the doctor does all the work.  A recent study of Upper Cervical Care showed that 83 doctors had over 5 million career adjustments and had no Serious Adverse Events occur, including stroke or other life threatening injury or hospitalization.  Considering there are well over a million deaths each year associated with medical errors, your risks are relatively low.

The research studies showing the outcome of patient safety with Upper Cervical Care can be obtained from your Upper Cervical Doctor to share with your medical doctor.

More information and to learn more: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/12/219

Conditions such as MS are often the result of long standing stress and degeneration to the Central Nervous System. There are many case studies of patients with MS having wonderful results with Upper Cervical Care, as well as current research taking place in Italy outlining the correlation of Upper Cervical Subluxations (misalignment) and Multiple Sclerosis. So the short answer to a short question is YES! Contact the office closest to you.

Your love and compassion for your mom is beautiful!! My heart goes out to you and your mom. Many years ago, I was told there was nothing wrong and I was given medication to deal with my pain. I became an Upper Cervical doctor to help people who had lost hope and wanted to get their lives back not just cover up the pain!! My health and life are back thanks to Upper Cervical. There is hope! Contact an Upper Cervical doctor near you to find out if they can help you!

Upper Cervical care has help many people with pain, stiffness, and "cracking" sensations. Upper Cervical Specific Chiropractic procedures do not "jerk" the neck and are very safe.

Upper Cervical care focuses on the area that surrounds and protects the brain stem. The brain stem controls everything in the body, including the muscles that hold the pelvis in a balanced position. The majority of patients will find that the functional leg length discrepancy balances after the first correction. Long term results are obtained as a result of taking the proper steps to follow the doctors recommendations to achieve full spinal stability and the ability to hold your alignment for extended periods of time.

There are probably 100's of rare diseases that have responded well to Upper Cervical Care, simply because they weren't yet diagnosed by a medical doctor familiar with this rare disease, and the Upper Cervical Doctor was focused on the subluxation that was causing the patient's body not to function properly, not naming the disease.  

However, in this video, Dr Tom Forest talks about a patient of his who had headaches on and off for years, only got adjusted until the pain was gone, and then would stop getting checked for months, potential months that her body was out of adjustment, yet not knowing there was a problem.  Dr Forest explains how she started to have problems with the blood vessels that feed her eye that were getting clogged, and surgery was not an option.  Upper Cervical was an option.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0CmkWE1DI8

I don't know if Coats disease will respond to Upper Cervical Care.  But if the body has the potential to heal a condition like Coats disease, it's going to have a much better ability to do so with Upper Cervical Care!

Stenosis and scoliosis are a bio-mechanical problem than can be genetic or acquired. Our best recommendation for a problem such as this would be to have a postural and structural evaluation by one of our doctors. Plenty of research has been done on the positive effects of Upper Cervical Care on bio-mechanical problems such as this, but you would need an evaluation to see if such is the case with you.

Postier hypertrophic spurring may sound like a named disease, but in most cases, it is just describing a condition of bone.  For this one, we need to do a little translating from Greek to fully understand it. Posterior just relates to the location, and in case of the spine, it's going to be relating to the back of spine.  Hypertrophy is relating to the growing of cells in size, typically associated with growing of muscle tissue thru exercise.  Spurring is pretty easy, indicating some abnormal bone growth, and in this case, hypertrophic describes how the bone is growing. 

Generally speaking, this description is associated with a degenerative change in bone within the spine, and can be a common finding in any spine.  It's probably common because of improper biomechanics related to a long present subluxation, likely since early childhood.  Since we are finding more and more very strong correlation between the presence of subluxation and multiple sclerosis, it is possible that both posterior hypertrophic spurring & MS can be present in an individual, but probably not a situation of one causing the other.  

I suspect your question about posterior hypertrophic spurring comes from an x-ray report of some sort, and it would probably be best to sit down with one of our Upper Cervical Doctors to go over that report, and your x-rays, and see how it may be affecting your health, and in the case of MS, how it may impact long term recovery.

Most chronic health concerns have their roots in the inflammation process. Sinus infections are no different. Most of the sprays are designs to help relieve the inflammation in the mucus membranes etc, but none of them get to the CAUSE of the inflammation in the process. This is where Upper Cervical comes in. MANY of our doctors have seen patients with problems like this, and they have all seen wonderful results while under care.

Shoulder trouble can have multiple causes, as it is a very complex joint. The problem could be related to multiple things.  We have seen times when Upper Cervical Chiropractic care can help, but other times something more severe is going on that will require surgery.  Since the nerves in our neck directly affect the muscles in our shoulder, a problem in the neck may be the first place to look, which is where Upper Cervical Chiropractic can help.  One or two adjustments may be all that's needed to get things going in the right direction.  Get checked for an Upper Cervical Subluxation at one of our offices, and if we can't help you, we'll find someone who can.

When there is an imbalance in the upper neck from an Upper Cervical Subluxation, we see an adaptation in the spine, creating a body imbalance.  This causes many muscles to become tense and spastic, often resulting in low back pain.  In fact, a great number of Upper Cervical patients see relief for low back pain with an Upper Cervical Correction.  This happens regardless of having a syrinx in the cervical region or not.  

A syrinx, which is usually associated with the base of the skull and the upper cervical spine, can be related to an Upper Cervical Subluxation, and we commonly find great relief to  symptoms associated with the syrinx when the Upper Cervical subluxation is corrected.   We have seen syrinx cause a number of different symptoms, and low back pain could be associated with it.  Your best bet will be to find an Upper Cervical doctor and have them do a full evaluation on you to see if you have an Upper Cervical Subluxation and see if we can help you.

Upper Cervical care has helped many people with dizziness, vertigo, lightheadedness and Meniere's disease.  Due to the upper cervical region being so close to and around the critical neurological centers that control balance it is best to be examined by an Upper Cervical doctor close to you to determine if Upper Cervical care is an option for you.  Actually, one of our doctors, Kevin Broome, in Anderson, SC was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease around 15 years ago and because of Upper Cervical care, was able to go to college and then to chiropractic school.  Without Upper Cervical care, Dr. Broome would not have had the opportunity to obtain any higher education.  Please visit the website to locate the Upper Cervical doctor closest to you.  Thank you for your interest in Upper Cervical care and best wishes.

Upper Cervical care does not "cure" anything but helps your body to function normally.  Upper Cervical doctors have helped people all over the world who have had symptoms related to Meniere's Disease.  The Vestibularcochlear nerve comes directly off of the brain stem and is responsible to sending messages to the brain from receptors in the ear.  The vestibular portion sends messages for balance and the cochlear portion sends hearing messages to the brain.  If the messages get interrupted on their way to the brain it lead to symptoms like dizziness, loss of hearing and tinnitus (ringing or roaring sounds in the ear.)  My recommendation is that you visit the Upper Cervical Health Centers closest to you for a free consultation to see if the doctor thinks you might have an Upper Cervical problem that could be producing the symptoms related to your Meneire's Disease. 

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a terrible condition that rarely responds to traditional medicine or surgery.  We have seen countless patients with TN over the years and each case is unique in it's own way.  Some patients heal completely, never to have TN again and others may only improve 40% - 50% so there are a number of issues at play which would need to be investigated by an Upper Cervical Doctor.  What I can say for certain is that if his TN is caused by and Upper Cervical Subluxation, he will do better.  What I can't tell you is how much better...40%, 60% or complete recovery.

There are a number of testimonials on our website from patient who had TN and are now living a normal life again with Upper Cervical Care.  You should also read the book "What Time Tuesday?".  It is the journey of James Tomasi and his struggles and recovery from TN. 

I would strongly encourage him to seek out the nearest Upper Cervical Doctor to see if he is a candidate for care!

Upper Cervical Care has been shown time and again to help with a broad range of severe problems, including Parkinson's disease.  Parkinson's disease symptoms often do not appear until 80% loss of the dopamine producing cells in the substantial nigra (red nucleus) & basal ganglion.  This means that when Parkinson's first becomes a problem to you, it may already be too late.  There is hope though!!  One study shows that after 3 months of care, there was 21 to 43% improvement in THE UPDRS (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) in six out of the ten studied, and those who didn't respond had been older at the time of care.  This alone should underline the extreme need to get checked to see if you have an Upper Cervical Subluxation, and get it resolved as soon as possible to prevent further loss of those cells.    In short, Upper Cervical Care can help patients that have Parkinson's disease.

I wouldn't discount what your girlfriend is seeing but it can't 100% trusted either. The reason I say this is there are special tables with proper cushioning that allow for the most accurate leg checks. This along with the training and experience the doctor has in order to measure whether this is being caused by an Upper Cervical Subluxation or something else. Several exams are usually used to help make the proper call on whether to adjust or not. I would recommend calling and getting a check up soon rather than later. If you have gone out of alignment, the sooner it is corrected the quicker the healing response and the longer you will potentially hold the alignment in the future.

First, let me say that I am sorry to hear of your injury. Bone spurs on the spine are indicative of abnormal wear and tear in the spine for an extended period of time. Injury from a car accident can cause the spine to be imbalanced, which causes abnormal wear and tear and can accelerate degenerative changes.

A good analogy would be a callus. If you were a carpenter you'd probably develop calluses on your hands as a protective mechanism to all the abnormal wear and tear. Your spine will do exactly the same thing. The untreated injury caused abnormal wear and tear and your body developed a "callus" to protect the discs and joints in you neck. Over time, those calluses turn to bone and you're left with a bone spur. If it's caught early enough, some of the degeneration (i.e. bone spurs) may be reversible just as the calluses on your hands will dissolve if you retired from being a carpenter.

The best advice is to have your spine analyzed by an Upper Cervical doctor to determine if your spine is imbalanced and if your particular case can be helped. Upoer Cervical care has helped countless others with this injury, but each case is different. Have hope and try Upper Cervical before surgery. It is natural, safe, and life changing!  

Digestive disorders like Irritable bowel syndrome & Crohn's disease are horrible problems to deal with, as your entire life tends to revolve around how far you can actually be away from a restroom. What seems to be missed on these diseases is that our digestive system has as many nerve endings as our brain!! It's no wonder it can run our life if something isn't connected properly.  This is what we commonly find in Upper Cervical offices.  Commonly we find people with these bowel diseases often have an Upper Cervical Subluxation that is preventing the brain from properly talking to the body, especially the digestive system.  All of our offices have had cases where severity of symptoms decrease shortly after an Upper Cervical Correction, and healing of the bowel following, sometimes up to several months depending on each individuals ability to heal (i.e. length of time present, current diet, severity of symptoms, etc.).  If your son has an Upper Cervical Subluxation, we will be able to correct it, and as the healing process begins, his body will have the best chance to heal itself of this problem.  Call one of our highly trained doctors soon to make an appointment so that he can start living life without having to know exactly where a restroom is!!

Unfortunately, this is a situation that doctors see far too often in their practices.  A spinal fusion will most certainly cause instability at the segments or joints directly above and below the surgical site.  An upper cervical subluxation can actually cause body imbalance, pelvic distortion and a functional short leg which can all result in an unstable sacrum.  If this is the case, repeated adjustments to the sacrum might offer temporary relief but it can and often will cause more instability.  One of the only ways to determine if your problem is cause entirely or in part from an upper cervical subluxation is to have a complete evaluation by an Upper Cervical Doctor.

OK, answer to question one is pretty easy.  More and more evidence is coming out that the link between manipulative therapy and strokes is very rare. In fact, if one person dies from ANY Chiropractic adjustment in a year, it's a bad year for Chiropractic.  Compare this to the approximately 784,000 people who die each year from medicine needlessly (preventable errors), your odds of having a problem with manipulative therapy is low.  Better yet, if you go to an Upper Cervical doctor who is trained in the very gentle and precise Upper Cervical procedures that involve no twisting or popping of the neck, then you're even further from those potential problems.  

There is a very real and larger concern of increased bleeding and strokes JUST from taking birth control, with or without neck alignments.  If you have already noticed such issues, you need to discuss this with your medical doctor and perhaps pursue other options for birth control.

On your second question, I suspect we see patients with dysautonomia more often then is actually diagnosed.  As you know, POTS (Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) is a form of dysautonomia that results in an elevated heart rate.  Your heart, like all of your organs in your body are controlled by your autonomic nervous system.  Like a coin, it has two sides, the sympathetic (fight or flight mechanism) and parasympathetic (rest and digest).  If these two sides are not in balance, one side will overpower the body, and run harder.  Since we use to have run from lions and other predators, the sympathetic side typically is the one that runs unchecked.  This can results in increased heart rate, impaired digestion, sleep disorders (this imbalance can affect the brain), nervousness, and any number of other problems.  Basically you're always on alert, and can't relax. The funny thing is, we see this all the time with Upper Cervical Subluxations.  Upper Cervical doctors are not trying to name a condition or treat a disease, instead we get to the root of the problem, correcting the subluxation.  This allows your body's inborn Innate Intelligence, the Intelligence that created the wonderful being that you are, to balance out the nervous system and allow your body to heal.  What may be diagnosable cases of POTS or other forms of dysautonomia often come in to our offices in the form of headaches, lightheadedness, dizziness/vertigo, depression and brain fog, and ultimately correcting their subluxation in one of the first two bones in the neck take care of the problem.  Your best choice is to see if you actually have an Upper Cervical subluxation that may be causing your problem, and have one of our trained Upper Cervical doctors examine you and determine if they can help you.  

Hi Faye,   

I am sorry to hear about your current health troubles. I can tell you that Upper Cervical Care has helped thousands of people just like you. Most of these problems start with an injury to the neck, just like yours. My honest recommendation would be to seek out and Upper Cervical Office near you. I know that we have an office in Cranberry Township, and they would be happy to at least sit down with you and see where to go from here. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Whiplash accidents in any form (car, boat, and even some accidents around the house) can result in numerous symptoms, traditionally neck and back pain, with referred pain into the arms and legs.  It is not uncommon for people to experience the symptoms that you are after an injury that ultimately involved the Upper Cervical spine, including a C1 misalignment.  Most of the people who come into our offices have had some sort of trauma in their life that knocked one of the first two bones out of place.  If the the first bone gets misaligned it will through the head out of balance then the body will compensate by lowering one shoulder trying to bring the head back to level (as you've already noticed).  This is usually a good indicator that you do have a misalignment in the upper neck but the only way to be sure is to get checked by one of our Upper Cervical Doctors to see if you do have a misalignement.  They will be able to determine if they can help you, and if they can, they will set-up a plan of care to return you to health.  

An article released today states that 36 million American adults have uncontrolled blood pressure.  What wasn't mentioned or altogether over shadowed was A Chicago-area study of individuals with a misaligned Atlas vertebra (located high in the neck) and high blood pressure revealed that after a specialized upper cervical chiropractic correction, blood pressure decreased significantly. The decrease was equal to taking two blood-pressure drugs at once.

According to lead author George Bakris, MD, director of the hypertension center at the University of Chicago Medical Center,unlike other vertebrae, which interlock one to the next, the Atlas (also known as C-1) relies solely upon soft tissue (muscles and ligaments) to maintain alignment; therefore is uniquely vulnerable to displacement. Displacement of C-1 can occur without pain and thus, often goes undetected and untreated. A small group of Upper Cervical Doctors have foregone typical “full-spine manipulations,” limiting their practice to precise, delicate corrections to the top two bones in the spine, known as C1 and C2. The authors say the improvement in blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic readings) following the correction of Atlas misalignment is similar to that seen by giving patients two different blood pressure lowering drugs simultaneously.

This is great news but what needs to be understood is that some patients respond better to one upper cervical technique verses another. Lastly, there are also a lot of lifestyle factors which need to be considered as well (ie. diet, exercise, stress, etc).  Don't be afraid to ask your upper cervical doctor is there is another technique or any lifestyle changes that should be made.

There can be a number of factors that can cause the burning and stabbing pain that you described.  However, it's difficult to determine what's actually causing your neuralgia without a complete history and exam.  Tegretol is a common medical treatment for neuralgia but it doesn't always work and unfortunately has the potential for serious side effects.  A consultation and exam with an Upper Cervical Doctor can shed some light on what might be causing pain.  If the exam reveals that you have an upper cervical subluxation, decreased "brain to body communication" and body imbalance, there is no question you will do better but what we can't guarentee is how much better.  It could be 20%, 60% or it could be a full and complete recovery.  You owe it to yourself to see if you can benefit from Upper Cervical Care! 

Many people do not know this, but the first Chiropractic patient was a deaf man who regained his hearing after having his spine adjusted. While your grand-daughter's deafness could be caused by many different things, it is always recommended new born babies be checked by an Upper Cervical Doctor as soon as possible. The birth process is very traumatic on their neck, neck bones, and spinal cord, and we would want to make sure that she is ok in that area. At the same time, our doctors could better assess if the deafness is caused by a problem in her neck, or if it is something else.

Upper Cervical care has had success helping people with Meniere's Syndrome.  Upper Cervical doctors focus their attention on the Upper Cervical spine because it houses the Brain Stem.  One of the cranial nerves that come off of the Brain Stem is the Vestibulocochlear nerve.  Through this nerve the messages leave the ear and send messages of balance (vestibular) and hearing (cochlear) to the brain.  If those messages get interfered with the brain could get a distorted message that produce the symptoms found with Meniere's Syndrome.  Every case of Meniere's Syndrome is unique to that individual and because of that uniqueness, getting personally examined by an Upper Cervical doctor is crucial in determining if Upper Cervical Care is right for you.  There have been several studies done by Upper Cervical doctors validating the success.  

Upper Cervical Health Centers actually has a doctor in Anderson, SC that was diagnosed with bilateral Meniere's Syndrome in the 5th grade.  After a failed shunt surgery, he was left without options until Upper Cervical Care entered his life.  Upper Cervical Care changed his life completely.  He went from having an attack 200+ days a year to having only 9 attacks his senior year of high school.  He then went straight into college, which was not an option previously and then into chiropractic school.  We have several success stories just like yours.

You certainly sound like a good Upper Cervical case.  A subluxation always starts with some kind of trauma, which it sounds like you've obviously experienced, then it is made worse with additional stresses, physical, chemical and emotional.

If you are now starting to experience some lower back pain it is probably because the rest of you spine is starting to compensate for the subluxation in the upper neck.  Your body will make changes in the lower spine to keep your head level which was thrown off balance when the neck subluxated.

To answer your question Bodi, YES I think it's time for you to be checked by an Upper Cervical doctor.  If you need any help finding one close to you please let me know and let me know about your experience.

See the video Mona!

We have been known to help with neck pain. When you go to an upper cervical doctor the doctor would evaluate the whole body, not just C1/C2 to see if she or he could help you.

Upper Cervical Care has been shown to help many severe health problems, including Parkinson’s disease.  As you know Parkinson’s disease symptoms can range greatly some of which include extreme muscle rigidity.  Upper Cervical Care aims to analyze, locate, and correct any misalignment in the upper neck (C1/C2) that could be adversely affecting the function of the nervous system.  Since Parkinson’s disease is the result of the substantial nigra and the basal ganglia (areas of the nervous system) not producing dopamine, an upper cervical misalignment could be complicating the issue.  If there is a misalignment of one of the top two bones in the neck, this creates interference in the communication between the brain and the body.  This nerve interference, caused by the misalignment, could be making these problems more severe and may even be causing them to occur in the first place.   Once this area is realigned properly, the nervous system can then operate without this interference allowing it to function at 100%, giving the body the best chance to heal itself.  If your husband has an upper cervical misalignment it could be creating unwanted health issues on top of what he is already experiencing.  Upper Cervical Care has helped patients with these issues in the past, but the only real way to know if UC Care can help your husband is to find the nearest upper cervical doctor to you and get a thorough history and exam.  After this complete analysis, the doctor should be able to tell if Upper Cervical care could benefit your husband.

The first thing I'd like to know is what "connective tissue disorder" does your daughter have?  We have seen countless patients with CTD's such as Marfan's syndrome, RA, mixed connective tissue disease, etc. but each case is very unique.  

I can say that we've had great results with the host of symptoms that she currently has but it would take a thorough evaluation by an Upper Cervical Doctor to determine if she'd be a candidate for this type of care.  

As I'm sure you'd agree, the larger issue of spinal fusion in this area of the spine is risky and should be used as a last resort.  It may be determine that a fusion is necessary but a conservative approach such as Upper Cervical Care should be considered prior to any surgical procedure.  

Upper Cervical doctors do not "manipulate" the neck which should be avoided in her case.  Instead, our goal is to return the atlas or axis (C1 & C2) to their normal position with a very gentle, safe correction.  Once she begins to "hold" her correction not only will it help relieve her neurological symptoms it will also enable her ligaments and tendons to strengthen and stabilize to the best of their ability. 

You owe it to yourself, and more importantly, your daughter to try every conservative approach before surgery.  I hope I've answered your questions and concerns.  I look forward to having one of our offices serve you and your daughter soon!  

Brachial neuritis and thoracic strain are a fancy way of saying that the muscles in the shoulder are so tight that they are irritating the nerves that have to pass through that area to get to the arm and hand etc. So how do you fix that? The muscles must relax. Muscle relaxers, massages, heat and ice therapy, electrical stimulation, and yes, even chiropractic adjustments, are all designed to to help those muscles relax. The question is, will the muscles stay relaxed ones those treatments are finished?

The neat thing about Upper Cervical Care is that it all starts with the weight of the head. Once that is balanced, you would be surprised at how well everything else relaxes on it's own. I am not saying that you all those other therapies are not worth anything, or that they would not help, all I am saying is that if it were my girlfriend, I would start with Upper Cervical Care first and then go from there.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other specific questions.

See Video: http://youtu.be/hegKtmNv5XU