upper cervical care for migraines

Recent migraine research is showing that migraines are actually related to a complex neurovascular problem originating from the brainstem and neural pathways from C1 and C2, not just vasodilation (swollen blood vessels) in the brain, which is why many migraine sufferers also get other neurological symptoms along with the pain (like auras, vision changes, smell changes, speech changes).

There is a unique relationship between the top two bones of the neck (C1 and C2) and the brainstem which is why upper cervical care has a long track record of success for reducing both the frequency and severity of migraines. By focusing on the underlying neurovascular problem that causes migraines many patients are able to remain migraine free much longer than with other forms of treatment.

upper cervical care for HEADACHES

Anyone who suffers from frequent headaches knows the pain can be disabling at times and the frequent problem takes a heavy toll on your personal relationships, your work, your social life, even your finances.

One of, if not the most common causes of frequent headaches, about 70% of them, is a problem in the neck that causes muscle and nerve irritation. Upper cervical care has a track record of success with frequent headaches because the care focuses on resolving the root cause in the neck. After treatment, many patients are able to reduce, or even eliminate their need for medication and go for months without any symptoms.

UPPER CERVICAL CARE FOR TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

Sometimes called “the suicide disease”, trigeminal neuralgia has been described by some as the worst pain anyone can imagine. The pain happens when the trigeminal nerve fires off and sends a lighting bolt type pain across the face and forehead.

The trigeminal nerve that causes the pain is directly connected to the upper cervical spine, C1-C3, by way of the trigeminocervical complex. Basically, the neurological activity of the upper neck directly affects the neurological activity of the trigeminal nerve. No other part of the spine has direct neurological pathways into the brainstem like the upper cervical spine. This is why upper cervical care has a track record of helping people that suffer from trigeminal neuralgia.

UPPER CERVICAL CARE FOR NECK & BACK PAIN

Chronic neck or back pain are serious problems that typically don’t respond well to medical treatments, and they can affect one’s quality of life… their family life, their work, their sleep, etc. Muscle relaxers and pain medications don’t treat the underlying problem.

 General chiropractic care can be an effective way to manage symptoms for a period of time, but the general approach rarely lasts. The alignment problems of the spine contributing to the pain cannot be resolved long term by pushing and shoving the middle and lower back areas. The nerves that control the muscles around the spine and ultimately determine the long term alignment of the spine originate in the upper neck, C1-C3. Upper cervical care is much more effective at getting lasting improvement because it affects the neurological control centers responsible for maintaining proper posture and alignment of the spine.

UPPER CERVICAL CARE FOR SCIATICA & LOW BACK PAIN

When it comes to sciatica and lower back pain many people feel that corrective treatment must involve the lower back because that’s where the pain is, but that is simply not true. Temporary relief may come from working on the lower back, but the long term success rate is very low. The only way to get the lower back to realign and take the pressure off the nerves and discs for a lasting solution is to focus treatment on the nerves that control lower back alignment. The nerves that control determine lower back alignment come from the upper neck area.

Upper cervical chiropractic has a long track record of success when it comes to resolving chronic lower back problems like sciatica because the treatment addresses the nerves and reflexes that determine lower back alignment.

UPPER CERVICAL CARE FOR DIGESTIVE ISSUES

Whether it’s leaky gut, heartburn, IBS, constipation, diarrhea, or frequent bloating the autonomic nervous system plays a significant role in both the cause and the treatment. That’s why upper cervical care is known for helping all types of digestive issues.

Of course diet and lifestyle play a role in digestive problems… eating inflammatory foods, too much stress, not enough sleep, always using medication to mask the symptoms while the underlying problem gets worse, etc. However, there is often an autonomic nervous system problem that is contributing to the chronic problem that diet and lifestyle change alone might not resolve. Upper cervical care addresses the neurological control of the entire digestive system which is why it has a high success rate for helping chronic digestive issues.

UPPER CERVICAL CARE FOR POOR SLEEP & INSOMNIA

Trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, trouble getting deep sleep, even snoring can all be signs of a neurological based sleep problem. One of the many functions of the autonomic nervous system is to control the sleep/wake cycle and the depth of sleep.

The function of the autonomic nervous system is closely related to the alignment and joint motion of the upper neck area. There are unique neurological connections between the upper neck and the brainstem (the master control center of the autonomic nervous system).
Using infrared thermography and biomechanical x-rays we are able to determine if the underlying cause of the sleep problem is related to the upper neck.

UPPER CERVICAL CARE FOR VERTIGO

Vertigo can be a disabling condition. It can make even the most simple of tasks next to impossible. Most of the time when it comes to vertigo the first place traditional doctors will look will be the inner ears. And rightly so, as an inner ear infection can absolutely cause vertigo and must be treated. But if the inner ears look normal, what next? Most patients get referred to a neurologist who then orders an MRI only to find a normal looking brain. In the absence of any findings they prescribe medications and those rarely, if ever, resolve the problem… only lessen the vertigo symptoms while causing other side effects.

The most likely place to find the cause of vertigo, if it’s not the inner ear or an obvious brain problem, is the joints of the upper neck. The balance centers of the brain are in the brainstem and the brainstem has a unique functional relationship with the upper neck. If there’s a problem with the motion of the upper neck that can be the cause of the vertigo.

UPPER CERVICAL CARE AND ANXIETY

There can be many causes of anxiety and all deserve a close look when it comes to resolving the problem. One of the most overlooked causes of anxiety is the brain-body connection. The mood we have at any given time is often related to our physical body.

The neurological conversation between the brain and body is mostly the body sending signals to the brain (about 80% of the neurological traffic in the spinal cord are signals coming from the body going towards the brain). Therefore, how the brain functions and how we think depends on the body. For example, if someone has poor posture… slumped and rounded in shoulders with the head coming out in front of the body… they are much more likely to experience sad, melancholy feelings. Whereas, if someone has good posture… shoulders back and down with the chest up and head level… they are much more likely to experience positive and confident feelings. The control center for posture lies in the connection between the upper neck and brainstem.

UPPER CERVICAL CARE FOR CHRONIC PAIN

Chronic, body wide pain is often associated with an underlying nervous system issue. If one or two joints often hurt then chances are something is wrong with those two specific joints. But if the whole body hurts then chances are high there is an underlying neurological problem causing the pain. The sensation of pain doesn’t always require actual tissue damage. Sometimes pain simply comes from the misfiring of nerves and nothing is actually wrong with the tissues of the body.

Using infrared thermography we are able to analyze the function of the autonomic nervous system and determine if there is an underlying problem related to the chronic pain. By normalizing the function of the nervous system many patients experience reduction of chronic pain.

UPPER CERVICAL CARE FOR JOINT PAIN

Most treatment options focus on managing the joint pain caused by the arthritis, but they do little to prevent the arthritis from getting worse. And the medications or injections used to manage the pain have side-effects that only get worse and more severe with long-term use.

Upper cervical care has a great track record when it comes to arthritis because we not only help our patients reduce their pain levels with natural alternatives, but we also help slow or stop the progression of the arthritis by bringing the body back into structural balance.