The Upper Cervical Corrective Procedure, when performed by a chiropractor trained in its use, will correct misalignment at the top of the neck (base of the skull) so there is less interference with the nerves and healing information that passes between the brain and body, and so that the weight of the head is centered over the shoulders and hips.
Through the base of the skull and the topmost vertebra (called C1 or ‘atlas vertebra’) pass the nerves that connect your brain (the information and control center) to the rest of your body. Whether you have a broken toe or an injury to your lower back, the information that activates the body’s natural healing processes must pass through this narrow space. Even slight misalignment between your skull and atlas vertebra will hamper the body’s ability to heal itself.
In addition, when the head’s weight is not squarely centered at the top of the spine, both the spine and the muscles supporting the spine must compensate for about 14 pounds of off-center weight. This creates areas of tension and stress all along the spine and results in pain, headaches and the necessity for repeated adjustments.
Ensuring that this area is clear allows the body to fully use its natural, self-healing processes. Once a chiropractor trained in upper cervical care makes an adjustment to this area, you will find that your body is more able to heal itself—that you do not need as many visits to doctors and chiropractors, nor as many drugs and painkillers.
The chiropractor trained in upper cervical work will first assess any misalignment between the base of your skull and C1 or ‘atlas’ vertebra, then make adjustments to that area. Once this is done, the weight of the head will be centered over the spine and areas of tension will be relieved—and the body’s natural self-healing processes will no longer be inhibited. Patients usually notice an immediate change in pain and other symptoms..
Although most patients see improvement after their first upper cervical alignment, the first six to eight weeks after correction is considered a period of stabilization and healing. During this time, the spine and the muscles supporting the spine are realigning themselves and adjusting to the change in the position of the head’s weight..
It is essential that you be monitored during this period to ensure that the realigned vertebrae do not slip out of alignment. You want to ensure that your body continues to heal naturally as rapidly as possible. Just as an orthodontist needs time to bring crooked teeth into alignment, the chiropractor trained in upper cervical care needs more than one visit to ensure that the vertebrae maintain their new healthier positions.
We are careful to service our cars to insure they run efficiently; we should do the same for our bodies. Patients who receive periodic monitoring of their alignment and cervical corrections see the best results. This is because there is less interference with the nerves and information that pass between their brains and rest of their bodies, hence their bodies’ natural self-healing processes are less inhibited.