Your brain was built from the bottom up. The Primitive Brain sits at the base of the brain and acts as Mission Control for all essential functions needed to survive (healing, digestion, blood pressure/pulse/respiratory regulation, and postural control to name a few). Unlike most areas of the spine that have “bony locks” that prevent excessive movement and misalignment, the upper cervical spine has ONLY soft tissue ligaments holding it in place. Because of this, the upper cervical spine is the most likely location to SUBLUXATE (a misalignment that occludes the neural canal causing mechanical irritation to the brain stem and interfering with the supply of mental impulses between the brain and the body).
Even without a history of previous trauma (birth, high school football, car accidents, etc) most of us today are walking around with a significant sprain of the upper cervical ligaments due to nothing more innocuous than our everyday posture. Our head was designed to sit perfectly balanced over our shoulders and body while keeping the eyes level with the horizon. In today’s technology centered lifestyle we are all guilty of spending too much time in a forward flexed position. This forward head carriage puts constant stress upon these upper cervical ligaments. A typical head weighs about 12 pounds. For every 15 degrees of forward head carriage, we essentially DOUBLE the weight of the head (by the time we have flexed our heads forward 45 degrees we are placing almost 50 pounds of weight onto those small ligaments holding our head on!)
The amazing innate intelligence in YOUR body recognizes YOUR head is in the wrong position and will make a postural correction by compensating elsewhere in YOUR body (shifting hips, twisting the back, raising a shoulder, etc) to GET YOUR HEAD OVER YOUR BODY. These compensations, or contortions, put added strain on these various body parts leading to early and asymmetrical degeneration. Ever wonder why people only have one hip or knee replaced? Are they not the same age as the healthy ones?
By correcting the upper cervical subluxation, we can unwind these twists and contortions in YOUR body that are PREVENTING YOU FROM LIVING THE LIFE YOU WANT.
Keep reading below to learn how getting your HEAD ON STRAIGHT will help you start CONQUERING YOUR WORLD.
Knee Chest Specific Chiropractic is an Upper Cervical Care technique that aims to correct postural distortions due to misalignment with quick and precise adjustments. It uses a special chiropractic table designed to fully support a patient’s head and neck during the adjustment. Knee Chest Specific Chiropractic uses state of the art digital imaging of the cervical spine to assess the exact degree of upper cervical misalignment causing subluxation. Paraspinal thermography is then utilized to assess autonomic nervous system imbalance as a key indicator of subluxation.
Upper Cervical Chiropractic provides hope to people who have been sick and suffering for a long time with no clear answers as to why they feel the way they do. Understandably, many have dozens of questions about how fixing their neck alignment can help them revitalize their health and cope with conditions like sciatica or fibromyalgia. If you still have questions, please ask Dr. Blanford, he loves talking about them!
The nervous system controls every physiological process in the body. When a baby is in utero, the nervous system is the first thing to develop. It starts in the brainstem and grows up (brain) and down (spinal cord). All of your survival functions, from cardiac, respiration, and digestion are controlled from centers within the brainstem. When it fails to function correctly due to brainstem irritation, nerve compression, or other similar problems, the rest of the body systems cease to function optimally. 80% of nerves provide information TO the brain. When the brain receives faulty information (garbage IN), it sends out incorrect commands TO the body (garbage OUT). Consequently, health problems like headaches, widespread body pain, and vertigo attacks can develop and disrupt various aspects of your life.
Upper Cervical Care strongly focuses on restoring the alignment of the C1 and C2 bones, the top two bones in the spine. These bones perform critical functions, including supporting the head, protecting the brainstem, and holding the cranial nerves in place. If they slip from their original positions, they can impair your nervous system and compromise your spine. They can also impact nearby structures like the muscles supporting your spinal column, the blood vessels supplying the head and neck, and the Vagus nerve, which runs from the brain to the internal organs of the chest and abdomen.
Contrary to popular belief, this remedy applies to health problems beyond neck, shoulder, and back pain. In fact, case studies have shown its crucial role in helping people cope with the following health concerns:
These specific conditions are just a sample of the many ailments which may be addressed using Knee Chest Specific Chiropractic.
Upper Cervical care can benefit people of all ages. From seniors to expecting mothers to newborn babies, Dr. Blanford looks forward to caring for the entire family. Here's a closer look at how Upper Cervical Care can help specific groups of people.
Seniors
A significant portion of seniors develop degenerative spine diseases like osteoarthritis, and spinal stenosis. These conditions often lead to debilitating pain and mobility issues, affecting the quality of life of aging individuals. The developing postural imbalances also affect the Vagus nerve, which controls the majority of internal organs, and the arteries and veins that control blood flow to and from the brain. Moreover, cervical spine misalignments impede proper flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which can affect how the brain is washed of the various metabolic wastes produced in the nervous system (that’s like allowing your brain to soak in dirty bath water!) leading to neurodegenerative issues like Parkinson’s and dementia.
Fortunately, natural remedies like Knee Chest Specific Chiropractic can help seniors cope by minimizing structural issues in the spinal column, lessening the effects of age-related neurodegenerative processes. The adjustments on the C1 and C2 bones decrease the pressure on the spine and ensure that the nerves can transmit signals to the affected body parts.
Working Professionals and Parents
Thousands of professionals, workers, and parents complain about neck, shoulder, and back pain due to their daily tasks and responsibilities. Many also suffer from chronic headaches, migraine attacks, herniated discs, and other troubling health problems like IBS, GERD, and inflammatory disorders due to stress, previously sustained injuries, and neck bone misalignments.
Thankfully, with the help of Knee Chest Specific Chiropractic, workers can steer clear of dysfunction and symptoms that prevent them from doing a good job and maximizing their full potential.
Children
Children are NOT “little adults”. At no time in our lives will there be more growth and development than in our early years. Stresses from childbirth, to learning to walk, to youth sports can cause upper cervical misalignments setting our children up for future dysfunction and health issues. Unlike their adult counterparts, they have a hard time verbalizing and explaining how they feel.
Upper Cervical Care has been shown to be very effective with health issues ranging from inner ear imbalance and infections, colic, and ADHD. It is also safe and effective, allowing a child to heal quickly after receiving the required Upper Cervical corrections. The amount of force needed to adjust a baby, or a toddler is equivalent to the pressure you would use to test a ripe tomato.
Pregnant Women
Expecting moms are prone to all kinds of health problems because of the structural and hormonal changes in the body. In addition to Upper Cervical Care, Dr. Blanford is certified in the Webster Technique through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association to treat musculoskeletal conditions in the hips often associated with pregnancy.
We hope our discussion on the basic concepts of Upper Cervical Care and Knee Chest Specific Chiropractic motivated you to try a new path to healing. Once you are ready to seek an Upper Cervical doctor for your health concerns, call us and schedule your appointment.
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