The Upper Cervical Blog

Diabetes, Brain Stem and Upper Cervical Care

2012-01-23T16:20:00.000-06:00

by restorationspecific at Health Restored Blog

How can Upper Cervical Care help with Diabetes?

“The medulla oblongata is the lowermost portion of thebrain, continuous with the spinal cord, that is responsible for respiration,circulation and the body’s autonomic reflexes, including function of thepancreas.”

Recent studies done by Dr. Peter Jannetta, MD the leadingadvocate and developer of microvascular decompression surgery has discovered apossible link between the vascular compression of the Medulla Oblongata (aportion of the brain stem) to metabolic disease such as Diabetes. Dr. Jannetta,MD has performed more than 6,000 microvascular decompression operations and hebelieves that inadequate blood flow to the brain stem is vital to insulinresistance and poor autonomic nervous system function. 7 out of 10 patients inDr. Peter Jannetta’s latest study had improved glucose control withoutadditional lifestyle changes.

When there is a misalignment in the upper cervical (neck) area,vascular compromise of the Brain stem is one of the most devastatingpossible consequences. Unlike most tissue that would die without proper blood flow,tissues in the central nervous system lie dormant until blood flow can be restored.With upper cervical care, the correction releases the torque on the Brain stemwhich decompress the vascular network that Dr. Jannetta’s believes contributesto metabolic diseases including Diabetes. In essence, the upper cervical correction reawakens the dormant tissues in the Brain stem area withoutexpensive and invasive surgery.

Do you know anyone with Diabetes? Please share thisinformation with your friends and family.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for diabetes or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

A Free Digital Copy Of "Sickness 2 Health" For You

2012-01-12T13:56:00.000-06:00

(Editors Note: I have decided to offer the digital copy of my book for free. Please email me at drtravisrobertson@gmail.com to request your free copy. I only ask that once you have read it that you please email me back with what you thought of it. Below is the synopsis for you. Thanks.)

Update: If you want to purchase the paperback version click on any of the links below but make sure to enter coupon code PRICETHAW305 at checkout and receive 20% off your order. The maximum savings for this offer is $100. Sorry, but this offer is only valid in US Dollars and cannot be applied to previous orders. You can only use this code once per account, and unfortunately you can't use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer expires on January 20, 2012 at 11:59 PM PST, so don't miss out!

What is "Sickness 2 Health" about?

Sickness 2 Health is about regaining and maintaining your health by turning common health knowledge upside down and inside out. There is a paradigm shift happening and people are looking to “do it yourself” healthcare more all the time for better health and, especially in today’s current economy, to save money. There are many books out there of course that address this and try to provide ideas and suggestions about what one should do to regain and maintain their health. This is not what Sickness 2 Health is about. Sickness 2 Health, while giving some action steps, has the primary intention of rattling and shattering your current world view in regards to health. From the smoldering ashes of these old outdated views we lift up a new perspective and premise to make health decisions from, like a phoenix rising from its own ashes.

Why is Sickness 2 Health different?

After reviewing many of the books in this genre it was found that even some of the big names in books on health, such as Deepak Chopra and Andrew Weil, fail to fully address the underlying issue that prevents people from achieving abundant health. To give them credit where credit is due, they do a marvelous job painting a picture of the path that we would like to be on and their information is extremely helpful and motivational even maybe empowering and inspirational. Where they fall short is addressing the underlying worldview most people have been programmed to accept that can easily sabotage their efforts to help others. If a reader’s general perspective or fundamental views on health and life have not been rattled and reset their chances of failure go up. It needs admitting that “Sickness 2 Health” will, by no means, guarantee a person’s success, but make the point that by addressing the foundational thought process and world viewpoint in regards to life and health their odds of success will be greatly enhanced by comparison.

Chopra and Weil do touch on this concept in many of their books but never really come right out and address it head on. They tend to fall into the trap of “telling people what to do” to be healthy, giving them a step by step program, focusing on natural remedies to particular conditions or giving recipes for better meals. All of these things are great to include in any health book but again it draws attention away from the more basic issue that leads people to most of their health issues. Most people make their choices, health related included, based on their understanding of the world and how it and their bodies work. If this general worldview is less accurate than it could be they will most likely not achieve the level of health and the results they wish to. Finally while Chopra and Weil’s books are full of great information they include too much, once again, because they end up telling them the right “program” to follow and this results in a book that is long and potentially intimidating.

It would be hard to say for sure but it is likely that there are quite a few people that thought one of their books would be helpful but once they saw it they had second thoughts due to the length of the book. The reader’s hand certainly should not be held and everything made easy for them because people need to really want to get better in order to achieve it. Basically, if the point can get put across to the reader in fewer pages do it. It will increase the likelihood of more people picking up the book and purchasing it and actually reading it, maybe even reading all of it.

Sickness 2 Health (S2H) has been purposely kept short (under 190 pages) because there are plenty of books out there that go into great detail about “the things” that you can do to help your health. Many of these books by less well known authors do a great job and are shorter but these fail to even graze, even for a moment, on the subject that S2H address; the readers worldview and basis for their thought process and hence their choices. So S2H is not intended to replace these great works or any other health book that gives people a program to follow to get healthy and stay that way. S2H is intended to aid the reader, in a short power packed book, to reshape their own world lens and gain their health back in the process. In the long run this refined worldview of theirs will help any other book they may pick up regarding health to be that much more effective.

S2H is different from other books because of the three goals that Dr Robertson set out to accomplish. First of all, the goal to reach a wide audience, particularly those suffering from ill health and looking for a way out. Second, to reach them in a short enough format that will give them the most information with the least amount of reading. Finally, to shake the very foundation of their thought process because if that is successful the reader’s life can’t help but be changed in the process, and thus their choices and of course their health. If the source of a river is changed everything downstream will change, that is what S2H is set to accomplish and the world is in need of it now more than ever and they are looking, the timing is perfect.

Available as a paperback here

Have Hope, Get Well

2012-01-09T09:46:00.001-06:00

Adapted from

Is there any Hope of getting well?

by Dr. Bill Davis

Hope is a very powerful emotion. John Maxwell once said “when there is hope inthe future, there is power in the present.” Many patients come into my office as a last hope. They may have tried the medical approach,alternative approaches and even other chiropractic approaches. But when they hear about NUCCA upper cervical care, a sliver ofhope is born. NUCCA is a form of carethat is focused on restoring the heavy head to a centered and balanced position top of the neck. The rehabilitativeprocess that ensues once this underlying problem is identified is trulyamazing. As the brain can begin to sendproper messages to all areas of the body, hundreds of different conditions haveresponded to properly aligning the head and the neck.

Typically accidents or injuries will tear loose theconnective tissue that holds the spine in place which will lead to a weaknessin the spine at the level of the atlas the top bone in the spine. This weakness will allow the weight of thehead to shift from center and begin a cascade of compensations throughout thebody potentially leading to pain and poor health.

A great example of this is a recent patient of ours who wasstruggling with a chronic mid-back pain. He had a series of dirt bike accidents that had led to the instabilityand misalignment in his spine. At 20years old he had already tried many different treatments including physicaltherapy, stretching, exercises and medications. T.J.was losing hope that he would ever be free from this pain and able to work andexercise like a 20-year-old should. Hereis his story…

When I first cameto Breath of Life, I was suffering from extreme back pain that was resultingfrom motorcycle crashes and weight lifting injuries. I had been to otherdoctors and took medication all in hopes of finding relief, but nothing worked.I looked to NUCCA upper cervical care as a last attempt to find relief.

I have seen manyimprovements in my health since starting NUCCA care. Not just in my back, butin my energy level, mood and overall well-being.

I am now able tolift weights without worrying about starting another flare up. At work I am somuch better now, that I am pain-free and I am even nicer more of the time. Inever realized how much being misaligned affected my moods.

If I see someonewho is suffering from any kind of pain that they don’t know how to alleviate, Itell them to try NUCCA, because it worked wonders for me when I had no hope.

I nowlook forward to every adjustment. Knowing that when my body is in alignment Iwill always leave feeling so relaxed and in the best mood!

Health, Gravity And Upper Cervical

2012-01-06T13:20:00.000-06:00

adapted from: Health and Gravity

by Dr. Michael D. Thomas, NUCCA doctor

Years ago I had found a quote from Roger Sperry,who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine/Physiology in 1981. Sperrynoted that 90% of the brain’s energy is used in relating the physical body togravity. Only 10% has to do withthinking, metabolism, and healing. -Didyou have any idea it was such a big percentage?

This means that when we are out of upper cervical alignment and ourposture has become disordered, we are using valuable energy to just holdourselves upright that ideally goes into thinking, metabolism and immunefunction.

How many of us feel fuzzy headed, or brain fog when we areout of adjustment?

Does your digestion change?

How about sleep patterns?

Most of us already know about the multitude of aches andpains that can be associated with being out of upper cervical alignment. What you may not realize though, are the realproblems that will eventually accumulate when we must chronically use ourprecious energy to adapt to being out of line. Upper cervical misalignment can be a progressiveand degenerative problem.

Fortunately, many of you also realize the incrediblechange that can take place when the upper cervical misalignment iscorrected. So many folks who come in forcare have told me over the years about the incredible turn around that occurredwhen they got corrected and made the commitment to stay in alignment. There are many who tell me they would not bewalking if not for upper cervical care.

I find that upper cervical care is truly primary health care. What I mean by this is that removing nervous system interference at theupper cervical area (top of the neck) is a critical step in the improvement ofhealth. Many of my patients have beenable to wean themselves off not just pain medications, but many other medications thatthey’d had to take on a long term basis because of the troubling symptoms thatmay have developed due to long term upper cervical misalignment. They just didn’t have the debilitatingproblems anymore. They could begin torefocus back on their life. And, themoney they were spending on these suppressive drugs could be better spent inother areas of their life!

Some folks use the upper cervical correction like they dothe emergency room. They only come in when they are in terribletrouble and want a quick and miraculous ‘fix’. The upper cervical correction can often give them this ‘fix’ but the effects of livingout of alignment for weeks and months takes it toll. The upper cervical misalignmentis a problem even more so the longer that it is there. Once you are out of alignment, problems will slowly or not so slowly, beginto pile up. Arthritis could be one part of themany attempts by your body to adapt to being twisted and unlevel. Poor posture is another possibility and tends to wear down the joints andcreate inflammation and pain.

The upper cervical correction is our Health’s bestfriend. Getting checked periodicallythrough out the year is a wonderful and cost effective way to stay healthy and allow your inner wisdom the chance to work to its fullest.

Where Each One of Us Truly Lives

2011-12-30T15:06:00.000-06:00

Where Do You REALLY Live?

From the Weekly Sticky

What do you use to see with? If you said your eyes… you're wrong. How about hearing? If you saidears… wrong again! You don't see orhear with your eyes or ears. Those arejust end organs for collecting light and sound waves. To actually see and hear you have tointerpret those waves with your nerves and brain (Nerve System) first.

In reality, you LIVE in your Nerve System. EVERYTHING you experience in life isprocessed through it… what you see, what you hear, what you feel. That's why upper cervical doctors care so much about it keeping it free of interference. If your Nerve System is stressed, there goesyour ability to interpret your world, and there goes your ability tosuccessfully navigate life.

periodic corrections keep your Nerve System clear so you canrespond to life's challenges in a positive way. If you're feeling a little foggy, or just disconnected from the world,maybe it's time for some Nerve System house cleaning. Give your upper cervical doctor a call today and getreconnected to Life.

The Christmas Request

2011-12-23T17:25:00.000-06:00

Another Unreasonable Request for Christmas

Michael D. Thomas, D.C.

It is the Holiday time of year. The weather is cooling off and there is an air of festivities and perhaps a hint of goodwill in theair. Challenging times demand more of usjust to stay where we are. It isperhaps, more important than ever to find the spirit of this time of year andexamine the past year in anticipation of the coming one. To begin, we might examine what we arethankful for. If this last year was astough for you as it was for me, you might think there is little to be gratefulfor, but you would be wrong.

A bit of perspective goes a long way. There are now seven billion of us on ourplanet Earth. 80% of us live inpoverty. That means most of us can’ttake care of our basic needs. 70% areilliterate. That means that the vastdatabases and the accumulated knowledge that lives in the written word isunavailable to us and our lives. Half ofus suffer from hunger and malnutrition every day. 500 million of us are in prison, beingtortured or close to dying from starvation. 3 billion of us cannot go to our house of worship without riskingassault or death. If you have a fullrefrigerator, clothes to wear, a roof over your head and a place to sleep youare wealthier than 75% of us on this planet. If you have money in the bank and also some in your wallet, you areamong the 8% of people who do. Onepercent of people on the Earth own a computer. One percent has a college degree. 6% of us own 59% of the wealth and statistically they all come from theUSA. If you fall on thefortunate side of these numbers you can certainly be grateful. If not, you don’t need me to tell you aboutit.

Gratitude isn’t about how much you have, it’s about yourperspective. Being grateful connects youto something much bigger than yourself. It changes the way you see everything that unfolds in front of you. We are all interconnected. What we do, the choices we make, the thingswe buy, the food we eat, the people we associate with, all make a difference inthe world. Being grateful is a willfulact of perspective. We can be irritatedthat things aren’t going the way we planned or we can be grateful that wesimply woke up this morning. Our armsand legs worked (If they did. If not, weare grateful for the ones that do!) Ourbrains work. We can see and hear. We can move about. We may have others who care about us. We may have family that pulls together everyday. We may have a job that allows us topay our bills and to live the life we choose. We may have love in our life. Wecertainly have the love that we can give. Love’s origin is inside each of us. And given the reciprocal nature of love, if you give love out daily itreturns in spades. This is one time thatthe more you give the more you receive. This is Love’s secret.

I know from my own journey that living in fear, constantlyworrying about survival, struggling to take and hold onto what you want is alonely and unsatisfying life. Fear andcreativity are mutually incompatible. Even if you have others around you, survival consciousness is a lonelyprison. Everything that occurs isregistered as either more or less for and about you. “What’s in it for me” is the mantra of greedthat has made this planet so inequitable. On the other hand, there is another perspective. This perspective comes from an appreciationof the ‘pattern that connects’. You maybe religious, you may not. This isn’tabout theology but it does have a central spiritual component. We are not just ‘meat machines’. We are not just selfish clots ofdesires. We are not actually independentat all. We may imagine that we areself-sufficient, but no one is. We arepart of an unimaginable pattern bigger than anything our brains can come upwith. Our lives are connected toeverything around us from the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food weeat to the people we interact with. Morethan this realization of connection is the realization that we can trust Life. In the upper cervical work I do it is calledthe ‘non-interference paradigm’. Itmeans that we can trust the life inside of us and that our best medicine isremoving any interference to it and trusting that the life that created you,that made what would one day become you grow into a cell and from there intotrillions of cells (that you are now!). The life that built and grew your tissues and bones and the nervoussystem that connects you to all of life will manifest in the optimal way, if itcan. There is always enough. There is even abundance.

You won’t read this much in the medical literature. It doesn’t get airplay on the news. There is no profit inself-sustainability. There is nothing tobuy. Our health is our greatesttreasure. Without it, nothing muchmatters. With it, everything ispossible. The real true and only healeris inside each one of us. We are nothere by accident. In fact incrediblethings had to occur for you to be walking the planet at this time. We have somehow come to see the world as coldand cruel and indifferent but it is us who have those qualities, not life.

Once gratitude has washed its way through our hearts andlives, we find the end of the year to be a moment when we ponder what comesnext? We generally move in the directionwe are headed. What is ourdirection? How can we be betterpeople? As we serve our communities, weourselves are served in a manifold of ways that we could never predict. As we are generous with others, generosity isunleashed in our own lives. As we rejectfear and worry, it is replaced by the peace of a kind word, a selfless act, anunlikely courtesy. And with these sweetmoments comes the health we have despaired over. The friends we wished we had, perhaps eventhe money we desperately need to keep afloat. Not because we took it from others who don’t have enough for themselves,but because we allowed it to occur. Wecan’t see the big picture. This is whatfaith means.

It is in the present moment that this gift comes, and onlyin the present moment. If we are lostlamenting the past or agonizing over an imagined future, we miss the possibilitythat is engendered in the moment. Eachmoment that we miss is lost forever. Butthe good news is that a new one occurs in the present that is equally pregnantwith possibilities and hope and power and satisfaction. This universe appears to be a well ofever-new creativity. To drink from thiswell we must be present now. We can’tdrink the water of yesterday or tomorrow.

Roughly two thousand years ago, a man named Jesus ofNazareth postulated a doctrine of love. In a most unreasonable fashion, he told those who listened to him thatthey had no need to fear the future or be tortured by the past. He said that if one is met with violence thatone should return love. All thesecenturies later we still can’t quite get our heads around that one. We come from many millennia of ‘an eye for aneye and a tooth for a tooth’. Gandhi,who many centuries after Jesus, noted that this idea, carried out to thelogical conclusion would leave the world blind and edentulous. He met violence with non-violence as did Kingand many others who have talked of returning love for hate, but the idea didn’tdie with them. It never dies because itsprings full formed over and over in each of our hearts. What we do with this gift is up to each oneof us. We make this choice every momentof our lives.

As useful as our rational mind is, it cannot conceive of theinfinite possibilities that await us each moment. This mind can only compare our memories ofwhat happened in the past and then give us a ‘best guess’. This guess is laden with our neuroses and ourfeelings and of course our ‘rationalizations’. Our memories are often inaccurate and substantially incomplete. In this way we are blind to our presentbecause of the baggage from the past. Healing is always about changing our consciousness. In upper cervical care we remove neurologicalinterference at the junction between the head and neck and find that when thisLife within us can flow without impediment it sings a much happier song! In the same way that this work can transformour physical lives, gratitude and love can transform our inner and outerlives. We are not made to be victims ofour mind. Our minds are instruments weuse in this life. We must be present inthe moment to use and not be used by our minds. Our choices make our lives, one moment at a time.

Merry Christmas!

Want Optimal Health? Check out Upper Cervical Care

2011-12-18T17:40:00.000-06:00

If you are looking for optimum health, look into upper cervical chiropractic.

From painfreechristina.com

If you are wanting to enhance your well being ask yourself this question, Is your body in balance? If you suffer from backaches, headaches, acid reflux, digestive issues, rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial asthma, depression symptoms, vertigo, or also regular joint pain, possibilities are, you are out of alignment and struggling from an imbalance in your system. Upper cervical care is a highly specialized form of chiropractic care that focuses only on the top two vertebrate in the neck, the atlas and the axis. If these turn out to be misaligned due to stress, an incident, or also simply as a outcome of your lifestyle itself, your body can turn out to be misaligned and out of balance. One shoulder may sit higher than another, or your legs may be somewhat different lengths.

This misalignment commences to put pressure on the nerves in the craniocervical junction, the one element of the body in which the backbone and the crucial nervous system are attached. This pressure can lead to a variety of physical symptoms, which includes backaches, headaches, and joint pain. More significant difficulties can additionally develop, which includes fibromyalgia, sciatica pain, irritable bowel affliction, and migraines.

Upper cervical care seeks to re-establish your body’s natural communication system and allow your body to tap into its innate potential to heal by itself. An upper cervical doctor will not twist or power the neck back into alignment, but will strive to lightly correct a misalignment. The adjustment will likely need to be repeated on a number of occasions over the subsequent weeks and months till the particular person’s body is capable of keeping the realignment on its own.

Upper cervical care alone does not heal the body; the upper cervical realignment simply allows the body’s nervous system to talk effectively in between mind and body. This allows the body to perform as it was effortlessly meant to do, in the end healing itself.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

The Inner Light in All of Us

2011-12-15T16:08:00.000-06:00

(Editor's Note: I thought this was very fitting for this time of year especially. Enjoy what Dr. Frank Bowling has to say. His words always seem to resonate with me, so I hope they do with you also.)

Inner Beauty, Inner Light

by Dr. Frank Bowling

Emerson wrote, “There is no object so foul that intenselight will not make beautiful.” Though he was a philosopher, when Emerson wrotethose words he was simply describing the natural world. His appreciation ofnature was so great, he marveled at everything in it, and the more clearlyilluminated by sun or moon or stars, the more fantastic he thought each animalor insect or blade of grass or grain of sand became.

Certainly, Emerson’s words are true in the context in whichhe wrote them, but being an incorrigible armchair philosopher myself, readingthem instantly sent my mind spinning off into an interpretation that perhaps henever intended, though one of which I feel certain he would approve.

I am, generally speaking, a positive thinker. I mostly see theglass half full. I expect that things are eventually going to work out for thebest, and am fond of saying, “There’s a reason for everything,” though oftentimes we may have great difficulty discerning what in the world that reasonmight be.

And so, when I read the words “intense light” in Emerson’sessay, I could not help thinking about the clarity that can come from focusedattention in the present moment. So often, we find ourselves functioning onautopilot, and when faced with difficult people or situations, our initial oreven sustained response may be to classify them as negative, or ugly, or inEmerson’s word, “foul.”

Yet, there is in this vast universe of ours an organizationso complex, and so perfectly orchestrated and synchronized, any cognizant andcoherent person must surely see behind, beneath and within it a universal intelligence. Surely, there may be a Master Plan, and if there is, surelyeverything that happens to us must be a part of that Grand Design.

It would seem to behoove us, then, to the best of ourability, to judge nothing that occurs, to accept people and events as they are,and to look inside our own hearts for the courage and wisdom to learn from themwhatever we are meant to learn. We’re here to grow, and everything that happensto us is an opportunity to further that growth. If we can develop the abilityand the habit of seeing the world and everything in it from that perspective,perhaps we can spark within ourselves that intense light of which Emersonwrote, so that all things may become for us truly beautiful, and we ourselvestruly beautiful in return.

Wishing you health, happiness and peace this holiday season.

(Make sure you are shining bright this holiday season [and all year long] with periodic upper cervical care.)

More Energy for Healing?

2011-12-13T16:14:00.000-06:00

How to Get More Energy for Healing, Digestion, and Thinking

by Dr. Brandon Harshe

“Better than 90% of the brain’s output is directed towardsmaintaining your body in its gravitational field. Therefore, the less energy one spends onone’s posture, the more energy is available for healing, digestion andthinking.” -Roger Sperry, 1981 NobelPrize winner for brain research

The first cervical vertebra, Atlas or C1, is the most freelymovable vertebra in the spine, and the one most likely to cause irritation ortension to the spinal cord. It pivots around the second cervical vertebra, Axisor C2, connected only by ligaments and tendons, but no disc as in the rest ofthe spine. This is what allows the majority of spinal rotation to occur, but atthe price of instability. In most cases, you will not feel the problem in your upper cervical spine.

When the head and neck misalign, you won’t feel it in most cases, but it will have a number of negativeeffects on the body. Because it is causing irritation and/or tension near thebrain stem, vital organ function can be negatively impacted. Conditions such ashigh blood pressure, asthma, allergies, and digestive problems can arise.Because of a high number of sensory nerves in the upper neck calledmechanoreceptors, head/neck misalignment can manifest itself in variousconditions such as neck pain or stiffness, or tension headaches. You could evenexperience other conditions like migraines or vertigo as a result of having head/neck misalignment. Or you may have no obvious symptoms at all. (see editor's note below)

Head/neck misalignment can also cause an overall bodyimbalance that can result in overall spinal compensation. This will be characterizedby spinal curvature, contracted or tight muscles on one side of the spine, posturalimbalances such as a tilted head, high shoulder, and high hip, and an imbalancein leg lengths. Over time this could lead to forms of degeneration likebone spurs and fusion of the vertebrae, as well as back and shoulder pain, andeven herniated discs.

So restoring proper position to the Atlas and Axis vertebraehave more of an effect on your overall well being than you have ever imagined.If you haven’t had your nervous system and upper neck checked, it’stime you did.

Clark Griswold Needs The Power Turned On!

2011-12-12T13:26:00.002-06:00

Adapted from "The Weekly Sticky"

It's a classic holiday movie scene. Clark Griswold standswith bated breath and extension cords in hand as a childlike giddinessovertakes him. The family drum rollcommences, he makes the much anticipated electrical connection and VOILA…nothing happens.

Clark has a power problem. Although the extension cords are all connected and each individualChristmas light has been inspected with precision, he's still not connected tothe source. It isn't until his wife'adjusts' an obscure switch in the garage, and turns the main POWER back onthat the light show begins. She'dactually make a good upper cervical doctor!

If your wiring (nerve system) is connected andyour body parts have all been dutifully inspected by the best doctor in theworld, you still won't function to your potential if you're not connected 100%to your source… the Life creating power that flows from above, down, inside,out. Make sure you and your family stayconnected to it with upper cervical care during this bustling holidayseason. You glow brighter when yourpower switch is on.

The Pain of Life

2011-12-09T16:01:00.001-06:00

Adapted from the mama birth blog titled Painful Birth-Loving it, Embracing It, Accepting It

I live at the top of a hill. I try to stay in shape by running. The easy part is getting DOWN the hill. But, inevitably I must come home at somepoint and that includes going UP hill.

Sometimes, since I am tired and at the end of my run, I tryto avoid the hills. I see one coming upand so I turn before I get there. Butthen I find something awful. ANOTHER hill. Then I try to turn again. Surely, I can get home without going up ahill, right?

As it turns out, NO. I live on the top of a hill and to get back home I must go up ahill. Trying to avoid the hill is simplygoing to drag out the inevitable and possibly get me lost.

When it comes to life, I think all of us have done ourselves adisservice. We havetold ourselves over and over that life doesn't have to be painful. It can be painless and easy. You don't have to sweat! You don't have to suffer!

Different groups go about this in different ways. Medical doctors give you drugs and Chiropractors often feel adjustments should solve your pain.

I am not advocating that we all should expect life to be excruciating and scared to death about the prospect.

But over and over again I see people who are actually ashamed to admitthat they feel pain of all types in life. It is like it is some kind of badge of honor to have a pain free life.

Guess what. I thinkthat is lame. I think we have sold peoplea bill of goods and we are not adequately preparing them for the realities of life when we act like they can have a life without pain if they just "doeverything right" and "have their mind free of fear", etc.

There. I just saidit. I think the idea of pain free life is a little lame.

Let me explain.

The most beautiful thing about life to me is what it canteach us about real life. I think thatis why the journey of life is so intense and beautiful and multifaceted- it isteaching us lessons that will serve us for the rest of our life if we listen and learn from them.

That lesson is this- Real joy requires some pain.

I don't know how much of my life I have spent avoiding thehard stuff, but I can tell you that it was far to much.

Too many a year was spent waiting for things to get easierand hoping that THEN I could really enjoy life. I missed out on enjoying the hard times and learning from them. I dragged out the misery and I didn'tappreciate what I could have been learning at the time. I told the universe to keep trying like madto teach me the same lesson, over and over again, because I didn't want tolearn it.

I don't believe life is supposed to be easy. I don't believe it is supposed to bepain free.

What should you love, embrace, and accept about the pain of life?

Embrace that it is teaching you that you are strong and theonly way that it can teach you this is by having you go through something thatyou didn't think you were capable of.

Love that when it is over you will feel joy andsatisfaction.

Embrace that life makes you a person that knows they arecapable and willing to do what they must.

Accept that it is something you must, no- are BLESSED- to gothrough. It isn't a punishment, it is ajourney and it is great one.

When we try to avoid the hills of life we short changeourselves, we fight what was meant to be and make longer a journey that, thoughit includes difficulties, gives us an amazing ride throughout. When we fight this, avoid this, or aresurprised by this it simply makes that hill harder to climb.

We need to stop avoiding the pain of life andwe need to love what it teaches us, what it does for us, and what it means tous when we have gone through it. Thepain of life is your teacher, your lover and your friend. It is not something to be feared. It is what makes life so magnificent.

Healthy for the Holidays for $10?

2011-11-25T13:57:00.001-06:00

(I know this is a shameless plug for my book but I wanted to pass along the chance to save money)

Not sure what to get a friend or loved one this holiday season? Use coupon code BUYMYBOOK305 at checkout on lulu.com and receive an additional 25% off the already discounted price of my book. This puts the price for the paperback around $10.12 and the digital version around $3.37. (And in typical advertising style)...this great offer ends on December 14, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST so don't delay, get yours today.

Click on any of the links in the synopsis below to purchase.

Available as paperback or download here

What is "Sickness 2 Health" about?

Sickness 2 Health is about regaining and maintaining your health by turning common health knowledge upside down and inside out. There is a paradigm shift happening and people are looking to “do it yourself” health care more all the time for better health and, especially in today’s current economy, to save money. There are many books out there of course that address this and try to provide ideas and suggestions about what one should do to regain and maintain their health. This is not what Sickness 2 Health is about. Sickness 2 Health, while giving some action steps, has the primary intention of rattling and shattering your current world view in regards to health. From the smoldering ashes of these old outdated views we lift up a new perspective and premise to make health decisions from, like a phoenix rising from its own ashes.

Available as paperback or download here

Why is Sickness 2 Health different?

After reviewing many of the books in this genre it was found that even some of the big names in books on health, such as Deepak Chopra and Andrew Weil, fail to fully address the underlying issue that prevents people from achieving abundant health. To give them credit where credit is due, they do a marvelous job painting a picture of the path that we would like to be on and their information is extremely helpful and motivational even maybe empowering and inspirational. Where they fall short is addressing the underlying worldview most people have been programmed to accept that can easily sabotage their efforts to help others. If a reader’s general perspective or fundamental views on health and life have not been rattled and reset their chances of failure go up. It needs admitting that “Sickness 2 Health” will, by no means, guarantee a person’s success, but make the point that by addressing the foundational thought process and world viewpoint in regards to life and health their odds of success will be greatly enhanced by comparison.

Chopra and Weil do touch on this concept in many of their books but never really come right out and address it head on. They tend to fall into the trap of “telling people what to do” to be healthy, giving them a step by step program, focusing on natural remedies to particular conditions or giving recipes for better meals. All of these things are great to include in any health book but again it draws attention away from the more basic issue that leads people to most of their health issues. Most people make their choices, health related included, based on their understanding of the world and how it and their bodies work. If this general worldview is less accurate than it could be they will most likely not achieve the level of health and the results they wish to. Finally while Chopra and Weil’s books are full of great information they include too much, once again, because they end up telling them the right “program” to follow and this results in a book that is long and potentially intimidating.

It would be hard to say for sure but it is likely that there are quite a few people that thought one of their books would be helpful but once they saw it they had second thoughts due to the length of the book. The reader’s hand certainly should not be held and everything made easy for them because people need to really want to get better in order to achieve it. Basically, if the point can get put across to the reader in fewer pages do it. It will increase the likelihood of more people picking up the book and purchasing it and actually reading it, maybe even reading all of it.

Sickness 2 Health (S2H) has been purposely kept short (under 190 pages) because there are plenty of books out there that go into great detail about “the things” that you can do to help your health. Many of these books by less well known authors do a great job and are shorter but these fail to even graze, even for a moment, on the subject that S2H address; the readers worldview and basis for their thought process and hence their choices. So S2H is not intended to replace these great works or any other health book that gives people a program to follow to get healthy and stay that way. S2H is intended to aid the reader, in a short power packed book, to reshape their own world lens and gain their health back in the process. In the long run this refined worldview of theirs will help any other book they may pick up regarding health to be that much more effective.

S2H is different from other books because of the three goals that Dr Robertson set out to accomplish. First of all, the goal to reach a wide audience, particularly those suffering from ill health and looking for a way out. Second, to reach them in a short enough format that will give them the most information with the least amount of reading. Finally, to shake the very foundation of their thought process because if that is successful the reader’s life can’t help but be changed in the process, and thus their choices and of course their health. If the source of a river is changed everything downstream will change, that is what S2H is set to accomplish and the world is in need of it now more than ever and they are looking, the timing is perfect.

Available as a paperback or download here

Medical Doctor and Upper Cervical Doctors Agree!

2011-11-22T10:34:00.001-06:00

Harvard Agrees with Upper Cervical Care

Adapted from "The Weekly Sticky"

At first glance you'd think an upper cervical doctor was responsiblefor these words. But they were actuallywritten by a Harvard medical school instructor in the late 1800's. While this belief is trivialized by themedical and pharmaceutical community today, it remains the core foundation ofthe practice of upper cervical care.

Upper cervical doctors humbly acknowledge that "the ONLY thingthat can heal the body is the Power that created it." The wisdom Dr. Cabot refers to in his quoteis called innate intelligence by upper cervical doctors. It is the genius of Life that animates ourcells, tissues and organs. It is thecoordinating force that maintains our body's intricate chemical balance. It silently and knowingly orchestrates allsteps involved in the healing process from mending a broken bone to puttingcancer in remission. It is in favor ofyou living, rather than you dying.

The most important job of an upper cervical doctor is to teach youabout this great force and keep you connected to it. If you want to meet the REAL doctorresponsible for healing you, take a look in the mirror. It’s the one staring right back at you.

The History of Upper Cervical Illustrations

2011-11-20T13:44:00.001-06:00

by Daniel O. Clark, D.C. Palmer 1947

HIO, the first Upper Cervical Corrective procedure was conceived, developed and perfected by Dr. B. J. Palmer during the late 1930’s and early 1940’s.

In 1946, Dr. John F. Grostic of Ann Arbor, Michigan introduced the second Upper Cervical Corrective procedure to the profession.

Other Upper Cervical Corrective procedures were developed during the following years. With each new Upper Cervical Corrective procedure, the developer thought it was better and more effective than any previous procedure. As a result, each Upper Cervical procedure became an “Island of its own” which prevented unity in the Upper Cervical profession.

During World War ll, I saw extensive combat duty during the Battle of Hurtgen Forest in Germany and the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne. During my combat duty, both my feet were frozen and severely impaired. As a result, I was medically discharged from the Army.

Upon discharge, using the free college education opportunities of the G.I. Bill, I enrolled at Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. During my coursework at Palmer, I attended Dr. John F. Grostic’s second seminar at his office in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Present were about ten doctors/students in attendance. I sat next to and made friends with Dr. Ralph Gregory, founder of NUCCA.

After graduation, I had no working capital for an office, so I began my practice in my parent’s home in Anniston, Alabama. I made house calls to build my client base. My first house call was a neighbor who had been treated by three different medical doctors. Her condition was grave and she was not expected to live through the night. I made a single atlas correction, which triggered a miraculous recovery. News of this spread through my hometown (population 35,000) and my practice grew exponentially. Within three years I was able to purchase, equip and staff a 13 bed clinic with two associates on the main street of Anniston, Alabama. Our practice averaged 100 patients a day, five days a week.

Despite my success, my war injuries still plagued me. The strain of standing day after day was debilitating, until finally I was forced to retire from active practice.

In the early ‘90s, all doctors using the various Upper Cervical procedures were referred to as “Chiropractors”. In most cases, doctors mixed their Upper Cervical work with regular Chiropractic adjustments.

Then in 1993, I attended an Upper Cervical doctor’s monthly patient education talk. I realized the doctor was struggling to explain Upper Cervical Chiropractic using regular Chiropractic terminology. His patients, while listening attentively, were missing his important message.

As a result of that monthly patient talk, I was inspired to create my first Patient Education Illustration, which depicts head tilt and a cross section view of the spinal cord at the top of the neck. My wife and I gave this illustration to the doctor for use during his monthly talks in order to simplify his Upper Cervical explanation.

Wide acceptance and strong demand from Upper Cervical doctors for the next sixteen years has resulted in the creation of 11 Upper Cervical Illustrations including new Simplified Upper Cervical Terminology. I’ve created all the educational materials to promote a simple message that helps patients understand all Upper Cervical Corrective procedures were designed and perfected to accomplish the same objective; correct head/neck misalignment to restore efficient brain to body communication.

Just a few short years ago, each Upper Cervical doctor was referred to by the name of his corrective procedure, for example, NUCCA doctor, Grostic doctor, Blair doctor, HIO doctor, etc. In the course of my work, I have come to simplify how we address each other, moving away from uniquely labeling each doctor and instead referring to them as Upper Cervical doctors. This practice has now become common in the profession as Upper Cervical Care and the term has gained wide acceptance. Thanks to all of our hard work, the public now realizes there is a difference between Upper Cervical Care and regular Chiropractic Care.

This public recognition and acceptance has provided more awareness for Upper Cervical during the last five years than all the years prior to the development of the first corrective procedure in the 1930’s.

Today, the Upper Cervical Illustrations and the Upper Cervical Terminology we share is gaining world wide acceptance and our profession is evolving into a prominent and well respected way for people to reach their potential in health but also in life.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

The Big Idea and Upper Cervical Care

2011-11-11T13:24:00.001-06:00

The Big Idea

Michael Thomas, D.C.

What I wanted to write about today is an idea. In (Upper Cervical Care) we have called it “The BigIdea”! This big idea is present not onlyin (Upper Cervical Care), but we have certainly based our work upon it. The idea is that life is sufficient untoitself. Most often, it does not need anyhelp. What it needs is the freedom toexpress itself. The life inside of us isconnected to all of Life. While this hasalways been a spiritual concept, it is now also becoming a scientific one. We are not separate little clots moving abouton a dot of dirt in an empty universe. The picture of us, the Earth and the whole Universe is looking much morelike aspects of one immense integrated whole.

The same mathematical equations that can chart fluctuationsin the stock market, map out the path of blood vessels in our tissues, anddescribe the shape of snowflakes, can also chart the distribution of stars inthe galaxy. We are learning that thereis communication between molecules, cells, tissues, and within the whole personwe had never dreamed existed. It extendsout beyond us to others and perhaps to the farthest reaches of theuniverse. Electromagnetic fields extendto infinity. The matter of this realityseem to be composed of standing waveforms of immense numbers of frequencies allcoordinated together. The better we canlook at matter as our microscopes and methods become more sophisticated showthat what we thought was solid is not. It is vibrations that maintain themselves! Immense amounts of information can be (andare!) contained within the frequencies that create the matter of ourinterconnected universe. There arepossibilities for our lives and for all of us that we haven’t even begun todream about yet.

Within this new understanding is (Upper Cervical Care) which hasclaimed for (almost) a hundred years that this is true. How we take care of our infirmities isdependent upon how we see ourselves. In medicinewe have based our understanding from a study of what goes wrong. All of medicine is based in impeding orstopping the process of dis-ease. To usea big word, it is a pathogenic orientation. (Upper Cervical Care) is based in the opposite approach. To use another big word, it is a salutogenicapproach. By this we mean what createshealth? How can we support Life? What sustains and improves our health? In (Upper Cervical Care) we find that removing theinterference to the power of Life will allow optimal health to return. We really can trust Life. One approach chooses to stifle, to palliate,to suppress the symptoms of dis-ease. The other removes interference and trusts life to find its own way, tounfold as it has for untold millennia.

At this point I want to note that when events occur thatcause significant disruption of our health, medicine can be an incrediblelifesaver. When symptoms are going tokill us, suppression or palliation of symptoms is welcomed by everyone. This is where medicine shines, in the acutecare of critically ill people. Thissuppressive treatment can save lives and give the innate power of life withineach of us the time to rally. However,as a lifestyle, it leaves much to be desired. Turning off the symptoms with toxic drugs simply leaves the body withfewer possibilities. Killing the‘messenger’ (the symptoms) doesn’t change the reality it just means you are nowunaware of it. Most cardiac medicationsare suppressive and palliative. Theyactually do very little to help any of us regain health. They just shut the message off. This isn’t a hopeless statement. It is a statement that this path does notlead where most people would choose to go if they had a choice. What choices do we have?

First, we have to choose to be the driver of our ownlives. How many people just passivelyaccept the pills and procedures medicine (and our doctors) demand? How many of us ask questions? How many of us do the due diligence toinvestigate the possibilities for ourselves? Do you really think that a five minute visit with a doctor is enough forhim/her to understand the complexities of how life is breaking down foryou? If we take on the responsibilityfor our own lives and have sought out answers on our own, then we are in avastly better position to ask the right questions and make informed choicesabout our lives and our healthcare. Wehave to make the choice to be present in our own lives. What is more important?

Yes, this means you must make efforts. It means you must be willing make changes inthe way you live your life. It means youmust be patient as the changes you make remake you. It means you must pay attention to your ownlife. Your healthcare should be apartnership between you and your doctors. I will reiterate, you are the one in charge. If you are asleep at the wheel then no one isdriving the bus. If you don’t take onthis primary responsibility then you can’t complain when life leaves you brokendown on the side of the road.

What is the goal of your healthcare? Do you just want the symptoms to goaway? That is one choice. It does lead to certain consequences. In the example of cardiac (heart ) problems,lifestyle, nutritional and stress management can completely turn your healtharound. You can regain your health. Turning life off is not the answer to turninglife on.

The Upper Cervical Care you receive in thisoffice is based on removing interference at the base of the brain. This area is filled with centers that controlevery aspect of your life. Restoringnormal, balanced function to your brain and nervous system is one magnificentand powerful way to restore health and the life you live. This is much more than just turning off thepain of sciatica or headaches. Relief isgreat but there is more to life than being numb. This world needs every one of us operating atfull capacity. You have chosen a roadless traveled by coming here for care. Ibelieve that the balance created by the upper cervical adjustment is primaryhealth care. This is the Big Idea.

Spread the word.

Upper Cervical Care?...What is that?

2011-11-04T14:42:00.000-05:00

What is Upper Cervical Care?

By Dr. Eddie Weller

Upper cervical care is a strict discipline of Chiropracticthat focuses on the upper most portion of the spine called the cervical spine.This vital area is where the brain and spinal cord meet forming the brain stem. The brain stem is protected bya vertebra called the ATLAS or cervical vertebrae #1. This small, 2 ozring-like vertebra is not only responsible for keeping your head on top of yourspine, but more importantly, it protects the brain stem at the base of yourskull. Upper Cervical doctors focus on this area because just about every nervein our spine originates at the base of the skull. Most of us would agree thatour body was divinely created, and our brain was programmed to send life to thebody via the nerve system. If the top vertebra in your spine misaligns, healthynerve signals from your brain get distorted by compromising your nerve system.This compromised nerve system is the precursor to the body malfunctioning. Intime, sickness or disease will ensue.

“What types of conditions are seen?”

There are thousands of titles that man has given the bodydue to the symptoms that it presents when not functioning properly. I have seenconditions from Headaches to Herniated discs, Colic to Cancers, Reflux toRespiratory issues, Spinal fusions to Scoliosis, and from ADHD to IBS.Regardless of the condition, how long, or the severity of the condition,everyone benefits by having an optimum functioning nerve system.

“What is a good age to begin having my spine checked forupper cervical subluxation?”

Clients range froma few hours old to the elderly. Infants frequently experience birth trauma,toddlers are constantly falling and bumping their head, children play sportsand fall off their bicycles, swings, etc. Just about everything we do in lifecauses some form of stress to our body. Physical, chemical or emotionalstressors compromise our nerve system and cause our body to begin to breakdown. Regardless of one’s age or health condition, everyone benefits from having their nervous system functioning optimally. The upper cervical spinalcorrection is gentle, precise and tailor-made per each particular spine. At notime will your spine be twisted, popped or snapped, thus making it safe foryour entire family.

“Is Upper Cervical Care compatible with my existinghealthcare?”

Yes! Restoring nerve and spinal function is consistent withall healthcare options. We encourageyou to continue to consult with any of your other healthcare providers tocoordinate with your upper cervical doctor for optimum recovery andmaintenance. At no time will upper cervical care interfere with any of yourhealthcare choices. In fact, upper cervical care will only enhance your healingabilities.

Six Big Differences With Upper Cervical Care

2011-10-31T14:03:00.000-05:00

Six things upper cervical doctors do differently than other chiropractors

by Anthony Rumsey, DC

Upper cervical doctors are different than otherchiropractors. To help you understand the differences, here are the top sixways your upper cervical doctor will be different than any other doctor ofchiropractic that you will see.

1. Won’t adjust you without x-rays.

Your upper cervical doctor uses x-rays to create a uniqueformula to adjust you based on your body’s unique anatomy.

There are many areas of the spine whose motion can helpguide a chiropractic adjustment. The low back and the mid-back, for example,have built in motion pathways created by the shape of their joints. But thereis a lot more room for movement and error in the upper neck. So it is theperspective of upper cervical doctors that the junction of the head and theneck cannot be accurately adjusted without measuring and noting your uniqueanatomy on an accurate x-ray.

2. Measure your body’s posture and/or nervous systemfunction every time you come into the office.

As much as possible, upper cervical doctors use objectivemeasures of your body’s function to help guide the clinical decision makingprocess. Your upper cervical doctor may indirectly measure nerve functionusing paraspinal thermography (heat reading). Or he or she may visualize yourin-alignment versus your out-of-alignment posture with a number of differenttools that help measure hip height or rotation, shoulder height, and the lean(or list) of the spine.

3. Won’t adjust you at every single visit.

Upper cervical doctors think differently about the purposeof the adjustment than many other chiropractors. In other chiropractic systems,multiple adjustments over many visits are expected, and are helpful. The uppercervical doctor, however, believes that “holding” the adjustment is moreimportant than just receiving it. Healing comes from holding your newalignment. Therefore, the upper cervical doctor will only adjust your uppercervical spine when your body shows objective signs of needing an adjustment.

If your upper cervical doctor is adjusting at every visitfor many visits in a row, it is a sign that things are not going as well asthey should be.

4. Measure the effectiveness of the adjustment after it isdelivered.

Your upper cervical doctor will conduct one or morepost-adjustment checks every time you get an upper cervical adjustmentaccording to your adjustment formula. In some cases this may include one or twopost-adjustment x-rays. This may be another thermographic scan, a measure ofyour posture, or some other functional test. Unlike other areas of the spinethat snap, twist, and pop when the joint moves, the upper cervical adjustmentintends to restore balance to a very delicate area of the body. The uppercervical doctor expects immediate changes in some parts of the body’sfunctions, and verifies it with a post-adjustment check.

If your upper cervical doctor is adjusting you and justsending you on your way, then he or she might not be an upper cervical doctor.

5. Always deliver a gentle adjustment.

The upper neck is a delicate area of the body. It’s naturalfor the body to lock up when you sense that someone is going to push, pull,poke or prod this area of neck. Because your body will resist an adjustmentthat is too strong, upper cervical doctors use gentle re-alignment proceduresto bring the head and neck into better balance. Your upper cervical doctor willalways deliver a gentle adjustment.

6. Almost always concentrates on head-to-neck balance.

There are many reasons upper cervical doctors startedcalling themselves upper cervical doctors, in addition to using the word“chiropractor.” One major reason is how few chiropractors there really areusing a specific adjusting protocol to re-align the head-to-neck area of thespine. Another reason is because the name fits: upper cervical doctors willspend 99% of their time helping your head-to-neck alignment because of howimportant it is to your body’s expression of life, health, and longevity…andbecause of how vulnerable the area is to injury.

Unlike the stronger areas of the spine whichhave an inter-vertebral disc, there are weaker interlocking joints at the topof the neck. The whole thing mostly stays in balance from strong muscles andligaments. Like any other muscles and ligaments, these upper cervical musclesand ligaments are subject to accidents and injuries which can threaten thenormal balance of the head-to-neck area, and disrupt the body’s normalfunctions.

Ten Reasons To Try Upper Cervical Care

2011-10-24T14:07:00.001-05:00

Ten reasons to try NUCCA upper cervical care

By Dr. Deb Sesker

In the united states, upper cervical care hashelped hundreds of thousands of people overcome health challenges and livefuller, more enjoyable lives—even when other health strategies have not helped.

While upper cervical care is not a treatmentfor any one particular condition, a new alignment of the head and neck canremove subtle pressure from the nervous system that results in greater bodyhealing. Over 100 different human conditions have responded to upper cervicalcare. You can read about some of them on the patient created site calledUpCSpine.

Upper cervical doctors work with a powerful area ofthe body, where the head and neck come into balance with each other. Unlike thestronger areas of the spine which have an inter-vertebral disc, there areweaker interlocking joints at the top of the neck. The whole thing mostly staysin balance from strong muscles and ligaments. Like any other muscles andligaments, these upper cervical muscles and ligaments are subject to accidentsand injuries which can threaten the normal balance of the head-to-neck area,and disrupt the body’s normal functions.

Upper cervical care is gentle, and does not yank,pull, or twist the head and the neck.

Most upper cervical doctors use anon-invasive technique for improving health, which does notinclude any drugs, surgery, or repeated manipulations of the spine.

Your upper cervical care works with other health careoptions, so you can continue with your prescribed medications, your physicaltherapy, your nutritional supplementation, acupuncture, or other body work—justso long as your other practitioners do not manipulate the head,neck, or joints of the spine. If there are any questions about whether yourother health care will interfere with the upper cervical protocol,just ask us.

Upper cervical care has been featured on TheDoctors, ABC’s Good Morning America, Discovery Health, and PBS’ Chicago tonightfor its ability to help with multiple sclerosis symptoms, head injuries, andhigh blood pressure.

Upper cervical doctors and research organizations areinvolved in some of the most interesting studies on the importance of the spineto human health. For a sample of these projects, which look at more than justback pain, visit the Upper Cervical Research Foundation.

Upper cervical doctors are often dedicated to advancededucation in caring for the upper cervical spine, and will pursue certificationin their upper cervical protocol.

10.

Upper cervical doctors are passionate about their work, and care deeply about helping people get well. With only a fewpercent of practicing chiropractors using a specific protocol for head-to-neckbalance, upper cervical doctors are dedicated to technical excellence, and patientsatisfaction with their care.

-------------------------------------------------------------

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

The Master Builder In Us All...Amazing!

2011-10-18T13:28:00.000-05:00

By Rose Panico / Bill Remling

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

* One cubic inch of the brain's cortex contains 10,000 miles of connecting tissue.

* Your brain gets signals from 137 million light receptors in your eyes, 100,000 hearing receptors in your ears, 3,000 taste buds in your mouth, 30,000 hot spots, 250,000 cold spots, and 500,000 touch spots on your skin.

* Electrical impulses flash along your nerves at 393 feet per second, or about 270 miles per hour.

* In nine months, 6,000 billion cells form an average baby.

* Your heart pumps about 2 1/2 gallons of blood per minute. If you could loan your heart to pump donor blood into pint bottles, it would fill so may bottles in one year that they could stretch from New York City to Cleveland, Ohio.

* If your blood cells were put in a single row, it would extend around the world four times at the equator. Every second between 2-3 million red blood cells are launched into the blood stream.

* There are more than 600 muscles in your body. Many muscles work in a team.

* Your lungs contain a half billion tiny air sacs with a surface area of 40 to 60 square miles.

* In 70 years, your stomach will produce about 60,000 quarts of digestive juice, it will digest about 40 tons or 80,000 pounds of food.

* Each kidney contains one million functional units that filter your blood.

* Your brain regulates, stimulates, creates and controls all these body functions and millions of others. When the body is functioning normal, we tend to forget about the very complex activities that are constantly going on. Nonetheless, the cells keep functioning and reproducing themselves.

* The organs and the glands keep regulating such diverse activities as digestion and growth, and the nerve system keeps receiving, reterpreting and sending messages. Without this continuing harmony and coordinating activities, this could be no psychological life as we know it.

* There are more than 100 billion nerve cells or neurons in the brain of an average human being. That is more more than 14 times the amount of people living on earth, and their are billions more in other parts of the nerve system.

We are quite literally amazing. Be in awe of yourself and all the things you do every second of the day.

Can Upper Cervical Care Help Patients With Dizziness?

2011-10-07T16:07:00.000-05:00

Can Neck Problems Cause Dizziness?

by Dr. Bill Davis

Vertigo, dizziness, disequilibrium and many other of thesetypes of conditions can be directly related to old head and neck injuries thathave never been properly addressed and the underlying damage to the upper neckhas led to dysfunction in the ears, the balancing system of the body or both.

When the head or neck is injured the upper neck (Atlas &Axis) frequently become twisted and misaligned leading to a slight displacementof the head…sometimes by as little as 3/4 of a degree. Once the heavy head (10-14 lbs) is tilting tothe side the brain has to compensate for that change through the rightingreflex to keep the eyes and ears level with the horizon at all times.

The entire structure of the body will twist and tilt inorder to compensate for those upper neck misalignments and head tilt. Eventually leading to pressure building upinto the nerve system. The area that isfirst impacted by these problems is the brain stem area, which is justbasically a part of the brain that extends down into the spine and connects thethe spinal cord.

The brain stem area is a key to the balance of ourbodies. This upper neck area has morepressure sensors the anywhere else in the body that feed information into thebrain stem and the brain. Also the brainstem send messages via the cranial nerves to the ears for balance as well. Blood flow is also effected when the brainstem function is altered.

When someone is suffering from vertigo, dizziness, ordisequilibrium, the brain stem is frequently involved. Upper neck misalignments alter the brain stemfunction and lead to these types of problems. When these old injuries are dealt with by the correction of the headposition by a precise upper cervical corrective procedure such as NUCCA, thehealing process can begin.

Holding the corrections is the key to healing, not havingyour spine adjusted 1000′s of times!

Now here is an example…Terry is in property management andis also an avid Bicyclist, riding up to 100 miles per week. When he began to develop vertigo it was about2 years after he had taken a pretty significant fall from his bike and had amotorcycle accident that seemed to make the dizziness and vertigo attacks muchworse. To the point that he wasconcerned even about going up on a ladder at one of his rentals. Here is his story…

I have beensuffering from vertigo (dizziness) for 6-7 years, getting more constant as theyears progressed. I triedeverything…Every doctor that I could think of, EENT, general doc, vertigo specialistand finally my last hope, a NUCCA (upper cervical) doctor. Dr. Davis helped me almost instantly. I have not been dizzy for 8 weeks! Thanks Breath of Life for giving me my health back!!!

Now not all dizziness, vertigo and disequilibrium is relatedto head and neck traumas. But if youhave a history of those types of accidents then an evaluation with a qualifiedupper cervical specialist is very important. If the underlying cause can be identified, what a difference it can makefor your life!

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for dizziness or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

What Can Upper Cervical Care Do For You?

2011-09-29T15:35:00.000-05:00

NUCCA OUR TECHNIQUE

Health sciences agree that every single bodyfunction, regardless of how large or small, is controlled by electrical andchemical messages that travel back and forth from the brain to all parts of thebody at the rate of thousands of messages per second. These messages pass through the brain stem,which is an extension of the brain and is located at the top of the neck wherethe brain and spinal cord meet. Dr.Roger Sperry, PhD., won the Nobel Prize by discovering that 90% of the brain’sactivity is used to balance your body within the gravitational field of earth.He stated that if your body is mechanically distorted (off balance), it beginsto effect the other 10% of the brain’s activity, which controls all the otherbody functions.

Body Imbalance can put stress, tension and/or pressure onthe brain stem and block or impede the flow of these vital messages to thebody.

This interference can cause pain, sickness and suffering.

When Head Tilt develops and the body becomes imbalanced,"The Brain Stem" can be compressed, restricting the flow of healthand healing messages from the brain to that part of the body serviced by thesecompressed nerves. This can cause pain andsuffering and decrease the quality of your life.

The NUCCA Spinal Correction, which is painless and barelyfelt by the patient, is a specialty in the field of chiropractic, designed torestore body balance and normalize the flow of healing messages from the brainto all parts of the body so it can reactivate it’s natural self-healingprocess. The NUCCA spinal correctionrequires NO CRACKING, TWISTING OR POPPING OF THE NECK OR BACK. This is possible because of the precise X-rayanalysis using physics and mechanics to calculate the exact formula used foreach spinal correction. No two formulasare the same, each one is developed for the individual person.

Published research studies have shown that when body balanceis restored, the body enters a healing cycle that alleviates pain and symptoms,elevates the immune system, increases blood and oxygen circulation, normalizesnervous system communication and creates more optimum body performance.

The Upper Cervical Spinal Correction procedure is designedto re-position the weight of the head (10 - 14 pounds) over the center of theneck to restore the body balance.

Thisprocedure removes interference and reactivates the normal transmission of thebrain messages to the affected part of the body, so the natural self-healingprocess can begin.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

Ear Pain And The NUCCA Correction?

2011-09-22T14:00:00.000-05:00

(Editor's Note: Today's post comes to us from Dr. Zachary Ward and Nucca News, enjoy!)

NUCCA Patient Spotlight

The ear bone's connected to the jaw bone? A surprising change after one NUCCA correction.

Usually ear pain in a child makes doctors think ear infection--but 10 year old Lauren's pain was different. After Lauren began complaining of ear pain, her mother, Renee, took her to the pediatrician who investigated the source of the earache, but found nothing wrong. "Since she had already been on antibiotics, and there was nothing wrong inside the ear, the doctor told me to give her Ibuprofen," said Renee. In spite of the doctor's diagnosis, the pain continued, and in fact, got worse.

Lauren described the pain as sharp stabbing deep in her right ear, which would quickly come and go, happening as often as four to five times per hour. The pediatrician said that a trip to ENT might be in order. Filing that in the back of her mind, Renee took her daughter to a NUCCA doctor instead.

When Dr. Zachary Ward heard Lauren's story, he suggested that the pain might be nerve related and might respond to a NUCCA correction. Dr. Ward evaluated Lauren and found tight musculature in her neck and shoulder, as well as a heat reading that showed an increased temperature around the atlas vertebrae on her left side. Lauren received a NUCCA correction on Friday morning, and by the end of that weekend, the pain subsided completely.

Something surprising also happened after the correction: the left side of Lauren's left jaw began to relax. "I asked Lauren, 'How come you never told me that your jaw was so tight on your left side'" Renee told the NUCCA News. "Lauren said, 'Mom I didn't know my jaw was that tight. It's been like that my whole life. I thought that was normal!'"

To make matters more interesting, Lauren has received orthodontia care since she was three years to correct jaw and teeth alignment issues related to a cleft palate. Until her NUCCA correction, Lauren and Renee had no idea that Lauren's ear and jaw health could be related to her neck.

"I was surprised how quickly things improved for Lauren, without using any kind of drugs or surgery." said Renee.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of any type of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for ear pain or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

Sickness, Health and Amazon.com

2011-09-15T15:33:00.000-05:00

"Sickness 2 Health" is now available on Amazon.com! Please check it out and browse through some of the pages. Let me know what you think and maybe even get your copy today!

The book is also still available on lulu.com. Click here to check it out!

"Sickness 2 Health: From The Inside Out" synopsis:

Regaining and maintaining your health by turning common health knowledge upside down and inside out. There is a paradigm shift happening and people are looking to “do it yourself” health care more all the time for better health and, especially in today’s current economy, to save money. There are many books out there of course that address this and try to provide ideas and suggestions about what one should do to regain and maintain their health. This is not what Sickness 2 Health is about. Sickness 2 Health, while giving some action steps, has the primary intention of rattling and shattering your current world view in regards to health. From the smoldering ashes of these old outdated views we lift up a new perspective and premise to make health decisions from, like a phoenix rising from its own ashes.

The Gentleness of Upper Cervical Care

2011-09-13T11:31:00.001-05:00

The NUCCA Procedure is a Gentle Correction

A gentle touch and controlled contact on the first vertebraein the neck is designed to restore balance to the spine. Even though theprimary focus is the neck, the effects of the correction influences the wholespine and all body systems. This is because the NUCCA procedure influences oneof the highest control centers over body balance, the brain stem and centralnervous system. The C-1 vertebrae, also known as the Atlas, is a smalldonut-like bone located at the top of the spine and the base of the skull thatsurrounds the brain stem. When the spine is subjected to stress it can becomemisaligned. This head/neck misalignment is also known as the Atlas Subluxation Complex or ASC .

The Balancing Act

The nerves in our spinal column are very sensitive topressure and stress. When the spine becomes misaligned sufficiently it stressesthe nerves, compromises their normal impulses, and changes function throughoutthe body. Nerves are responsible for four primary functions:

Control andregulate all vital functions including circulation, breathing and digestion.

Activate musclesallowing us to move.

Allow us to sense,perceive and feel.

Relate us to the worldoutside ourselves including learning, experiencing and behavior.

Evaluation, Evaluation, Evaluation

Once you have decided to be examined for a spinalmisalignment, an extensive evaluation process begins. The process begins bylooking at your detailed health history including any past traumas, motorvehicle accidents, surgeries, other treatment programs and other diagnostictests including other x-rays. Your chief complaints, including location, onset,and duration must all be evaluated and assessed. After concluding this initialprocess, the doctor will begin the steps necessary to determine if you are acandidate for NUCCA care.

Finding the Problem

The NUCCA Doctor will focus attention on the relationship ofthe head to the neck. The top bone of the neck, known as the atlas, must be inline with the head, as well as the vertebrae below. Spinal injury or damage canmisalign these structures resulting in:

Postural imbalance.

Pelvic distortion.

Leg length disparity also known as the "short leg" phenomenon.

As you lay on your back, measurement of the leg lengthequality will be made. Additional evaluation of posture may include shoulderheight, hip height and deviation of the head to either side. Ranges of motionmay also be measured. Specific instrumentation may also be used to evaluatebody weight distribution, pelvic rotation and normal nerve function. If aspinal misalignment is indicated by history and examination, a series of x-raysare taken. It is important to know you would only be accepted as a patient ifthe consultation and exam results indicate that you could benefit from NUCCA care. The X-rays are only taken if care is to be initiated.

Table Time

Each correction is determined from x-ray measurement. Patients lay on their right orleft side on the upper cervical table. By gently contacting the side of your neck,the doctor will direct your head and neck back toward a balanced, healthyposition.

Precise, Accurate and Small Corrections

The upper cervical correction depends upon precisemathematical calculations, physics, and biomechanics. X-rays are a criticalpart of ensuring the spinal correction is accurate and successful. The doctorwill take pre-correction x-rays from different angles focusing on the atlas.These x-rays determine the direction and degree of spinal misalignment and howto properly restore the spine to normal.

Continuous Monitoring

Because each correction experience and healing response isunique to the individual, you will be monitored closely for any changes thatyou might experience which are linked to the healing process. We have stressedthe importance of receiving the best possible correction during the firstvisit. The doctor will take x-rays after your correction to confirm results.This is typically done only after the initial correction. What we know is"The better the correction, the better the chance of recovery."

Upper Cervical Care And Sleep Disorders?

2011-09-11T10:55:00.000-05:00

Sleep Disorders

At least 40 million Americans each year suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders and an additional 20 million experience occasional sleep problems. Of the 70 known sleep disorders, the most common are:

Insomnia, the most prevalent of the sleep disorders, is characterized by an inability to fall asleep and/or by waking up during the night and having difficulty going back to sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a potentially life-threatening disorder in which breathing is interrupted during sleep. An estimated 12 million Americans have OSA.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological movement disorder that often is associated with unpleasant leg sensations and an almost irresistible urge to move the legs.

Narcolepsy is a chronic disorder characterized by excessive and overwhelming daytime sleepiness, even after adequate nighttime sleep. Daytime sleep attacks may occur with or without warning and may be uncontrollable.

Many Americans struggle through episodes of sleep disorders on their own, while others may use over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, or sleeping devices to combat them. A growing number of people are seeking Upper Cervical Care with great success while avoiding the potential side affects or dependence on outside means.

Sleep and Overall Health

People spend about one third of their lives asleep. Nonetheless, people generally know little about the importance of sleep. Even scientists do not fully understand the function of sleep. They do agree, however, it is absolutely essential for good physical and mental health and for survival.

Loss of sleep creates an overwhelming, and sometimes uncontrollable, need to sleep and affects virtually all-physiological functions. Problem sleepiness is associated with difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, complex thought, loss of energy, fatigue, lethargy, impaired motor response and emotional instability. Problem sleepiness can even be deadly. Approximately 100,000 automobile accidents each year result from drivers who were “asleep at the wheel.”

The functions of many organ systems are linked to sleep cycles, like the endocrine system (hormone secretion), the renal system (blood filtering) and alimentary activity (digestion). Studies also show that sleep deprivation affects the immune system in detrimental ways. In addition, sleep loss can alter temperature regulation and increase the risk for various physical and mental disorders.

Sleep and The Brain Stem

Sleep is a highly organized sequence of events that follows a regular, cyclic program each night. It is controlled and coordinated in the brain stem and brain. The brain stem region, known as the pons, is critical for initiating REM sleep (the dream cycle).

The brain stem, which can be compared to a telephone cable with thousands of individual wires or nerve fibers sending signals between the brain and the body, controls nearly all vital, bodily functions. Misalignments in the upper cervical spine (neck) can affect the function of the brain stem, which can be a critical factor in many health problems including sleep disorders.

Misalignments may be caused by a number of things, including bumps, falls, car accidents and emotional stress, just to name a few. Health problems may appear immediately after the injury or several years later.

Upper Cervical Care and Sleep Disorders

Upper Cervical doctors are getting exceptional results with patients suffering with sleep disturbances. Clinical trials and case studies document the improvement in patients with sleep disorders while receiving Upper Cervical Care.

Disclaimer:(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for sleep disorders or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

Upper Cervical Care: Helping Kids With Scoliosis

2011-08-31T16:10:00.002-05:00

Can you Protect your Children from Scoliosis?

By Dr. Bill Davis

The Problem

“Scoliosis is a disorder that causes an abnormal curve of the spine, or backbone. The spine has normal curves when looking from the side, but it should appear straight when looking from the front.” (see picture) www.emedicine.net According to WebMD “In about 80% of cases, the cause of scoliosis is not known.” 80%! Wow that is a lot! In 8/10 of the people who have been diagnosed with scoliosis or curvature in the spine the medical profession have no clue what causes it.

Generally, the scoliosis is found when a child is examined for scoliosis in middle school. But frequently scoliosis is undetected until adulthood. Regardless, the earlier the curvature can be found the better. If it is identified at 13 years of age and it is already 15 degrees…it would have been much better to find it at 7 years of age when it was 8 degrees don’t you think? Especially if the underlying cause can be corrected and the progression of the scoliosis can be stopped. Also the earlier the scoliosis is identified the more likely the condition can be reversed.

Scoliosis has psychological consequences as well as physical consequences. Self image can be negatively impacted, especially in the formative adolescent years. Scoliosis can be so mild that an untrained eye cannot see the curve, or it can be severe enough to cause deformity. Children are often made fun of as a result of these deformities.

The physical consequences are much worse though. People with scoliosis are a greater risk of developing heart problems, breathing problems, osteoporosis, accelerated disc degeneration and spinal pain, reproductive function and pregnancy problems can be just some of the consequences associated with untreated scoliosis.

The medical approach has 3 main strategies. Wait until it gets worse! Put a brace on the entire trunk for up to 23 hours a day! Or dangerous surgery! Doesn’t sound like fun to me! Which of these approaches gets to the underlying cause?…none of them? The medical approach is focused on the effects and not the cause obviously.

The Upper Neck Connection

Two medical doctors from Europe have done extensive research into upper neck problems in newborns and how that relates to the health of children. Dr. Gutmann was researching the connection all the way back to the 1960′s… in 1987 Dr. Gutmann published his research linking the upper neck to problems ranging from scoliosis to ear infections, torticollis, colic and many other common childhood conditions.
Dr. Biedermann also has published extensively on this subject and published his findings in 1992. Between the 2 medical researchers they have studied over 1000 newborns and have observed a very high incidence of upper cervical misalignments on x-ray. Gutmann found over 80% in his study had problems in the upper neck that needed to be addressed! Birth trauma was the most common cause. Forceps delivery, vacuum extraction and even just normal birthing methods with a woman flat on her back rather than in the standing position where gravity can work, can be an extremely traumatic experience for the head and neck of a newborn.

It is reported that within the general population the incidence of Scoliosis is about 2.5% or about 25 per 1000 people. However, that is only the people who are identified as having scoliosis and it only includes those that have a 10 degree curvature or more. A 7,8, or 9 degree scoliosis can still have dramatic affects on the health of a person’s spine and body. Also many individuals have no idea that they have a curvature in their spine until adulthood. I have seen patients in my office who are in their 60′s who were unaware of a 10-15 degree scoliosis!

If the weight of the head is not balanced over the spinal column due to accidents and injuries to the upper neck this can result in postural changes including head tilt, shoulder tilt, hips uneven, and leg imbalance. The earlier the child develops this upper neck misalignment the more likely it is for them to develop a scoliosis when they hit their growth spurt.

A Solution

Early detection is the key to stopping the progression and possibly correct the scoliosis completely. All children should be evaluated after birth and regularly thoroughout the childhood years for the presence of an upper neck misalignment that could start this process in their spine. If a curvature is detected than the misalignment should be corrected as soon as possible. If the scoliosis is already very advanced due to lack of evaluation, than the misalignment should still be corrected and maintained and postural exercises should be given in order to prevent future progression. The longer the curvature has been there the more likely it will be to not correct completely.

(Editor's note: Certainly some people, especially young people, who have head/neck misalignment and have it corrected will experience drastic improvements in scoliosis. However, please remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for scoliosis or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

Gene And Ginger's Upper Cervical Care Experience

2011-08-29T15:03:00.009-05:00

“The MD’s don’t seem to know what’s wrong with me…”

By Dr. Brandon Harshe

Gene had a pain in his side for 10 years, degeneration in his spine, shoulder pain, and vertigo. Ginger had sciatic pain for 15 years, had been taking hormones for the previous 30 years, and had frequent hot flashes. Then they came in to see me and get under Upper Cervical Care. Read on to find out what happened in their own words.

“My husband Gene and I started going to Dr. Harshe about 2 months ago. Gene had been to the typical chiropractor several times throughout his life, but I never had been to one and was very skeptical about going. A friend had asked me to consider going to an Upper Cervical (Doctor) a year prior, but I just graciously said I don’t really have confidence in them.

She called after my husband had gotten sick and said I really wish you would go to Dr. Harshe in Carrollton. Her Upper Cervical (Doctor) recommended him, so I told her I would tell Gene. He said sure, let’s give it a try, the MD’s don’t seem to know what’s wrong with me.

We called for an appointment and I let my husband see him the first visit and then the second visit I agreed to see him. After hearing Dr. Harshe explain the adjustment he does, it made perfect sense to us. God created our bodies to heal themselves and we felt God could work through Dr. Harshe to help our bodies function as they were created.

Gene had a pain in his side that had hurt for 10 years and a pain in his hip that gave him lots of trouble. After his first adjustment, these pains were gone and he has been free of that pain since. Gene was also having some dizziness and the MD’s had told him that he had severe vertigo and that the casing around his spinal cord was calcifying and would probably close in time and recommended we see a surgical doctor for the spinal cord. He was having what seemed to be a pinched nerve.

With patience, the dizziness is gone and the pain in his shoulder has subsided. We did not see any other doctor for his health issues except for Dr. Harshe.

I have had trouble with a sciatic nerve for more than 15 years. After my first adjustment, my hip pain was gone and has not returned. I have taken hormones for more than thirty years and am now free of taking hormones and have no hot flashes.

We are looking forward to our bodies feeling better and better as we reach the point of being able to stay in adjustment for longer periods of time. I am looking forward to be able to get off my blood pressure meds in the very near future. We are thankful for Dr. Harshe and his practice of common sense chiropractic and for God working through him to help our bodies function as they were created to function.

We encourage you to schedule a visit with Dr. Harshe and gain a wealth of knowledge about how your body is created to function and have your first adjustment for a healthier, drug free YOU!!!!!!”

Gene and Ginger K.
Fort Worth, TX

Football, Concussions And Upper Cervical Care

2011-08-23T14:23:00.004-05:00

Concussions During Football Season

By Dr. Adam Tanase

Despite vast improvements in protection equipment, athletes of all skill levels are still experiencing frequent concussions.

While modern medicine has a firm grasp on the dangers of this type of injury, much of the general public remains in the dark. A surprising number of students, parents, coaches and players don’t think concussions are a big deal. In fact, countless patients have told me (often with a smile on their face) that they’ve suffered a concussion.

It’s tempting to assume that if brain surgery wasn’t required, then the injury had no effect on them, so it must be okay to play in next week’s game.

According to the Mayo Clinic,

“Concussions range in significance from minor to major, but they all share one common factor — they temporarily interfere with the way your brain works. They can affect memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance and coordination.

Usually caused by a blow to the head, concussions don’t always involve a loss of consciousness. In fact, most people who have concussions never black out. Some people have had concussions and not even realized it.

Concussions are common, particularly if you play a contact sport such as football. But every concussion, no matter how mild, injures your brain. This injury needs time and rest to heal properly. Luckily, most concussions are mild and people usually recover fully.”

I’d like to append this description by saying that concussions have two things in common. The second being trauma to the neck.

After receiving the proper neurological exam from a medical practitioner, I believe that concussion sufferers should then receive a follow-up evaluation from an upper cervical doctor. Forces of this magnitude can absolutely cause damage to the spine and it’s supportive muscles, ligaments and soft tissues. Therefore the head and neck should both be properly evaluated.

Unfortunately, a high percentage of people (even some medical providers) aren’t aware that this experience can be the precipitating event for spinal degeneration and health problems which surface months or years down the road. So the earlier you address this damage, the easier it is to correct. In many cases you can limit (and often prevent) subsequent damage by handling it sooner rather than later.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for concussion or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

Chronic Headaches And Upper Cervical Care?

2011-08-19T10:17:00.006-05:00

Adapted from Chronic Headache Sufferers Find Relief

Many people are not aware of the relationship between upper cervical (neck) trauma and headaches. With all that modern science has accomplished, there are still more unanswered questions than answered ones. This is also true in the case of headache research. It’s been difficult to pinpoint the exact reason(s) why certain people suffer chronic headache pain. However, research is beginning to point toward upper cervical trauma as an underlying cause for many types of head pain, especially migraine, cluster and tension headaches.

The upper cervical area of the spine refers to the two vertebrae located at the top of the spine, directly underneath the head. C1 (known as Atlas,) along with C2 (known as Axis,) are chiefly responsible for the rotation and flexibility of the head and neck. Like the rest of the neck, they are extremely vulnerable to injury and trauma, especially trauma to the head through auto or sporting accidents.

Because so many nerves transmit through the cervical region (to and from the brain,) trauma to this area results in problems to other parts of the body. This is where the relationship between the upper cervical area and headaches becomes evident. If these vertebrae become displaced, even slightly, chronic head pain can occur. Unless the neck injury is addressed, the symptoms persist.

upper cervical care involves correcting the position of these injured cervical vertebrae, particularly C1 and C2. Realigning these vertebrae may reduce or eliminate many types of headaches.

The most common types of headaches are migraine, cluster and tension headaches. Migraine headaches are characterized by intense pain on either one or both sides of the head. Pain is usually located around the temples or behind one ear or eye. The pain is so severe that it often causes extreme sensitivity to light, dizziness and may even lead to vomiting. Migraines may occur with or without ‘aura.’ Aura refers to visual symptoms which occur 10 to 30 minutes prior to the onset of the headache. They are usually in the form of flashing lights, lines, blind spots or even temporary blindness.

Cluster headaches almost always occur on only one side of the head. Their onset is so sudden and intense, cluster headaches have been described as “worse than childbirth.” In fact, the doctor who originally identified and researched cluster headaches characterized their pain as being able “to drive normal people to suicide.”

Tension headaches are sometimes called ‘stress headaches.’ They often start midday and usually consist of a dull, aching pain rather than a sharp, intense one. They start gradually and slowly build in intensity. Tension headaches may last anywhere from less than one to several hours.

Of course, not every headache falls into one of these categories. The type and degree of pain varies from person to person. However, if any headache occurs more often than on an occasional or sporadic basis, it’s safe to assume that there may be an underlying cause. Continually treating chronic and recurrent headaches with pain medication may temporarily ease the symptoms, but it won’t cure the problem.

Many of these headaches improve while under upper cervical care. A first visit to an Upper cervical doctor usually involves a spinal evaluation and tests such as x-rays. From there, the practitioner will determine the formula for the upper cervical correction. Patients often notice an improvement in symptoms, sometimes after only a few visits.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for headaches or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

A Letter From A Skeptical Patient Of Upper Cervical Care

2011-08-16T11:13:00.007-05:00

Editor's note: Today's post is about a patient's experience while under Upper Cervical Care. The method used was NUCCA.

A letter from a patient

by Dr. Deb Sesker

Note: This letter comes from a patient named Robyn, who has received NUCCA care for the last five years. She sent this to us via email in January of 2011.

Deb Sesker and NUCCA has completely changed my life. I have had chronic back pain since I was 9 years old after I was kicked behind my right ear by my horse. Then, at 15, I fell on the ice and broke my tailbone. Between the ages of 16 and 21, I was in five major car accidents where all vehicles were totalled. At 36, I was rear-ended by a teenage driver talking on her cell phone, and suffered whiplash.

I have spent thousands of dollars at conventional chiropractors, hours at acupuncturists and physical therapists, and even considered back surgery.

The surgeon refused to operate on me because he said I had a herniated disc and degenerative arthritis in my lower back. He said, “If I operate on you, you will be in a wheelchair within 5 years. You just need to learn how to live with the pain (and, by the way, here are some pain pills).” I walked away from the pain pills but was very depressed that I was still unable to find a cure.

My life was an everyday struggle because of the pain in my lower back. I literally cried every single day because I still had to work and make a living, and sitting at a computer all day was excruciating. I taught aerobics and rode on RAGBRAI and lived my life but suffered through it the whole time. I was determined I wasn’t going to let this pain ruin me, but I still suffered terribly.

One day a friend of mine told me that a coworker had come to work literally exclaiming with joy that he had found a miracle! Jumping up and down! The coworker told my friend that Deb Sesker and NUCCA had changed his life. He had been in constant back pain for five years and was now miraculously pain free! My friend called me immediately and the minute I hung up the phone with him I called Deb at Balance First. I begged her to see me the next day.

I have to admit I had a tremendous amount of skepticism about all of this because I had tried so many other avenues of relief to absolutely no avail. Quick fixes that gave me a few days of relief and then back to the chiropractor again; always worried that I couldn’t do any activity to my full potential for fear of aggravating my pain. I had been disappointed so many times that I was incredibly skeptical.

BUT, without hope there is nothing, so I always kept the faith that I would find the fix. And I found her!

I have lived a very different life after my first visit five years ago. Except for the occasional visit back to Deb for an adjustment because of self-injury (mistakenly shoveling snow, haphazardly climbing trees, or lively yard work), I live virtually pain-free. I, too, have had a miracle!! I can do all the activities I love to do; gardening, hiking, biking, sitting pain-free at a two-hour concert, or just watching a movie on my couch. Life is good.

Make sure to look at the diplomas on her walls. She was valedictorian of her class at Palmer College of Chiropractic at the wonderful age of 39. She is the epitome of what a doctor should be. She genuinely cares for her patient’s health and well-being, and is also a Take Shape for Life Regional Director. She cares about the whole person and will be able to counsel you in many different areas of your life.

I believe in Deb and NUCCA so much that every member of my family has been adjusted by her and THEIR lives have been changed, as well. In my line of business, I have had an inordinate number of opportunities to talk to complete strangers, and in the course of conversation, I discover that these people are in back pain. Maybe it is because I am so aware of how it affects everyday life, or I can see pain in their face when I am talking to them; for whatever reason, I discover they are in back pain. In the past five years, I would estimate that I have encouraged, and literally begged at times, 100 people to visit Deb. I KNEW she could change their lives. Quite a few of those people have contacted me later and thanked me for sharing Deb with them. They, too, had found a miracle!

–RLW

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

Brain, Spinal Cord Disorders And Upper Cervical Care

2011-08-08T10:02:00.007-05:00

Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health

The research discussed a case of a child diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia and spinal variants similar to Arnold Chiari malformation, whose problems completely resolved following upper cervical care. Cerebellar ataxia is a disorder that results in balance and coordination problems and Arnold Chiari malformation occurs when the back of the brain protrudes through the hole in the bottom of the skull.

“Research is revealing that there is a relationship between abnormalities in the spine, the nervous system and the brain,” stated Dr. Adam Willemin, the author of the paper. “Basic science research shows that the proper development and function of the brain relies on proper structure and movement of the spine from an early age.”

Research has shown not only that the developing brain relies on normal structural integrity and joint movement, but that complex neurochemical communication and pathways involved in helping humans to adapt to their environment and even to “feel good” are tied into spinal biomechanics and their related neurological pathways.

“It makes perfect sense when you think about it,” stated Dr. Willemin. “The brain constantly needs and wants to know where our body is in space. If there is interference with the neurological communication between the spine and the brain all sorts of malfunctions can occur and this can lead to balance problems, dizziness and visual disturbances.”

Researchers studying the connection between upper cervical care, brain stem compression and neurological disorders believe that these types of functional disorders can be caused by even slight misalignments of the bones in the upper part of the neck.

“There are very important functional relationships between the upper cervical spine and the brain that if disturbed can result in a host of problems with how the brain functions,” remarked Dr. Matthew McCoy, a chiropractor, public health researcher and editor of the journal that published the study.

According to McCoy “If there is compression of the upper part of the spinal cord from abnormal position or movement of the spinal vertebra this can lead to nerve interference. It is this interference that (upper cervical doctors) correct.”

The child reported on in the study not only had interference but also had protrusion of the back of the brain into the spinal canal causing even more compression. As a result she suffered from balance and coordination problems, could no longer attend school or perform her normal daily activities and experienced improvement after just a few upper cervical care visits. The author of the study called for more research on the role of upper cervical care in patients with these types of disorders.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

Back To School With Upper Cervical Care

2011-08-05T10:15:00.004-05:00

Adapted from BACK TO SCHOOL by Hal S. Crowe, Sr., DC / Voice For Health

Children have recently finished a summer break from school that was filled with changes in routine, extra play time, sunshine and fresh air. Activities of summer are typically invigorating and healthy for kids. At the same time, as you have watched your children play with youthful energy while they run, fall, dive, suddenly change directions, jump, twist and interact with others with playful contact, wouldn't you say that their primary shock absorber has been put to the test?

The primary shock absorber for the body is the spinal column, with its fiber-cartilage discs between the bony vertebrae and the forward and backward curvatures that afford the body's framework with both elasticity and rigidity. Sure, children are far more resilient than adults when it comes to tumbles and impacts, but they too are subject to spinal misalignments that can result in interference to the nervous system.

With youngsters, if a structural impediment is present it may be so slight that it is not readily discernable to parents. The evidence that all function is not up to par may not be noted. The child may not complain about pain in the back or neck.

Now children are back in school, back to a daily routine and less physical activity. The restrictions and confinement of the classroom are restraints to which youthful nervous systems are challenged to adapt. The attentiveness and effort to complete lessons are, to many children, a further strain upon their nervous system. These stresses, coupled with slight structural impediments to nerve action, can result in digestive disorders, throat or breathing complications, ear problems, urinary and elimination upsets, and much more.

Many parents have witnessed a dramatic improvement in their school children's performance and enthusiasm following upper cervical care. The upper cervical doctor checks the child's spine for signs of interference and methodically analyzes and reduces the interference to the nervous system due to head neck misalignment. When the congestion and pressure are cleared from the circuitry that keeps all the bodily systems working in harmony and at their optimum, the possibilities are so great that no child should be deprived of the advantages of upper cervical care.

Reinforce the health of your children and their progress in school with periodic upper cervical care.

Upper Cervical Care And How The Body Heals

2011-07-25T16:36:00.006-05:00

How Does the Body Heal?

By Dr. Adam Tanase

A few months ago a Golden Retriever puppy jumped in my lap and somehow scraped my forearm. One of his little puppy claws drew blood, leaving a visible 3-inch cut. After a couple days, a rather unsightly scab formed that looked like I’d been slashed in a knife-fight…

Within 4-weeks, the wound completely healed. Today, the scar is barely visible. Now, this is the type of thing that most people take for granted. We pay little attention to the fact that whenever we get cuts or bruises, they heal automatically. Believe it or not, we’re actually programmed to do so… Our body’s have their own “instruction manuals” for how to function properly. Upper Cervical Care refers to this ability as innate intelligence.

The cool thing about innate intelligence is that it’s free. You can’t buy it, borrow it, or even “learn” it. It’s just there, always and everywhere. But there’s one caveat… It can’t work properly if something interferes with it, disrupts it, or gets in the way.

Physical, chemical and emotional stress are particularly devious culprits, and will without fail impair your body’s ability to functional normally, ultimately impeding innate intelligence. This slows, limits, or even prevents the healing process from occurring.

Examples of physical stress include spinal misalignment, body imbalance, dehydration, repetitive micro-trauma, and poor posture. These have the ability to change blood flow, restrict movement, tighten muscles, strain ligaments, and alter body function.

Examples of chemical stress include toxins that don’t belong in the body… Things like processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, artificial sweeteners, MSG, and other artificial lab-created chemicals that don’t occur in nature.

I probably don’t have to give you any examples of emotional stress, but I’ll list a few anyway… Relationship turmoil, death of a family member, anxiety, workplace demands, and financial woes are some of the heavy hitters.

The conduit for innate intelligence is the Nervous System. While there are three distinct forms of stress, they all impair the quality of function within your nervous system.

Medications can effectively help people “deal” with symptoms, but you’ll never find a medication that can mend a troubled relationship, bring back a deceased family member, negate the effects of alcohol/cigarettes, or restore spinal alignment. Drugs are great for patching effects, but they’re not all that reliable when it comes to actual healing.

Innate intelligence enables your body to heal. Facilitating it offers you the best chance to get well. This is the objective of Upper Cervical Care.

7 Important Things To Remember About Upper Cervical Care

2011-07-18T17:29:00.005-05:00

1. Upper Cervical Care is a specific system of analyzing and correcting the upper cervical vertebrae of the spinal column.

2. The atlas and axis are the only vertebrae in proximity to the brain stem. When they misalign to the extent that they put pressure on the brain stem and or spinal cord they interfere with the vital messages being sent to and from the brain to all parts of the body.

3. Any part of the body can be effected when there is pressure on the brain stem or spinal cord because almost all of the nerves have to pass through this area before reaching the part of the body they innervate.

4. Each correction is unique to the individual. Upper Cervical Care looks to correct interference to health and healing, not just treat your symptoms.

5. Upper Cervical Care isn’t about twisting, popping or pulling the spine. It’s about a very specific correction for the greatest results with the least amount of care.

6. Upper Cervical Care utilizes neurological tests, heat sensitive instrumentation and other means for detecting when interference from head/neck misalignment is present or absent. A correction is made only when nerve pressure is present.

7. Upper Cervical Care utilizes precise x-rays of the upper cervical area to determine which way the vertebrae has misaligned so that a precise and specific correction may be tailored and administered to that individual.