Frequently Asked Questions

1. "Just what is Body Imbalance and how do I know if it has happened to me?"

Body Imbalance occurs when the C1 or Atlas, and/or the C2 or Axis, the top two vertebra in the neck, are misaligned and out of their proper position. This can occur as a result of an accident, emotional trauma, or chemical toxicity in the body. Childbirth itself can move the atlas out of position because of the massive amounts of pressure on the head and neck of the baby as it passes down the birth canal. Or childhood accidents like falling from a tree, bike or skates can misalign it. In adulthood, the atlas can be shoved out of position during minor or major accidents such as sporting accidents, automobile accidents or slips and falls. Some of the worst cases of atlas misalignment and resulting pain have been caused by minor car accidents such as being rear-ended. One indication of body imbalance is having one leg slightly shorter than the other. You may also notice that when you stand in front of a mirror one shoulder is slightly higher than another, and one hip is higher than the other. Another indication your atlas may be out of position is by having different symptoms in your body that your medical doctor cannot explain or find the cause for on any tests.


2. "How can Body Imbalance cause me to have physical problems?"

The C1 or Atlas is a donut-shaped bone that your skull rests on. Your spinal cord coming out of your brain and brain stem passes through the center of the donut shape. Your spinal cord at that point consists of trillions of nerve fibers (the nervous system) that “bottle-neck” through the small opening in the atlas. These fibers eventually branch off carrying information to every part of your body. If the C1 is out of its proper position it can irritate, constrict or disrupt vital nerve signals to any portion of your body. This can cause muscle or joint pain, organ dysfunction, lowered immune system and countless other conditions that you would not ordinarily relate to a problem originating in your neck.


3. "Why do you call it Body Imbalance rather than a neck imbalance?"

Because it effects the entire spine and body. Wherever your atlas moves, your head moves with it. If this top bone in your neck has shifted out of position ever so slightly, no more than the thickness of a fingernail, it can move your head off center of your body. In an effort to keep the head over the center of the neck, the entire spine and pelvis will twist, pulling one hip up and one leg with it. You are now walking around on one leg that is shorter than the other. This places more weight on one side of your body than another . The wear and tear on your entire body is exactly like driving a car that is out of alignment. The result can be muscle and joint pain anywhere in the body. Without correcting the problem, which originated with a single bone (Atlas) at the top of your neck moving out of position, your entire body is now imbalanced.

When this continues over time, something else starts to happen. Because nerve flow is disrupted or distorted, degeneration of cells in organs can occur, causing internal physical problems that may not show up for years.


4. "Is it painful to correct?"

Fortunately, no. The Upper Cervical Correction can be described as a slight pre-determined direction of pressure applied to the first bone (Atlas) or second bone (Axis) in the neck. There is NO twisting of the head or neck. This correction is engineered to reposition the weight of the head (10 to 14 pounds) over the center of the body in order to restore body balance and restore brain to body communication. When the correction is made, muscles begin to relax, blood and oxygen circulation is increased, the brain is able to communicate with the affected area, and the body’s natural healing process begins. The healing process continues as long as body balance is maintained and the brain can communicate with all parts of the body.


5. "Does it have to be corrected often?"

That depends on your own body. Some people can hold their correction for several weeks, months, or even years at a time. Others have to be corrected once or twice a week in the beginning, then once or twice a month. Everyone is different. The Upper Cervical doctor’s objective is to make as precise an Upper Cervical correction as possible. Then he/she must help you maintain the correction with as few corrections as possible so that you may live pain free and enjoy a better quality of life. Periodic Upper Cervical checkups, just like dental checkups and physicals, should be part of your personal preventive health care program. If you are maintaining your correction and body balance then your Upper Cervical chiropractor will not adjust you.


6. "How soon should I get my children under this care"?

As soon after birth as possible, and then have them checked periodically as they grow up. You could not possibly give your child a better gift than to make certain that the one organ of the body that controls all the other organs and body functions, the brainstem, is doing its job without interference from the tiny bone just below it.


7. "How much does it cost"?

A fraction of what you have probably already spent in your quest to get well. There will be some expense at the beginning because of the x-rays that are so vitally important. But our organization has asked that each doctor provide some type of payment plan that enables you and your family to get under care as soon as possible. Because insurance does not distinguish between one form of chiropractic or another, if you have insurance that covers chiropractic, it should cover Upper Cervical as well. Unfortunately, some HMO’s and PPO’s only have certain chiropractors on their list of providers. Most of these, though equally well trained in other chiropractic procedures, are not trained in precision Upper Cervical chiropractic. On a personal note, Richard and I had no insurance when we started Upper Cervical care, but the concept made enough sense to risk it. Plus, it cost no more than other forms of chiropractic care. It turned out to be the best investment of our lives.


8. "If the Upper Cervical procedure is so effective, why haven’t I heard about it before"?

There are specific reasons why you have never heard about this before, and unfortunately, they are political. First, everyone is aware of the war that has been going on between the medical profession and the chiropractic profession over the last 100 years. Whenever there is a war, there is always a black out of information to the public at large. For example, 6 years ago when we tried to discuss Upper Cervical care with any medical doctor or nurse, the moment we mentioned the word “chiropractor”, a thick wall went up. We never were given the chance to describe how advanced chiropractic at large has become and there are phenomenal procedures like this one available to people today. The medical prejudice we encountered prevented us from being able to share this information with doctors and nurses who work with people who desperately needed this information, the very information that would have helped their patients avoid surgery in many cases and avoid the consumption of drugs with dangerous side effects. Because the doctors and nurses themselves did not know about this type of healthcare, and in some cases, they chose not to know, their patients have paid a high price for their medical doctor’s ignorance.

Fortunately, 6 years later, more and more medical doctors are discovering how beneficial Upper Cervical health care is and are referring more and more of their patients to Upper Cervical doctors. These medical doctors acknowledge that constantly prescribing medication is ineffective and is actually creating additional problems. They realize they have found a safe, scientific alternative that is of extreme benefit to their patients. Some of these progressive medical doctors are now becoming some of our greatest allies. One day we sincerely hope that the medical and chiropractic professions will work side-by-side for the benefit of public health. We need them both.

9. "What are some Chiropractic Do's and Dont's I should remember"?

Before and after each Upper Cervical Adjustment, it is vital that these measures be taken to protect your adjustment. Adhering to these guidelines will ensure the speediest recovery and help you reach your optimal health potential. We encourage you to ask questions about Upper Cervical Chiropractic when you have questions. The better you understand why we do what we do, the more you can help us help you.

Follow these helpful hints:

Before each office visit: (For knee chest, Blair or toggle-recoil patients)

• You will be required to acclimate (get used to) the temperature in our waiting room by removing all jewelry from the neck area and turning down turtlenecks to expose the neck. This will require you to wait 10 minutes before you can be scanned. This is an extremely important step and cannot be skipped. Our instrument is temperature sensitive and vitally important to determining care for your visit. If you need an Upper Cervical Adjustment that day your visit will last about 30 minutes. If not, your visit will last about 15 minutes.

Avoid the following before office visits:

• 4 hours before your appointment; NO over the counter drugs, pain relievers (Example: Tylenol, Excedrin, Advil), antibiotics, or antidepressants.
• 2 hours before your appointment; NO caffeine, cigarettes, or chocolate, or use of heating pad on your neck or back.
• 30 minutes before your appointment; NO sugar, candy or artificial sweeteners. (Example: Don't put a piece of gum or mint in your mouth before coming in.)

We are measuring brainstem and nerve functions. The above products alter our readings. We must have accuracy in these readings in order to assure success in your case. Please let us know if you have used any of the above products or other prescription drugs before we test you.

Avoid the following for at least 24 hours after an Adjustment:

(For all Upper Cervical patients)

• Repetitive arm motions (sweeping, vacuuming, yard work, etc.)
• Bumps, jolts, and vibrations (mowing or tilling, running heavy machinery, etc.)
• Overhead work (reaching overhead and looking up)
• Never sleep on your stomach with your head turned to one side
• Never use big, thick, fluffy pillows

Do the following:

• Keep all your appointments at your appointed time. This “schedule of appointments” is set by the doctor for your speediest recovery.
• You are expected to be on time for all of your appointments. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please call and reschedule for a better time.
• You should drink 8 glasses of clean water, either spring/purified, or reverse osmosis, (not tap water), per day.
• Rest flat on your back with pillow under your neck during the middle of the
  day (10 to 20 minutes). This helps maintain your adjustment.
• Let the doctor know of any slips, falls, bumps or other injuries, no matter
  how insignificant.
• Sleep with a pillow designed to contour and support your neck, either flat
  on your back, or on your side.
• Include your family in your care. The more your family understands
  Upper Cervical Health Care, the more support they can provide.
• DO NOT expect us to treat your symptoms! The adjustments are designed to release the healing properties of the body, so the body will heal itself. As
  the body heals, symptoms will go away. Be a patient patient.
• Adjustments are ONLY given when our tests says you need one. Please
  don’t expect an atlas adjustment based on how you feel.

If you have a problem with any of these, please let us know immediately so we can resolve the issue before you start something you cannot finish.