Upper Cervical Chiropractic
Upper Cervical Chiropractic
Upper cervical spine chiropractic concentrates on the upper two vertebrae of the spine, called C1 (atlas) and C2 (axis). Anatomy Chiropractic specializes in upper cervical chiropractic care. We focus on remedying misalignments in the upper neck region of your spine, specifically the two upper vertebrae. Upper cervical chiropractic care tends to be gentler and less forceful than general chiropractic, making it a great choice for sensitive patients. A misaligned upper cervical vertebrae can interfere with the spinal cord and brainstem, leading to an imbalanced and dysfunctional nervous system signaling. Upper cervical spine manipulation affects the whole body by adjusting the upper spine, which allows the central nervous system to communicate with the rest of your body properly and efficiently.
Anatomy
Anatomy Chiropractic is an Upper Cervical Chiropractic San Diego clinic that also treats the full spine. The upper cervical region of the spine consists of the top two bones of the spine, C1 and C2 (aka Atlas and Axis). Upper cervical chiropractors specialize in creating alignment between C1, C2, the head, and the rest of the spine. At Anatomy, we specialize in Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractic, a type of upper cervical chiropractic.
We start our treatment in the upper cervical because the alignment of these bones lays the foundation for the rest of the body – all the way down to the toes! The muscles and ligaments that surround C1 and C2 are filled with proprioceptors, receptors that tell your brain where your body is in space.
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Symptoms:
Upper cervical chiropractic alignment is crucial for patients who suffer from headaches, migraines, vertigo, dizziness, concussions, whiplash conditions, meniere’s disease and chronic pain sufferers. This is because blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow is impacted by the alignment of C1 and C2 relative to the head.
The vertebral artery is the only artery that supplies blood to the entire brain. These arteries travel through the bones of the neck (C6-C1) and then pass through an opening at the base of the skull called the foramen magnum. Due to the anatomy of the upper cervical spine, the left and right vertebral arteries make four 90 degree turns as they pass through C2 and C1 before they join together at the foramen magnum and enter the skull.
Symptoms:
Upper cervical chiropractic alignment is crucial for patients who suffer from headaches, migraines, vertigo, dizziness, concussions, whiplash conditions, meniere’s disease and chronic pain sufferers. This is because blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow is impacted by the alignment of C1 and C2 relative to the head.
The vertebral artery is the only artery that supplies blood to the entire brain. These arteries travel through the bones of the neck (C6-C1) and then pass through an opening at the base of the skull called the foramen magnum. Due to the anatomy of the upper cervical spine, the left and right vertebral arteries make four 90 degree turns as they pass through C2 and C1 before they join together at the foramen magnum and enter the skull.
Cerebrospinal fluid flow can also be affected by the alignment of the upper cervical region. CSF is the lubricant that surrounds the brain and central nervous system which is encapsulated by the vertebrae. CSF acts as a cushion for the brain (and nervous system) during normal day to day movement. Without the cushion, we would get a concussion every time we took a step or jumped! CSF, more importantly, is the fluid that cleans out the brain. Neurons, like all cells in the body, create metabolic waste as a function of the cell. CSF carries that waste out of the brain through the foramen magnum. Improper alignment of the foramen magnum to the upper cervical spine can cause pressure to build up in the brain as well as an accumulation of cellular waste in the brain.
Cerebrospinal fluid flow can also be affected by the alignment of the upper cervical region. CSF is the lubricant that surrounds the brain and central nervous system which is encapsulated by the vertebrae. CSF acts as a cushion for the brain (and nervous system) during normal day to day movement. Without the cushion, we would get a concussion every time we took a step or jumped! CSF, more importantly, is the fluid that cleans out the brain. Neurons, like all cells in the body, create metabolic waste as a function of the cell. CSF carries that waste out of the brain through the foramen magnum. Improper alignment of the foramen magnum to the upper cervical spine can cause pressure to build up in the brain as well as an accumulation of cellular waste in the brain.
Upper Cervical Chiropractic
For these reasons, we focus on the alignment of the upper cervical spine first because we know it is the most important region in the body. We take x-rays of your head and neck and measure your misalignment down to the millimeter. We correct this misalignment using the atlas orthogonal instrument that creates a percussive force that is initiated by a sound wave. We immediately take post adjustment x-rays to verify the correction. We adjust the rest of the spine with an instrument called the Activator. You can read more about it here. This instrument allows us to adjust the rest of the spine with precision and reproducibility.
