It’s a typical story: you visit your doctor with an ailment, and they listen to your symptoms and prescribe medication to treat them. The modern healthcare system has built its reputation on effectively treating symptoms with drugs or surgery. It’s the standard operating procedure for most complaints or conditions, especially those lasting longer than three months.
Today, medications for pain management, allergies, depression, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol are some of the most popular and profitable treatments on the market. The problem with this healthcare model is that it can lead to a cycle of sickness followed by ‘treatment’ that temporarily alleviates symptoms but never addresses the root cause of the issue. Worse, these medications can cause side effects that may require additional medications.
Before we go further, remember that, yes, many modern drugs and treatments save lives in critical moments when life hangs in the balance, but achieving long-term quality of life and optimal health requires a strategy designed to address the underlying cause of problems – rather than relying on a cycle of temporarily masking symptoms.
Symptom Treatment vs. Cause Correction
To explain the difference more clearly, imagine that the check engine light comes on in your car. This is your car's way of communicating a problem somewhere in the vehicle. Your next course of action is likely to be taking your car to your mechanic.
Now, imagine that you show the mechanic your check engine light, and instead of fixing anything, he simply unplugs the light, and you go on your way. You can no longer see the warning. Therefore, your car is fixed, right?
It’s unlikely that you would be happy with this approach to managing your vehicle. Why, then, do we accept it as standard practice when it comes to our bodies? Taking medications, whether prescribed or over the counter, is the same concept as unplugging the check engine light. When you take aspirin (or other medications) for a headache, it does nothing but cover up the problem. In fact, the entire purpose of most drugs is to either stimulate or inhibit a body's natural function, but never actually fix the problem.
How Upper Cervical Chiropractic Addresses Root Cause
With Upper Cervical Care, the concept is different. We don’t pursue the treatment or curing of specific conditions. Our goal is to find the root cause of your ailment, restore balance, and help your body to heal itself naturally.
The upper cervical spine consists of the C1 and C2 vertebrae, also known as the atlas and axis. These two vertebrae are some of your body's most important and vulnerable bones. They are important because they protect the brainstem (which connects your brain to your spinal cord) and house the spinal cord (which sends messages from the brain to control all aspects of the body).
They are vulnerable because of their unique anatomy. Unlike the other vertebrae in the spine, the Atlas bone is not connected to a disk; only a few ligaments hold it in place. This feature allows your head and neck a full range of motion. However, since this bone is not fused to any disks, it’s more vulnerable to misalignment than any other bone in the spine. These misalignments are known as a subluxation.
If the atlas shifts out of alignment to the slightest degree, it can press upon, stretch, or otherwise infringe on the nerves of the brain stem, causing interference in the nerve flow between the brain and body. This interference can result in an array of different ailments, including but not limited to:
Arthritis
Bone Spurs
Body Imbalance
Bulging Discs
Chronic Pain
Disruption of the Central Nervous System
Dizziness & Vertigo
Depression
Headaches
High Blood Pressure
Insomnia
Migraines
Nerve Interference
Numbness in the Arms, Legs, or Feet
Sciatica
When alignment is restored to the upper cervical spine, brain-body communication is also restored. Once communication is restored, your nervous system can work to restore the healthy function of virtually every cell, tissue, organ, and system of your body, leaving your body to do the natural healing that it is always aiming to do on its own.
Find Lasting Drug-Free Relief With Upper Cervical Care
Your spine is the “Lifeline of Your Body.” Daily, it carries over a million electrical nerve messages between your brain and body. Your spine makes it all possible, from moving your head to digesting your food to wiggling your toes. If you're ready to regain control of your health, click the link below for a free consultation with doctors Tim and Danielle. You can also contact them by calling 970 – 259 – 6803 or visiting their Durango office at 1800 E 3rd Ave #108.
Using upper cervical chiropractic techniques, traditional chiropractic techniques, muscle testing, and foundational medicine, the team at Atlas Specific can help you reach your optimal health goals.
Notice of Disclaimer
We are doctors of upper cervical chiropractic, but NOT necessarily YOUR doctors. All content and information on this website are for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice, and reading or interacting with this site does not establish any form of the patient-doctor relationship. Although we strive to provide accurate information, the information presented here is not intended to substitute for professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in your particular area of need before making medical decisions.