Each and every week, I encounter numerous people that, after hearing what I do for a living, tell me, "You know, that actually makes a lot of sense."  It's not because I'm good at teaching about it...it's because it's a very simple concept.  It's just, simply, how the body works.  Your brainstem is the main intersection for all the information traveling between the brain and the body.  That information that I speak of is responsible for every single function in your body.  You reading this...that happens because of your brainstem routing a bunch of signals between parts of the brain and the eyes.  You thinking about what you just read...that happens because of your brainstem routing the communication between multiple parts of the brain.  You clicking the forward button so that someone else can read this...that happens because the brainstem relayed a message down your arm into your finger. 

I agree...it makes total sense.  It makes sense that a major component for health involves ensuring that the very communication responsible for every automatic function in your body be relayed at 100%.  I'm not a numbers guy, so you won't often see me throwing numbers at you...but I'm in a weird mood today, so let's give that a shot.  If brainstem is not properly able to route a signal between the brain and the immune system - if say, instead of 100% communication, it's more like 75% - is your immune system going to work properly?  How could it?  25% of the information needed is missing.  The very thing in control of it isn't functioning properly, so how would your immune system overcome that?  Would that not make you more susceptible to the various things that having a weakened immune system can be involved with?  Of course it would. 

If the brainstem is not properly able to route a message between the brain and the reproductive system - if say, instead of 100% communication, it's more like 81% - can your reproductive system work properly?  How could it?  Your reproductive system is lacking about 19% of the instructions.  If the recipe calls for X, Y, and Z in order for reproduction to be possible in your body, yet 19% less of the information necessary to carry out the recipe is there for your reproductive system to work with...can your body produce the various hormones necessary to facilitate reproduction if that system that controls it is not working properly?  How could it?

Too often, I'm lumped into a category of pain management doctor.  Does the above make it seem as if that's my primary concern?  I'm not a pain doctor.  I'm not in the getting rid of pain business.  I'm a function doctor.  I'm in the business of getting the body functioning properly.

Yes, I agree...it makes total sense.  It makes sense that when the head and neck alignment that keeps your body balanced shifts, then much like the foundation of the house shifting will cause problems elsewhere, the foundation of the body shifting will cause problems elsewhere.  Wherever your head goes, so goes your hips (and since your hips and legs are attached, so also goes the legs).  So, when your head's not on straight, the rest of your body compensates for it - shifting to try and get your head level.  Muscles all the way down to the feet accommodate and keep you in that compensated position.  If it doesn't feel comfortable at first...it certainly will eventually.  Allow me to pose the following question, then: what is going to get your body out of that uncomfortable, shifted position?  Is it pain killers?  The body wasn't lacking pain medication - that's not why your body is in that uncomfortable, painful, shifted position.  How about BOTOX injections?  That's a new one I keep hearing about...it's supposed to weaken the muscles temporarily.  So, what happens when that wears off and the muscles go right back to the way they were?  Besides, did your body have some sort of deficiency in the toxin that causes Botulism - the bacterial disease that leads to muscle paralysis and lung failure?  (Doctor's note - Botox stands for Botulism toxin - that's what people are talking about having injected into their bodies ON PURPOSE).  I guarantee you that you don't have a Botox deficiency.  So, that's definitely not why your body is in a shifted, uncomfortable, often painful position.  How, then, can the body ever get back to being balanced when its foundation needs work?

Again, I'm not a pain doctor.  My job is get the foundation level...to get that head/neck alignment straightened out so that your body shifts from the compensated position back into the normal position.  Yet, getting the body out of that shifted position often doesn't feel very good right away.  If muscles pull you into a compensated position, then they have pull the opposite way to go back to the normal one...and muscle pulling isn't very comfortable...and it often hurts.  There's no set time table for how quickly pain/discomfort goes away.  That's not how your body works.  It's a PROCESS to break down; and it's  PROCESS to build you back up. 

The Upper Cervical misalignment (the brainstem subluxation) causes two things to happen: it disrupts your normal function and it shifts your body out of its normal, balanced position.

The Upper Cervical doctor, subsequently, works with you to accomplish two things: restoring your normal function and getting your body shifted back to its normal, balanced position. 

When you walk into the office, your days of seeking a quick fix are effectively over.  Upper Cervical Care HELPS with all different types of conditions, but it doesn't TREAT all different types of conditions.  Its goals are clearly defined.  Get on board with that and you can expect a much better quality of life...

Thinking good things for you, as always,

Dr. Chad