Upper Cervical Care Condition of the Week: Low Back Pain

Upper Cervical Care Condition of the Week:  Low Back Pain

Over 80% of the world’s population experiences low back pain during their lifetime.  Over $50,000,000,000 per year is spent on the condition.  That’s 50 billion by the way.  Talk about loss of work productivity and time with your loved ones.

Irritation to the nerves in our low back occurs when the support structures interfere with the foundation of the body, the brainstem.  Remember that the brainstem is the origin for all our trillions and trillions of nerve fibers that control our entire body.

Many treatments and protocols focus on the lower back when the actual cause of the problem could very well be in the Upper Cervical spine.  Read my story here with low back pain and sciatica.  The upper neck can indeed be THE factor in the development of lower back pain for the following reason.  The brainstem has thousands of sensors responsible for maintaining both proper posture and alignment of the spine, as well as the balance and stability of the head.

These sensors are constantly monitoring the head position, making the necessary changes throughout the lower spine to insure that the head remains upright and our brains level.  If our brain becomes un-level, two things will occur:

1)       Our eyes would have a hard time accommodating and focusing on different stimuli causing blurry/double vision.

2)       Our inner ear fluid can get distorted (which is responsible for our equilibrium and balance) and cause us to be dizzy 24/7.

Any folks suffering from vertigo out there know exactly what I’m talking about.  If your foundation is off, it only makes sense that your inner ear fluid would get distorted, but vertigo is another discussion for a different week.  Our brains don’t enjoy having vision and balance problems.  Therefore, the brain will compromise and compensate using ANYTHING in our body to make sure the brain is as stable as possible.

When the spine is aligned, it is extremely strong and stable.  However, due to the fact the top two bones are freely moveable, a possible misalignment of these top two bones leaves our brainstem vulnerable to injury.  When a misalignment occurs at the top of the neck, the spine compensates or adapts in an attempt to protect the nervous system from any further damage.  This starts a domino effect from the top to the bottom of the spine.  When the head is thrown off balance, the lower spine is compromised, the pelvis is tilted, and the ramifications go all the way down into the musculature of our legs and feet, resulting in an internal weakness and a spine that is imbalanced.

Allow me to say this again, the brain will compromise ANYTHING in the body to make sure it can function the best it can.  Yes, that means twisting, pulling, and shifting of muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, and joints throughout our entire body!  Ever wonder why we usually get conditions like plantar fasciitis in only one foot instead of two?? What about joint replacements?   It’s very rare to have a double joint replacement.  It’s always one hip that goes.  It’s always one knee that goes.  Why is that?!?  It’s called Body Imbalance and it’s due to this domino effect of a misaligned Upper Cervical spine, affecting your brainstem, affecting the alignment of your ENTIRE body.

This domino effect also makes the spinal muscles, bones, and discs more vulnerable to injury, which is an accident waiting to happen.  If never addressed, an upper cervical misalignment (the foundation) can lead to premature arthritis and irreversible spinal degeneration.

Believe it or not, most people are walking around with this problem.  Do you ever “people-watch” at the mall or at an amusement park?  Watch your neighbors and loved ones.  On the other hand, look in the mirror yourself!  Is your head tilted?  Are your ears level?  Is one shoulder higher than the other?  Is one hip higher?  Can you lie on your back with both buttocks and heels touching the floor equally and without pain?  Ask your spouse, son, daughter, neighbor, or your cat to check and see if your legs are equal in length.  While lying on your back, if one leg is shorter than the other, you are more than likely misaligned at the Upper Cervical spine and are a ticking time bomb for lower back and joint problems later in life.  Go to the cause and get your foundation corrected!  You all know the saying, if the foundation is stable, everything else will be stable.  Without the foundation, the entire structure will be compromised.  The image below is courtesy of the late Dr. Daniel Clark and explains exactly how an Upper Cervical misalignment can cause Low Back pain, or any joint/muscular pain for that matter!  Please share this article if you found it useful or educational!  We get our cars checked regularly to make sure the alignment and structure is working properly; do the same for your alignment and structure.  We can always get a new car; we only get one body.  Take action with your health!

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Yours in Health and Wellness,

Dr. Josh

Upper Cervical Care Condition of the Week: Migraine Headaches

     Hey everyone.  Over the past few weeks we have been talking about what Upper Cervical Care is and how it can be beneficial to you, your children, and everyone with a nervous system!  Although I spend a lot of time educating folks on how the brainstem is the switchboard operator that routes all the messages from the brain to the body and vice versa, it is sometimes hard to grasp how correcting inflammation at the level of the brainstem can help specific conditions and diseases.  I often tell people about what I do and how it promotes WHOLE body health and wellness.  Then, the next question is, “Yeah Yeah Doc, but can it help with __________?”  

     Mostly every time I say “Of Course!”  I go on to explain how a certain ailment can be corrected or healed NATURALLY if we remove the interference at the brainstem.  With that said, I will be attacking certain conditions and symptoms throughout the next several weeks.  If anyone has a specific problem/condition and they would like to find out how Upper Cervical Care can help, please email us at ucwilmington@gmail.com, and I will be more than happy to address that in the next health newsletter.  So, for today, the condition of the week is MIGRAINE HEADACHES!

     How can a misalignment in the upper neck be causing migraine headaches?

     This can be explained by a simple physiology lesson.  The main vessels that supply our brain with blood are the internal carotid arteries and the vertebral arteries.  During a migraine attack, these vessels become narrow and decrease the blood to the brain.  Therefore, the receptors, called baroreceptors, located throughout the arteries, tell the arterial walls to expand and oppose the narrowing action.  

     When the arteries expand, they compress the nerves that attach to them and consequently release chemicals of pain sensation.  This is where the pain comes from.  Although the pain is in your head, the nerves that are attached to the arteries supplying your brain with blood are being irritated and inflamed, along with the brainstem itself which is what directly communicates with the baroreceptors constantly.

     That’s just from a physiological and biochemical perspective.  Basic Anatomy explains it as plain as day. The internal carotid arteries sit anterior (in front) of the atlas vertebrae (the top bone in our neck that holds our head up, or C1).  If there is any rotation of this bone whatsoever, it can put adverse stress on one side of the artery.  That’s just the internal carotids.  How about the vertebral arteries??  It’s estimated that these two arteries supply about 40% of our brain’s blood supply.  These arteries happen to RUN DIRECTLY THROUGH THE TOP TWO BONES.  No, literally, they do.  See the picture below.

     So, if any of the top two bones in our neck are malpositioned in any direction, even by a few millimeters, this can be detrimental to your health by affecting the very important blood flow going to your brain.

     Nearly 1 in 4 US households includes someone that battles migraine headaches.  American employers lose more than $13 billion each year as a result of 113,000,000 lost work days due to migraine headaches. The typical approaches to help with Migraines simply don’t work.  Different drugs such as pain relievers, triptans, ergots, opioids, and glucocorticoids don’t correct the problem.  They’re simply putting a band-aid on it and prolong the pain until the next migraine attack comes around.  As a preventive measure, folks are often prescribed anti-depressants and anti-seizure medications to help with prevention of migraines. REALLY?!?!? Why?  Is your blood chemistry low in anti-depressant pills?  Or is your body deficient in anti-seizure medications?  REALLY?!?  Before you introduce a foreign, man-made, synthetic toxin into your body, be sure to ask your physician why you are taking some the drugs they have you on.  With Upper Cervical Care, we look to the CAUSE of the problem of many health concerns, which include migraines! Seymour Diamond, M.D., Executive Director of the National Headache Foundation, has announced that new imaging techniques now allow scientists to identify what they believe to be a cause of migraines: a malfunctioning brainstem.  It took them a while to come to the conclusion that Upper Cervical doctors have been saying for decades, but researchers and Medical Doctors cannot deny the fact that the brainstem regulates everything. Glad we’re finally on the same page.

     Upper Cervical doctors have the means to restore the brainstem to normal function and eliminate the true cause of migraines.  If you or a loved one is suffering from Migraine headaches, get to the cause of the problem.  Give us a call, all hope is never lost.  That’s why we’re here.  (910) 769-2293.

Praying for a healthier North Carolina,

Dr. Josh

ucwilmington.com

The BIG IDEA

As part of this Week’s Health Newsletter, thanks to a good friend and patient of ours, I would like to share a powerful piece of writing that BJ Palmer wrote back in 1944. Dr. Palmer was the developer of Upper Cervical Care and changed thousands upon thousands of people’s lives for the better. The sickest of the sick would travel from all over the country and the world to see Dr. BJ and his staff to get well. Many of his cases were cases that the Medical doctors either gave up on or expressed there was no hope. People entered the clinic in wheelchairs and on stretchers, and exited with a clean bill of health after receiving Upper Cervical Care. These amazing stories still occur today in many of the Upper Cervical offices throughout the nation. As Dr. Palmer discusses in this writing titled, “THE BIG IDEA,” we can indeed change the HEALTH and WELFARE of our entire nation and world, if we looked to the CAUSE of our health problems and not for quick fixes in medicines and toxins to the body. Upper Cervical doctors look for and FIND that cause and correct it. If you would like more information about how Upper Cervical Care can help you and your family, click HERE.

Dr. BJ Palmer’s BIG IDEA

A slip on the snowy sidewalk, in winter, is a small thing.

It happens to millions.

A fall from a ladder, in the summer, is a small thing.

That also happens to millions.

The slip or fall produces a brainstem subluxation.

The brainstem subluxation is a small thing.

The brainstem subluxation produces pressure on the brainstem.

That pressure is a small thing.

The pressure cuts off the flow of mental impulses and healing messages.

That decreased flowing produces a dis-eased body and brain.

THAT is a BIG thing to THAT man.

Multiply THAT sick man by a few thousand and you control the physical and mental welfare of a city.

Multiply THAT sick man by a couple million, and you shape the physical and mental destiny of a State.

Multiply THAT man by three-hundred fifty million, and you forecast and

can change the physical and mental status of a nation.

So the slip or fall, the brainstem subluxation, pressure, flow of mental impulses and dis-ease are BIG enough to control the thoughts and actions of a nation.

________________________________________________

Now comes a man.

Any one man is a SMALL thing.

This man gives an Upper Cervical correction.

The correction is a small thing.

The correction replaces the brainstem subluxation.

That is a small thing.

The corrected brainstem subluxation releases pressure upon the brainstem.

That is a small thing.

The released pressure restores health to A man.

That is a BIG thing to THAT man.

Multiply that well man by a few thousand, and

you step up the physical and mental welfare of a city.

Multiply that well man by a couple million, and

you increase the efficiency of a State.

Multiply that well man by three-hundred fifty million, and

you have produced a healthy, wealthy, and better race for posterity.

So, the correction of the brainstem subluxation, to release pressure upon the brainstem,

to restore mental impulse flow, to restore health, IS BIG enough

to rebuild the thoughts and actions of the world.

___________________________________________________________

THE IDEA that knows the cause, that can correct the cause of dis-ease,

IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST IDEAS KNOWN.

Without it, nations fall; with it, nations rise.

THE IDEA is the BIGGEST I know of.

-          Dr. BJ Palmer, 1944

We at Upper Cervical of Wilmington hope everyone enjoyed a safe 4^th of July. Find out what Upper Cervical Care can do for you and your family! It changed my life, and I am forever grateful. Until next time!

Working towards a truly healthier nation,

Dr. Josh

Why Kids Respond So Much Better to Upper Cervical Care

Why Kids Respond So Much Better to Upper Cervical Care

You can ask any Upper Cervical doctor throughout the country and they will tell you that kids hold their corrections longer than adults do.  This means they heal faster and better than we do.  There are many scientific reasons on why that statement holds true.  Let’s first discuss how an upper cervical misalignment can even happen to a child.  Kids go through a lot of learning processes as they are growing up.  Any parent can attest to the fact that when their kids begin to learn to crawl, stand up, walk, and run, minor traumas happen frequently.  Children are constantly bumping their heads, landing on their bottoms, and scraping their knees.  Most parents will always assume the notion, “No blood, no foul.”  Even if a kid screams bloody murder for a minute or two, as long as there is no blood or broken bones, they will be just fine.

Short-term, that belief can be true.  Long-term, however, a minor fall can have some very serious consequences.  As we have been discussing the last few newsletters, the top two bones in our spine are only held in place by muscles and ligaments.  The anatomy is no different in a child.  All of these little trips, falls, and bumps can either acutely or cumulatively play a huge role in our children’s health.  If the area where our upper neck meets our head, (that protects the brainstem) is misaligned, this can be a red flag.  Every process that keeps us alive is controlled and organized at the level of the brainstem.  Whether it’s our immune function, digestive system, respiratory system, hormonal regulation, temperature, you name it; the brainstem must be working properly in order for all of these systems to be working optimally.  AND, it’s not always brain to body connections that may get distorted, but it can also affect brain to brain communication as one of my mentors, Dr. Ray Drury of Upper Cervical Health Centers – Charlotte, explains very well.

“The brain’s primary role is processing thoughts, memory, emotions, and conscious awareness.  When you have a thought, memory, or emotion, it travels from the brain down to the brainstem.  The brainstem, like a switchboard operator, sends a message to another part of the brain that interprets it.  If there’s an interference of the nerve energy at the level of the brainstem, that message doesn’t get fully communicated, which can result in altered emotions, such as depression, anxiety, or panic attacks.  It can affect knowledge retention, creating conditions we have labeled as attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hypertrophy disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dementia, or AUTISM.  A misalignment at the brainstem can interfere with these very important transmissions and cause these problems.”

Most of the time, children ALREADY have a brainstem subluxation BEFORE they start bumping, tripping and falling.  I would like for you parents, mothers especially, to recall the birthing process of their children.  Even with a normal birth (no malposition of the baby, plenty of oxygen, and no complications with the umbilical cord), there is a lot of tugging, pulling, and twisting that takes place when the baby is being born.  When the child is breached, there is a tremendous amount of force and stress used to get the baby out.  Some births require tools such as forceps that pull the baby by the head in order to remove them from the birth canal.  Can you picture the trauma that this puts on our children’s spines before they are even a minute old?  Not only are their top two bones very little, but they AREN’T EVEN COMPLETELY OSSIFIED YET!  This means it’s not all bone, a lot of it still flimsy, unstable cartilage!  There is research to support this! Dr. Ludwig Gutmann, a German MD, observed that approximately 75% of his infant patients had a brainstem compromise at birth.  The research paper that was published clearly correlates structural misalignment to neurological deficit in the infants.  That number, 75% should be very alarming.  Kids born to Upper Cervical doctors or current patients of Upper Cervical doctors have had their kids checked within minutes and hours of being born!

You might ask, why do kids respond so much better than adults with Upper Cervical Care?  The answer comes down to anatomy and lack of degenerative processes.  Regarding anatomy, a child’s spine and nervous system respond very well to an Upper Cervical correction due to the fact that the bone hasn’t been out of place as long as is the case with some adults.  Some patients that I have walking in my office have had Upper Cervical subluxations for upwards of 50, 60, maybe even 70 years!  In just a moment, I will address how I know that.  When the bone has been misaligned for a short period of time, the body receives and welcomes the correction easier.  ALSO, because the muscles and ligaments have not had much time to develop bad muscle memory, we can train the body to HOLD the corrections more efficiently compared to adolescence and adulthood.

Regarding the second reason why kids respond so well to Upper Cervical Care, plainly put, they are not as messed up as we are.  Over decades of living on Earth, we expose ourselves to traumas, poor posture habits, bad diet decisions, hazardous and toxic chemicals, and the list goes on and on.  Upper Cervical doctors can see an x-ray of a person and estimate their age based on the anatomy, and degenerative processes in the spine.  If problems such as Upper Cervical misalignments are never addressed, the nervous system and spine can really suffer.  We have patients who are only in their 40s and 50s, but their spine looks like they’re 70 or 80 due to all of the trauma and breakdown.  If these folks would have started Upper Cervical Care as a young child, their spines and bodies may perhaps appear as if they were in their 30s!  I see it all the time.  In summary, children haven’t been exposed to as many traumas and harmful things for their bodies. THEREFORE, THEIR BODIES CAN HEAL MUCH FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY compared to adults.

Get your kids checked!  Just like a cavity, you can’t always see it; that’s why you take your kids to the dentist!  You won’t know if your child has a brainstem subluxation unless they get checked by an Upper Cervical Doctor.  Give us a call today to schedule your consultation to make sure your children’s nervous systems are working the very best they can!  If you are not in the Wilmington area, please contact us anyway and I will be thrilled to point you towards a qualified Upper Cervical Doctor in your area.  If we get our kids under Upper Cervical Care now, the next generation will be light years ahead of our current generation in regards to health and wellness.  Take action and keep our future healthy!

Check us out on Facebook and on the Web at ucwilmington.com.

Striving and calling for a healthier future,

Dr. Josh Dalessandro

“The best doctor gives the least medicine.”      

- Benjamin Franklin

What's The Difference Between Upper Cervical Care and General Chiropractic?

Main Differences between Upper Cervical Care and Full-Spine (General) Chiropractic

A lot of people I meet and talk to are curious to know the differences between full-spine chiropractic and what I do as an Upper Cervical practitioner.  Although there are numerous differences, I highlighted below my version of the greatest differences between the two.

1)  Upper Cervical Care uses objective science in order to make clinical decisions. Upper Cervical doctors don’t rely on our subjective reasoning such as “what we feel,” or “how we think your nervous system is working,” as the majority of full-spine chiropractors do.  Upper Cervical Care uses objective instrumentation to determine if there is interference to your nervous system, which takes the human error out of the equation.  Also, x-rays are absolutely vital for a patient to qualify for Upper Cervical Care. Without the x-rays, we won’t be able to pinpoint to the exact millimeters and degrees of your individual misalignment, and therefore will not be able to help you.  With that said, Upper Cervical Care is specific or its nothing.

2) NO TWISTING, CRACKING, CRUNCHING, OR POPPING.  Why does it make sense to push a joint to tension, and then past the physiological barrier of the ligament’s laxity to move a bone?  That’s the definition of manipulation, when we have to put abrupt forces into the spine to get something to “move.”  It’s simply unnecessary.  Upper Cervical Care takes a CONTROLLED, SPECIFIC, and GENTLE approach to moving the bone without compromising the cartilage and ligament laxity/strength.  There is no need for any of the cracking or awkwardly twisting of the patient’s neck.  With Upper Cervical Care, the patient is in a very relaxed state and barely feels the correction take place.

3) An additional difference between UC Care and Full-spine chiropractic is how we define the word healing.  Upper Cervical Care defines healing when you are HOLDING your correction, and thus the brainstem has no interference relaying the messages and signals from the brain to the rest of the body.  

In full-spine chiropractic, more emphasis is placed on the adjustment itself as to how the body heals (the instant removal of the bone off of the impinged nerve).  However, that bone will continue to get pushed, pulled, and cracked on for the next several weeks, to months, to years with no objective science telling us whether the bone needs to be moved that day or not.  In Upper Cervical Care, if you are holding your corrections, we have scientific and objective evidence (via infrared thermography) that proves that your body is or isn’t healing.

4) How often does my spine need to be adjusted?  With Upper Cervical Care, you WILL NOT get adjusted every single visit.  If we make an intervention to your spine EVERY visit, two things are happening:

a.      You aren’t healing because you are in constant need of an adjustment due to brainstem interference, and/or

b.      The doctor isn’t doing his/her job correctly.

The goal of Upper Cervical Care is NOT to adjust you every time.  It’s to make sure you are holding your corrections, which means your body is working optimally.  Are our spines really so weak that the same bones misalign out of place on a monthly, weekly, or even a daily basis?  Wouldn’t it make sense that your body will eventually get strong enough and learn how to HOLD the correction?

Your body learning to hold the correction is similar to going to the gym for the first time.  If you’ve never worked out before, and you go to the gym thinking you’re going to curl 30 lb. dumbbells and be fine the next day, you’re terribly mistaken.  That would be a complete and total shock to your body’s muscles and nervous system.  You will be very sore for days if not more than a week!  However, I can guarantee if you continue to do that same workout on a weekly basis, eventually your body is going to adapt and get used to it.  Not only will you not be sore from the 30 lb. workout, but your muscles may find it too easy and be ready to move up to 35’s!  The body is very smart.  If you tell it what to do, as long as there is no brainstem interference or immune compromise, it’s more than likely going to do it, and do it well.

Same thing goes with Upper Cervical Care.  Once we teach your body how to heal, it should do better and better with each subsequent correction.  As the healing process takes place, your body won’t need constant corrections and interventions to your spine.  If anything, interventions to the spine when unnecessary can actually do more harm than good!  Without scientific instrumentation to tell Upper Cervical doctors when and when not to make correction, it becomes a guessing game with your health, and that’s never a good idea.

If you have any questions regarding the difference between Upper Cervical Care and Full-Spine Chiropractic, please email us at ucwilmington@gmail.com or give us a call at (910) 769-2293.  We would love to hear from you.  If you are interested in scheduling a complimentary consultation for you, your family, or loved ones, give us a call and mention this blog post!

Until next time, hoping for a healthier North Carolina,

Dr. Josh

910-769-2293

Check us out on the web for more information on Upper Cervical Care!

Why I Became an Upper Cervical Doctor

Why I Became an Upper Cervical Doctor

      Hello everyone. In the past few years, many people have asked me why I chose to become an Upper Cervical Doctor. Depending on the day or the particular situation; I give people 30 to 60 second explanations on why I do what I do. At times, that short encounter gets the point across, but in reality it barely scratches the surface of what burns inside me.

     When I was 21 years old, I thought I was as healthy as I could be. My diet was the best had ever been, I was running sprints, lifting weights, and getting plenty of sleep every day. My body was like a machine. I was unquestionably in the best shape of my life. So I thought. Little did I know, I was as sick as I’d ever been; I just didn’t ‘feel’ sick.

     So, before we dive into my story, allow me to go over a very elementary anatomy and physiology lesson with you. Our body is made up of trillions of cells. Everyone knows that. Those cells work together in different structures and networks and are collectively called tissues. Some of those tissues form muscles, some of them glands, and some of them our vital organs. So, you can make the very clear assumption that the cells in our body make up every part of our body. Have you ever wondered what keeps all of this running? What keeps our cells alive? What keeps our heart beating? What keeps our lungs inhaling and exhaling without even thinking about it? The answer is our NERVOUS SYSTEM. We go to the eye doctor to get our eyes checked and to meet our vision needs. We go to the dentist to make sure our teeth and gums are healthy. When was the last time, or have you ever had, your nervous system checked? If the nervous system is what controls our eyes, our teeth, and every other part of our body…. Doesn’t it make sense we should be concerned on how that’s functioning?

     Back to my story, that’s the sad realization that hit me in a not so kind way. In the general doctor’s eyes, I was as strong as can be. My resting HR, blood pressure, body weight, body fat%, everything was in tip-top shape. However, my nervous system, which controls every function in the body, was not working. Not only was it not working, it was breaking down on me.

My Upper Cervical Story

During the early summer of 2010, I was working at a car manufacturing plant for some summer cash. I was lifting heavy tarps that easily weighed over 60-70 pounds constantly from 7:00 am - 3:00 pm. I was pretty good at it due to the fact I was the only one in the plant doing it. Therefore, I had nobody to talk to or no distractions. So, I would sing my favorite songs out loud and just worked all the day long. It was peaceful, it was fun, and I got paid to move around and lift stuff. Every kid’s dream job! After work, I would go lift weights or run with my younger brother, and also played in a men’s league softball team. Due to a complication with my nervous system called a brainstem subluxation (more on that in a bit), all of this just severely wore down my body in a matter of two-three short weeks. I developed a severely painful and debilitating case of sciatica down my right hip and leg. Sciatica is very common and varies in severity with every patient. My discomfort can be described as sharp, electric-like stabbings all throughout my low back and leg all the way down to my ankle. It was incredibly painful to sit, twist my torso, bend down, or roll over in bed. Every day continually got worse. My relationships with my family and loved ones changed that summer. I was in so much pain and discomfort, my behavior, attitude, and outlook on life changed. I became bitter, and wanted people to be sympathetic with my problem. The problem was nobody knew what was causing it or how to fix it. I was going to a full-spine chiropractor EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, getting STEM therapy, massage therapy, and adjustments five times per week. However, after every adjustment, it only got worse and the sciatica was even more debilitating. Within a matter of weeks, I couldn’t even get out of bed without tearing up from the pain. I also was driving over two hours to see a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor once-twice per week to receive acupuncture, massage, and homeopathic herbal treatments for my pain. Needless to say, I had to quit my job before I really even got going. I spent a few good hours looking for the best surgeons from all over the country who could fix this for me. I narrowed it down to a Neurosurgery clinic in Texas, and the Cleveland Clinic for Neurosurgery. I was in so much pain I wasn’t even going to bother with doctors near my hometown. I wanted this pain gone, and gone forever.

What happened to my body? I mentioned earlier, I was in my early 20’s, best shape of my life, ate extremely healthy, as strong as can be. Why am I going backwards and why so quickly?

 By the grace of God and only the grace of God, I had heard about Upper Cervical Care before in the past from a co-worker. I kind of put that in the back of my memory and never thought anything of it. However, in such a desperate situation and in so much severe pain; I decided to try Upper Cervical Care before going under the knife. I drove 2 hours to get examined by Dr. Chad McIntyre of theTriad Upper Cervical Clinic in Kernersville, NC. Now to preface this doctor visit, I have been to MULTIPLE doctors looking to fix my problem. Everybody always looked at my low back and leg because that’s where the pain was. As I hobbled into Dr. Chad’s office in so much pain, he took me in the back to examine me. He didn’t look anywhere near my low back or leg. He asked me about it, but knew that wasn’t my problem. He took a few x-rays, and did some specific, Upper Cervical examinations, and explained to me that my nervous system was malfunctioning. He explained to me that the hub, or main control center of our nervous system, is our brainstem. The brainstem is what connects the brain to the rest of the body and is responsible for routing all of the messages from the brain to the body and vice versa, therefore being responsible for every function, and I mean EVERY function in our body.

     It extends from the brain down through an opening in the base of your skull. The inferior portion of this vital tissue is protected by the top two bones in our neck, or our upper cervical spine. Working much like a telephone cable, the brainstem has millions of individual wires, or nerve fibers, which send signals back and forth between the brain and every system, organ, muscle, and cell within the body.  We must have 100% brain-to-body communication in order to function properly and remain healthy.

     The top two bones in the neck are the only two in the entire spine that are held in place by muscle and ligaments. They are designed to move in six directions and are considered freely movable. Every other bone in the spine, not only have a disc in between adjacent bones, but also have multiple inter-locking joints that only allow the bones to move in 2 directions.  As a result, the top two freely movable bones are much more susceptible to injury misalignment. 

     If one of the upper two bones becomes misaligned, two things happen.  First and foremost, it irritates or interferes with the brainstem and negatively affects the messages from the brain to the body. Wherever those messages were intended to go, whether it’s your digestive system, pancreas, heart, immune system, or eyes; it is going to malfunction, become sick and possibly shut down. In my case, I blew out two discs in my lower back, and my body couldn’t heal it; due to the messages not being able to get through. My brainstem was having the life choked out of it, it was a miracle that I only suffered from my severe low back and leg pain, and nothing else.  Secondly, let’s view the upper cervical spine as a kinetic chain, connecting from head to toe. If either of the top two bones becomes misaligned, the rest of the body must compensate or adapt, resulting in total “body imbalance.”  In the end, your health and physical body will be compromised.  This condition is called a brainstem subluxation. In my case, my top bone in my upper cervical spine was misaligned, to the point where my neck, shoulders, spine, hips, and even down to my feet had to shift in order to compensate for this malfunction. This shifting caused my spine to curve and become weak to the point where I had my low back give out at such a young age.

     Dr. Chad explained that we needed to gently move the top bone into the correct place in order to give my body a chance to heal. If I didn’t have it fixed, I would just continue to spiral down and have even more severe problems down the road. Immediately after my first correction, my entire body started pulsating. My face felt like it was about to explode. I knew we were on to something with this so-called Upper Cervical Care. Dr. Chad was very understanding and had a very personable way of educating me about how the Brainstem Subluxation affects our bodies. He made it very easy to understand that although ALL the pain was in my low back and leg, that wasn’t the problem. He showed me how the brainstem is what controls every function of our body and how all of the brain’s healing messages go down through the brainstem in order to get to the rest of the body. Acting like a switchboard operator, if there is a glitch, kink, or complication at the level of the brainstem, the body is simply going to functionally and structurally break down. Within two days, I was bending down with ease and going up and down the stairs without hesitation for the first time in what seemed like forever. After receiving my second correction a week later, I was back to full strength. I went from not being able to tie my shoes or roll out of bed, and days away from wanting to schedule surgery, to playing softball and running sprints within seven days from receiving my first Upper Cervical correction. It truly was a miracle. I was forever thankful and fully convinced that this is what I need to do with the rest of my life. If I can make a specific correction to help alleviate pain and suffering for ONE PERSON, it can positively impact their life for the greater good. If I can do that for a few hundred people, we can affect the well-being of a neighborhood. If I can help restore health and wellness to thousands of people by helping their nervous system work more optimally, we change the mentality and health of an entire city. If we had Upper Cervical doctors in every town of every state and nation, we can change the health of the world. I think you get the point. It would be amazing to help this world become healthier and less sick, in a natural, non-invasive manner. There wouldn’t be a need for antibiotics, vaccines, or steroids to help with different conditions and illnesses. If our nervous systems were working at 100%, our immune system will therefore be working better, our organs will therefore work better, and our entire body will work more optimally. My Upper Cervical story was severe low back pain and sciatica. What’s yours? Do you have neck or low back pain? Headaches? Fibromyalgia? Multiple Sclerosis? Arthritis? Neuralgia? Or, do you understand the simple concept that your nervous system is what controls everything, and although you don’t suffer from anything to your knowledge, you want to make sure you, your spouse, and your kids are correctly routing the very important messages from the brain to every part of your body. Just because you don’t feel “sick,” that doesn’t mean that your body is working at optimal levels. Other than direct trauma, all disease processes and conditions take time to develop. In my case, I was sick, but “felt fine” for a long time before the weak link in my body, my low back, finally just quit on me.

     If you really want to be healthier, give Upper Cervical Care a try. If you need help finding an Upper Cervical doctor in your area, please contact me and I will do my best to direct you to the closest, most qualified Upper Cervical doc. Don’t be like me. Don’t wait until your body is shutting down, and you have symptoms, to pursue health. Be proactive; take that step! Live well! That’s my Upper Cervical story. My mission is to glorify and serve my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by bringing specific, Upper Cervical Care to anybody and everybody who wants to be healthier. Our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made, take care of them. You only get one!

Until next time.

God Bless,

               Dr. Josh

ucwilmington.com

"You never know how far reaching something you think, say or do today, will affect the lives of millions tomorrow."     - Dr. BJ Palmer

Final Journal Entry

     The past three months I have had the privilege to leave school early and participate in an externship program instead of staying in Spartanburg for my final quarter. The externship program is an opportunity where students who finish their clinic requirements early can go out into the field and shadow an existing doctor of their choice for the remaining time of their school career. Without question, I chose to learn as much as I can from Dr. Chad McIntyre of the Triad Upper Cervical Clinic in Kernersville, NC . He changed my life and I am forever grateful for him and passion to bring healing to the world. The last requirement for graduation is to write a reflection essay to a prompt regarding my experience during the externship. So, this is what I turned in for my final paper, my final assignment, and my final departure from school on my way to becoming an Upper Cervical doctor.

Create an essay of reflection considering the totality of your observation experience and how it will inform your own decisions as you begin practice. Use specific incidents reflecting practices that you may consider positive or negative and comment on what you will take away from the situations

     I am very grateful that I got the opportunity to participate in the externship program this past quarter. I found it very beneficial for me to be getting constant advice and experience on a weekly basis. Dr. Chad developed a goals list for me during the first week regarding all of the objectives we wanted to get accomplished during this 10 week period. It seemed like every day there was one or two highlights that I picked up on that were very valuable for me in all of my decision making processes. Only because I have to mention negatives in the essay, (there really are none); the only negative that I can say about the externship experience is the travel distance from my place of residence to the office. There are simply not enough Upper Cervical doctors in North Carolina, or in world for that matter. If we had more doctors, we can help so many more people in areas that are underserved. People have no clue what we do as Upper Cervical doctors. There is an extreme need for more of us.

     

     However, I experienced a vast amount of positives during my externship experience that really gave me a lot of momentum in the future months as I begin practice. For one, I efficiently learned an organized system regarding processes for new patients. From first day case histories, explanation of policies and protocols, to the x-rays were so much more simplified and easier than what we did at the Sherman clinic. Our interns back at school take way too long to get a patient processed and under care under the current health center policies. Regarding day two, I learned easy systems on how to relay information to the patient regarding report of findings and the care plans. One of the most important things I learned during this externship was how to DISCUSS financials with patients. The Sherman health center handles all of that for us so we get absolutely no practice with it. In addition, the health center system does not operate in a way that is conducive with upper cervical care regarding when and when not to adjust patients. At Dr. Chad’s office, I learned how to discuss how the goal is not to make a correction every time and how the investment into their health is worth not being adjusted all the time. If there is too much adjusting going on, we might be doing more harm than good. If you truly educate people on your goals and objectives AND WHAT HEALTH IS, they understand and are on board with what you are trying to accomplish. I also learned how to effectively educate patients at the end of care plans and transition patients into wellness/maintenance.

     I also learned the ins and outs of running the front desk and the managerial tasks needed to operate the office. What Mollie and Sarah (office managers) do at the front desk is nothing short of amazing. They keep the practice running smoothly and without chaos. It was always good to walk through the front door and see their smile and know that they are truly happy to see you on that day. They make the patients feel welcomed and comfortable during their time at the office on an everyday occasion. Mollie was awesome during my time at Triad Upper Cervical Clinic. She gave me several resources, contacts, and advice throughout the entire process. She taught me so many things that cannot be taught in a classroom or through a textbook, but only in real life situations. Mollie also taught me how to run the software program in order to efficiently keep the front desk organized. She has been a great mentor and resource. I honestly expected I would be spending 100% of my time with Dr. Chad learning how a practice is operated going into the externship. However, Mollie was so receptive and willing to teach me all of what she knows; it has been a great blessing sitting at the front desk with her.

     In addition, I experienced huge leaps and gains regarding patient education. Not too many people know what we do as Upper Cervical doctors. So, educating the community is extremely important. Dr. Chad taught me how to perform health talks for new patient orientation classes, and how to run other education oriented events such as movie nights and screenings. Dr. Chad and Mollie even took an hour out of their late Tuesday night well AFTER the office had been closed and listened to me give a health talk to just the two of them. They were extremely encouraging and helpful providing excellent feedback and positive criticism. This along with other aspects of practice such as scanning and adjusting protocols created the greatest gift Dr. Chad and Mollie gave me during these three months, which was… confidence. They gave me the confidence to do this on my own in front of my community. Encouragement goes a long way no matter what the context or subject, in every aspect of life. 

     Dr. Chad was also an integral part in me getting my business set up. He helped with a countless number of tasks that I still to this day take for granted. He helped me with my location selection, my business startup documents, my equipment, my software programs, even to the type of furniture I use. Anytime I asked him, he had an immediate answer and I just can’t express with words on a paper how helpful he has been throughout this entire process. Not just during the externship these past couple months, but since Day 1 of starting school, he has been there for me without hesitation.

     Most importantly, this entire experience refocused me on why I’m doing this. I sometimes find myself concerned regarding paying back the hundreds of thousands of dollars of student loans. Dr. Chad’s meekness and true passion for simply HELPING people is both electric and contagious. I am truly grateful for everything he has taught me and will continue to teach me on my journey of seeking to do exactly what he does… which is care for others. Every person that I help in my practice can thank Dr. Chad for getting me to where I am. Without him, who knows what I would be doing… seriously, I have no idea where my path would have led if God didn’t choose to put Dr. Chad in my life at the EXACT time that He did, when I needed him most, when I was at my lowest of lows and the most excruciating pain I have ever experienced. He forever changed my life, and through God’s grace, and Dr. Chad’s passion for teaching and helping, I hope to do the very same in Wilmington.

     Finally, thank you to all the patients who let me sit in on your visits while working at Dr. Chad’s office. I appreciate your kindness and willingness to help me learn and absorb as much I could during your time at the office. The lessons learned were invaluable.

Merry Christmas and God Bless,

Josh

ucwilmington.com