What Is Upper Cervical Care?
There are two major types of chiropractic care available: upper cervical chiropractic and full body chiropractic. At Madigan Family Health Center, we focus on upper cervical care because we believe it does a better job of treating problems at the source and allowing the body to return to its natural state and heal itself. Upper cervical chiropractic is focused on the area where the head meets the spine at the back of the neck. The bones in this area – the Atlas (C1) and Axis (C2) – are what allow you to move your head in all directions and they help support your head and brain from the day you’re born.
Because of their position in the body and the daily tasks you perform with these areas, they are subject to unique stresses. If they get out of alignment, they can affect blood flow, the nervous system and even the immune system in a unique way. While it may seem like focusing on just one area instead of every area wouldn’t be as effective, the truth is that it is way more effective at treating a wide variety of conditions!
Your body is a powerful tool with the ability to heal itself if it’s put in a position to succeed. Upper cervical chiropractic puts your body in that position, and because of its delicate nature, chiropractors like Dr. Madigan who are certified in upper cervical care require hundreds of extra hours of training to take on patients.
Your Free Consultation
The first step in your treatment journey is sitting down with Dr. Madigan for a free consultation. During this conversation, he will learn more about what issues you’ve been experiencing, what treatments you’ve tried and any limitations you’ve had. We understand that every body is different, and that there isn’t a one-size fits all approach that works for everyone. By learning what you’ve been dealing with, Dr. Madigan can take an approach that treats the source of the problem, instead of just treating symptoms.
Initial Examination
After learning about your body, Dr. Madigan takes a hands on approach, guiding you through a gentle spinal examination, using his years of experience to understand which parts of your upper cervical area are out of alignment. Each issue can have a multitude of causes, so this examination can evaluate if nerves are getting pinched, blood flow is being restricted to certain areas or disks are out of place. If it’s necessary, Dr. Madigan will perform a brief x-ray (if it’s safe for the patient to do so) to get another view of your spinal area.
Treatment
Instead of twisting, cracking and popping, Dr. Madigan takes a gentle & effective approach using tools like the activator and adjustment gun. These tools apply gentle pressure to the upper cervical area to push the vertebrae into alignment. This method will no only have you feeling great after your treatment, but is highly effective for sensitive patients, such as those with migraines, chronic pain & disabilities.