If you’re new to the world of chiropractors and upper cervical chiropractic care you might have a lot of questions.

Chiropractic is often something people have have opinions on, even if they don’t really know the facts. If you’re interested in a simple overview with solid answers that will help you decide if chiropractic care will benefit you (it will), and what you should expect during your first visit, this is for you.

Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions people have before they visit their chiropractor for the first time.

What's the History Of Chiropractic Care?

Chiropractic is the most widely-trusted form of alternative medicine due to the fact that it uses fundamentally scientific concepts to create treatments for a plethora of afflictions. Chiropractic has a long history and it is important to understand the underlying history that gave birth to chiropractic so that you may better understand the treatment that can potentially improve your life and make you a healthier person.

chiropractor dawn bortoluzzi explains upper cervical careThe care of the spine had always been practiced by cultures ranging from the Greeks to the Chinese. However, it was not until the industrial revolution and the pursuit of knowledge that new methods were explored. Among the many new methods explored were magnetism, herbalism, etc. Additionally, this new exploration combined with newfound scientific knowledge made it necessary for new methods to have some root in science. This led to Daniel David Palmer exploring a new method that would later be called chiropractic. He sought to treat the human body through the treatment of the spine, which is connected to the nervous system and, as a result, the rest of the human body. From then on, chiropractic gained prominence as a treatment option for many ailments. Additionally, many physicians recommend chiropractic as a supplementary form of therapy for conditions as serious as cancer. Those who practice chiropractic have a deep commitment to professionalism and treating the human body through a therapy with decades of experience to back it up. It is important to know that chiropractic can eliminate a 10 year pain in as little as 3 months; which goes to show the limitations of traditional medicine in certain cases.

The most important aspect in chiropractic that has been present since its creation is the true concern for the well-being of others. Chiropractic was developed with the desire to find an alternative method of treating the body. It was this desire, combined with years of exploration and the honing of the science, that led to modern chiropractic and the thousands of practitioners that are known today.

Family First Chiropractic and Wellness Center knows that San Diego is the best place to live! Dr. Payton and Dr. Dawn brought their chiropractic practice to San Diego after practicing in Austin, TX for many years. They experienced the healthy, active lifestyle that defines San Diego and reinforces their belief in holistic, natural healing. Upper cervical care continues to be their chiropractic specialty and they have earned a reputation of excellence in San Diego for treating adults, children, athletes and seniors. They are proud to be San Diego Chiropractors and share their knowledge and passion for chiropractic care with their clients.

Curious Chiropractic: Upper Cervical Care

In the realm of alternative medicine, there is not method more renowned than that of chiropractic. Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine that seek to treat the human body through treatments to the spine, which, besides providing musculoskeletal relief, also affects the nervous system in a positive way.

Upper Cervical Care
Upper cervical care is a method used within chiropractic that puts emphasis on the atlas and axis bones of the cervical spine, which is very close to the brain. This method of care is unique in the way that it provides relief in a manner that also has a profound effect on the nervous system and general spinal care as well as the rest of the body. The general idea of upper cervical care states that these two vertebrae (atlas and axis) are susceptible to displacement, which in turn can interfere with the brain’s, and especially the brain stem’s, vital functions to the point where your whole body is affected. Upper cervical care seeks to both prevent and remedy the displacement of the vertebrae for a general impact on the body’s health and well-being. Upper Cervical Care is believed to be able to prevent and/or treat:

Migraines
Lower Back Pain
High Blood Pressure
Fibromyalgia
Ear Infections
Diabetes
Depression

Chiropractic is a tried and true method of treating and taking care of the human body. It combines the in depth knowledge of the human body with an innovative and alternative approach to treatment. It is this that sets it apart from all other forms of alternative medicine.

San Diego Chiropractor
Family First Chiropractic and Wellness Center knows that San Diego is the best place to live! Dr. Payton and Dr. Dawn brought their chiropractic practice to San Diego after practicing in Austin, TX for many years. They experienced the healthy, active lifestyle that defines San Diego and reinforces their belief in holistic, natural healing. Upper cervical care continues to be their chiropractic specialty and they have earned a reputation of excellence in San Diego for treating adults, children, athletes and seniors. They are proud to be San Diego Chiropractors and share their knowledge and passion for chiropractic care with their clients.

What is Subluxation?

When a vertebrae becomes misaligned or moves out of its normal position, this is referred to in the chiropractic profession as a subluxation. Subluxations can be caused by a wide range of issues ranging from a minor slip or bump to a car accident or any sudden trauma. When a vertebrae is subluxated, it begins to put pressure on nerves, blood vessels and everything around it. This pressure comes with a price. The subluxation interrupts the natural pathways that the messages sent from the brain need to be clear in order to be completed properly.

As time goes by and a subluxation remains untreated, the spine and surrounding features such as discs can begin to degenerate. This degeneration becomes more difficult to reverse as time goes by as the surrounding muscles, nerves and bones begin to adjust to the new shape. The body is an amazing machine. It will start to accommodate these changes by compensating in other areas. The longer this goes on, the more difficult it is and the longer it takes to get back to near perfect position

Why should I see a Chiropractor?

Seeing a chiropractor is not only for back pain and neck pain. Chiropractic care is an excellent way to keep your body at its peak performance through nutrition, adjustment and overall wellness. In addition, chiropractic care has been known to help a wide range of conditions from fibromyalgia to diabetes.

What is Upper Cervical Care?

Upper cervical care is a radically different approach to health care. Find hope for fibromyalgia, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, carpel tunnel syndrome, cervical disc herniations, asthma, acid reflux and headaches.

What results can I expect from care?

Chiropractic is based on the idea of removing imbalances both structural and postural in an effort to allow our body to heal itself. For this to happen the network of nerves and signals from your brain, down your spinal cord, to the network of nerves must be allowed to flow freely without any interruption. Chiropractors have the ability and skill to remove these interruptions or misalignments and allow the body to perform as it was meant to.

If you’ve ever been in a car accident, played a sport, fell down or just bumped into something too hard, it’s very possible that you are not functioning at your best due to a misalignment. While there are many potential mechanical or structural causes for misalignment, there are also chemical reasons. For instance, if you smoke or drink excessively or even just have a poor diet, the chemical issues in your body can eventually cause underlying conditions and disease to appear.

Allowing a chiropractor to get you back on track both chemically and structurally will bring your body back to the proper state it should be in to perform at its peak.

What can I expect from my visit to a chiropractor?

Going to the Chiropractor is a new experience for many of us. Maybe we’ve heard through a friend or have done some research online. It’s possible that you are just fed up with living in pain and it’s time to do something about it. In either case, your first visit to the chiropractor will really be about getting to know the chiropractor and discussing your history, current condition and goals.

Is chiropractic effective?

Chiropractic helps to remove postural imbalances and structural misalignments that can accumulate in our bodies over time. Chiropractic works by restoring your own inborn ability to be healthy. For your body to remain healthy, your nervous system must function well. For your nervous system to function well it must be free of interference. By restoring spinal function with Chiropractic adjustments, nerve interference by misaligned vertebrae is removed, thus allowing optimal nervous system function and improved health.

What is a chiropractic adjustment? Is it safe?

Adjustments, or manipulation as they’re sometimes referred to is the minor movement of vertebrae in the spine. The objective of this movement is to realign vertebrae that have moved out of place for a number of reasons ranging from normal daily activity to trauma such as a car accident.

When these vertebrae are out of place, it has an overall systemic effect from muscular to the central nervous system. Without proper alignment and flow of all nerves and systems in the body from the brain, we can’t function at our peak.

An adjustment is often a pressure from the chiropractor utilizing the hands or an instrument to move a vertebrae back into place. This happens with a quick movement and is often without discomfort. You may hear a noise that sounds like you’re cracking your knuckles referred to as joint cavitation. It is the release of gases such as oxygen and nitrogen from the joint.