Most people think that lower back pain is the only problem that requires the expertise of a chiropractor. While it certainly is true that the majority of patients who come to see Dr. Nathen Horst do so for lower back pain, there are a variety of other ailments and injuries he is able to treat with a proper spinal adjustment. Often, the area of the spine that is adjusted will depend upon the type of ailment. For example, the cervical spine consists of the first seven vertebrae that come out from the bottom of the skull (numbered as C1 to C7). It should come as no surprise that cervical spine adjustments will treat neck pain and stiffness resulting from injury or illness. However, cervical spinal adjustments can also treat a variety of other conditions.

Conditions that Can Be Treated By a Cervical Spine Adjustment

In addition to neck stiffness and pain, and cervical vertebrae problems such as bulging or herniated discs, cervical adjustments can also treat various types of headaches by helping to properly realign the vertebrae. Because the critical C1 vertebra is at the base of the skull and contains the spinal cord nerves that connect the spine to the brain, adjustments to the cervical vertebrae can also treat a variety of neuromuscular disorders having to do with movement, such as Parkinson’s disorder and multiple sclerosis. Chiropractic treatment of the cervical spine may also help with jaw pain, such as that caused by temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), in which the joint between the skull and the jaw becomes swollen or stiff, making it difficult for patients to open and close their mouth properly. TMJ disorder may also cause neck pain and headaches, both of which can also be treated with cervical adjustments.

What Does the Research Say?

An article in the August 2003 issue of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research reported on a professional ice skater who suffered from daily tension and migraine headaches after hitting her head hard on the ice and having a concussion. Her cervical vertebrae were found to be out of alignment. She received weekly cervical spinal adjustments, followed by thermographs to chart her recovery. At the end of three months, she reported no further headaches, and the thermographs did not detect any anomalies in her cervical spine.

Another case report in the April 2001 issue of the same journal reported on cervical adjustment for treating a woman with multiple sclerosis who suffered from cognitive difficulties and loss of bladder control as a result of the disease. Thermographs showed that her upper cervical spine was out of alignment. After four months of chiropractic treatment, she had no more MS symptoms, and no new lesions had formed at her one year follow up.

Finally, a case report in the January 2002 edition of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapies discussed the chiropractic care of a woman who suffered from TMJ disorder, as well as headaches and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Examination showed that her atlas (the actual point where the C1 meets the bottom of the skull) was out of alignment. After nine sessions of cervical adjustments, she reported that her symptoms had stopped.

To schedule a spinal adjustment appointment, contact Horst Chiropractic today.