Your spine is one of the most important parts of your body; it gives your body structure and support, allows you to be flexible, and, most importantly, protects your spinal column. The spinal column and the brain make up the Central Nervous System (CNS), the all-important system that carries messages back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body. Your CNS plays a role in everything your body does, from pumping your blood through your veins to telling your feet to move when you need to be somewhere.
Considering how vital the spine is to maintaining good health, visiting a chiropractor as a regular part of your health regime is a good idea. Chiropractors can help keep your spine properly aligned to ensure your joints, muscles, ligaments, and nerves are all functioning properly.
Not all chiropractors are created equal, however. It is important to know the differences so you can get the best possible care. For general chiropractic care, you will probably have to choose between a traditional chiropractor and an upper cervical specialist. Here is what you need to know to make an informed choice.
Traditional Chiropractors
Traditional chiropractors generally treat the full length of the spine when you have an injury or an illness. This often involves X-rays of the spine, and then abrupt adjustments using manual manipulations. You may have seen videos or movies showing traditional chiropractors twisting the neck, cracking the joints, and jerking the limbs in an attempt to adjust misalignments of the spine and solve musculoskeletal issues.
A traditional chiropractor generally requires frequent treatments at first—on average about three times per week. After a few months, these treatments may decrease to once per week, or once or twice per month.
Upper Cervical Chiropractors
Upper cervical chiropractors are specialists that focus on the upper cervical spine. This is because most problems throughout the spine originate in the upper cervical area, the most vulnerable area that is prone to injury.
The upper cervical spine consists of the uppermost seven vertebrae that run from the base of the skull through the neck. Because this is a delicate area, upper cervical specialists utilize advanced 3D imaging technology for a more comprehensive picture of the spine’s health. These screenings eliminate the guesswork so that treatment is more precise.
Upper cervical specialists use gentle, swift, low-force methods to correct the spine. Because they’re able to pinpoint exact areas of concern, they can coax the spine back into alignment more easily and alignments tend to hold longer. This results in fewer visits and quicker healing.
How Our Upper Cervical Treatment Works
At Los Angeles Upper Cervical, our upper care specialist is Dr. Alex Bello. Dr. Bello is an expert in the Blair Chiropractic Technique. The Blair technique allows the doctor to assess the upper cervical spine’s alignment using a combination of cone-beam computed tomography scans, X-rays, and a physical examination. The method also allows for precision, low-force pressure corrections.
Upper cervical care is a safe, non-invasive, natural treatment option for many health problems. Contact Dr. Bello for a consultation to see if your upper cervical spine is causing your illness or injury. Dr. Bello offers upper cervical chiropractic care to patients in Brentwood, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, West Los Angeles, and the surrounding areas.