At the Balanced Body Center, our goal is to decrease your pain and increase the motion in your neck as quickly and comfortably as possible. Our clinic utilizes NUCCA (a low force and very precise adjusting technique) to correct neck misalignment. After making a detailed analysis and calculated lines of correction, our doctors use a gentle touch and controlled contact to the neck in order to restore balance to the cervical spine. Patients with complicated neck conditions drive and fly from all over the southern states to visit our office for neck treatments as there are less than 300 practitioners in the United States trained in the NUCCA technique.
Even though the primary focus of this correction is the neck, the positive effects influence the whole spine and all body systems. The NUCCA procedure influences one of the highest control centers over body balance: the brain stem and central nervous system. The C-1 vertebrae, also known as the "Atlas," is a small donut-like bone located at the top of the spine and the base of the skull, surrounding the brain stem. When the spine is subjected to stress, the Atlas can become misaligned. This phenomenon is known as the Atlas Subluxation Complex Syndrome or the ASC Syndrome. In these cases especially, NUCCA will help to greatly decrease pain and increase motion in the neck.
Advantages of the NUCCA Technique
* Utilizes physics and vectors to calculate corrections
* 100% safe & comfortable
* Extremely effective at fast relief
In addition to the specialized NUCCA care, we have a wide variety of supportive techniques and therapies that may include:
* Laser treatments to reduce inflammation
* Cervical Decompression
* Pettibon rehabilitation techniques to correct loss of curvature/poor posture and to stabilize the cause of the cervical condition
* Physical therapy
* Massage therapy
After we have decreased the pain in your neck (and have taken into account the severity of your injury), it may be recommended that you begin a spinal rehabilitation program to help repair ligament, tendon, and muscle damage. Strengthening ligaments, tendons, and muscles will not only restore your spine's natural curve, but will also help you to hold your adjustments, allowing the body to heal quicker. At the Balanced Body Center, our doctors, therapists, and staff believe we have one of the most comprehensive and effective programs to reduce the pain in your neck and correct the cause of your condition.
Causes of Neck Pain
Have you ever been in an accident or had physical trauma in your life? If so, there is a good chance your neck has been injured and you have damaged its original curve. Sometimes pain symptoms can develop immediately after a specific injury; other times, it may take years to develop into a problem. The original insult can often be complicated and exacerbated by activities of daily living. Neck pain can therefore come from many different sources:
- automobile accidents and whiplash injuries
- on-the-job and lifting injuries
- sports/athletic injuries
- slip and fall injuries
- poor postural and ergonomic habits
- chronic health issues
Symptoms That May be Related to Neck Pain:
When you have injuries like the ones stated above, other signs/symptoms can arise, such as:
- Asthma
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Dizziness and loss of equilibrium
- Dysmenorrhea
- Infantile colic
- Low energy levels
- Otitis media (ear infection)
- Ulcers
- Headaches
- Decreased immune response
Other Complicating Factors
Many people do not recognize the gradual loss of motion that occurs over time in the cervical spine due to either small, repetitive injuries or a major injury. Science has demonstrated that misalignment and injury to the spine can cause immobility. Once this immobility reaches a certain point, the body rereleases inflammatory chemicals that impair the nervous system and advance the degenerative arthritic changes at that level.
The nerves in our spinal column are very sensitive to pressure and stress. When the spine becomes misaligned sufficiently, it stresses the nerves, compromises their normal impulses, and changes function throughout the body. Nerves are responsible for four primary functions:
- Control and regulation of all vital functions including circulation, breathing, and digestion.
- Activation of muscles, allowing us to move.
- Allowing us to sense, perceive, and feel.
- Adaptation to the world outside ourselves, including learning, experiencing, and behaving.
Basically, since the nervous systems controls everything, every system and/or function can be impaired or diminished by spinal misalignment. As a result, we now understand that proper spinal mobility and alignment are an essential part of a healthy life.
Recently, it has been determined that postural imbalance that arises from prolonged sitting is more damaging to an individual’s health than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. (See “Sitting is Killing You” by Alice Park)
Our ultimate goal is to help you find relief for you neck pain while also promoting proper spinal and postural health in your everyday life. Whether that be through chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, massage, nutrition, or a combination of these components, our team at The Balanced Body Center is here to serve you!