The upper neck: the most important area of the spine!
The upper neck is absolutely the MOST important area of the spine. Here at Agape Family Chiropractic, we always pay special attention to this area in each of our patients. Why is it so important? The upper neck has a huge impact on the body, both neurologically and structurally.
The upper neck is like a neurological "master power switch"
Nearly all communication between the brain and the body travels through the spinal cord. The nerves that carry information out to various destinations in the body branch off as you move from the top to the bottom the spinal cord. This means that ALL of the communication between the brain and the body occurring along the spinal cord moves through the upper neck before branching off on a spinal nerve. If there is a problem with the upper neck, it affects ALL of the communication happening downstream. It's effectively the body's master power switch!
The upper neck protects the brainstem
In addition to housing this crucial communication, the upper neck surrounds the base of the brainstem. The brainstem houses vital functions such as heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and wake and sleep cycles, as well as many others.
Misalignments at the upper neck have the potential to negatively influence these functions, which can have a big impact on the whole body. Your vital functions are foundational to your health!
When your head tilts, your whole body compensates
Structurally, a misalignment at the upper neck can cause your head to tilt. When this occurs, the body still tries to keep the eyes level with the horizon to prevent you from getting dizzy. Since the misalignment prevents the head from straightening out the tilt, the body may lean the torso over to compensate, unleveling the shoulders. This can lead to tight muscles in the lower neck and strain on the mid back.
When the torso is leaning to one side, it can also cause the hips to need to compensate by raising one hip in order to keep the feet level on the ground while standing or walking. This can contribute to low back pain as well as tight muscles down the legs. One misalignment in the upper neck can affect the whole body!
Forward head posture stresses your neck and nervous system
Time spent looking down - whether at your phone, your laptop, a book, or even holding a baby - can put a lot of stress on your neck. Luckily, stretch breaks can help break up our time spent looking down. But what if a misalignment caused your neck to be stuck that way, to a lesser degree?
We see many patients who have lost some amount of their cervical curve, meaning that their head is stuck a bit more forwards than their body would like. This contributes to significant muscle strain on the neck and shoulders, and it also feeds into a cycle that can lead to larger and/or additional misalignments in the neck.
Imagine holding a bowling ball close to your body. Now imagine holding the same bowling ball with your arms stretched out straight in front of you. It's much easier to hold a bowling ball close to your center of gravity. The same is true for your neck muscles holding onto your head!
Take care of the most important part of your spine!
There is no area of the spine more important than the upper neck! Take care of it by getting checked out by a chiropractor. Here at Agape Family Chiropractic, we do a detailed exam for new patients that involves thorough examination of the structure and neurological functioning of the upper neck.
