With specialized training, Dr. Bjorn’s approach to Upper Cervical is safe, effective and gentle. There is no popping or twisting of the neck. The Upper Cervical spine refers to the top two bones of your upper neck called the atlas and axis that sit on top of one another protecting the brainstem and allowing your head to move freely. This is the most fragile yet powerful region of the spine as these two bones house the brainstem and don’t have any discs between them unlike the rest of your spine. The integrity and alignment of the upper cervical spine is essential for optimum brainstem function and complete spinal stability. The brainstem is the master control center that controls and regulates many autonomic functions keeping you alive and doing the things you love to do. Some of these vital functions include sleep, blood pressure, breathing, heart rate, attention span, consciousness, movement, balance and posture. Every message your brain sends to your body has to pass through this intricate control center in your upper neck. If there is pressure on the brainstem from a misalignment of the atlas or axis, many of your vital functions can be jeopardized hindering your nervous system to function at its optimum potential.

Accidents, injuries and chronic stress patterns can tear, stretch and weaken the loose connective tissues that hold this fragile region of the spine together. Often the very first trauma a human experiences to the head and neck is their very own birth. Emotional, physical and chemical stress throughout life can create weakness and imbalances that allows the spine to break down over time and lock into a stressed position creating poor posture, degeneration and altered muscle tone. This guarded and less than optimal state of being is expressed in many ways. You may notice that one shoulder is higher than the other in the mirror, or your head is tilted and/or rotated to one side. Maybe you have one side of your body that is always nagging you or creating problems but the other side seems just fine. Maybe you feel disconnected and not as clear as you once were. These imbalances can often occur due to a misalignment in the upper cervical region, particularly the atlas which can create a significant amount of tension on the entire spinal cord. The atlas, which looks like a donut ring holds your “world” on your shoulders. Your head alone can weigh up to 12 lbs. Have you checked to see if your head is on straight? How does Upper Cervical Work? Dr. Bjorn will guide you through an interactive experience that will reveal to you and him whether or not Upper Cervical care is appropriate for your spine at the current state you are in. In addition to a “stress inventory”, Dr. Bjorn will look closely at your body’s ability to balance, your posture, head/neck ranges of motion and areas of greatest tension where stress likes to hide. He will also take a specialized scan of your nervous system to evaluate the patterns of stress that are unique to you and how they might be keeping your body from performing at its best.

There are many ways of adjusting the upper cervical spine, however Dr. Bjorn’s Upper Cervical care is very gentle, specific and done by hand. This process is safe for any age. There is no popping or twisting of the neck. Most people say it feels like a light pressure or vibration behind the ear. With results from your initial visit, Dr. Bjorn determines the specific vector that is unique to you for the best adjustment possible. He uses the atlas (top bone in your neck) as a lever and the weight of your head with to help your spinal system guide the atlas and your spine back into its natural state of alignment. With gravity and the inner wisdom of your body responding to the adjustment, the atlas will return to its optimal position naturally without the need to force or fix it.

This process can have a profound impact on your whole body. When you’re holding your adjustment, this state of being allows for a tremendous amount of healing benefit while your posture improves rapidly, and the nervous system is given the chance to flow in its most free state. Your brain wants to communicate with your WHOLE body, not just parts of it! By tapping into your body’s own inner wisdom for healing, you are taking responsibility for your health and the abundant possibilities that await you with a spine free from interference. This process can provide tremendous relief from a myriad of symptoms such as headaches, neck pain and vertigo to name a few. Most importantly, create lasting results for reorganization, ease and balance within your body for a new awareness of being. Upper Cervical care continues to be documented in leading research journals for profound results with many autonomic conditions including lowering high blood pressure.