WELLNESS: Could a Misaligned Atlas Be Causing Your Health Problems
| Monday, November 04, 2013, 2:00 pm | (269 views)
By Dr. Hartman Andersen, DC
Atlas, according to Greek mythology, was the character that was tasked (or forced) by Zeus to carry the sphere of the heavens on his shoulders. He performed this to prevent the heavens and the earth from combining into one.
We all have a little bone at the top of the neck, known as an “atlas,” that performs a similar duty in carrying our heads and allowing the head to turn from side to side. This bone is situated right at the base of the skull where the brainstem continues on to become the spinal cord, where all the nerves leave the brain and go to the rest of the body. Having an injury or misalignment in this area can throw off the brain’s signals to the body and wreak havoc in some surprising ways.
Incidents like slips and falls, motor vehicle accidents (even minor fender-benders), sports injuries and even birth trauma can tear loose the connective tissues that hold the spine together – especially in the upper cervical area at the top of the neck. The resulting damage, if not corrected, can affect the structural and neurological function of the entire body.
Structurally, the body is affected because it is brought out of balance. It still functions to the best of its ability, but a stress is always there. The body compensates for the misalignment by tilting the head to one side and causing tight muscles down one side of the spine, into the shoulder and all the way to the low back and hips. While standing, you will notice one hip is higher than another. While lying down, you’ll notice that one leg is shorter than another. More weight is placed onto one of the legs due to this imbalance, and other areas of the spine get locked and stop moving as well as they should. This causes wear and tear and degeneration in the spine and in the other joints of the body – even in the hips and knees. Common problems that follow are arthritis, neck and back pain, sciatica, low back pain, headaches, scoliosis, hip and knee pain, etc.
But the problems don’t end there. Upper neck misalignment causes neurological imbalances, as well, such as impaired immunity, migraine headaches, dizziness, high blood pressure, digestive complaints, etc. Having the atlas restored to its proper position can do wonders for people who have suffered with such problems for years or even their entire lives.
An upper cervical procedure to realign the atlas is simple, painless and amazingly gentle as it rebalances the body from the top down. Upper cervical adjustment involves no snapping or cracking of the neck. To perform an adjustment, an upper cervical chiropractor specialist takes precise films of the head and neck to see exactly how it is misaligned, and then very gently the atlas at the top of the neck is brought into alignment with barely any pressure felt by the patient. In fact, upper cervical adjustment is so gentle that patients can scarcely tell they are being adjusted or receiving a “correction.” But though it’s gentle, this adjustment can bring mighty relief for a host of structural and neurological problems in the body.
Something very small can indeed affect the body in big ways. If we can get the “head on straight,” we can balance out many things in the body, both structurally and neurologically. So when it comes to your health, don’t neglect your atlas!
Dr. Hartman Andersen practices at Life Balance Clinic, 640 E. 700 South, Ste. 203 in St. George. For more information, call (435) 688-1890.
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