When you think about lower back pain, it is unlikely that your first thoughts go to a misalignment of the upper spine. However, that may be the exact issue you are dealing with. How does the upper cervical spine relate to lower back pain issues such as sciatica and SI joint pain? Read on to learn more.
Your body does whatever it has to do in order to keep itself upright. That means that even the slightest misalignment (subluxation) in the neck can result in muscles straining all over the body that keep everything in proper alignment. The problem is that these muscles ultimately pull everything else out of alignment. This includes muscles not only in the neck and back but also in the arms and legs. As a result, weight becomes unevenly distributed along the spine and other parts of the body.
Don’t forget that the human head weighs 10-12 pounds. This means even a ¼ mm subluxation in the atlas (C1) vertebra can cause a large shift in how the body is aligned. This uneven weight distribution causes degeneration. Where the breakdown is the greatest, that is where the pain will occur, but it doesn’t mean that is where the problem began or needs to be corrected. Lower back pain is often just a symptom of long-standing misalignment in the neck.
By correcting misalignments in the atlas and axis vertebrae (the top two bones in the neck) stress on the spine can be reduced, and healing can begin. Such healing can reduce the amount of pain felt in the lower back and other areas that may ultimately be affected by an upper cervical misalignment.
To learn more about how upper cervical chiropractic—and the Blair Upper Cervical technique, in particular—can help ease your pain, feel free to schedule a consultation.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Perkins, call 248-780-8864 or just click the button below area
If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
Dr. Perkins grew up in Novi, Michigan and attended Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. He received his Doctorate Magna Cum Laude with a focus on Upper Cervical Chiropractic care. Chris is well known in the community for his public speaking and holds a number of professional certifications. We are proud to say that Dr. Perkins and Perkins Family Wellness has been recognized by Hour Magazine as one of the Top Chiropractors in Metro Detroit for 3 years in row.
