Kathryn333 wrote:After receiving your advice, I googled “upper cervical chiropractors” and came up with a name. I called and spoke to him. He’s listed his specialties on his own site, but there was no mention of upper cervical treatment, even though his name came up when I googled it. When I questioned him, he told me there was no such specialty, and any trained chiropractor could give upper cervical treatment. I’ve read your postings, Dr. Flanagan, and I understand how specialized the treatment is.
Hello Kathryn,
As much as it pains me to say this the chiropractor you spoke with was not being completely honest with you. He was definitely misleading you when he said there was
"no such specialty". Even full spine chiropractors have their own specialties such as extremity adjusting (arms, legs, etc...), sports chiropractic, pediatrics.
Now while he didn't lie to you he did tell you a half truth. There are many different techniques in chiropractic separated in to 2 different categories, full spine and Upper Cervical. A full spine chiropractor will evaluate the whole spine to look for misalignment's which includes the Atlas & Axis. They will then adjust those misalignment's according to the technique or techniques they use. Some full spine chiropractors combine many different full spine techniques to suit their needs. That is not something that can necessarily be done with Upper Cervical techniques. So when he told you that
"any trained chiropractor could give an upper cervical treatment" he was technically correct because full spine techniques do work with the atlas and axis just not in the same way as an Upper Cervical Chiropractor.
By bending the truth he was attempting to make himself look good and has obviously, and shamelessly, set his website up to draw visitors there by putting upper cervical somewhere on his site. However full spine chiropractors do not follow any of the same protocols as an Upper Cervical chiropractor. The x-rays they take are not done with the same specificity as an Upper Cervical chiropractor. That specificity is what sets Upper Cervical chiropractors apart from full spine chiropractors. It is why Upper Cervical chiropractors get the results they do on a consistent basis when full spine chiropractors do not. It is also a necessary and very important part due to the way Upper Cervical x-rays are measured and analyzed which correspond to how an Upper Cervical adjustment is given.
Each Upper Cervical technique has it's own set of protocols that are strictly followed and adhered to. Everything an Upper Cervical chiropractor does is
Specific, from the x-rays to their analysis of those x-rays to the angle from which the adjustments are given, and the protocols used to determine whether or not an adjustment is needed. We take our work very seriously as it is not an easy thing to do which is why most choose not to do it.
This is not to say that full spine chiropractors do not help people because they can and do. What they are most efficient at helping people with is neck and back pain, headaches and extremity problems. But what you don't see them being able to do on a consistent basis is helping people with severe health problems like MS & Parkinson's for example. There is a use for every aspect of chiropractic if used appropriately at the right time and place.