The Weight of the World

The first seven vertebrae of your spinal column make up what is known as your cervical spine. It begins at the top of your spine and ends where the middle 12 vertebrae of your spine, known as the thoracic spine, begin at your shoulders.

Headaches cost billions each year and the pain and suffering that accompany them is overwhelming. There are alternatives to drugs…

The top two vertebrae of the cervical spine (known as C1 and C2) are unique from all the others because they are designed primarily for rotation. The first vertebra, know as the atlas (C1) is located between the skull and the axis (C2). The atlas was named for a mythical god who held the “weight of the world” on his shoulders. That's because the atlas actually supports the weight of the head. The atlas sits on top of the axis and is linked to it by special ligaments that allow rotation between them.

This is such a vital part of the spine, some chiropractors focus almost entirely on the atlas and axis. Proper alignment of these two vertebrae can affect the way your entire body functions and any type of misalignment can exert pressure on the brain stem, causing your entire body to malfunction. This sets up a compromise that can affect every organ, every system, and eventually every cell in your body, allowing a greater possibility for you to develop disease.

Chiropractic adjustments to the upper cervical spine help correct misalignments and restore proper alignment of the atlas and axis so they function as they were designed, allowing the rest of your body to function as it should as well.

Dr. Hau Asks some important questions of interest to Vancouver residents - Chiropractor Vancouver Dr. Hau Asks...

How come medical doctors don't recommend chiropractic?
That's changing. Years of prejudice and bias are giving way to research showing the benefits of chiropractic care. As more and more Vancouver folks seek alternatives to drugs and surgery, more and more medical practitioners are referring their patients to chiropractors.
What controls every cell, tissue and organ of your body?
DNA? Wrong. Immune system? Wrong? Hormones? Wrong. It's your nervous system, consisting of your brain, spinal cord and all the nerves of your body. When a chiropractor sees a Vancouver patient with say, stomach problems, we want to know why the brain is unable to properly control and regulate the stomach. Which prompts us to examine the nervous system—the focus of chiropractic care.