C2

When holding an infant, we know to support their head since they can’t yet do this themselves. That support is one of the primary functions of the C2 vertebrae, to keep your head flexible and able to move properly.  This vertebrae and the C1 have an atlas and axis relationship which helps you move your head comfortably while supporting it at the same time.

The C2 and C1 sections of your spine are more in control of your movement than any other joints in your spine; not only do they direct your breathing but the C2 can easily be described as the boss of your head and neck.  With these joints at the top of the spinal column, an injury here has the potential to be catastrophic if not treated and taken care of with utmost diligence.  Those injuries can run the gamut from losing impulses to other parts of your body under that joint and worse, death or becoming a quadriplegic or paraplegic.

Less severe but still requiring regular treatment are misalignments that can mean inflicting damage neurologically, such as severe headaches, atrophy of the muscles, partially blocked head and neck movement, incontinence, difficulty breathing without the help of specialized breathing treatments, and partial or full loss of the ability to speak. While there are medications designed to provide relief, regular chiropractic care can help you avoid not only taking medicine for the pain but can lead you to avoid much or all of the pain!

An everyday example to help understand this is to visualize when we are moving to a new home; there’s a great deal of reaching, bending, packing, carrying, and lifting.  How many of us on moving days take a stretch break or stand still to rotate our head around a few times to get some relief from the stress moving causes to our back, neck, and head?

Those pinched nerves are no joke! It can go from your shoulder area, down your arms leading to pain, weakness, tingling, and headaches.  Just like you may take a different route to work because the map says there’s a traffic tie-up so you can avoid a delay, regular chiropractic care does the same.