Keep Your Head on Straight!

Rene Cailliet, M.D., director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California, has written about the importance of the relationship between our head and our cervical (neck) spine.

Alt Text

Gravity, poor posture, the weight of the head or past injury (a car accident) can cause something called the "Forward Head" syndrome. This is where your chin is out in front of your shoulders and chest, causing stress to your spinal cord and brain stem. It’s crucial that your head to sit back, centered above your shoulders.

When your head is jutting abnormally forward, it can add significant pressure to your cervical spine. Besides fatigue, it can produce other health-robbing affects:

  1. Impaired lung capacity
  2. Loss of proper bowel movement
  3. Reduced vitality
  4. Chronic pain

Postural changes reduce your ability to turn and bend and can impair the function of your nervous system. Eventually the entire body can be affected, producing the telltale hunched posture.

Chiropractic care has helped restore the proper relationship between the head and neck for countless millions of people. But it takes time! The Forward Head syndrome takes time show up and even longer to resolve.

Keep a keen eye out for people with this all too common condition and refer them to our office for a no-obligation evaluation.

Dr. Mike Asks some important questions of interest to Austin residents - Chiropractor Austin Dr. Mike Asks...

What's the difference between sick care and health care?
Sick care is largely about relieving or suppressing symptoms. Health care is about improving performance. While sick care is about how you feel, health care is about how you function. Sick care is what you do to treat an obvious problem, and health care is what you do to avoid the problem and advance your well-being.
How could chiropractic help a stomach problem?
Chiropractic works by locating and reducing areas of the spine compromising nerve communications between your brain and your body. If nerves to or from your stomach are irritated, your stomach won't work right. Chiropractors find the source of the interference, reduce it and allow your body to work as designed.