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.

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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. Alexander Asks some important questions of interest to Livermore residents - Chiropractor Livermore Dr. Alexander Asks...

Can someone who has had back surgery receive chiropractic care?
Yes. Rest assured that we will avoid the surgically modified areas of your spine. However, what we find is that surgical interventions will often produce spinal instability above or below the involved level. This is will be the focus of your chiropractic care.
Where do most Livermore residents get their first vertebral subluxation?
Being born in a hospital is a common source of vertebral subluxation. Trauma from forceps delivery has been replaced with drugs, vacuum extraction, Cesarean section and births that are "scheduled" to fit the workweek routines of Ob-Gyns. That's why we recommend a chiropractic checkup for every Livermore newborn.