Whiplash: How the Blair Chiropractic Technique Helps Treat This Condition

What is Whiplash?

Whiplash is a common injury experienced by people during a car accident. Broadly speaking, any injury where the head is whipped forwards and then back again with rapid speed can result in whiplash. 

In the weeks following an injury, whiplash can result in extreme discomfort in the neck and shoulders but usually resolves itself within a short period. However, in some cases, the signs and symptoms of whiplash can be felt long after the incident, potentially indicating that something else may be awry. 

Signs and Symptoms of Whiplash

The symptoms of whiplash will depend on the severity of the impact event. The most common symptoms include neck pain, shooting pains in the shoulder or upper back, headaches, stiffness in the neck or shoulders, and difficulty moving the neck through its full range of motion. 

In more serious or long-term cases of whiplash, patients may begin to feel dizzy and experience tinnitus, speech impediments, blurred vision, fatigue, and difficulty chewing. 

How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects Whiplash

The upper cervical spine is directly impacted by whiplash incidents due to the sudden force exerted on the area during an accident. Specifically, the rapid ‘whipping’ of the head carriage back and forth can misalign one or more vertebrae in the upper cervical spine, causing tears and inflammation in the surrounding ligaments, nerves, and musculature.  

Left untreated, these injuries can lead to long-neck pain, stiffness, and headaches, prolonging whiplash symptoms and disrupting the body’s natural healing process.  

How Our Upper Cervical Treatment for Whiplash Works

Our in-house specialist, Dr. Gordon Elder, is an expert practitioner of the Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique. The Blair Upper Cervical Technique is a unique, low-force chiropractic technique for gently correcting and realigning vertebral misalignments in the upper cervical spine. 

Dr. Elder’s first step in treating whiplash is a brief physical examination of your spine to determine if you’re suffering from a misalignment in the upper cervical spine. If a misalignment is detected, Dr. Elder will use several advanced diagnostic tools, including modern 3-D imaging technologies, to pinpoint the exact location of the misalignment. Afterward, you’ll be able to look over your scans and ask Dr. Elder any questions about your spinal health. 

Next, Dr. Elder will employ a series of precise, non-invasive adjustment techniques to realign any misaligned vertebrae to their natural position, thereby allowing the

body’s natural healing mechanisms to restore and maintain proper function in the spinal column and surrounding musculature. 

Following the initial adjustment, patients will return for regular, gradually spaced-out

check-ups to ensure their adjustment has stayed in place for 3 months. These check-ups generally span between 10 and 15 appointments in a 3-5-month window. 

If whiplash is hindering your ability to participate in everyday life, get in touch today to speak with Dr. Elder about healing your upper cervical spine. Located in Lubbock, Texas, Blair Chiropractic Clinic also services Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, El Paso in Texas, and Hobbs in New Mexico.

Published by Vic Belonogoff: A Blair Chiropractic doctor helped heal vertigo, among other conditions that Vic Belonogoff suffered from, and it gave him his life back. He continues to see an upper cervical chiropractor as a preventative measure. Vic Belonogoff is passionate about upper cervical chiropractic and how much it helps patients.

An Alternative and Natural Treatment for Post-Concussion Syndrome

What is Post-Concussion Syndrome?

Post-concussion syndrome is a condition characterized by the long-term persistence of concussion symptoms following a concussion event. Unsurprisingly, post-concussion syndrome is most common amongst people recovering from car accidents, sports injuries, or other physical impact trauma events.  

Signs and Symptoms of Post-Concussion Syndrome 

Typical signs and symptoms of post-concussion syndrome include cognitive defects, recurrent headaches, fatigue, dizziness, blurry vision, insomnia, confusion, and concentration difficulties. 

How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects This Condition

The upper cervical spine is a series of stacked vertebrae that connect the spinal column to the base of the skull. During a concussion event, a sharp impact to the head or neck can push one or more vertebrae in the upper cervical spine out of alignment. 

Due to the upper cervical spine’s proximity to the brainstem (the connecting link between the brain and the spinal cord), a misalignment in the upper cervical vertebrae can disrupt the flow of nerves between the spinal cord to the brain. Left untreated, this kind of disruption to regular brain or nerve function can result in the presentation of post-concussion symptoms. 

How Our Upper Cervical Treatment Works

Dr. Gordon Elder is a trained practitioner of the Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique. This technique focuses on identifying and targeting spinal misalignments to restore function to the spinal column, re-engage the body’s natural healing mechanisms, and treat the root cause of persistent concussion symptoms. 

When treating post-concussion syndrome, Dr. Elder uses advanced diagnostic techniques, such as 3-D imaging, to determine whether you’re suffering from a spinal misalignment. Following your initial round of examination appointments, you’ll be given a brief report outlining Dr. Elder’s findings and an explanation of the best course of action.

To correct your vertebral misalignment, Dr. Elder will perform a series of gentle, non-invasive adjustments (based on the results of your diagnostic imaging) to restore the upper cervical spine to its natural position. These adjustments are quick, precise, and gentle, so you won’t experience any painful cracking, twisting, or popping. 

Following the initial adjustment, patients will return for regular, gradually spaced-out check-ups to ensure their adjustment has stayed in place for 3 months. Over the course of 3-5 months, most patients average between 10 to 15 appointments with Dr. Elder.   

If your post-concussion syndrome is preventing you from enjoying your life, get in touch and speak with Dr. Elder about your upper cervical spine. Located in Lubbock, Texas, Dr. Elder also services Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, El Paso in Texas, and Hobbs in New Mexico. 

Published by Vic Belonogoff: A Blair Chiropractic doctor helped heal vertigo, among other conditions that Vic Belonogoff suffered from, and it gave him his life back. He continues to see an upper cervical chiropractor as a preventative measure. Vic Belonogoff is passionate about upper cervical chiropractic and how much it helps patients.

How Upper Cervical Chiropractic Can Help Treat Trigeminal Neuralgia

What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic facial disorder that causes episodes of intense pain across the face and neck. Often described as a shock-like sensation, the pain typically begins near the ear and moves across the eyes, cheeks, and jaw. 

Trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered by multiple factors, including facial trauma, certain foods, or even weather changes. For some people, even routine actions like using a toothbrush can trigger an episode.

Signs and Symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia

The most common symptom of trigeminal neuralgia is the previously described shock-like sensation across the face and neck. This jabbing pain can be so severe that people suffering from the condition cannot sleep. Although most episodes only last for a few seconds, severe bouts can last for several minutes at a time. 

Other symptoms include numbness and tingling in the face, insomnia, and local tension in the cheek, jaw, lips, eyes, and gums. 

How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects Trigeminal Neuralgia

The upper cervical spine is the topmost segment of the spinal column, comprising seven stacked vertebrae that support the base of the skull and protect the spinal cord. 

Trigeminal neuralgia is caused by overstimulation or irritation of the trigeminal nerve, a large cranial nerve that supplies facial sensation across the cheeks, forehead, and lower jaw. The branches of the trigeminal nerve connect to the brainstem, the section of the brain linked to the spinal cord.  

Because of the upper cervical spine’s proximity to the brainstem, a vertebral misalignment in this section of the spinal column can compress the trigeminal nerve as it meets the brainstem. This can lead to the misfiring of the trigeminal nerve, causing the onset of trigeminal neuralgia. 

How Our Upper Cervical Treatment Works 

Our treatment program for trigeminal neuralgia focuses on addressing the root cause of the issue, not just the symptoms. To do so, our clinic specializes in the use of the Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique, a chiropractic method that aims to precisely target and gently correct misalignments in the upper cervical spine. 

Our expert chiropractor, Dr. Gordon Elder, is a veteran practitioner of the Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique. Your first appointment with Dr. Elder will typically involve a brief (25 to 30 minute) examination to determine if your trigeminal neuralgia is linked to a misalignment in the upper cervical spine. 

If a misalignment is detected, Dr. Elder will use a series of diagnostic tools, including advanced 3-D imaging, to target the precise location of the spinal misalignment. You’ll be able to review our findings in a brief report and approach Dr. Elder with any questions you might have. 

Finally, Dr. Elder will use precise, non-invasive corrections to restore the vertebrae of your upper cervical spine to their natural position. By realigning the upper cervical spine, Dr. Elder is not only removing a painful source of pressure on your trigeminal nerve, he’s effectively rebooting your body's natural healing mechanisms.

Following the initial adjustment, patients will return for regular, gradually spaced-out check-ups to ensure their adjustment has stayed in place for 3 months. Over the course of 3-5 months, most patients average between 10 and 15 appointments with Dr. Elder.  

If you’re suffering from trigeminal neuralgia, we can help! Located in Lubbock, Texas, Blair Chiropractic Clinic also services Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, El Paso in Texas, and Hobbs in New Mexico. 

Published by Vic Belonogoff: A Blair Chiropractic doctor helped heal vertigo, among other conditions that Vic Belonogoff suffered from, and it gave him his life back. He continues to see an upper cervical chiropractor as a preventative measure. Vic Belonogoff is passionate about upper cervical chiropractic and how much it helps patients.

Vertigo: An Alternative Treatment Method for This Condition

What is Vertigo?

Vertigo is a sensation of dizziness and instability that occurs without movement. While it’s normal to experience occasional bouts of dizziness, people suffering from vertigo typically report more severe and/or more frequent episodes, often leading to coordination issues, disorientation, and difficulty completing everyday tasks.

Signs and Symptoms of Vertigo

The primary symptom associated with vertigo is a feeling of dizziness or a sense that your surroundings are spinning when you’re stationary. Other frequently cited symptoms of vertigo include tinnitus, headaches, and nausea. 

How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects Vertigo

The most common cause of vertigo is dysfunction in the inner ear. In addition to its role in processing auditory signals, the inner ear is also responsible for maintaining the vestibular system, which is responsible for maintaining the body's balance and spatial orientation. 

A number of factors can lead to dysfunction in the inner ear. Vertebral misalignment in the upper cervical spine is one such factor. When one or more vertebrae in the upper cervical spine are out of alignment, the ensuing inflammation can cause soft tissue swelling and inflammation throughout the inner ear. Over time, this can lead to fluid build-up in the inner ear and eustachian tubes, disrupting nerve flow from the vestibular system and eventually triggering the onset of vertigo.

How Our Upper Cervical Treatment for Vertigo Works

Our in-house chiropractor, Dr. Gordon Elder, is an expert practitioner of the Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique. This method of chiropractic care leverages diagnostic imaging to gently re-align the upper cervical spine, restoring natural function to the spinal column and re-activating the body’s natural healing mechanisms. 

When treating vertigo, Dr. Elder employs a two-step approach to identifying and healing the condition. First, patients undergo a screening process that will determine whether a spinal misalignment may be causing their vertigo. Initial screening appointments generally last around 25–30-minutes. 

If a misalignment is detected, your initial consultation will be followed by another appointment whereupon Dr. Elder will use advanced 3-D imaging tools to pinpoint the exact angle and location of your vertebral misalignment. Afterwards, you’ll receive a full report on the results of your consultation, and you’ll have an opportunity to ask Dr. Elder any questions about your treatment options. 

To correct your misalignment, Dr. Elder will use a series of gentle, precise adjustment techniques to restore the misaligned vertebrae to their natural position, thereby reducing surrounding inflammation and encouraging normal nerve flow.

Following the initial adjustment, patients will return for regular, gradually spaced-out check-ups to ensure their adjustment has stayed in place for 3 months. Over the course of 3-5 months, most patients average between 10 and 15 appointments with Dr. Elder.  

If vertigo is preventing you from living a fulfilling life, get in touch today to speak with Dr. Elder about healing your upper cervical spine. Located in Lubbock, Texas, Blair Chiropractic Clinic also services Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, El Paso in Texas, and Hobbs in New Mexico.

Published by Vic Belonogoff: A Blair Chiropractic doctor helped heal vertigo, among other conditions that Vic Belonogoff suffered from, and it gave him his life back. He continues to see an upper cervical chiropractor as a preventative measure. Vic Belonogoff is passionate about upper cervical chiropractic and how much it helps patients.

How The Blair Chiropractic Technique Helps Treat Neck Pain

What is Neck Pain?

Neck pain is an umbrella term for a collection of related symptoms that can be caused by a variety of conditions. It is typically characterized by pain in the neck, shoulders, and back that radiates into the head and down the arms. 

Neck pain is one of the most common causes of discomfort in the United States, with 60-80% of adults experiencing the condition at some point in their lives. 

Signs and Symptoms of Neck Pain

Unsurprisingly, the most common symptom of neck pain is pain, stiffness, discomfort, or tenderness in the neck. Depending on the underlying cause, these symptoms may be present at all times or only when the neck is in a particular position. 

Long-term neck pain is often accompanied by a wide range of secondary symptoms, including headaches, insomnia, trouble concentrating, numbness or tingling, and dizziness.

How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects Neck Pain

The upper cervical spine is a group of seven vertebrae that support and sit below the base of the skull. Because of their position in the spinal column, the upper cervical vertebrae play a key role in stabilizing and supporting the muscles, ligaments, and nerves of the neck and shoulders. As a result, proper alignment of the upper cervical spine is essential for maintaining strength, flexibility, and range of motion in the neck, shoulders, and back.

When there is a misalignment in one or more vertebrae in the upper cervical spine, it can trigger a cascade of musculoskeletal problems, including pinched nerves, strained muscles, and poor posture. Without treating the root cause, these problems can eventually manifest as episodic or sustained neck pain. 

How Our Upper Cervical Treatment for Neck Pain Works 

Our treatment for neck pain is focused on identifying and targeting the underlying source of the condition using the Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique. By employing advanced diagnostic tools, Blair practitioners are able to restore misaligned upper cervical vertebrae to their natural position, alleviating neck pain symptoms and allowing the body's natural healing mechanisms to resume. 

At Blair Chiropractic Clinic, our expert Blair chiropractor, Dr. Gordon Elder, has a two-step approach for treating neck pain. During your first appointment, Dr. Elder will perform a brief assessment of your spinal health to determine whether you are suffering from a vertebral misalignment in the upper cervical spine. Typically lasting 25-30 minutes, this assessment will enable Dr. Elder to give you recommendations on the best course of action for further treatment.

If a misalignment is detected, Dr. Elder will proceed to the second step of your treatment plan. To locate the precise location of the misalignment, Dr. Elder will use a range of 3-D imaging tools to scan the upper cervical spine and pinpoint the vertebral misalignment. You'll have an opportunity to review the findings of this process and ask Dr. Elder any questions you may have. 

Finally, Dr. Elder will perform a series of gentle, low-force corrections to the primary area of concern. The goal of this step is to restore the natural alignment of the upper cervical spine, removing a painful source of pressure on the neck and kick-starting the body's natural healing processes.

Following the initial adjustment, patients will return for regular, gradually spaced-out check-ups to ensure their adjustment has stayed in place for 3 months. Over the course of 3-5 months, most patients average between 10 and 15 appointments with Dr. Elder.  

If you’re suffering from neck pain, don’t suffer in silence. Located in Lubbock, Texas, Blair Chiropractic Clinic also services Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, El Paso in Texas, and Hobbs in New Mexico. 

Published by Vic Belonogoff: A Blair Chiropractic doctor helped heal vertigo, among other conditions that Vic Belonogoff suffered from, and it gave him his life back. He continues to see an upper cervical chiropractor as a preventative measure. Vic Belonogoff is passionate about upper cervical chiropractic and how much it helps patients.

Numbness and Tingling in the Hands and Feet: A Natural Treatment Method

What is Numbness & Tingling in the Hands and Feet?

A feeling of numbness and/or tingling in the hands and feet is a very general symptom and thus, could be an indicator of any number of conditions. While this symptom is not life-threatening on its own, it can be a source of irritation and stress when attempting to go about your daily activities. While diabetes is often cited as one of the primary causes of tingling or numb hands and feet, upper cervical spinal issues are a less considered, yet common, cause of this condition. 

Signs & Symptoms

Broadly speaking, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet will feel like a prickling sensation that is accompanied by periods of complete loss of sensation in certain areas. The tingling you feel is not unlike what you might experience if you get pins and needles. However, if this condition is caused by nerve or neurological issues, it may feel more severe.

How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects This Condition

The central nervous system (CNS) acts as the body’s processing center, sending messages throughout the body in response to both internal and external stimuli. The CNS is located in the spinal cord and brain, making it particularly sensitive to any changes in the alignment of the vertebrae in this region. For instance, persistent vertebral misalignments can often induce inflammation around the spinal cord and brainstem, placing pressure on the CNS. Left untreated, this buildup of pressure can result in a cascade of signal interruptions and other neurological side effects, including numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. 

How Our Treatment Works 

Dr. Gordon Elder is a chiropractor who is a trained practitioner of the Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique. This technique specifically focuses on identifying and targeting spinal misalignments to restore function to the spinal column, re-engage the body’s natural healing mechanisms, and treat the root cause of numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. 

When treating numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, Dr. Elder utilizes advanced diagnostic techniques, such as 3-D imaging, in order to determine whether you are suffering from a spinal misalignment. You will be provided with a brief report outlining Dr. Elder’s findings and an explanation of the best course of action following your initial appointments. 

Then, Dr. Elder will perform a series of gentle, non-invasive adjustments in order to restore the upper cervical spine to its natural position. These adjustments are gentle, quick, and precise, so you will not experience any painful twisting, popping, or cracking.  

After the first adjustment, patients will return to see Dr. Elder for regular, slightly spaced-out check-ups to make sure that the adjustment has stayed in place for three months. Over the course of three to five months, patients average between ten to fifteen appointments with Dr. Elder.   

If the numbness and tingling in your hands and feet are precluding you from living a full life, please schedule an appointment to see Dr. Elder about your upper cervical spine. Dr. Elder’s office is located in Lubbock, Texas, though he also services El Paso, Odessa, Amarillo, Midland, and Abilene, in Texas, as well as Hobbs in New Mexico. 

Published by Vic Belonogoff: A Blair Chiropractic doctor helped heal vertigo, among other conditions that Vic Belonogoff suffered from, and it gave him his life back. He continues to see an upper cervical chiropractor as a preventative measure. Vic Belonogoff is passionate about upper cervical chiropractic and how much it helps patients.

Heart Palpitations

Dr. Gordon Elder , Director of the Blair Chiropractic Clinic in Lubbock, TX discusses his experience with helping people with rapid heartbeat.

I know from experience the neck can affect the heart.

I had a patient come in several years ago in January. Over the Christmas vacation, she had been to the emergency room a couple times for rapid heart beat. In fact, it was so rapid, the doctors thought it was impossible and tested it a few times because they couldn’t believe how fast her heart was beating.

She told me that her heart had actually been beating faster before she went to the emergency room and they measured it. She said her whole shirt was vibrating.

The typical intervention for this in a severe case was to go in and burn out some of the nerves in the heart. Now in my opinion, we probably need most of the parts that we have in our body. Occasionally something needs to be removed and medicine is great at doing that. But sometimes parts are removed when something else maybe was the problem.

I asked her to not get the surgery right away (a little risky on my part, right, we are dealing with the heart) and I found a problem and said that I thought it could be relevant. I ran my hand down her back and right in the top part of her back there was one bone that when I touched it, she almost screamed. It’s one of the bones where nerves actually come out and go to the heart and then back up. Now the heart gets its innervation from a couple different places, not just the spine. When that bone was that tender, I thought, okay this is probably a mechanical problem, not an organic one that needs to be dealt with with surgery.

I said, “Don’t do the surgery yet, give me a little while, I am going to adjust your neck and see what happens.” I adjusted her neck, the hot spot in her upper back went away, and her heart calmed down. Every once in a while it would come back and we’d check and sure enough, she was out of alignment again. So I know from experience- and I’ve had other patients after that (not as dramatic)- that the neck can affect the heart.

Sleeping disorders

If you are not sleeping like a baby, there may be a reason why that can be corrected

My wife:

When I first met her and we got married, slept maybe 2 hours a night.  She was always exhausted. She was very sick. She had lots of issues. When she got her first upper cervical adjustment I wasn’t a Doctor at the time. She slept for 16 hours that night. Over the years since I became a Chiropractor, I have seen several patients. One of the most common reactions after the first adjustment is: 

”I slept so well last night”. 

That’s not true for everybody and is not true all the time, but definitely, your sleep rhythms are affected by your nervous system.  What’s happening when you are sleeping is your body is kind of resetting and processing things that happen during the day. If you have a neurological problem, it can definitely be interrupting that.

Not to mention that if you have back pain, and the back pain goes away, you are probably going to sleep better.

Sciatica & Upper Cervical Chiropractic

In this video Dr. Elder talks about what sciatic pain is and isn’t. He then discusses different treatment options and why it makes sense to try less invasive methods first.

A lot of people who get pain in the leg are told, or think that it is sciatica. The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that runs down the back of the leg. When it comes out from the spine, it comes from from several different parts and they merge and come apart and merge again. Then there are nerves about the size of the thumb that are running down through your buttocks down the side of the leg like a line. If you have a pain that is broad (about the size of your hand) running down the back of your leg, that is not sciatica; it can be a pinched nerve of some kind, but not sciatica. 

If it is like a line of fire going down your leg and it is really bad, and goes down the back of your leg and the bottom of your leg, down to the heel and then shoot out the toe, that is what sciatica feels like (or so I’ve been told). 

That nerve can be pinched in a couple of different places. It can be pinched because of a muscle that is too tight in the buttocks, it can be where the nerves come out from the spine because the spinal pieces are not lined up properly or somehow smashing and swelling and causing problems on the roots of the nerves themselves. 

What I’ve noticed is probably about fifty-percent of my practice is made up of people with low back pain and a high percentage of those have sciatica.

When I adjust their neck, the sciatica goes away.

Now, there have been a few where it has not gone away, but we send them to another chiropractor or therapist to help get the last percentage away. It will go down a little bit with me, their moving better, their other symptoms go away, but the problem is so progressed that they need more than just closing the barn door so to speak. So we send them to someone else, they get the rest of it, and it gets fixed. 

In some cases, people do need low back surgery, but please do not rush to that. There is a diagnosis code on the books for failed low-back surgery syndrome because it happens so often. So that should not be the first choice. First choice, look at your posture, look at your nervous system, and get those fixed.  If you get to the point where you have to go around in a wheelchair, then you might think about surgery.

How Does Upper Cervical Chiropractic Work [Video]

Dr Gordon D. Elder of The Blair Chiropractic Clinic, Lubbock Texas explains how Upper Cervical Chiropractic works and how it’s different from other forms of chiropractic.

The brain controls everything in your body.

If you think about it it controls your heart rate, your blood pressure, your immune system, your hormones, and obviously when you want to make a movement of some kind. The most important part of the central nervous system is the brain. It’s protected pretty well by the skull, but then all the nerves have to go down through the neck. So if you injure the neck then it will cause pressure on some certain nerves. Depending on what nerves are affected will depend on how it affects your health. One of the ways that the body accommodates to that though is to change your posture. So if you’ve got a problem in your neck you may start getting bad posture. You might not even realize that it’s affecting your health until you get some back pain because of the bad posture. 

The neck is the weakest part of the spine 

If we can find and fix that correctly, then a lot of times a body will straighten up. Not only will it take off pressure that is going to of nerves that are going to your stomach or to your heart, but then it allows the body to go back to normal and take care of symptoms that way.

Visit us at

Blair Chiropractic Clinic

1802 East 50th Street , Ste 112
Lubbock, Texas 79404
United States (US)

Phone: (806) 747-2735

Tuesday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM - 6:000 PM
Friday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Digestion and Upper Cervical Chiropractic [Video]

Dr Gordon D. Elder of The Blair Chiropractic Clinic, Lubbock Texas explains how Upper Cervical Chiropractic can have an effect on  digestion problems.

Oftentimes people come in as patients and they have digestion issues.

They don’t come to me for that usually, they’ll come for the headaches or the neck pain or the back pain and maybe even mention several weeks later. They can see this help digestion because things seem to be working a little bit better. There’s an obvious connection your since your digestion is run by your nervous system ultimately. So if there’s a problem in the nervous system it can affect the digestive system. Sometimes it may first affect the hormones which affect the digestion or the immune system which also affects the digestion. There may be other issues involved as well but I’ve had many patients that can tell sometimes when the bone goes back out of alignment because the digestion starts to be a little more troubled again.

Posted in Conditions and tagged Blair Chiropractic Clinic, Chiropractic, Chiropractor, digestion, digestive problems, Lubbock Texas, UCC, Upper Cervical Chiropractic

High Blood Pressure and Upper Cervical Chiropractic [Video]

In this video, Dr Gordon D. Elder of The Blair Chiropractic Clinic in Lubbock Texas explains how Upper Cervical Chiropractic can improve high blood pressure.

There was an interesting study done in Canada it was a pilot study which means they need to do it more with more people but it was using upper cervical chiropractic and people with hypertension. What they found was that there was a significant reduction in hypertension in those patients who received a specific  and precise upper cervical adjustment.

Posted in Conditions and tagged Blair Chiropractic Clinic, Chiropractic, Chiropractor, high blood pressure, hypertension, Lubbock Texas, UCC, Upper Cervical Chiropractic

Migraines, Tension, Headaches, and Upper Cervical Chiropractic [Video]

In this video, Dr Gordon D. Elder of The Blair Chiropractic Clinic in Lubbock Texas explains how Upper Cervical Chiropractic can improve migraines, tension, and headaches.

Headaches are interesting.

There’s so many different causes. A lot of them actually come back to the neck when you read the research migraine headachestends to be a circulation problem inside the skull.  I believe the latest research says that it’s in the the covering around the brain that there is some issues with the circulation there. My mother started upper cervical chiropractic as a

patient because of 24-hour seven-day-a-week migraines. I mean the worst I’ve ever heard of before. Obviously then I was a child before I was a doctor. It greatly helped her so a strong part of my practice has been people coming in with migraine headaches and them getting relief from that. There is a big obvious connection to the neck. The same thing with the tension headaches. It’s muscle tension and when the neck is out of alignment the muscles are imbalanced. As they get more tense from stress, whether it be a physical stress or a mental stress, the muscles in the neck tighten up and as they tighten up then they can affect the muscles that are going up and around the skull or at the base of the skull. This can very easily cause headaches.

Cluster headaches are severe.

I think when they’re very severe they’re the people who almost want to commit suicide. I’ve had a few patients and it’s not a very common thing that I’ve seen, but the few patients that have come into my office with cluster headaches have also improved.  In fact every time they got a cluster headache they knew that they needed another adjustment. They were out of alignment and they would come in and most the time they were correct. I needed to adjust them when their headache would go away fairly quickly.

Posted in Conditions and tagged Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, Chiropractor, Cluster headaches, headaches, Lubbock Texas, migraines, tension, Upper Cervical Chiropractic

Dizziness, Ear Ringing and Upper Cervical Chiropractic [Video]

In this video Dr Gordon D. Elder of The Blair Chiropractic Clinic in Lubbock Texas explains how Upper Cervical Chiropractic can be used for dizziness and ear ringing.

The interesting thing about hearing and the ears is that in 1895 modern chiropractic started out because a deaf guy got his hearing back when his back was adjusted. So from the beginning of modern chiropractic there has been an obvious connection between the ears and the spine. Of course it makes sense as nervous system is controls everything in the body and the spine is what protects the nervous system as it comes out from the bottom of the skull. There are actually nerves that come from the middle of your back and go up into your ears. Whether for hearing or for balance they help control a lot.

So what happens is that when those nerves get pinched it can cause things like dizziness or it can cause ringing in the ears. I think in the last 17 years I’ve had one person with ringing in the ears where it didn’t improve from blair upper cervical chiropractic treatment. The rest of the people who came in with ringing in the ears again, usually they came in for headaches or neck pain or back pain but also had ringing in the ears. I don’t remember any other case that did not get well once I adjusted them.

The same goes for dizziness. I’ve had people who actually come to me for dizziness, and although it often is not an on/off switch, once we correct the neck and the body starts rebalancing that dizziness becomes less and less and less. Sometimes it can take a couple of days.

Sometimes a couple weeks, sometimes even a few years, but if we can fix it and we can fix it in a natural way then how is that not worth it?

Posted in Chiropractic and tagged Blair Chiropractic Clinic, blair upper cervical, dizziness, ear ringing, Lubbock, South Plains, Texas

My big pain in the neck

Warning: This is long, and yet this is my story extremely abbreviated.

If you have pain anywhere in your body and you don’t know what to do, you may relate, and it may be worth reading until the very end.

When I was 6 years old, I remember crying because the bottom of my back hurt so bad I had to stop what I was doing. Today I am 46. I can still remember the sharp pains where my hips attached to the spine radiating out from the middle.

In elementary school,

I almost always missed most of December and all the fun Christmas preparations and parties. Why? Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Sinus infections, high fevers, you name it. When other people got a cold, I would come down with severe, stubborn infections. I remember spending days and nights in my parents’ bed. My mom didn’t want me to be left unattended due to the high fevers.

In 4th grade, we had music right after lunch. Every week half way through class my head would start to pound so horrendously that I could not hold the tears back. I would be sent home.

February 5th grade: The left side of my upper back (all around my shoulder blade) locked up and swelled up. It felt like a knife stabbing me at every breath. Any movement was unbearable. Three weeks of school was lost while I mostly laid flat on my back between doctor’s appointments. My most vivid memory from this period wasgetting a shot directly into the center of the worst muscle spasm. The tears flew uncontrollably out of my eyes. This was done with the intention of pain relief, but the traumatic experience changed nothing. It seemed like this episode connected my headaches to my lower back pain. Everything between my face, forehead, across the top of my head, the back of my head, neck, shoulder blades and into my lower spine never stopped from that day.

People say they get headaches or backpain.

Not me. I had a headache. An 18-year headache.

It would vary in intensity but never go away. The best it ever got was always annoying and exhausting. At worst I could not get out of bed or sit or be in the light. I could not finish speaking sentences because of the intense pain. During this time and onward I would have recurring nightmares at night that there was a tumor inside my upper spine that was killing me. During the day I just felt like there was pressure on the nerves in my upper neck. Whenever I would express this to doctors they would just say “that can’t happen.”

I could continue sharing these vivid memories and all the details. For weeks my neck locked up so I could not turn my head at all. You could not see where my neck stopped and shoulders started because it was so inflamed. For a couple of years I could not hold a pen or sign my name with my dominant hand due to severe tennis elbow. (If only I could have played tennis.) I could describe in detail the discouragement during the six months I could not taste any of my food.  It was a sinus infection that the doctors and antibiotics were not able to tame. Or all the terrible memories of 10 months straight with severe hives. Swollen itchy bumps covered my body from the bottoms of my feet to the inside of my mouth and even my eyelids. On several occasions, I had to go to the emergency room. I carried medication in my purse in case the swelling would be in a place that would keep me from breathing.

Do I need to say I was desperate? Depressed?

My parents, myself and later my husband all were trying everything.

I have been through tests, specialists and treatment methods both traditional and alternative. I even went to a Chiropractor and decided never to do that again as I had never been worse than right after my chiropractic manipulation.

After all those years of trying everything, it would be easy to give up.
I am glad I didn’t give up.

At age 22 I moved with my husband from Norway to California. My husband had been seeing Dr. Muncy, a Blair upper cervical chiropractor since he was 10 years old. He wanted me to see him and thought he could probably help me.
He knew about my terrible previous experience with a Chiropractor, but I trusted him. Besides I had heard how much help my mother- in- law had been helped with her severe headaches. After trying everything for so long the decision to go to another expert was tricky. I desperately wanted help. I also didn’t want to waste my money, time and get my hopes up once again for something that didn’t help.

Here’s what happened when I went in for my upper cervical appointment:

The Dr. wanted to run some tests before I told him what was going on because he wanted to keep it objective. The tests didn’t hurt. After 5 minutes he gently touched the place in my upper neck that I was having nightmares about. He said: “You have a bone out of alignment right here and it is putting pressure on the nerves that lead to the rest of the body”

Finally a Doctor who saw the origin of the pain problem.

He took some X-Rays and made a precision adjustment based on what he saw. Then he adjusted 3 bones in my neck and explained how extremely rare it would be to have 3 misalignments. I was told I must have had a trauma to my neck when I was little. This is consistent with what I know. It also explains why my health problems started when I was just a little girl. The adjustments didn’t hurt at all, unlike my previous experience. Inside me, I felt like something relaxed a little. I slept through the whole night for the first time in my life.

A healing process had begun.

My symptoms didn’t go away overnight, but clearly, I was getting gradually better instead of gradually worse.

I was actually improving, not just managing my pain. A few years after this first adjustment I had an A-Ha moment in the car driving home from the gym and grocery store: “I have no pain! My muscles don’t ache. MY HEAD DOESN’T HURT.” This day was the end of my 18year headache. I wish I could say I have never had them since. Unfortunately, I still get headaches when my neck slips back out of alignment, but they go away or get a lot better when I get put back in alignment.

Moving Forward:

It turned out that the injuries in my neck were substantial enough and had been going on long enough that I have some permanent damage.  I will require lifetime maintenance Chiropractic care. The good news about this is that because of this husband, Gordon decided to devote his life to taking care of me and others like me. He continues after almost 20 years as an Upper Cervical Chiropractor to study hard so he can always improve and help even the most stubborn health problems. It is our purpose in life to help as many people as possible have as much healing as possible, first in California and now in Lubbock, TX. We moved to Lubbock because this is where Dr. Blair made the discoveries that led to my health. This is where we feel we can make the most impact to do the same. I feel deeply on my own body the difference between pain and desperation that chokes off all hope versus life flowing healing powers that live in my own body.

If you have been reading all this, there is a good chance you have questions. Maybe questions about me or possibly you have questions about the Blair Upper Cervical technique that got me started on the way to health. Do you have questions about your own situation? It will make me happy to discuss this with you. Feel free to call me or E-mail from anywhere, or make an appointment if you live in Lubbock. If you do not live in Lubbock, I will be happy to help you find the closes upper cervical doctor to where you live. I was able to find help and you can too!

Posted in Chiropractic Clinic, Conditions, Kids, Upper Cervical Doctor and tagged Blair Chiropractic Clinic, blair upper cervical, bronchitis, children, depressed, exhausted, headaches, healing process, hip pain, hives, inflammation, low back pain, Lubbock, misalignment, neck pain, nerve pressure, out of alignment, pneumonia, shoulder pain, sinus infections, tendinitis, tennis elbow

Chiropractic: The Cure for Deafness?

Those holding to a “modern” and “enlightened” concept of chiropractic may well envision snake oil when confronted with the above claim.  But for many people at the turn of the century this was a valid question.  The speculation whirled around a magnetic healer in Davenport, Iowa, and his janitor.

The magnetic healer was Daniel David Palmer, known by his initials D.D., and the janitor was a man by the name of Harvey Lillard.  In D.D.’s words:

    Harvey Lillard, a janitor in the Ryan Block, where I had my office, had been so deaf for 17 years that he could not hear the racket of a wagon on the street or the ticking of a watch.  I made inquiry as to the cause of his deafness and was informed that when he was exerting himself in a cramped, stooping position, he felt something give way in his back and immediately became deaf.  An examination showed a vertebra racked from its normal position.  I reasoned that if that vertebra was replaced, the man’s hearing should be restored.  With this object in view, a half-hour’s talk persuaded Mr. Lillard to allow me to replace it.  I racked it into position by using the spinous process as a lever and soon the man could hear as before (The Chiropractor’s Adjuster, Portland Printing House Co, Portland, 1910: 18).

    This was the first modern chiropractic adjustment and the event that launched chiropractic as a profession.  D.D. Palmer defined chiropractic as the “science, art and philosophy of things natural, and a system of adjusting the articulations (joints) of the spine, by hand only, for the removal of the physical cause of disease.”

Today’s concept of Chiropractic as a treatment only for low back pain, headaches and other musculoskeletal problems was alien to chiropractic patients of the early 1900s.  They understood chiropractic to affect the whole body by the removal of interference to the nervous system.

We don’t know if any of Dr. Palmer’s subsequent patients were ever cured of deafness, but we do know of three Blair Chiropractors in the last two years who have had patients regain their hearing after beginning care.

Posted in Conditions and tagged Chiropractic, deafness, history

Multiple Sclerosis and Upper Cervical Chiropractic [Video]

In this video Dr Gordon D. Elder of The Blair Chiropractic Clinic, Lubbock Texas explains how Upper Cervical Chiropractic can be used to help those with Multiple Sclerosis.

Let’s look at Multiple Sclerosis

When I was at school I did a research paper on Multiple Sclerosis. A lot of research in the medical literature and in Chiropractic literature realize that part of the problem in Multiple Sclerosis is related to a neck injury. Almost in all cases. So the few I’ve seen in my office have recovered to a certain degree, it helps them function better. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone improve 100%. There are a couple of different kinds of Multiple Sclerosis and for some people it comes and goes and maybe it just goes for longer periods of time and when it comes it’s not as not as bad or did they need an adjustment and they pull out of it quicker. It’s an interesting disease that we don’t have all the answers to but I know that an upper cervical injury and the neck is part of the key.

Posted in Conditions and tagged chiropractic adjustment, Chiropractor, Lubbock Chiropractor, Lubbock Texas, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Upper Cervical Chiropractic