Lancaster Chiropractic Doctor Offers Postural Correction Therapy

By Carmella Isenhour


The poor posture of an individual may correlate directly with headache and upper back pain. If someone holds his head in a forward position it can cause subluxations to the cervical vertebrae, which are the spinal bones in the neck. Turning to a Lancaster Chiropractic doctor for help in alleviating that pain will help the individual understand the effects of poor posture.

Consider the side view of a person with good posture. His ear is going to be aligned perfectly with the middle of his shoulder. Someone with poor posture will have the head in a forward position, which causes the vertebrae in the neck and upper back to be out of line. Undue pressure is exerted against nerves in that area causing the spine to be in an incorrect position.

A strain is placed on the suboccipital muscles that hold the chin in place. Without them, the chin would drop forward placing it on the chest. If these muscles are kept in a continuously contracted state, the resultant pressure on the suboccipital nerves can be a problem. That pressure can be the source of headache pain.

Research indicates that such a forward position of the head adds leverage on the cervical spine. This can force the entire spinal column out of alignment. Breathing can be affected by this position. Some people develop a dowagers hump in the back between the shoulder blades.

Upper cervical chiropractic intervention is optimal for realigning the upper neck bones with the skull. This correction can gradually return the bones to their proper position. However, the chiropractor must first do an evaluation to rule out other causes.

Your first appointment will entail taking a medical history and answering questions such as when did you notice pain, and how intense is it. A hands-on physical exam of the area is required. In most cases an x-ray is necessary to confirm the findings.

Your professionally-designed care plan may begin with a series of adjustments to the cervical spine. An exercise plan may be used between appointments and on a daily basis. However, it is the postural training provided by your chiropractor that will determine how successfully the realignment can be attained and maintained.




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