Dr. Andrew Persky, DC, is advancing the science of upper cervical realignment and whole-body health through his work approaching pain relief holistically. Persky, whose research has been submitted for peer-reviewed publication, received a U.S. patent for his work in three-dimensional image analysis and developed the LifeAligned treatment protocol. He assures all who will listen that relief from many forms of chronic pain is possible without drugs or surgery.

In your practice, is there a typical pain patient? No, there isn’t. Every day, I see patients that have been living with chronic pain. There are those that have suffered with headaches for decades. Other patients arrive with pain, numbness or tingling in their face, arm, leg, neck, ear or shoulder blade. There are also “non-pain” patients: the ones with neurologic issues such as dizziness, seizures or brain fog. Many have spent months or years going through the standard pipeline of doctors, specialists, imaging and treatments.

With so many differences, is there a root cause of their chronic pain? What if I told you that all of the cases just mentioned have one thing in common, something that had been overlooked? That “something” turns out to be a measurable misalignment of the joint between the head and the top of the neck, a region of the body referred to as the craniocervical junction. “Cranio” means skull, and “cervical” refers to the neck region of the spine. Each of these patients experienced symptoms of craniocervical syndrome. This misalignment affected their nervous system or body, or both.

What happens when the craniocervical junction becomes misaligned? The craniocervical junction is a very complicated region of the human body and typically overlooked as the underlying cause of numerous pain and neurologic symptoms. Neurologically, misalignment of the head can cause pressure, tension or constriction of the brain stem, spinal cord, nerves, cerebrospinal fluid, blood vessels and muscles in this region. This can lead to a wide range of symptoms. Structurally, a misalignment can result in postural changes as the brain attempts to balance the nine- to 15-pound weight of the head atop the spinal column. The overall effect can set off a cascade of health problems seemingly unrelated to the neck, such as nerve pain in the face or extremities, low back or hip pain, headaches, seizures, tremors and improper bodily functions.

How is your procedure different from traditional chiropractic? Upper cervical treatment is an emerging and highly advanced subdivision of the chiropractic profession requiring significant post-graduate education and specialized equipment. Treatment is based upon three-dimensional X-ray imaging and performed using an instrument that applies a precise, very gentle tap to the first bone in the neck. Unlike traditional chiropractic, upper cervical treatment does not require twisting, cracking or other similar forms of manipulation.

Can this treatment help everyone with chronic pain? Upper cervical treatment cannot help everyone, because unfortunately not every issue stems from the craniocervical junction. But for those it helps, the results are often incredible. It has changed the lives of professional athletes, celebrities and thousands of everyday people.

Dr. Andrew Persky is the founder of LifeAligned Upper Cervical Treatment at 1432 Easton Rd., Ste. 4A, Warrington. For more information, call 215-491-4200, email [email protected] or visit LifeAlignedHealth.com. 

Julie Vitto is a Pennsylvania-based writer and editorial associate to Natural Awakenings BuxMont. Connect at [email protected].

June 2017