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You’re going to love this interview with Dr. Kevin Pecca. As an Upper Cervical Chiropractor, he helps heal patients from a multitude of ailments. He initially became interested in this form of chiropractic care because he discovered it while searching for his own healing. In this interview, we discuss what it is, how the technique is performed and what to expect, as well as who might benefit from it.
Dr. Kevin Pecca practices this specialty of chiropractic care which only about 5% of chiropractors concentrate on. This form of care specializes in the area of the upper neck, right near the brainstem, which is where every function of the body stems from. The C1 (atlas) and C2 (axis) vertebrae directly house the brainstem and are therefore a very important part of the spine. There is no disc space in this area, so it’s a very vulnerable area for injuries, and it has the most neurological significance.
A true upper cervical adjustment is like nothing you’ve likely experienced before in your chiropractor's office. There’s no twisting or cracking of your neck. Very precise 3D x-rays are taken in order to ensure that the adjustment is precise, and it’s nothing more than a simple tap. However, it makes a big impact. “Holding is healing” for them, meaning that these adjustments can stay in place for years in some cases, which allows the nerve flow to operate at its optimal potential.
There are studies that have been done on upper cervical chiropractic and how it can help so many ailments, including tremor and migraines, seizures, vomiting, and other neurological conditions.
Dr. Pecca agrees that twisting, cracking, and pulling on the neck can be very dangerous. There is a lot of controversy around this, but there are chiropractors out there who don’t take x-rays or 3D images. For upper cervical adjustments, however, 3D images should be taken so they know exactly how C1 and C2 fit in and exactly how they need to be adjusted for your body to function optimally. Their goal is to give you only one neck adjustment! Usually, once the upper neck is fixed, much of the rest of the body comes back into place as well.
Due to multiple concussions and injuries during contact sports, such as ice hockey, Dr. Pecca fell into this form of chiropractic care after visiting multiple doctors and being told there was nothing they could do. Specialists couldn’t help and all of his scans looked normal, but he knew something wasn’t right. He continued to visit doctors in a search for a cure, and continued taking multiple medications (such as anti-seizure and antidepressant medications), but was constantly told he could never recover.
After being in a deep depression, Dr. Pecca scheduled a meeting with a priest who basically told him he couldn’t give up. He was encouraged to go out and find that thing that does work for him. Through a contact in hockey, he found a doctor who gave him PRP injections in his neck, which improved his brain fog and clarity, but the symptoms always seemed to come back.
After enrolling in school to become a chiropractor, Dr. Pecca was referred to an Upper Cervical chiropractor in Los Angeles who echoed the same exact story he had been living for the past few years. After having only one adjustment, Dr. Pecca got up from the adjustment table with a clear head, no depression, better vision, and it felt like a surge of life went through him. After 3-6 months, his symptoms were completely gone. The moral of this story? Keep searching, Keep looking for that solution to the issue you’re facing.
For anyone going to an upper cervical chiropractor out of state (which is likely, since there are so few of them), it’s recommended to stay for a week. 3D images, scanners, and neurological checks would be done on your first visit, and your entire history will be taken. If it’s straightforward, you can be adjusted that day. After the first adjustment, you lie on your side for 5 minutes before getting up from the table. This allows all of the blood and nerve flow to begin. After that, they allow you to rest in a different room for 15 minutes, after which they’ll recheck your neurological leg exam to see how things went. You would be seen one more time that week to ensure that you’re holding your adjustment.
Usually, you won’t be able to do heavy exercise for the first 48 hours, and any overhead activity must be avoided for 1-2 weeks. In addition to this, you’ll want to avoid looking down at your phone or tablet for too long. For sleep, try to sleep with only one pillow and maybe a pillow under your legs (if you’re on your back). Avoid sleeping on your stomach, which you should avoid anyway.
Why is this all important for you? It goes back to whole body health. These adjustments can decrease stress levels, decrease inflammation in your body, and put your body back into homeostasis. Make sure to head to Dr. Pecca’s website, check out their Facebook page, and listen to his podcast, Expect Miracles. Follow him on Instagram and other social networks @kevinpecca.
Dr. Kevin Pecca is a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C) with an office located in Montclair, New Jersey. He practices the Blair Upper Cervical technique and holds a specialty in Blair Upper Cervical (upper neck) alignment and health. He suffered 6 concussions playing Ice hockey, which ended his career at 20 years of age and left him with an array of symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, brain fog, lightheadedness, anxiety, depression, hand tremors, and knee pain. He went to countless medical specialists looking for answers. Some told him it was all in his head, while others told him he was going to have to live with these symptoms for the rest of his life.
All of his blood work, CAT scans, and MRI’s came back negative and he had absolutely no idea where to go or what to do. Dr. Pecca was put on seizure medication to help his hands stop shaking, he was put on anti-depressants to boost his mood, and he was put on painkillers to numb the pain. Nothing seemed to be working and he began to feel worse. After being treated by many medical specialists for 4 years with little results, he found myself in a Blair Upper Cervical office.
He started to heal after the first adjustment! Blair Upper Cervical literally saved his life, and now he is healthy and gets to practice the technique that gave him his life back and share it with the world. In his free time, he loves to surf, play hockey, fish, practice yoga, hike and travel.
