All disorders of the cervical spine, except trauma, are mainly caused by two reasons: old (chronic) subluxations in the cervical spine, congenital anomalies, muscle overstrain (muscle imbalance), and poor posture.
With normal muscle balance (equal muscle tone on the right and left), the center of gravity of the head is always slightly forward from the main center of gravity of the body, so there is always some muscle tension in the neck. However, if the head is pushed forward (or lowered) due to poor posture or sedentary work, the muscle tension in the neck increases significantly. This leads to chronic cerebral circulation disorders, as well as stretching and tension of the nerve roots, spinal cord, and brain. The consequences are easy to predict. After desks with sloped surfaces were replaced in schools of the former USSR, there was a sharp increase in the number of students complaining to doctors about headaches. This phenomenon became known as “school headache.”
The cervical spine is the most mobile part of the entire spine. It is the zone of tonic (constant) reflexes influencing all muscles (especially the back muscles), as well as the condition of our spine. The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae and can be divided into two clearly distinguishable sections: the cranio-cervical junction (between the occiput and the second cervical vertebra called the axis, C2) and the section from the second cervical vertebra (C2) to the seventh (C7). Nerve roots exit through the intervertebral foramina, innervating their respective areas. Most cervical movements, especially head rotations, begin at the cranio-cervical junction and continue with the rotation of the other cervical vertebrae.
Features of the cranio-cervical junction:
This section plays a huge role in maintaining the body’s overall balance. This role is taken on by centripetal nerves coming from special receptors (proprioceptors) in the spine.
- Disorders in the cranio-cervical junction lead to distortion of the vertebral artery and disruption of cerebral circulation (both inflow and outflow), causing headaches, dizziness, and visual disturbances.
- Blockage in this junction leads to curvature of the entire spine, especially in the lumbar-sacral region. After the neck problems are resolved, pelvic torsion disappears as well.
- Statistics show that in most cases, heart problems (such as arrhythmias, tachycardia, bradycardia, etc.), respiratory viral diseases, angina, and tonsillitis are caused by blockages in the cranio-cervical junction.
Problems in this section arise due to developmental anomalies, injuries (often birth-related and unnoticed), but most often because of poor posture—especially the habit of slouching and tilting the head. This causes:
- One-sided displacement of the atlas,
- Pronounced rotation of the axis vertebra,
- Asymmetry in tilt and rotation mechanisms,
- Relaxation of the corresponding ligaments,
- Displacement and distortion of the vertebral artery, which supplies blood to the brain,
- Disruption of venous outflow from the brain,
- Dizziness and curvature of the entire spine.
This is just a short list of potential consequences of displacement in the cranio-cervical junction.
