The Upper Cervical Spine is a critical region for the body’s normal functionality. Information travelling directly to or from the brain stem passes through here, often millions of times a minute. Many of the body’s most important functions are governed through this pathway, including heartbeat, breathing, digestion, subconscious muscle coordination, and dilation or constriction of veins and arteries.

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Despite the region’s vital importance, this particular area does not have as many natural protections as the rest of the spine against shock, friction, stress or pressure due to its lack of intervertebral discs in this area. Complicating matters further, these two bones move on a horizontal plane contrary to the rest of the spine’s vertical movement.