My friend Kevin suffered from migraines for over 15 years. When they hit, he was out—in bed, throwing up, unable to move or function until it passed, which could sometimes be a few days.
To find relief, he first tried some traditional routes. Numerous general practitioners put him through a litany of tests and different pharmaceutical protocols. But outside of medication, no diagnosis or solution was offered and his migraines continued. He often had to take triple the amount of medication prescribed just to get by.
“It was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt in my entire life,” Kevin told me. “I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
At the end of this expensive, frustrating and painful journey, he was told, “We cannot help you.” To him, it felt like a death sentence.
I recently attended an event with the Rooster Local group in Delray Beach and met Dr. Gregory Jean-Pierre, owner of the Upper Cervical Institute of Florida, P.A. The upper cervical spine, in layman’s terms, is primarily the spinal section below the skull and above the shoulders; the neck. As we chatted, I was intrigued to hear about his work as an upper cervical spine chiropractor and particularly his passion for working with migraine patients. I immediately thought of Kevin and reached out to share what I had learned—when he told me he had not had a migraine in over a year after working with an upper cervical chiropractor in Winter Park, I knew I was on to something.
As it turns out, Kevin and Dr. Jean-Pierre have a lot in common. When he was a younger man, Dr. Jean-Pierre suffered tremendously from chronic migraines. Eventually his own journey to find relief brought him to a chiropractor who specialized in upper cervical spinal care.
“He was the first person who told me, ‘I have found your problem and I can help,’” Dr. Jean-Pierre said of the chiropractor. “I didn’t believe him, because back then, I was skeptical about chiropractic care.”
Nevertheless, he began to work with him and slowly but surely the incidence of his migraines began to diminish.
“Really, I didn’t even notice they were going away because I became used to not having them.”
After realizing he had found a non-pharmaceutical solution, Dr. Jean-Pierre took on the mission of helping others who suffered with migraines. He enrolled in training for upper cervical spinal care—including the proper procedures to balance the skull, spine and pelvis and return them to their upright, stable position. These gentle adjustments take pressure off the nervous system and allow the body to naturally heal itself.
Though I don’t suffer from migraines—thankfully!—I’m always willing to jump in and try things, so I set up a time to have a full analysis at The Upper Cervical Institute. Dr. Jean-Pierre put me through a series of non-invasive and thorough tests so he could have a clear picture of my overall wellbeing. The tests included: Digital Postural Evaluation, Bilateral Weight Distribution Analysis, Complete Nervous System Evaluation (Thermography, sEMG, Range of Motion and Heart Rate Variability) and specific X-Rays. The tests were followed by a session with Dr. Jean-Pierre in which I learned the complete findings and his recommendations.
Among the highlights: My head, shoulders and rib cage are shifted to the left, which can cause distortion in the spine. I have some forward head posture, adding almost 20 pounds of weight to my back muscles as they seek to provide support for the distortion, which causes my chest to constrict and leads to neck and back pain.
Overall I earned a score of 82 out of a possible 100. Dr. Jean-Pierre reports the goal is to be between 85 to 90 and that most new clients range on average between 60 to 75, with the lower ranges being seen in patients with neurological issues. So my number is not too shabby. I have a clearer understanding on where I might benefit from some adjustment. I can now add upper cervical spinal care to my wellness plan as I continue to explore South Florida and seek natural solutions to help me experience radical wellbeing.
Upper Cervical Institute, 7301A West Palmetto Park Road, Suite 304B, Boca Raton; 561/409-3594
