Some chiropractors have different methods of treating patients. Some will treat the upper neck for all conditions. This is because they believe the upper two or three vertebra in the spine, which surround the brain stem, can cause many reflex abnormalities throughout the body.      This is something similar to how an acupuncturist might work. The acupuncturist may put needles in your body a long way away from where your pain is. The acupuncturist may decide to use only one or two needles believing that there are master points that cure everything. Some chiropractors

think treating the upper neck only, cures everything. This is a very simplistic approach to mechanical problems in the body.      Most chiropractors will treat the area that is giving you pain in addition to clearing out problems at other levels in the spine and the other joints. The goal is to correct mechanical dysfunction at whatever level in the spine it is found      When a chiropractor treats your body they make corrections they call 'adjustments'. These adjustments are given to the spine and other joints of the body. These

adjustments are manipulations of the bony joints of the body and often there will be a small popping sound. Children often do not have this popping sound during treatments.      The pop sound comes from the release of gasses as the weak vacuum in the joint is released. The joint space increases and the muscle reflex is relaxed. The function improves, nerve compression is released, and the body heals itself. Copyright 1999 Dr. Victor Jean Ouellette All Rights Reserved