Thursday, January 30, 2014
I've already had surgery. . .now what?
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Bedwetting and the neck . . . is there a connection??
As a parent, there are lots of things worse than a few wet sheets now and then. Vomit, diarrhea, the flu. .. those are just nasty. But, repeated episodes, night after night after night. Yeah that gets old. So what exactly is the trouble with those children who are constant bedwetting? What's the cause for enuresis (fancy medical term for bedwetting)? Bedwetting and the neck . . . is there a connection??
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Arthritis and age: a complete myth
I bet at least one time in your life, you've heard or have been told that arthritis is something that happens to us as we age- it's the inevitable result of growing old. Am I right? I know that if I had a nickel for every time I heard that statement, I'd have a LOT of nickels by now! But gambling and healthcare simply do not mix, so for now, let's stick with what works: rock solid facts, ok? In my office, every day of the week, I see x-rays. Lots of x-rays. I see neck and low back films, MRI's, CT scans and did I mention x-rays? Some of these images come to me from other offices, some from the hospitals and some have been taken at my office. As I study the images, it's very apparent to me that YES, some of the people do have arthritis in their spines. Some of the people do not. BUT, what's most interesting, is that for the people that DO show signs of arthritic changes (spinal degeneration), the arthritis is NOT throughout the entire spine. WHAT? Ok, let's explore what I just said. Imagine you are looking at the film at the top of this post. Do you see how there are 7 vertebrae? (They are even numbered if you look real close!) This person is 40 yrs old. DO you see the 5th and 6th bones? They look like tree stumps almost don't they? THAT is athritis. SO, let me ask you this: If arthritis is due to aging, why at the ripe age of 40 is this person already showing arthritic changes to the spine? Is 40 old?! I sure hope not or in 6 years I'm next! OR, how bout this one: IF arthritis IS due to aging, why don't the other vertebrae also show signs of arthritis? After all, those bones belong to the same person.. . they are the same age therefore they should ALL be arthritic, right?
What's that? You say they don't look the same?? YOU ARE RIGHT! You just discovered what I'm talking about: arthritic changes in the spine (spinal degeneration) has absolutely nothing to do with age and EVERYTHING to do with injuries (called subluxations) that have never been corrected! The bones that are stumpy, bumpy and lumpy are the ones that were subluxated (injured) years ago and as a result of never being corrected, they now are wearing improperly, much like the tires wear on a car that isn't aligned!
What's vital to grasp is this: When the spine moves and functions as it was designed to do, the nerves that exit the spine can also function properly. When a vertebrae is subluxated (injured/misaligned) the nerves, ligaments and muscles related to that vertebrae also become compromised. This results in abnormal spinal biomechanics. If corrected early, the joint heals appropriately and functions correctly. If not, it heals incorrectly and the arthritis (abnormal wear and tear patterns, aka spinal degeneration) is set in motion. In essence, the aging process is accelerated at that joint. YUCK!
At Gibson Upper Cervical, we don't deal with arthritis: we work at preventing it altogether. Call today for your complimentary consultation: Together we can do great things! 814.371.7412
Arthritis and age: a complete myth
Friday, January 14, 2011
Why didn't I know?
Two weeks have passed since her 1st upper cervical adjustment. "kayla" has been adjusted 2 times. In just over 14 days, she has no more nosebleeds, eats like a horse (remember it was a chore for her to eat most anything), has been to the bathroom numerous times per day and is finally sleeping through the night. As for the earaches, her grandma reports that all is well. Time will tell the rest of the story but for now, there are two parents, one grandma and a little girl whose lives have all just changed through the power of an upper cervical adjustment. At the end of the visit, the grandma asked the question we hea almost daily: "Why didn't I know about Upper Cervical?" Now you do.
-Dr. Andy
www.gibsonucc.com
Why didn't I know?
Thursday, December 23, 2010
“I like smiling, it’s my favorite.”

Although more than 50 different types of smiles have been identified and studied, one type in particular visits my office on a consistent basis- the Duchenne smile. Consisting of two subtypes, 1.) a Duchenne smile involves contraction of both the zygomaticmajor muscle (which raises the corners of the mouth) and the orbicularis oculi muscle (which raises the cheeks and forms crow's feet around the eyes). 2.) A non-Duchenne smile involves only the zygomatic major muscle. Consider the difference between the two this way: real vs. fake. Real or Duchenne smiles indicate genuine spontaneous emotions since most people cannot voluntarily contract the outer portion of the orbicularis oculi muscle. On the other hand, we are all very good at faking a smile for various reasons.
This is interesting, but why is it so? What's going on upstairs that creates these two different smiles? Scientists have discovered that these two types of smiles are actually controlled by two completely different parts of our brain. The ‘say cheese’ smile is controlled by the motor cortex while emotion-related movements, like the Duchenne smile, is controlled by the limbic system (the emotional center of the brain).
But, does it truly matter if your smile is contrived or authentic? It matters a great deal to your life satisfaction and quality of life! The pathway of the chronic pain nerve fibers end at different places in the brain than do those delivering acute pain. Because chronic pain nerve fibers end in two places in the brain, namely, the limbic system and the hypothalamus, the interpretation of the signals on those fibers is subject to two main processes. The limbic system processes the emotions and the hypothalamus releases stress hormones. The limbic system is stimulated during the acute pain experience. During acute pain, the limbic system tells the spinal cord to hold back on the pain signals. Temporarily, the brain does not want to receive these signals. With the limbic system working hard to repress the pain signals, and also in cases of stress, the spinal cord is abuzz with activity. The spinal cord can only stand so much stimulation gracefully, after which the pain threshold is reduced. The result is a chronic pain situation where the patient is hypersensitive to pain.
So how does all of this tie into smiling? People in chronic pain usually don’t smile much and if so, it’s the ‘say cheese’ smile. It’s a mask; a fake; a front to cover up what’s really going on inside. The pain signals inhibit the body from truly experiencing and expressing a genuine smile. An upper cervical subluxation is more than just an anatomical event. It’s not just a bone out of alignment. . .it’s a life out of alignment. Everything is affected . . . even smiling.
With the pain signals absent, the stress hormones decrease, the limbic system relaxes because the spinal cord is relaxing. After a UC correction, the REAL person inside begins to rise up, heal and even comes out through those tiny muscles of the eye (OO and Z). In other words, a REAL person begins to smile FOR REAL. They can’t help it. With the absence of pain and the presence of increased function, the REAL begins to shine through. Maybe I’m more like Buddy the Elf after all. I guess I like smiling too.
Call today and get your smile back!
Gibson Upper Cervical
Big on smiles
814.371.7412
“I like smiling, it’s my favorite.”
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Convenient Amnesia?
Amnesia: a partial or total loss of memory. Convenient Amnesia?
Friday, October 1, 2010
Awestruck. . . again.

Hello friends! We are now well into this thing called 'practice' and I'm finding out there is a reason that clinical life is called practice: everyday there is room to grow and improve. This past month I've had the absolute honor of serving and seeing some amazing people. Time and time again, I am finding myself awestruck from one polar extreme to the other. Let me explain.
- A new patient comes into the office, usually from a personal referral and I get the opportunity to meet them for the first time. After looking over the initial paperwork and finding out why they came to see me (what is the health challenge), I am awestruck at the amount of suffering a person endures.
- I'm awestruck at the amount of money that has been spent on previous medical visits and prescriptions that have clearly not worked as 'promised.'
- I'm also awestruck at the amount of faith that is placed in the medical model (a.k.a the family doctor) when a health crisis arises. Having no other place to turn, the patient eventually ends up in my office on the suggestion of a friend.
- After a few precise x-rays, thermographic, posture and rang-of-motion exams, I'm awestruck at how a minute misalignment of the top neck bone (the atlas) produces devastating effects on human physiology.
- I'm awestruck at the profound impact a simple, precise upper cervical correction has on the patient who had "no hope."
Awestruck. . . again.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Baby Steps

Greetings friends!
Baby Steps
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Magic or Miracle?
Greetings friends and warm welcomes! It's unbelievable how fast the summer season is going. We celebrated our Grand Opening in grand fashion for sure! The month of July was spectacular and was filled with some amazing transformations, some tears of joy and a lot of "cautious optimism." That is why the title of this post is "magic or miracle?"
Magic or Miracle?
Friday, July 16, 2010
Simple is sometimes. . .too easy?

Simple is sometimes. . .too easy?
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The amazing Dr. YOU!

The amazing Dr. YOU!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Life without FEAR

Life without FEAR
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Hope . . . is it hard to find?
Hope- some people want it, others have it and yet to some it is the most elusive of all human desires. Even worse, some people have been told they have no chance of ever having it. Really?! This past week, I had the absolute honor of speaking with a woman whose husband has been told he has no other hope except to get cut open and have his neck fused. She asked me, "What kind of hope will that buy us?" The hope of a better life? The hope of less pain and suffering? I shared with her the story of Upper Cervical Care and the simple concept of how vital it is to have 100% communication between the brain and the body and when that system is working the body WILL HEAL! Talk about HOPE!! She was so overwhelmed with a renewed sense of HOPE that I received a hug and I hadn't even met her husband yet!Hope . . . is it hard to find?
Friday, April 23, 2010
New practice members are arriving daily!!

Greetings friends! The month of May is almost upon us and things are moving along at a very fast pace! The contractor is almost done tidying up the x-ray room and the resting suites are coming along as well. The x-ray unit will be installed next week and patient education materials are in transit. Items from uppercervicalillustrations.com and UCHCA are both gorgeous and highly informative. We have our name and info being posted on upcspine.com and the website will be live in a few weeks. In the meantime, we are booking appointments for new practice members.
DO you know someone, anyone who could use a checkup? Each of makes an effort to get our cholesterol, our teeth, our heart and even our blood pressure checked routinely. BUT, when was the last time (if ever) you got your NERVOUS SYSTEM checked? The nervous system controls everything in your body!! Why not make sure it's functioning at 100%? At Gibson Upper Cervical, our goal is simple; restore the integrity of your brain-to-body communication so that you are functioning neurologicially at 100%. Give us a call for a FREE check up today. Restoring hope. . .Renewing health. 814-371-7412
What baby step can you take today to begin to LIVE AGAIN?
New practice members are arriving daily!!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Opening an office
I'm about a month away from opening my Upper Cervical Chiropractic office and a lot of hours and work continue to pour into the dream! I have to admit, of all the neurology, physiology, biology, anatomy and countless other courses of study that have brought me to this point, none of them (including the business courses and books I continue to read) could prepare me for what I'm going through now. Of course, the "safe" thing to do would be to go work for someone for a few years and then come back and start my own business. While that may be true, doing what is safe doesn't necessarily equate to growth. You see, doing anything of value requires us to step out of our comfort zone and smash through the invisible barriers of our own creation. Barriers such as fear, uncertainty, and doubt just to name a few. Are there days I think, "Hmm. . I sure would like to just go to work for someone. . . ?" YOU BET!! BUT. . . here's what drives me: I know the TRUTH about how powerful ONE UPPER CERVICAL ADJUSTMENT is and how it can change lives!!
For me, everyday is stepping out of my comfort zone. WHy do I do it? I do it for the 35 year old Multiple Sclerosis patient who has been told he'll 'probably never walk again.' I do it for the woman with fibromyalgia who has been told that she 'just has to learn to live with it.' I do it for the little girl with migraine headaches who sleeps most of the day due to pain meds. I do it so I can help others do it. Let's face it. . . UPPER CERVICAL CARE is RADICALLY DIFFERENT. And just like opening an office, stepping out in faith and seeing an UPPER CERVICAL DOCTOR is a major step out of the ol' comfort zone! As I said earlier though, doing anything of value requires us to step out in faith.
Friends, Gibson Upper Cervical is a month away from launch and there are countless people who have been told, "There's nothing else we can do" . . . or. . ."Take this pill for the rest of your life" . . .or . . .I;m sorry, you'll just have to live with it." Well, I'm here to tell you. . . . YOU DON'T!! and you shouldn't! YOU WERE DESIGNED AND CREATED TO HEAL FROM THE INSIDE_OUT! My mission is to give life and hope. GIbson Upper Cervical . . . .Restoring Hope. . .Renewing Health.
Opening an office
