A few months ago, I found an email by Scott Livingston in my inbox. I didn’t know him, but in this email, he told me a little bit about himself, his interest in Upper Cervical Chiropractic, and how it has changed his life.
I responded back and since then we have emailed back and forth regularly. We even had a long phone conversation about a month ago. In that conversation he revealed that he was actually very close to coming down to Dallas to start at Parker, but instead chose Palmer because they have a much bigger Upper Cervical influence up in Davenport.
It’s been really interesting to talk to Scott because he’s not even in chiropractic school yet, but he already has such a strong feel for Upper Cervical Chiropractic. He’s starting Palmer in July, and I’m excited for him.
I am thrilled that he was able to answer some questions for The Atlas of Life.
Brandon: What has been your experience with chiropractic, both full spine and Upper Cervical?
Scott: “In 1995 I was in a very bad car accident, which after a couple of days landed me in the office of a doctor who had been practicing Gonstead for over 30 years – this was my first chiropractic experience.
This man was very methodical in everything he did and very interested in the biomechanics of spines – he was a true spinal / nervous system engineer! And most importantly he adjusted only when I needed it and took post x-rays to determine if what he was doing was corrective or not.
I still remember him showing side by side on the view box my cervical x-ray when I started care with him (I learned at that time I had a military neck) and the post x-ray after about 3 months (give or take some weeks) of care. I don’t know if my C1/2 were in the right place, but man, was that curve awesome to see – it was incredible and my neck/back felt great!!
Since about 1997 – 2008 as a result of moves around the country my wife and I have been under the care of a few docs. We have been to Activator docs, Gonstead docs, pseudo Gonstead docs, real Diversified docs, HEDO docs (he was fired after the 2nd office visit), Flying-Seven docs (Flying-Five or Six when they were pretending to be specific that day) and Pettibon docs.
In late 2008 we were in a position where we needed to find our infant son a new chiropractor, so I hopped onto the web site for International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) and found a doc in our area. After further research, I found out via UpCspine.com that she was a Blair doc.
I knew about Blair, as I had actually been looking for an upper cervical doc in our area. My wife and I had enough of the feel good chiropractors (not them personally – their techniques and protocols) that meant well, have the biggest hearts in the world, but just don’t know how to correctively fix someone or remove brainstem pressure optimally. I knew this was the doc for not only our son, but also for me and my wife.
I won’t unleash my health testimony here and now, I’m still healing and the testimony is still growing, but lets just say this doc begun a great work – she put my atlas/axis in such a position as to allow my body to functioning optimally.
When my atlas is holding, insomnia is a thing of the past, anxiety no longer haunts, and hypoglycemia is slowly going away and hardly even an issue. My health/life completely changed and a 2 year battle with all kinds of concerns and conditions were finally addressed – the root cause (atlas and axis subluxation) was identified and fixed!
My wife has also had tremendous results! In 5 years time she went from a 28 degree to a 32 degree Cobb angle – under traditional rotary break care. We got away from traditional care and moved to corrective Pettibon / CLEAR protocols, (awesome results demonstrated for scoliosis correction).
Pettibon certainly got her out of pain and started changing her spine, but we were both in agreement, the extractive cervical adjustments weren’t for us. She has held her Blair atlas adjustment since October ’08 and since moving to Davenport, IA she had her C2, C5 and C7 adjusted via the Palmer Toggle and Blair techniques (no thoracic thrusts or hip rolls). Her spine is completely unwinding and the scoliosis rib hump which used to be so prominent is lying almost flat – can’t wait to see a shot showing that Cobb angle.”
Brandon: Why did you decide to go to chiropractic school?
Scott: “In 1996 my Gonstead doctor planted the seed and encouraged me to go. Over the years that seed has been watered by many other docs and I have felt God leading me in this direction with a burning passion to help others.
That passion has been amplified as a result of my own health issues being resolved through specific upper cervical chiropractic care, those of my family and the countless others who have been under the care of an upper cervical doctor.
I know that God has put me on this earth to not only share the good news about His Son Jesus, my Savior, the true life saver and healer, but to also add my voice in the mix proclaiming that upper cervical chiropractic does in fact change lives and in a different manner, saves them!”
Brandon: Why did you choose to go to Palmer?
Scott: “Certainly not for the long winters! I started looking at different schools in 2001 (other than the one in my home city) and that’s when Palmer really started looking appealing. Over the years I became very interested in different techniques, philosophies and classes that were being taught at the different schools.
In my opinion there are only about five chiropractic schools in the US that teach solid adjusting, three of the five being the Palmer campuses.. I tell you, I really studied curriculums, especially the core adjusting classes of different schools – how many hours and trimesters were spent learning about the cervical, thoracic, lumbar etc. I imagine I was perhaps one of the more annoying prospective students many doctors, chiro students and representatives the different colleges had to work with.
Last September, after beginning Blair care, I started to look at some of the schools again, as I knew upper cervical was going to be a primary focus. There are schools that do a much better job teaching solid theoretical and practical aspects regarding the cervical spine – that’s where I focused.
I also wanted the ability to use upper cervical specific when I made it to the student/outpatient clinic – at Palmer and a few other places you can do that and it’s thriving!
Also, the breadth of knowledge that is up here just astounds me. Looking at different schools and talking with students I got the impression that if they lost a particular technique professor their program would be jacked. Sure it would hurt Palmer if certain clinic doctors went somewhere else (I pray mine doesn’t go anywhere) but the bench depth they have up here is very impressive.
One more thing I should add….great leaders in our profession (and not just upper cervical leaders) are on this campus all the time. To just name a few, this past April we had up here, Dr. Tom Forest, Dr. Michael Lenarz and Roger Titone.”
Brandon: Why are you interested in Upper Cervical Chiropractic?
Scott: “The sheer impact it has had on my life, those I love and those whom I’ve never met. I have torn into the science and philosophy online, read most of “Upper Cervical Subluxation Complex” by Dr. Kirk Eriksen, Green Book VOL.18 and been mentored by some very astute folks. Sure I don’t understand a lot of what I read and hear right now, but enough to know what direction I need to go.
Chiropractic has come alive for me again since being introduced to upper cervical specific. Upper cervical chiropractic is so much more than correctively changing spines, and resolving aches and pains, when done correctly it also changes lives – very few techniques can claim the same.”
Brandon: Up to this point, you have been an outsider looking in at the chiropractic profession, and more specifically Upper Cervical Chiropractic. What are some of your observations?
Scott: “The upper cervical community, is in my opinion, doing a great job over the last couple of years of banning together (all UC techniques) to get the message out. I have only been focusing in on UC since 2008 and really been saturating myself with it since mid/late 2008. What I see is a community ready to bust it wide open – wide open for those out there that so desperately need this type of care.
I know it was part of God’s plan for me to catch on when I did, but to be a passionate prospective student, who for many years studied different techniques, was under the care of many techniques and never understood why upper cervical was any different, is disturbing!
Just think of those out there that don’t study this stuff – God help them to find the answers sooner than I did and before they start popping pills or get things cut or burned out and never getting to the root issue. I completely understand that medications, and surgery are sometimes needed, but as a last resort in most cases.
While she was a student, I can remember reading Dr. Casanova’s Palmer Beacon contributions, many of which focused on upper cervical specific cases and the astounding results that followed.
After reading those articles I would think to myself that the case study was very interesting. I would also think to myself that those are very rare instances / that these so called upper cervical specific techniques are just another way to set the atlas and axis.
For whatever reason it did not sink in with me, it did not stick, I did not get it, I did not understand WHY it was so much different – maybe I wasn’t ready to hear it. I didn’t realize that these types of cases I was reading about were every day occurrences in the office of UC doctors today – I was not seeing this happen at the traditional offices.
Aside from the really cool musculoskeletal issues, the best cases I heard resolved were bed wetting and colic – sure you will find more than that going on at the really good traditional adjuster/manipulators offices, but I believe that armed with upper cervical specific technique(s) these doctors would suffer far less burn out and experience the promise of what true chiropractic is all about.
The message should not only be telling the world about upper cervical care, but WHY it is different. Some engineer types like me need to see from a technical perspective (UpCspine.com does a great job of this) why it’s different than other techniques. The message needs to be strong enough to not only attract those who have never been to a chiropractor, but also to those who aren’t getting any healthier with their existing traditional rotary break doctor.
Let’s not water or dumb down the message, people are pretty savvy these days with the internet and other resources to help gain understanding.
Regarding the chiropractic profession in general…Though I somewhat understand why it is this way, I’m so sick and tired of chiropractic being looked at as just a musculoskeletal adjunct to the healthcare system. I’m so tired of watching TV programs (talk shows and news broadcasts) that do spots on back pain, never mentioning chiropractic and they have a M.D. there as the expert – telling folks they need to swim and get some physical therapy.
Not knocking either, but give me a break, this arena is where Chiropractic should at the very least be thriving. The D.C. needs to be on the program as the expert (which he or she really is in most cases) and telling folks what they really need to hear.”
Brandon: What chiropractic career goals do you have at this point?
Scott: “Graduate! I want to look back after I graduate and know that I accomplished what God had planned for me. I acknowledge that going into school I have a different, not superior, but different background than most and I plan on using what I’ve learned and experienced over the years to help others understand how powerful chiropractic is when used with specificity.
Also, do what I can about changing the perception of chiropractic and promoting through education, upper cervical chiropractic care. I don’t know that I’ll have a blog or be a guest speaker anywhere, but I plan on doing my part – whatever that may be.
And….to master my skills as a chiropractor. I can preach the news and tell everyone in the world about this wonderful gift of specific chiropractic, but if I have placed myself in a position to deliver care and I can’t neurologically clear someone / adjust a bone with precision – especially an atlas or axis properly, then I have failed and I’ve become part of the problem.”
Brandon: What is your vision for the future of Upper Cervical Chiropractic?
Scott: “I love this question you pose to your interviewees and I love all the answers you receive. Like the others I envision so much, but I’ve gone on long enough so I’ll just mention two.
First, there is something that keeps coming to my mind and in a jovial manner I mention to others, but I’m quite serious about this idea. It’s the opening of a 24/7 Upper Cervical Clinic.
As we know, there are those patients in the beginning stages of care who realize the moment they lose their adjustment (not all realize it) and when they do, their life in some cases comes to pause – the symptoms can be that severe, as we know.
I would like to see a clinic like this open in every major city and I know some docs are looking at it right now. As a matter of fact, I believe Dr. Edward Weller, D.C. is in the process of doing such a thing in St. Louis, MO.
Second, I want all chiropractic schools to recognize the need and soon to be outcry by the general population for true, specific chiropractic. Once the message gets out, is made clear and folks are seeing results in their health and the health of others, nobody will be able to stop it.
Some schools are doing a great job, though they can all do better – Palmer, Sherman, and Life are those that I have seen making great strides in recent years. Some schools are shunning upper cervical, which I think will come back to bite ‘em.
Brandon, to help alleviate possible misunderstanding for your readers…. As you know, I’m very pro-chiropractic, though I have a differing opinion than most about what chiropractic is. I myself have had the therapies and other modalities that occupy most clinics and I have benefited tremendously in some instances. I actually prefer not only upper cervical specific, but also very conservative and specific full-spine work (no hip rolls please) when I need it and only when I need it. And I’m sure that’s the type of chiropractor I will be one day.
I heard not to long ago and I don’t know to whom the credit should go, but I agree with the statement…. “Having a chiropractic appointment is not the determining factor for getting an adjustment!” Now that’s a new way of looking at Chiropractic!”
Thanks to Scott Livingston for such well thought-out answers. I enjoyed it.
Make sure to stop by The Atlas of Life Monday. There will be a guest post from none other than Scott himself.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Great Article,
The statement “Some schools are shunning upper cervical, which I think will come back to bite ‘em” really hits close to home for me. It will be interesting to see what happens to these schools when the demand skyrockets over the next few years
Great interview. Very inspiring. I think it is so cool the certainty Scott expresses and has not even started Chiropractic school. Great story