Back Pain, Headaches, Fatigue

In my 25-year search of long-term relief from chronic lower back pain, headaches that would last for days, and fatigue, I have subjected myself to a number of styles of chiropractic, medicine, acupuncture and pain medications. Quite by accident, I found upper cervical care and was skeptical of a method that focused almost strictly on the neck and yet promised a holistic approach to well being and health.

On my first visit, I was suffering from pain between my shoulder blades, lower back, and sciatica. In addition, I had been unable to rotate my neck fully for almost a year. Furthermore, I was a chronic user of sinus medications, ibuprofen (6 tablets, twice daily), acid reflux medication, and anti-depressants. The doctor explained how by putting my upper cervical in alignment my body chemistry would align and many of my non-back issues would subside.

I have been receiving the Upper Cervical procedure for 2 months and I cannot imagine ever having to seek another form of treatment and have encouraged all of my friends and family to convert or begin seeing an Upper Cervical Chiropractor. Not only are my initial back symptoms almost nonexistent many other medical issues have corrected themselves. I cannot remember the last time my neck stuck in a position, had to rotate my entire body to look over my shoulder, or felt the tingling numb sensation down the outside of my arm radiating into my hand. The burning pain between my shoulder blades is gone and I have not taken ibuprofen or sinus medication since I began treatment. My lower back is continuing to be treated, but am not crippled at the end of the day.

The most dramatic difference for me is the fact that I finally feel like a normal person. I am able to work eight hours a day, 40 hours a week without debilitating back pain, headache, or fatigue. I do not fall in bed exhausted at 6:00 p.m., but am able to have a life aside from my job. I no longer take acid reflux medication, although I have had the disease my entire life due to a deformed lower esophageal sphincter - the "flap" that controls acid from entering the esophagus and I no longer take anti-depressants.

-Jamie, 49

Migraine Headaches

Thirty-five years ago, I began to suffer from migraine headaches which would make my head throb with pain and make me sick to my stomach. I would need to miss work and spend the day in bed with a ice pack on my neck and a cold compress on my forehead. Noise and light made the pain of the migraine worse, so I would need complete quiet and total darkness while I rested. After the worst of the migraine was gone, I would still be so wiped out that I could not function in my normal routine so my whole family suffered through my migraines with me.

Wanting relief from the migraines, I tried every over-the-counter medication imaginable and nothing helped. I also tried going to a chiropractor, who focused on pain management, and had my neck and back "cracked." I tried five different chiropractors who each tried to manage my pain through their own special technique, whether it was electrical stimulus therapy, ultra-sound therapy, or tools like the activator. Nothing helped and I continued to suffer with my neck pain and migraines.

Then I heard about an upper cervical technique called NUCCA that focuses on spinal correction and retrains the spine to correct subluxations and restore the body to optimal health. After my first NUCCA adjustment, my neck was actually PAIN-FREE and I had grown so used to pain in my neck that I cried from amazement. Through following a NUCCA care plan, I have now been FREE from migraines for over 8 years !! Seeking care from a NUCCA doctor was the best decision of my life because it gave me my life back.

-Barb Flory, 59
University professor;

Headaches

NUCCA has helped me in many ways. I was having chronic tension-like headaches for 3 months that I had never experienced before. I tried a muscle relaxer with pain medication that a primary care doctor prescribed and many otc medications, without any results. Finally, after visiting Dr. Flory, my headaches disappeared! I am very active, swimming, biking and running, and was able to return to all of my previous activities without a headache. I also was experiencing shin and hip pain from running that has also subsided. NUCCA has done amazing things for me and I feel so much better pain free!

-Bridget Larrigan, 30

Headaches

Before coming to a NUCCA doctor I was having headaches every day. I was having a lot of difficulty concentrating and I also had a lot of trouble sleeping. After just one adjustment the pressure in the top of my head left. I am now able to concentrate and I am sleeping great.

-Toni,

High Blood Pressure, Headaches and Back Pain

I was in pain and my blood pressure was very high. Since I started NUCCA treatment, no headaches and back pain is nonexistent. My blood pressure is also normal and continues to be normal for several months.

-Lillie,

Headaches

About 3 weeks ago my daughter had been complaining about headaches and that she was getting them more frequent than ever, she is 10 years old, and to me it just wasn't normal for a 10 year old to have headaches at all.

While this was going on her grades in school began to drop also, I became concerned and took her to a medical doctor first, just to see if exactly what was going on, the medical doctor checked Jalicia's vital signs and told me that she needed to see a neurologist, on top of the doctor not telling me what was going on he charged me $50.00 for the visit, not only that but I missed a day of work, placing my hopes in finding out what was wrong with Jalicia.

When I arrived to work the next day I spoke with Dr. Friedman concerning Jalicia, and he told me to bring her in. On February 20, I brought Jalicia in, He adjusted her and showed me the X-rays after the first set of X-rays.

Well, the first set showed where her neck was veering over to the right side, after the adjustment the x-ray changed tremendously it showed that her neck was straightened, not only that but Jalicia doesn�t have headaches anymore, when she got a headache it only lasted 15 minutes, and no more have occured since then. I just want to say thank you very much for your time and effort towards my little girl, she now has hope for no more headaches and better grades in school.

-Jalicia, 10 Mother, Mrs. Lewis

Migraine Headaches

I am 49 years old and in good health, annual check-ups throughout my life. I decided that the only health issue I had was headaches since my early teens. I wanted to attack this problem "Head on" and see if there was a possible cure other than OTC pain relievers daily.

I went to Mayo Clinic in search of cause and cure. I discussed with my primary Dr. and he diagnosed me with migraines and I was experiencing them daily. He put me on the exam table and noticed my legs were (not even?).

He immediately told me about the issues and suggested 3 specialists that could help me. One of the three was located in the southeast: Dr. Friedman. I was skeptical at first, but had reminded myself I would try anything to reduce my headaches. My first visit (exam) did indeed, show misalignment. Through Dr. Friedman's process along with more healthy living-water, exercise, vitamins, I noticed improvement after the first visit.

By my second visit I was incredibly headache FREE! This was the point that I put my skepticism aside and now enjoy living without constant headaches. My thanks to Mayo�s for suggesting this (therapy?) and my Thanks to Dr. Friedman for truly curing my constant migraines.

-Jay, 49

Headaches

I have been seeing Dr. Friedman since December of 2000. On a whim, because I had a friend that swore by him but actually I was skeptical. Well it being December and all I decided to give him a try. The reason I chose December is because I had paid all my deductibles on my insurance.

After the initial talk we had, Dr. Friedman and my husband were talking to each other and I could not hear them. After all the x-rays, which I might add when you are hurting both in your back and in your head you just wish they would hurry. I found out later that they were necessary to treat me because everyone is different.

I was hurting so bad that I was getting nauseous. Of course when he told me to lie down on the little table I was waiting for the usual popping and carrying on but all he did was touch me on my ear. And immediately my pain went away.

Then he had me stand up in front of my husband and they began their talk again. But this time they told me what it was. Dr. Russell had showed my husband how one of my shoulder slouched and upon the adjustment it stood up straight. So he made a believer out of my husband right then and there. Of course I couldn't of altered the outcome because I didn't know what was being said.

Well he took more x-rays and there it was a marked improvement on all that was wrong with me. The only thing was that he had given me a pamphlet telling me of some side effects. He said I would feel pretty good for 2 days and then on the third day I would feel like a truck ran over me. And that I might even feel like I had the flu or at least some flu like systems.

Well to make a long story short I forgot about what he said about the 3rd day. And it just so happened that Dr. Russell called me on that day. He asked me how I felt and I told him if he had called the first or second day I would have told him great but that 3rd day I wished I had never saw him. He gently asked me did I remember what he told me about the 3rd day and of course I did not.

Which I will put a plug in for him now. He always calls me after an adjustment to see how I am doing. I had a friend who I talked into going with me and she had the adjustment. And we were going back on the 3rd day for another adjustment and believe it or not she would not go because she said she was coming down with the flu. I told her of my experience but she did not go back and my point to this story is that if you have these weird feelings they are probably normal so do go please give him at least a month before you start judging him to be a quack.

Another story I want to share with you is that it took about 6 months to completely get my spine in alignment. But about 2 years after I was in maintenance I started having headaches again. I went back 3 weeks straight in a row.( I live about 6 hours away) So Dr. Friedman decided to x-ray me again. Well he came in and asked me if I had been is an accident or something, and I told him no. Well have you fell in a hole or anything out of the ordinary? Well I said I didn't think I had. Well he firmly said I had because the old x-rays were not getting to my new problem. So he adjusted me a different way. And he told me to think about it that I would have had to had some kind of "accident" and that I would probably think of it later.

Well all the way home my husband and I could not think of anything. Then when we got into bed it hit us, We had took our Grandchildren to Dollywood and I rode a lot of those rides that jerks you around. Needless to say that had to be it because after the new x-rays and the new adjustments my headaches quit. Now I won't tell you that one adjustment will keep you in line that you never have to have another one but it sure beats the heck out of having those bad headaches as regular as I used to have them.

-Sharon,
Alabama

Migraine Headaches

I thought the rest of my life was going to be spent bed-ridden until I was led to NUCCA. I was 24 and had very bad migraine headaches daily for 2 years. I had numerous tests done including: M.R.I, cat scan, blood work, and a sinus X-ray and the results were all healthy.

I thought I was hopeless. I tried another chiropractor and after a few visits with no results, (it felt like they were just cracking my back and wasn't targeting my problem) I heard about NUCCA.

After the first visit without all the harsh popping and cracking, I noticed a change. After the 3rd I noticed a significant change and now I rarely have headaches and if I do they are normal and minor NOT migraines. It is wonderful.

Who knew a simple touch could be so effective?

-Wilamena,

Migraine Headaches

I would like to start by saying upper cervical adjustments have completely changed my overall health and attitude on life. I came to NUCCA over 6 months ago after suffering from migraines for the last 6 years. I would experience a migraine at least once a month during or a week before the onset of my menses.

To me, it was just a "given" that I would get one and I lived with that. Some months depending on the stresses in my life, I would experience more than one migraine. If something upset me or recently since I have been in school taking tests, I would get a migraine during mid-terns and finals as well as during my menses.

I began to realize I was having migraines more than I was free of them. I was in pain one day in Dr. Friedman's class and he noticed and suggested that I come to see him at his office. Since, I am also studying to be a chiropractor, it didn't take much convincing and I wanted to see if upper cervical adjustments could help me more than some of the other chiropractic techniques I have tried. It did help and I am convinced it is the only way to help my migraines.

I felt a big sense of relief from the first adjustment, as though someone lifted a heavy weight off of my neck and shoulders. My head usually radiates with pain during my migraines and to be able to say that I have not had a serious migraine for over 6 months is incredible. I experienced one minor migraine two months ago, after I got into a minor car accident, but since then, I have not had another.

The NUCCA correction has truly changed my world. I can happily say I do not get migraines before, during or after my menses anymore, nor have I had one from any stress in my life.

-Stacey,

Migraine Headaches

I started to have severe headaches 4 to 5 years ago. My symptoms included sensitivity to light, throbbing pain at the base of my neck on my right side shooting forward to my temple and eyes, and nausea. Over the years I have seen a few neurologist.

I was diagnosed with anything from tension to sinus or migraine headaches. Each time I was given a new prescription for a drug to try and help prevent the headaches and for pain. I was instructed to take this drug everyday and whenever I had a headache. I always left the doctor's feeling defeated. I knew the drug would help the headache, but it didn't solve why I was getting these severe headaches.

I've never been a person who likes to take pills, especially everyday. I would take the pills for a few weeks each time as prescribed and then stop. My headaches started to come back and more frequent. After a few trips to the hospital and spending countless days and nights in my bed with every single light off in the house, I tried to accept that this was just going to be a part of my life. Constantly in pain and miserable.

After missing a few days of work due to a trip to the hospital for a migraine headache, a coworker told me about a new type of Chiropractor she had been seeing for her migraine headaches. She sent me an email the office had sent out in December 2007 offering a special price for new clients. I had been to Chiropractors in the past with no relief so I was skeptical.

She informed me that Dr. Friedman was a NUCCA specialist, and the only one certified in the state of Georgia. At this point, what did I have to lose visiting one more doctor besides spending more money!

During my first visit, I noticed right away, this doctor's office and staff were different from other offices. I was given a tour of the entire office and thoroughly explained what a NUUCA specialist is and does. I'd never heard of this chiropractic approach before, but for the first time it started to make sense "Why I might be having these severe migraines. Dr. Friedman took a set of X-rays before and after my adjustment. I've never had x-rays taken after an adjustment. This allowed him to see if the adjustment had worked or if he needed to work on me some more.

I continued to see Dr. Friedman 8 times after my initial visit over a two month period. I only had two bad migraines during that time as opposed to 2 to 3 a week. I stopped going after the first 8 appointments because I was having financial trouble. My migraines disappeared for a while but eventually came back because I never allowed Dr. Friedman to finish my treatment.

In June 01, 2009, I was having migraines 2 to 3 times a week again. I decided to give Dr. Friedman a call and make another appointment. I was so impressed that he called me back himself. He is the only doctor who has helped me determine why I am having these migraines and has helped me to prevent them without having to take a pill everyday to cope with the pain. He is working with me on my financial situation so I can finish my treatment. He is not only a great doctor but cares about each patient.

-Shawne,

Chronic Pain, Headaches

n 2004 I was involved in an car accident that left me with serious neck problems. The pain I was having in my neck was like pain I have never felt before. The pain would be so bad that it would cause me to have terrible headaches, so bad that I was unable to continue with daily activities like work & take care of my son.

The pain would radiate down my arm & cause my face & arm to go numb, the pain was so intense at times that it would literally make me sick. This was occurring several times a week, which was getting in the way of my everyday life. I couldn't do normal activities anymore; lift, push, pull, look from side to side. I couldn't even play with my son anymore without it causing me to have awful pain.

I was referred to go to a regular chiropractor, advised that this was all I needed & I should feel better. I was going to the chiropractor 3-4 times a week for months with only temporary relief. After the chiropractor wasn't working I was then referred to a physical therapist, where I was told that all I needed was to do some stretches & would feel better.

After months of going to the physical therapist with still no lasting relief I was then referred to a pain management Dr, who then put me on several different medicines & starting giving me injections in my neck. After a few months of that with no lasting relief he decided to combine all these things & that should do the trick.

So, I was seeing a physical therapist twice a week, taking muscle relaxers & a prescription anti-inflammatory daily, & getting painful injections in my neck once a week. Still no lasting relief.

After that, I saw a neurologist who still couldn't find the problem along with a few other Dr's. After that I tried massage therapy, still nothing that would last. I had several MRI's that all came back normal. No one could seem to find what was wrong with me, but here I am, with obviously something wrong because I am in so much pain. It was so bad that I was now taking Vicodin to help with the pain but even that didn't give me much relief.

After all that I gave up. I thought this was just something I was going to have to deal with for the rest of my life. Then, after 5 long years of suffering through this, someone referred me to a NUCCA specialist Dr. Friedman. I went in with not much hope that he was going to be different than anyone else who I had seen before. But he was different. He was the first Dr I had seen in 5 years that actually wanted to find the source of my problem instead of trying to just put me on medicine.

He explained to me in detail what was going on & what he was going to do to make me better. I have been going to Dr Friedman for almost a year now & although I am not completely pain free I am so much better than I have been in a long time & I am continuing to follow his treatment plan to feel even better. No more laying in bed 2-3 times a week because I'm in so much pain. I can play with my son again! I finally, after 5 years of agonizing pain, have my life back!

-Anonymous,