Question
I have been having aches in my shoulders and upper back. I went to my primary care doctor and he just prescribed muscle relaxers and pain killers. I decided not to take them and go see a chiropractor. The chiropractor discovered that I have a reverse curve in my neck. He said that the only way this happens is from some sort of trauma. However, talking with my parents, I cannot remember any trauma that could cause this. I called my dad and he told me that his chiropractor said that he also has the reverse curve in his neck. My first questoin is, can this be heriditary? Also, the chiropractor says that he can fix it though adjustments. He uses the activator to make his adjustments. Since he is physically trying to move my bones, I am a little worried. If it was something I was born with, perhaps I don't need to get it fixed. Should I get a second opinion or go through with the process of reversing the neck. Thank you

Answer
Lisa;

A reversal of the cervical spine is one of the most common things that a chiropractor sees in their office.  It is not hereditary; it's an acquired issue.  You can get it from trauma, of course, or you can get it from years of bad posture.  Incidentally, it's typically worse for women as they have, well, boobs.  They tend to drag women forward, and there's a social bias against "sticking them out".

The xrays the DC took should give some indication of the amount of time this has been going on... with time the bones will modify their shape to react to the increased loads on them.  

DC's use lots of different methods for realigning the spine... Activator is one of the least invasive techniques, as it clicks on your neck instead of putting the DC's hands on you.  (That's what I do.)

If the justification for treating your neck is this reversal, I would challenge the doc to say, hey, can you guarantee that if I do everything you ask, and follow your treatment plan, that the curve will return to normal?  Care to back that up with a money back guarantee?

It will be interesting to see his/her response.  If he/she says yes, well, game on.  If not, find someone who uses a different technique, such as Pettibon, CBP, or motion palpation to help.  

Hope this answer helps!

Dr. Peter Carr