Our doctor is an Upper Cervical Chiropractor trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). Over the past 30 years, we have helped many people find natural relief for TMJ in the Carmel Valley, San Diego, California area. Our upper cervical clinic also serves the communities of Carmel Valley, Rancho Penasquitos, and Carmel Ranch. We are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraine headaches, chronic neck and back pain, fibromyalgia, allergy and sinus problems and temporomandibular joint disorders.
In anatomy, the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are the two joints connecting the jawbone to the skull. It is a bilateral synovial articulation between the temporal bone of the skull above and the mandible below; it is from these bones that its name is derived. This joint is unique in that it is a bilateral joint that functions as one unit. Since the TMJ is connected to the mandible, the right and left joints must function together and therefore are not independent of each other. You can learn more about TMJ here.
*The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association is an organization of Doctors of Chiropractic dedicated to patient care, education and research. Spinal health care using the NUCCA procedures focuses on detecting and correcting a small misalignment in the upper neck area. Gentle, non-invasive adjustments don’t require any turning, twisting or popping. Your upper cervical spine (neck) area influences all areas of your body. Injury or chronic misalignments can cause headaches, migraines, neck pain, low back pain, weakness and more. The NUCCA technique is currently offered by less than 1% of all the Doctors of Chiropractic.
What our Carmel Valley, San Diego Clients Say
"Dr. Dan Spinato has been our Chiropractor for 20+ years! We only think about going to him when we have problems with our spine, and he's always been able to get us back into alignment and feeling great again in no time. Our friends who originally referred us to him, say the same thing we do, "his techniques sometimes seem odd, but they work!" I was recently sick for 2 months with upper respiratory issues. My lungs were full of crud and the coughing was so severe that I cracked a rib. Urgent Care doctors prescribed Nebulizer treatments and inhalers to clear my lungs. After 3 months, I was finally feeling better and my rib no longer hurt. Because I was feeling better, I did what every woman does, I decided to overdo it and moved some heavy furniture and dug up a huge plant that must have weighed 100 lbs. That's all it took for me to end up with back and muscle pain that was so bad, I could barely walk or perform my daily functions. I made an appointment with Dr. Dan (as we affectionately call him). Of course he was able to immediately relieve some of the pain in my back and leg so I scheduled 5 more visits with him so he could continue to work out all the damage I'd done. On my 3rd visit, he was doing his usual exam, and much to my amazement said "you have a rib problem." He could tell it had not completely healed from the severe cough months earlier (I hadn't even told him about the cracked rib)! Then he asked me to cough several times as he manipulated some areas of my body. I thought it was rather odd for a Chiropractor to ask me to cough, but I continued to follow his instructions while he worked on me, having me cough a few more times. After leaving his office, I continued to have a minor cough that day and all of the following day. The next day, the cough completely went away. He had loosened phlegm that I didn't know was still in there from months ago! I could breathe again like I hadn't for months. For anyone reading this, I want you to know that Dr. Dan provides so much more than a pop and a crack of your spine. He has a way of sensing and feeling where your body is weak and sick. His treatments are so much more than what you get in a "regular" Chiropractor's office. He treats your body from head to toe (yes he even cracked my foot). His knowledge of your entire nervous system helps him get the blood flowing again and wakes up your body. No pill or medical doctor has done that for me. Within 4 visits, I feel better than I've felt in years. There is no price you can put on that. Thank you Dr. Dan, from the bottom of my foot to the top of my cranium!" -Connie B.