Why you've tried everything and still don't feel right
The seven-minute visit, and the one question the system was never built to ask.
upper cervical care · ann arbor, michigan
Chronic neck pain you were told to learn to live with
The X-ray looks normal for your age, or you were told to learn to live with it. You've stretched, rested and strengthened, and it keeps coming back.
in their words
What people say about chronic neck pain
"I suffered over a year with dizziness and anxiety, balance and neck pain."
"they basically just said I needed to learn to live with it"
"I thought I was going to be dealing with this pain for the rest of my life."
Why it is often missed. Pain in the neck is usually looked at in the neck. How the upper neck connects to the brainstem and the rest of your nervous system is a different question, and it is seldom measured.
Why the upper neck may be involved. The top two bones of the neck carry the weight of your head and surround the brainstem. When the head sits even slightly off center, the muscles below work all day to hold it up. That strain can show up as neck pain, and sometimes as headaches, dizziness or fatigue as well.
what the research looked at
Seven published studies on chronic neck pain
Published 1998 to 2026. The strongest design among them: controlled trial. Each one is summarized in plain words in our research library: who was studied, what was measured, what was found, and where it falls short.
- Head position sense in 72 people with neck pain, before and after one atlas correction
- 1,090 new patients at 83 upper cervical offices: early changes and reactions
- Neck X-rays over a year of Blair care
- Neck pain and disability after two weeks of low-force orthogonal care
- Neck pain and headaches after a car accident that injured an artery in the neck
- A 46-year-old woman with neck pain and hand numbness
- A 34-year-old man with a herniated disc in his neck
The randomized trial measured head position sense right after one visit, not pain. The cohort is large, but it had no comparison group and followed people for about two weeks. The Blair X-ray review measured discs, not symptoms. The file reviews looked back at existing records. The case reports describe one person each. None of these can say what would happen for you, and none followed people for years.
The chronic neck pain studies, by design and year
how we measure
The Lazar Method™ measures first
Everyone else told you what might work. We measure before anything is decided. PostureIQ™ measures your posture, muscle tone shows where it costs you energy, and digital X-ray shows the alignment of the upper neck.
Before any correction we measure how your nervous system is regulating your body: heart rate variability, thermal and muscle tone scans, PostureIQ™, and digital X-ray of the upper neck. Dr. Jonathan Lazar, D.C., or someone personally trained by him, will go over your scans and images with you. QSM3, the method used at our office, is a progression of NUCCA, and the correction is gentle and specific: no cracking, no twisting.
If we can help, we'll tell you. If we can't, we'll help you find someone who can.
Please note: Neck pain with fever, after a serious injury, or with weakness or numbness in the arms needs a medical evaluation first.
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Keep the doctors who know you in the loop.
Your doctor. QSM3 Level M Certified. One of eight doctors in the world. In practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan, since 2008. About Dr. Lazar
the dr. lazar show
Hear how Dr. Lazar thinks before you call
Heard for 17 years on WMUZ 103.5 FM, The Dr. Lazar Show is now on YouTube and as a podcast. There is no episode on chronic neck pain on its own yet. These two are where most people start.
The Lazar Method™: how we actually reset the system
The five steps on air for the first time: measure, identify, clarify, correct, restore, and what gets measured before anything else.
traveling for care
Coming from another state, or hours away?
People drive from across Michigan because nothing closer worked. If you live hours away, or in another state, working out the days, the hotel and the records shouldn't be yours to carry alone. Our office is at 203 S. Zeeb Rd, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Traveling with a child? Families welcome.
- IntensiveIntensive programs
Your assessment, your Report of Findings and a concentrated block of corrections in one stay in Ann Arbor, usually one to two weeks, set at your Report of Findings. We read your records before you travel, so you only make the trip if it makes sense. The prices are itemized on the page.
- StayStaying in Ann Arbor
A negotiated medical rate for patients and their families at the Holiday Inn & Suites Ann Arbor, with breakfast, Wi-Fi and parking included.
- RemoteRemote care
Can't travel to Ann Arbor at all? Dr. Lazar works with a small number of remote patients. The correction itself is hands-on, so when your case needs it, we'll tell you, and help you find a qualified upper cervical provider near you.
questions
Questions people ask about chronic neck pain
Still have a question? Call 734.274.5107, or book a 15-minute Clarity Call, a phone call with our team and no commitment. Cost and insurance are answered plainly on the FAQ page.
Keep reading
Why does my neck pain keep coming back?
Often because the reason it started was never measured. If the head sits slightly off center on the top of the neck, the muscles below work all day to hold it up, and stretching or rest only helps for a while. Measuring the upper neck shows whether that is part of your picture.
How is upper cervical care different from regular chiropractic?
Most chiropractic care is built around moving joints so they feel better. Ours starts with measurement: nerve scans, digital X-ray and PostureIQ™, all before any correction. The correction itself is gentle and specific, planned from your own imaging: no cracking, no twisting. Re-scans show whether it is holding.
What does research say about upper cervical care for neck pain?
Seven studies so far, mostly without a comparison group. A 2026 randomized trial measured head position sense right after one visit, not pain. The largest study followed 1,090 new patients at 83 offices for about two weeks. The rest are file reviews and case reports. None followed people for years, and none can predict what will happen for you.
Is the correction gentle enough for a neck that already hurts?
The correction is gentle and specific: no cracking, no twisting, nothing forceful. You lie on your side in a neutral position, and the correction is planned from your own imaging. Your first correction is followed by a call from your doctor that evening, so you are never left wondering how it went.
tried everything
When nothing else has worked, start with clarity.
In about 4 minutes, you'll see whether your symptoms point to nervous system dysfunction, and exactly what to do next. Free. Your answers stay private. No spam, ever.
Prefer to talk first?
or call 734.274.5107 · ready to come in? Book your complimentary consultation
Screening adapted from the autonomic dysfunction screening developed by Bruce Bell, MD.
A member of our team will reach out within one business day.