The upper cervical misalignment is the most complex and difficult region of the spine to align, but when correction is achieved the results can be simply amazing. Patients notice changes throughout their entire body as normal alignment and posture is restored. It takes a tremendous amount of training to deliver a quality NUCCA correction but hurting people need and deserve the best care possible and that’s why upper cervical doctors have dedicated their lives to the mastery of this procedure.

A Complex Problem

The weakest region of the human spine is where the head meets the neck! This is due to fact that half of all of our head movements occur between the head and top two vertebrae. Injury will buckle this region of the spine in very large and complex ways, tearing loose connective tissue, ligaments and muscles responsible for maintaining normal posture and head alignment.

The Bigger Picture

Injury to the upper neck has a global affect on the body. When the head shifts off the top of the neck due to injury, the body’s “righting reflex” moves the body into a distorted posture to bring the head back to level. This shift causes stress and miscommunication affecting posture control centers in the lower brainstem where it passes through the top vertebra. Posture muscles that run along one side of the spine pull harder than muscles on the other side resulting in the picture you see here.

How Did I Get This Way

As you can see here, injury also twists the upper neck adding to the complexity of the misalignment and compounding stress to the brainstem. The misalignment you see is the result of one or more past injuries.

Visualize Here

Growing up, chiropractic care was a huge part of my life. My father was an upper cervical chiropractic professor, so it was the only form of chiropractic I knew. I routinely had my atlas checked as a kid. I was a very active kid and wrestled for 12 years. I never had any injury and almost always had perfect attendance each school year. I attribute this largely to having my atlas and nervous system routinely checked starting at birth.

I love NUCCA for a couple of reasons. First because it is so precise and gentle, it can be used safely on virtually anyone. Second, the adjustment is powerful because it protects your brainstem. Any stress in this area can have an impact on any part of your health. My favorite part of being a NUCCA doctor is witnessing the wide-ranging impact on someone’s health once this stress is removed. It’s what makes every day of practice exciting.

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