Meniere’s Disease and Upper Cervical Chiropractic?

This original story appeared in the Fall 2013 NUCCA News, the quarterly newsletter of the the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association. It was part of one of three very different stories about healing through upper cervical care. This true-life story comes from Dr. Keith Denton in Monroe, Michigan, and was written by Dr. Zachary Ward.

Liz Hyer’s Hearing Loss and Meniere’s Disease

Liz Hyer had been managing her Meniere’s Disease symptoms well, until she began to take a turn for the worst. A chance reference to NUCCA (National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association) on an online-support page for Meniere’s introduced her to Dr. Keith Denton. It was the first step to finally finding the full help she needed.

"Ever since I can remember," Liz Hyer told the NUCCA News, "I have had aural fullness [feeling of fullness in the ear], tinnitus [ringing in the ear], balance problems and double vision. Six years ago I was diagnosed with bi-lateral Meniere’s disease." Gradual hearing loss in both of her ears lead to the diagnosis from her medical physician.

Meniere’s is a complex and confusing disease that affects the brainstem, creating hearing and balance disturbances. Within current medical thinking, there is little that can be done for Meniere’s patients, especially the hearing loss.

Liz says that her Meniere’s episodes were mild. Though they left her tired, with ringing in her ears, and room spinning for days at a time, they only happened every few months.

Then two years ago her condition worsened. Perhaps the most noticeable change was the severe attacks of double vision. "It was to the point where I had to drive with one eye closed in order to be able to see to drive to work. It was not an ideal situation for safe driving," Liz said. Her doctor referred her to an ENT specialist who diagnosed her with another disease, known as Brown’s syndrome.

Hearing restored with upper cervical adjustment 

January 2013 was her first visit to the NUCCA doctor. "I noticed when I was having a flare up of symptoms, I would get an adjustment from my regular chiropractor and my hearing would improve somewhat," Liz said. "I did some extensive research online about Meniere’s…people were reporting that NUCCA chiropractic had helped relieve their symptoms. By the grace of God I found Dr. Keith Denton."

What happened after her first NUCCA correction? "I went home and laid down. At that point I had severe brain fog and double vision. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t see. I couldn’t hear. It felt like there was a rainforest in my head. It was like fluid running."

A week later, Liz went back to her physician, who repeated her hearing test. Liz was found to have regained her normal hearing after one adjustment. Now, nine months later, her hearing has not declined. But that was just the beginning of her healing story.

Upright MRI reveals depth of upper cervical problem 

Based on recent findings in upper cervical chiropractic research, and Liz’s symptoms, Dr. Denton thought that Liz might be experiencing something known as Arnold Chiari Malformation, where the lower portion of the brain is pulled downward into her spinal canal. He suggested Liz get an upright MRI so she would have a complete understanding of what she was facing. When she approached her neurologist, he told her that the she did not have Arnold Chiari—and that there was no such thing as an upright MRI.

Several months later, Liz tracked down an upright MRI unit in Illinois (they do exist!), and discovered that she did indeed have Arnold Chiari. "Having the hearing back, I have my confidence restored, and it gives me hope that the rest will follow with time."

Just after her interview, Liz wrote to the NUCCA News the following:

"One thing I forgot to mention during the interview was that I have had years of chronic lower back pain. This has melted away along with my hearing issue since being adjusted by Dr. Denton. I have been under regular chiropractic care since I was 18, and at least twice a month for the past 11 years, without a sign of relief for my back. In just one upper cervical adjustment, years of excruciating back pain was but a memory."

Written by Dr. Ward 

Father and dedicated upper cervical chiropractor. Find me practicing gentle upper cervical care in Oakland County, Michigan. Have a question or comment? I'm at your service. Reach me at my Auburn Hills chiropractic practice: (248) 598-4002.

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

NUCCA Upper Cervical And Supporting Research

The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association NUCCA is a unique form of (Upper Cervical) Chiropractic spinal health care that uses a specific procedure focused on correcting a small misalignment of the upper neck know as the Atlas Subluxation Complex. This subtle correction ultimately restores optimal balance to the entire spinal column. Because the spinal column protects the central nervous system that controls and coordinates all body functions, good spinal balance is critical to good health.

Extensive research and clinical studies show that improved body balance effectively reduces stress throughout the body and helps to relieve pain and stress. Although the NUCCA correction is performed on the neck, it affects the balance of the entire body.

In 1941, two chiropractors from Michigan, Dr. Ralph Gregory and Dr. John Grostic Sr., joined together in developing a more accurate method of rebalancing the body. This procedure has effectively helped to reduced pain and discomfort and worked to enhance the overall well being of many thousands of people. Their work proved to be very successful and eventually other doctors and professions have joined in their pursuit of studying the benefits of this care.

The NUCCA organization was formed in 1966 to conduct educational seminars. The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research Association, now called the Upper Cervical Research Foundation or UCRF, was formed in 1971 to do extensive research related to understanding the small misalignment in the upper neck called the Atlas Subluxation Complex.

National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association

Published on April 20, 2010

Historically, Chiropractic moved from palpation of ‘hotboxes’ to the Meric system.  The idea of major and minor subluxations then became popular as Chiropractors realized that manipulating every segment was impractical and time consuming.  By the 1930’s some in the profession were beginning to see the upper cervical area as the major subluxation all the time.  The techniques of the day were not always able to adequately objectify nor consistently correct the upper cervical misalignments, nor were they able to be taught to the majority of students.  Political and financial controversy surrounding the neurocalograph had split the profession by the mid 1920’s and many in the profession turned away from many of BJ Palmer’s concepts, the upper cervical approach, and the idea of misalignment in general.

Working in relative obscurity since the late 1930’s, Dr. John Grostic -who later joined in partnership with Dr. Ralph Gregory in 1941, and others as time went on, began to do the clinical work necessary to understand how to take accurate films, how to accurately place (and replace on the post films) patients so that the misalignment was accurately imaged.  They developed templates enabling more accurate analysis of the films using a rotatory measurement system instead of the linear measurements which were more prone to geometric distortion factors.  The adjustment itself has undergone significant evolution.  The toggle of the HIO days has been long replaced by the triceps pull which utilizes the ‘kinetic chain effect’ allowing accurate, consistent, and precise, vectored adjustments.  Biomechanical analysis has also undergone great evolution as the misalignment factors became understood and reduction and correction of the upper cervical spine and skull improved, allowing increasingly better instruction for students and doctors. This clinical investigation continues to the present day.

Today, the NUCCA doctor can objectively measure the spinal misalignment and its effect on posture.  They can accurately adjust the upper cervical subluxation complex and objectively measure whether they reduced the misalignment factors in the cervical spine as well as the effect on postural tone as referenced by gravity in the neutral standing position. 

The NUCCA work is orthogonally-based upper cervical chiropractic.  It is based from the empirical realization, derived from decades of clinical experience, that postural distortion (first seen as simply a ‘short leg’ in the supine position) and now also defined in the neutral standing position, including high and low pelvis in the frontal plane, transverse rotation of the pelvis, and movement of T1 away from the vertical axis in the frontal plane, accompanied by bilateral weight inequality.  This postural disturbance correlates with misalignment of the upper cervical spine and skull when measured using aligned radiographs, and accurate patient positioning technique, in three planes.  Maximal and proportional correction of the upper cervical spine and skull (as measured by post films as outcome assessment) correlate with return of posture to the vertical axis, untorqueing of the pelvis and is accompanied by symmetrization of weight balance.  These constitute the measurable (objective) aspects of the work but certainly do not constitute the only outcomes for the patient.

NUCCA doctors have used the Anatometer, a stand up, posture measuring device that can indicate pelvic unleveling and twist, as well as positional change of T1 in the frontal plane in terms of degrees.  Many versions also have a bilateral weight scale that can calculate percent difference left to right.  Correlating supine leg check with Anatometer measurements has revolutionized the doctor’s ability to know when the patient is in proper adjustment.  The Anatometer was designed by Dr. Gregory, Peter Benesch and Daniel Seemann, Ph.D.  Dr. Seemann, a Professor at University of Toledo became the Director of Research for NUCCRA in the early 1970’s.  He was succeeded by James Palmer,  a Professor of Physics at the University of Toledo.

Use of pre and post radiographs, while immeasurably enhancing the practice of upper cervical chiropractic, had another more difficult side.  When Chiropractic split in the mid 1920’s, the contention between those who looked at misalignment and those who found the segments to approximate and fixate, became essentially divorced.  There was little interest from the NCA or later the ACA in validation of a political ‘enemy’ and their contrary ideas.  Upper cervical work continued to evolve but harsh memories divided the work.  A ‘catch 22’ evolved in that use of pre and post films was ‘a priori’ considered unnecessary use of radiation, therefore “dangerous and without benefit”.  NUCCA was denied publication in the Chiropractic peer reviewed literature without being allowed to prove its case.  Unable to find a Chiropractic IRB [Institutional Review Board] willing to allow this decades long work a chance to prove itself, NUCCA eventually had to move outside the profession to publish a recent paper, one that once published, was noticed by everyone in Chiropractic and far beyond, “Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: a preliminary study.” Bakris, Dickholtz, et al.  Published in the Journal of Human Hypertension [(2007),1-6]. It was the first time that Chiropractic was able to show a significant normalizing effect on hypertension. A larger study is now being conducted at Palmer Chiropractic College (Davenport) to see if the findings can be replicated.  Our hope is to continue to work to obtain the funding necessary to validate orthogonally based upper cervical work and regain the respect of the Chiropractic profession while getting our results to the world. 

The Atlas Research Foundation (ARF) was established by grateful philanthropic NUCCA patients from Barrington, IL.  They understand how the benefit of  NUCCA care provides answers to some of medicine’s quandaries in addressing indistinct conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  Their vision in demonstrating the benefit that NUCCA care could decrease overall healthcare costs, guided their funding of the NUCCA Hypertension study.  Knowing it takes research to provide needed evidence and research takes money, they raised the required funds to conduct the landmark investigation.  ARF continues to investigate ways to provide funding for further Upper Cervical Research that supports their vision.

Several other studies are currently underway, including the most sophisticated finite element model of the head and spine (and spinal attachments) that has ever been produced, at the University of Toledo under the direction of Vijay Goel, PhD. The model is already giving insight into the biomechanics of the upper cervical spine.  Several papers are in progress.

Charles Woodfield, DC, RPh, a researcher from Life West Chiropractic College (full-time research faculty), is being partially funded by NUCCA and UCRF.  He has several projects underway, including procedural reliability studies, the development of a practice based research model for NUCCA practitioners, and a study using phase-contrast MRI to image changes in blood flow secondary to adjustment, among others.  

Published Papers, Lectures and Poster Presentations (Not including the decades of papers published in The Upper Cervical Monograph: www.nucca.org/monograph.php)

Abstract & Poster Board Presentations: Development of a Head-Neck Finite Element Model for the Investigation of Subluxation-Based Upper Cervical Chiropractic Manipulation by Liu, Potluri , Chinthakunta ,Goel ,Denton , and J. Palmer. ASME June 2009 California.

Improvement in Radiographic Measurements, Posture, Pain & Quality of Life in Non-migraine Headache Patients Undergoing Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Retrospective Practice Based Study by J. Palmer& M. Dickholtz, J. Vertebral Subluxation Research [JVSR] June 4, 2009.

 Improvement in Radiographic Measurements, Posture, Pain & Quality of Life in Non-migraine Headache Patients Undergoing Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Retrospective Practice Based Study by J. Palmer& M. Dickholtz, J. Vertebral Subluxation Research [JVSR] June 4, 2009.

Scholten J, Plotsky J. “Our energetic relationship with gravity- success of the NUCCA intervention measured by postural balance.” Canadian Chiropractor Feb 2007 :22-23.

Bakris G, Dickholtz M, Meyer PM, Kavitz G, Avery E, Miller M, Brown J, Woodfield C, Bell B. “Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: a pilot study.” Journal of Human Hypertension (2007) 1-6.

Thomas M. Editor. NUCCA Protocols and Perspectives. A Textbook for the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association. 1st ed. National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research Association (NUCCRA) Monroe, MI 2002.

Palmer J, Creswell K. “A brief history of the modus operandi of measuring and correcting the atlas Subluxation complex syndrome and the role of posture in the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA) standard of care.” 13th International ICCMO Congress, Kona, Hawaii, Nov4-6, 2005.

Woodfield, C. International Conference on Spinal Manipulation, Minneapolis, MN. “Outcomes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Subjects Adjusted by a Specific Chiropractic Technique.” Platform Presentation Sep 22, 2000.

Woodfield C. “The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the atlas misalignment in chronic fatigue syndrome- an hypothesis.” 16th Annual Upper Cervical Conference Life University of Chiropractic, Marietta, GA Nov. 1999.

Dickholtz M, Woodfield C. Atlas correction of patients with neck and back pain using the NUCCA technique. (Abstracts from the 16th Annual Upper Cervical Spine Conference, November 20-21, 1999) Chiropr Res J, 1999; 6(2):86-87.

Seemann DC. Anatometer measurements: a field study intra- and inter-examiner reliability and pre to post changes following an atlas adjustment. Chiropr Res J, 1999; 6(1)7-9.

Woodfield C, Dickholtz M. Measuring the effects of upper cervical chiropractic corrections on patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Abstract from the 15th Annual Upper Cervical Conference, November 21-22, 1998.

Woodfield C. “Outcome of 25 headache patients presenting for upper cervical chiropractic care, preliminary SF-36 results of chronic fatigue patients receiving NUCCA chiropractic adjustments.” 14th Annual Upper Cervical Conference, Life University of Chiropractic, Marietta, GA. Platform Presentation Oct 1997.

Woodfield C. “A comparison of outcome and process measures to determine the effectiveness of an upper cervical chiropractic correction.” World Federation of Chiropractic, Tokyo Japan. Posster Session. Jun 1997.

Woodfield C. “A comparison of outcome and process measures to determine the effectiveness of an upper cervical chiropractic correction.” American Health Services Research Symposium, Chicago IL. Posater session. January 1997.

Dickholtz, M. Woodfield C. “Analysis of a NUCCA practice using a practice-based research model.” 13th Annual Upper Cervical Conference, Life University of Chiropractic, Marietta, GA. Nov 1996.

Seemann DC, Dickholtz M. Range of motion at the atlanto-occipital joint: lateral flexion and side slip. 11th Annual Upper Cervical Spine Conference, Life College Marietta, Georgia, 1995.

Weidemann RL. “Case studies of surface emg tested at C1 and C3 pre and post adjustment along with correlated pre and post x-rays. 11th Annual Upper Cervical Spine Conference, Life College 1994.

Seemann DC. Bilateral weight differential and functional short leg: an analysis of pre and post data after reduction of an atlas subluxation. Chiropr Res J, 1993; 2(3):33-38.

Goodman R. Hypertension and the atlas subluxation complex.  J Chiropr Res Clin Investigation, 1992; 8(2):30-32.

Thomas M, Wood J. Upper cervical adjustments may improve mental function. J Man Med, 1992: 6:215-216.

Standards of Care Manual. Submitted to Conference for the Establishment of Guidelines for Chiropractic Quality Assurance and Standards of Practice. Chaired by Scott Haldemann, DC, MD,PhD. October 1991.

Goodman RJ, Mosby JS. Cessation of a seizure disorder: correction of the atlas subluxation complex. J Chiropr Res Clin Investigation, 1990; 6(2):43-46.

Sherwood KR, Brickner DS, Jennings DJ, Mattern JC. Postural changes after reduction of the atlanto-axial subluxation. J Chiropr Res, Summer, 1989; 5(4):96-100.

Gregory RR, Seamann DC. “A critique of a critique of vectored adjusting.” The Digest of Chiropractic Economics. July/August 1981:14-18.

Seemann DC. “C1 subluxations, short leg and pelvic distortions.” Journal of the Australian Chiropractors Association. 1980 11(6):96-100.

Gregory RR, Seamann DC. “An analysis of some hypotheses about the atlas subluxation complex.” Digest of Chiropractic Economics. January-February 1976.

(Editors Note:  For more research supporting Upper Cervical Care click here.  Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for tinnitus or any other condition, disease or symptom.)

More Questions About Upper Cervical Care?

Adapted from: Upper Cervical FAQ’s

by Dr. William R. Davis Jr.


Why is the upper cervical area (upper neck) so important to health and well-being?

This is essentially the epicenter of your body. The most important area for communication from your brain to your body. Complete loss of that communication can be devastating . Do you remember Christopher Reeve? Superman had a severe injury to his upper cervical spine which resulted in a 100% loss of function from that area. When you have a upper cervical misalignment you are not losing 100% of the function but you may be losing 30%, 50% or more of the function of your body.


What is Upper Cervical Care?

A unique health care solution that focuses on correcting an underlying source of interference to proper body function. Accidents and injuries can tear loose the connective tissue that holds the spine in place. This can create a weakness and allow the spine to breakdown and lock into a stressed position. This most frequently starts in the upper neck since it is the most vulnerable to injury and this leads to, in the standing position, one of the hips often can be higher than the other, laying down one of the legs often can be shorter than the other. The head could tilt to one side. And it can be progressive …so that the longer the spine is locked in this position, the more wear and tear can happen.


What makes Upper Cervical Care unique compared to other care?

There are many forms of spinal health care today. Many focus on addressing local joint motion by administering a short, quick thrust to a localized area. Upper Cervical Doctors influence the entire spinal columns postural balance by returning the heavy head to a more balanced position on top of the narrow neck. Without any popping, cracking or twisting of the spine. It is a gentle, accurate and precise procedure for correcting the spine. With upper cervical care it is not about adjusting someone thousands of times…it is about holding the correction. Staying in alignment is how a person expresses the potential for health.


Who can benefit from Upper Cervical Care?

Any adult or child who wants their body to function at a higher level. Especially those who have experienced head or neck trauma. Not all individuals are misaligned however. Many children and some adults have been assessed in our office who were found to be in alignment and no care was necessary.


How can such a light pressure make such dramatic changes?

For the same reason why one is able to move a pile of heavy bricks with a light push of a wheelbarrow: leverage. Using the first vertebra and the weight of the head to gain a biomechanical advantage, the doctor places their own body on a calculated angle to ensure the correction is specific to the patient’s individual misalignment. The force generated by the doctor is transferred to the patient in such a gentle and precise fashion that many patients are surprised by the light feel. Although the procedure is subtle in it’s application the results often are not! Our patients typically experience fast changes and long lasting results!

How Does Upper Cervical Care Help My Symptoms?

An article about Upper Cervical Care and one reason it is so effective for a wide variety of symptoms.

Our Energetic Relationship with Gravity
Success of the NUCCA intervention measured by postural balance

By Dr. Jeff Scholten and Dr. Jason Plotsky

The range of procedures offered by chiropractors allows for significant practice diversity. Tolerance, understanding and the proper utilization of diversity can be viewed as a hallmark of strength in a profession. To properly utilize the benefits available from this diversity, there must be some comprehension of what other practitioners are intending to accomplish with their patients.

Upper-cervical-specific chiropractic has a rich history within our profession. There is a wide spectrum of potential symptomatic and physiological effects experienced by patients following an upper cervical intervention. This article intends to shed some light on why a chiropractor might choose to focus exclusively on adjusting the cervical spine.(1)

Though there are numerous upper cervical chiropractic procedures, they can be classified into two general groups: orthogonally-based procedures, (OBP) and non-orthogonally-based procedures (NOP). Orthogonal refers to an ideal spinal relationship of C1 being perpendicular to the mid-sagittal line of the skull and cervical spine in the frontal plane, as well as perpendicular to the skull in the horizontal or transverse plane. Dr. John F. Grostic, a chiropractor practicing in Michigan, was the first to popularize an orthogonal-based analysis and make a vectored correction with the use of his hand. At least three organizations have been derived from the original Grostic work: NUCCA, Atlas Orthogonal, and Orthospinology. Orthospinology is a technique system that uses both hand-held and table-mounted instruments in addition to the original hand adjustment. Atlas Orthogonal, which was developed by Dr. Roy Sweat of Georgia, uses a percussive hand-held or table-mounted instrument for adjusting. NUCCA, developed by Dr. Ralph Gregory of Michigan, employs an upper cervical analysis and hand adjustment that continues to be developed by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research Association (NUCCRA). As NUCCA practitioners, we will limit this discussion to OBP.

MOBILITY/STABILITY

Many chiropractors attempt to influence a patient’s physiology by creating greater localized joint function and mobility. While localized joint function is important, OBP practitioners concentrate on encouraging a circumstance within the upper cervical spine in which C1 is horizontal and neutrally balanced in space between an equally balanced skull and neck.(2) Mobility and stability have an inverse relationship, and although decreased stability inherently creates an increased susceptibility to trauma, this lack of stability in spinal joints, and the body in general, is a critical component of agility.(3) The occipito-atlanto-axial complex, with its tremendous range of motion, allows for many functional benefits, but stability can be sacrificed in order to attain them.

Clinical observation of patients standing in a neutral position has led NUCCA practitioners to discern that movement away from the vertical axis results in abrupt increases in torque forces. These forces can span the whole musculoskeletal component and also affect visceral elements. Chronic postural distortion results in progressive degenerative effects that may cause functional and eventually organic disease. NUCCA practitioners aim to restore the patient to the vertical axis (when in a standing position) in order to minimize stress and energy requirements, and thereby induce a more optimal metabolic function.(4)

POSTURAL BALANCE

Postural balance is the major physiological outcome measure used to determine the success of the NUCCA intervention.(5) Proper posture – a neutral standing position with the pelvis level and untwisted, the spine and head on the vertical axis, and bilaterally symmetrical weight distribution – is a critical component in our energetic relationship with gravity, as the body’s ongoing effort to maintain verticality in a gravitational environment requires significant energy expenditure.
An efficiently balanced body will permit more energy to be directed for the body’s self-maintenance and healing. In this light, an individual who is balanced relative to gravity will function more efficiently both biomechanically and physiologically. The hypothesis is that, as it self-heals, the body may be able to create a state in which it no longer experiences the presenting complaint.

Many reflexes allow us to maintain our bipedal posture. The reflexive contractions associated with head and neck position are usually positive and allow for balanced movement. However, if these reflexive contractions are maintained due to a misaligned occipito-atlanto-axial complex, they result in postural imbalances with all of the negative ramifications this imbalance produces in the body. For a NUCCA practitioner, the healthy symptomatic resolution is a positive, intentional side effect that occurs when postural balance is returned to the body by the proper removal of interference in the upper cervical spine.

Since Dr. Gregory’s death in 1990, the procedure has continued to be developed by NUCCRA, the research division of NUCCA. The late Dr. Patrick Foran, of Vancouver, British Columbia, wanted the Canadian chiropractic community to know that NUCCA continues to thrive. This is evidenced by: the development of the Anatometer(6) standing postural measurement tool; the recent textbook, Upper Cervical Subluxation Complex, by Dr. Kirk Eriksen; the NUCCRA.org website; as well as a published abstract on a recent hypertension study by Dr. Marshall Dickholtz Sr.(7) These are examples of the continued push by dedicated OBP chiropractors to demonstrate the chiropractic hypotheses on which OBP procedures are based.

Technology and our ability to monitor, measure, and visualize the upper cervical misalignment and its sequelae (encapsulated in NUCCA’s definition of the atlas subluxation complex syndrome[8]) continue to improve. We are moving gradually closer to a more complete understanding of what began with the upper cervical chiropractic pioneers so many decades ago.

A practitioner may choose to concentrate on segmental chiropractic, rehabilitation, sports injuries, pediatrics, radiology, or exclusively on the upper cervical spine. However, when a challenging case presents that is not resolving as expected, the expertise that already exists within the profession should be utilized.

For more information on NUCCA, or to find a practitioner near you, visit www.nucca.org.

Or for more information on Upper Cervical Care in general, visit www.upcspine.com

References:

1. Scholten JN. Review of clinical results in private practice 2004, viewed October 21, 2006, www.drscholten.com/Clinical%20Results.com.

2. Seemann DC. Biomechanics of the upper cervical vertebrae. The Upper Cervical Monograph, 1978; 2(4):1-2.

3. Gracovetsky S. The spinal engine. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1988.

4. Gregory RR. NUCCA protocols and procedures: A textbook for the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association. Monroe, Michigan: National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research Association; 2002: 1-44.

5. Ibid: 1-45.

6. Gregory RR. NUCCRA research: The Anatometer. The Upper Cervical Monograph, 1975; 1(8):8-9.

7. Bakris GL, Dickholtz M, et al. Achievement of blood pressure goal with atlas realignment. J Clin Hypertension, 2006; 8(5):A71.

8. Gregory RR. The A.S.C. and leg imbalance. NUCCA News, 1969; 1(7):1-3.

The Cream of the Crop

From NUCCA and Dr. Marshall Dickholtz

C1-THE BASIC SUBLUXATION

Throughout the history of chiropractic, the tendency has been to locate and adjust the "major" vertebra, or vertebrae thought to cause neurological harm to spinal nerves. This procedure was called "full spine adjusting" and is still widely practiced. In the 1920's B. J. Palmer, the developer of chiropractic, concentrated his research on the upper cervical spine as the predominant subluxation. This research was conducted at the Palmer Chiropractic Clinic at Davenport, Iowa for several years.

The move of chiropractic to the cervical spine (neck), although not too widespread in the profession, is justified if only for the reason that vertebral malposition in this area can detrimentally affect the brain stem and the upper spinal cord. This leads to detectable signs of postural defects in the subluxated body. If normal nerve supply cannot pass from the brain down through the brain stem and spinal cord, it is not logical to adjust lower vertebrae to restore this nerve flow at the top. The properly aligned Atlas (C-1) is the gateway to this restoration of nerve flow.

NUCCRA (National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research Association) research findings confirm that the top vertebra, called the Atlas or C-1, of the spinal column is the predominant subluxation (Figure 2). The reasons for C-1 being the predominant subluxation are numerous.

SUMMARY

The NUCCA doctor's work is based on the Restoration Principle. This is his/her concern for the patient. While medical doctors base their treatment on making an exact diagnosis, the NUCCA doctor bases his/her services to the patient on an accurate analysis of the Atlas subluxation and its restoration to normal position, a process that helps the sick body to effectively combat its disease processes. This is the process of self-healing and is evident in every and any disease which the body contracts.

It has been truly said that man is his nervous system. He feels with it; sees with it; hears with it; detects and identifies odors with it; thinks with it, it relates him to his environment; it shapes his personality; he digests his food under its control; circulates his blood under its regulation; breathes because of its influence; it regulates his heart action; causes his organs to work and his body to move; its gray matter is the source of his life. In short, the extent to which man functions and the degree to which he lives depends on the activity of his nervous system.

Misaligned cervical vertebrae at the base of the skull change the electro-chemical flow of impulses through the nervous system, harmfully affecting normal functions at all levels of the body and causing bodily distortions and disease. When these misalignments occur, interfering with the normal electro-chemical nerve energy flow, their correction is essential to a patient's ability to heal.

The examination, analysis, and restoration of these misaligned vertebrae and their harmful effects on the body constitutes the service rendered by the NUCCA doctor.