NUCCA is a sophisticated chiropractic technique that corrects the spine without surgery. It is a gentle and painless technique within the chiropractic profession that restores body balance. Today, only a small percentage of Doctors of Chiropractic practice the NUCCA technique, therefore it is not uncommon for our patients to travel long distances for a NUCCA spinal correction.
The NUCCA technique is based upon decades of development and research with the aid and assistance of mechanical engineers and now with the use sophisticated computer programs and analysis tools. Two doctors, Dr. Ralph Gregory of Monroe, and Dr. John Grostic of Ann Arbor, joined together in 1941 to develop an advanced method of upper cervical care. After Dr. Grostic's death in 1964, Dr. Gregory formed NUCCA (National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association) to conduct seminars and continue research. This methodology is truly a continuation of the upper cervical work of the late Dr. B.J. Palmer.
The NUCCA Spinal Correction expands on the theory of upper cervical chiropractic and works to reduce the number of treatments for patients. The focus of NUCCA is to balance the head and neck into a straight upright position, by using the atlas (the first bone of the spinal column) as a lever. When the spine is balanced, or aligned, there is no irritation to the brain stem or associated spinal structures, including spinal nerves. Without irritation to the nervous system, the body can function at its optimum level. An upper cervical correction restores the spine to a normal, aligned state, without the use of drugs or surgery.
A way to better understand the NUCCA adjustment is in the form of an analogy. Consider a long rope lying on the ground. If there are twists and curves within the rope, the only way to realign it would be to straighten it from one end of the rope. This is much like the spine. Instead of treating a symptom in the middle of the spine, the NUCCA system corrects the cause where the pressure is created, at the top of the spine. It is important to note, that although the correction is made at the top of the spine, the improvements occur throughout the entire length of the spine.
How is this different from traditional chiropractic care?
NUCCA spinal corrections are made from atlas, the top bone of the spine.
The NUCCA adjustment is a light, gentle force technique. There is no twisting or turning of the head, neck, or back, nor any cracking or popping that one might associate with traditional chiropractic manipulations. Because there is not any type of thrust associated with this technique, it is ideal for patients that may be apprehensive of traditional chiropractic techniques.
Patients will only feel a light pressure below the ear during the adjustment.
It's Simple
Any accident or injury at any age can misalign the spine and cause the head and neck to shift away from vertical. The misalignment causes stress on the nervous system, the master control of the body. This in turn, causes contraction of muscles, postural distortion of the body, and if left uncorrected, spinal decay. Correcting the misalignment of the spine can bring the spine back to center, alleviating the stress put on the nervous system and allows the body to heal.
*The NUCCA technique provides benefits to everyone, from newborn babies to the grandparents and great-grandparents of those babies. People of all ages will benefit from properly aligning their spine.