WHAT IS NUCCA, ANYWAY?NUCCA (National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association) is a highly specialized chiropractic technique. It is a set of procedures aimed to restore connections between the brain and the body by correcting the alignment at the craniocervical junction.
Through specific but gentle care, the NUCCA correction influences the brainstem & spinal cord at the craniocervical junction, at the top of your neck. When this occurs, there are immediate and drastic changes to the musculoskeletal, hemodynamic, and hydrodynamic systems. What that means for you: improved muscle balance, blood flow, and fluid flow into your brain. NUCCA and its research affiliate UCRF (Upper Cervical Research Foundation) emphasize objective improvements and measurable results. |
HOW IT WORKS
SEARCHING FOR THE ROOT CAUSE
Where is your pain coming from? Is your low back pain really coming from your low back? Is the dizziness truly coming from the inner ear?
Or... is it the nerves which control those areas?
Those nerves all pass through the most critical junction of your spine - your brainstem. It's located at the craniocervical junction, where the base of your skull meets your neck.
With NUCCA, we search for the root cause of your chronic pain and neurological dysfunction. If a misalignment is your root cause, many other treatments and types of care only help very temporarily. We often see patients who have "tried everything" with specialists who are fantastic at what they do, but are still not getting results.
Or... is it the nerves which control those areas?
Those nerves all pass through the most critical junction of your spine - your brainstem. It's located at the craniocervical junction, where the base of your skull meets your neck.
With NUCCA, we search for the root cause of your chronic pain and neurological dysfunction. If a misalignment is your root cause, many other treatments and types of care only help very temporarily. We often see patients who have "tried everything" with specialists who are fantastic at what they do, but are still not getting results.
ASSESSMENT
NUCCA care is only appropriate if and when a patient has a misalignment at their craniocervical junction. The initial process is aimed to determine if you do, and if you do, whether or not we think it is influencing your ability to feel great.
If the head and neck aren't straight, the rest of the body will be crooked underneath. You may not look or feel imbalanced (though some people do!), but a trained NUCCA doctor will be able to assess micro-imbalances affecting you in a macro-scale.
Misalignments will cause global changes in muscle tone, which is measurable through specific testing. Additional neurological and orthopedic tests may be performed to determine whether or not the misalignment is affecting you.
If the head and neck aren't straight, the rest of the body will be crooked underneath. You may not look or feel imbalanced (though some people do!), but a trained NUCCA doctor will be able to assess micro-imbalances affecting you in a macro-scale.
Misalignments will cause global changes in muscle tone, which is measurable through specific testing. Additional neurological and orthopedic tests may be performed to determine whether or not the misalignment is affecting you.
MEASUREMENT
Precision imaging of the craniocervical junction allows your NUCCA doctor to assess the severity and complexity of your case, as well as to determine the best biomechanical approach to correct your spine.
A detailed analysis of your spine will inform your doctor how to move forward with your care.
A detailed analysis of your spine will inform your doctor how to move forward with your care.
PRECISION CORRECTION
Correction of your spine is incredibly gentle. There is no twisting, cracking, or popping.
However, this correction is powerful. Though it will almost feel like "nothing", the spine is correcting into a position that it will actually stabilize in. Pressure is removed from the craniocervical junction.
An immediate change in muscle tone will occur due to the neurological improvement from less interference at the craniocervical junction. Often, patients will notice that their neck or body feels different immediately after the initial correction.
Blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid flow patterns change between the brain and the body. Neurological signaling becomes balanced between the left and right sides of the body.
This sets in motion your body's own ability to HEAL.
However, this correction is powerful. Though it will almost feel like "nothing", the spine is correcting into a position that it will actually stabilize in. Pressure is removed from the craniocervical junction.
An immediate change in muscle tone will occur due to the neurological improvement from less interference at the craniocervical junction. Often, patients will notice that their neck or body feels different immediately after the initial correction.
Blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid flow patterns change between the brain and the body. Neurological signaling becomes balanced between the left and right sides of the body.
This sets in motion your body's own ability to HEAL.
VERIFY RESULTS
Several measurements are taken after the initial correction to confirm structural and neurological improvements.
Once these are obtained, post imaging is utilized to further assess, verify, and improve upon the initial biomechanics used to correct your misalignment.
Each of our bodies are different. NUCCA is one of the only chiropractic techniques that utilizes post-adjustment imaging to confirm results. But most importantly, it helps us to maximize the reduction of the misalignment, which puts your body in the best possible state to heal.
Once these are obtained, post imaging is utilized to further assess, verify, and improve upon the initial biomechanics used to correct your misalignment.
Each of our bodies are different. NUCCA is one of the only chiropractic techniques that utilizes post-adjustment imaging to confirm results. But most importantly, it helps us to maximize the reduction of the misalignment, which puts your body in the best possible state to heal.
STABILIZATION & HEALING
The process of healing takes time. When you break your arm, and it's put in a cast, it's not healed the next day.
Most patients that we see have conditions much more complex and chronic than a broken arm. But we know that your body will be better suited to heal when it's in the correct position. Staying in the right position is what will keep your body functioning at its best, so it's our goal to help your body stabilize as best as possible.
Once you begin to "hold" and stabilize the NUCCA correction, your body will truly begin to heal from the effects of your specific misalignment.
Because of the precision of the NUCCA correction, most patients are able to hold their alignment for significantly longer periods of time compared to traditional chiropractic methods. As such, we often see patients less often, with incredible and long lasting results.
Most patients that we see have conditions much more complex and chronic than a broken arm. But we know that your body will be better suited to heal when it's in the correct position. Staying in the right position is what will keep your body functioning at its best, so it's our goal to help your body stabilize as best as possible.
Once you begin to "hold" and stabilize the NUCCA correction, your body will truly begin to heal from the effects of your specific misalignment.
Because of the precision of the NUCCA correction, most patients are able to hold their alignment for significantly longer periods of time compared to traditional chiropractic methods. As such, we often see patients less often, with incredible and long lasting results.