What Is Upper Cervical?

The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to research, education, and patient care based on a safe, gentle, and painless system of spinal correction that is unique-even among those in the chiropractic profession. For more information on NUCCA and to view their video please click on http://www.nucca.org.

As opposed to traditional chiropractors, who make forceful adjustments to the entire spinal column, NUCCA chiropractors focus on very specifically and gently adjusting the Atlas vertebrae bringing it back to its proper position. The Atlas, or the topmost bone in the spine is located directly below the brain stem. It is the first of the 7 vertebrae that make up the cervical spine. The Atlas is also known as C-1. The adjustment performed by a trained NUCCA chiropractor will make a positive change to the entire spine. This is why a chiropractor using the NUCCA system of spinal correction can help someone even if their pain is located in the lower back. An important point to remember is the NUCCA adjustment removes interference to the normal function of the nervous system. Normal performance of the patient's nervous system is vital to the body's ability to self-heal. Self-healing is occurring all the time in a healthy human body that is free from nerve interference. If this function is compromised as would be the case with an Atlas misalignment then the body will begin to manifest pain and ill health.