About NUCCA Chiropractic
NUCCA is a short form of the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association. NUCCA is a chiropractic technique that focuses specifically on the top two vertebrae of the spine which comprise the upper cervical spine.
The primary cause of spinal pain and dysfunction is spinal misalignment and imbalance. The spine cannot be truly healthy unless it is in proper relationship to gravity. The upper cervical spine (the uppermost area of the spine) plays a significant role in the orientation of the body to gravity.
The topmost vertebra is called the Atlas. The Atlas is extremely important because the head sits on it. Because this part of the spine is mobile and unstable, it’s susceptible to misalignment.
Once the skull becomes misaligned, the postural control centres detect that the skull is no longer parallel to the horizon and will initiate a reflex compensation. The body will shift until the skull is once again realigned to the horizon. It’s this compensation, the deviation of the spine from the vertical, that sets the stage for future spinal dysfunction and impairment.
The NUCCA technique utilizes a very gentle adjustment to the side of the neck, like taking a pulse.
This technique has proven successful with several symptoms of spinal misalignment including:
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Sciatica
- Upper Back pain
- Lower back pain
- Spinal curvature