What is NUCCA?
NUCCA, the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association, is an advanced chiropractic technique that focuses on detecting and correcting a health phenomenon known as the Atlas Subluxation Complex (ASC).
What is the Atlas Subluxation Complex (ASC)?
The ASC occurs when the top bone in the neck, the Atlas Vertebra (C1), misaligns from its normal position. This misalignment can disrupt the brain’s ability to heal itself along with the rest of the body. If the ASC goes untreated, a variety of full body symptoms and pain will follow, most of which stumps the majority of traditional doctors.
NUCCA chiropractors understand that these unresolved symptoms are actually the brain crying for help. And, until the ASC is re-aligned and corrected, the brain will continue to send these “emergency messages” in the form of pain and symptoms.
What causes the ASC?
The atlas misalignment is commonly caused by one or more past injuries.
Common injuries include: Whiplash injuries, Car accidents, Concussions, Sports injuries, Falling, and Repetitive motion or Birth trauma.
Some can definitively say they have had injuries, while others have experienced injuries unknowingly.
How does NUCCA Upper Cervical Chiropractic work?
STEP ONE:
The NUCCA Assessment
Dr. Burt will walk you through the NUCCA Chiropractic Asessment (60 minutes) to determine if you have an atlas misalignment, and would benefit from NUCCA treatment.
The assessment includes a postural evaluation & cervical (neck) x-ray exam.
Dr. Burt then uses advanced spinal software to measure your x-rays, showing him exactly how to correct your misalignment.
STEP TWO:
The NUCCA Re-alignment
The NUCCA re-alignment is performed at the top of your neck, directed at the Atlas Vertebra (C1).
The re-alignment is gentle, done by hand and does NOT involve any twisting, popping or cracking.
Immediately following your re-alignment, x-rays are taken again and compared to your first set, ensuring your misalignment has improved. We do NOT take x-rays every visit, only a pre and post set.
Afterward, it is recommended you relax in one of our zero-gravity chairs to integrate the re-alignment.
STEP THREE:
NUCCA Follow-up Care
Dr. Burt will monitor your alignment, starting with 2x per week, to ensure you stabilize and maintain your correct alignment long-term.
As you continue to maintain and “hold” your proper alignment, your appointment frequency will be reduced.
The goal of follow-up care is that you DO NOT need to be re-aligned again because you have maintained your correct alignment.
Everyone progresses through care and heals at a different speed. This depends on several factors that will be discussed with you after your assessment.
Can NUCCA Chiropractic help me?
NUCCA can help you IF you have:
Had a neck injury or concussion.
Been in a car accident
Played Sports
Altered posture with tight neck or back muscles.
Pain is not always indicative of having an ASC. Most people can have an ASC and not feel pain until years afterward. Pain often shows up last, in an emergency. Remember, pain is your brain trying to help you by waking you up to the neglected ASC.
The only way to definitively know if NUCCA can help you is to have a trusted NUCCA chiropractor perform a thorough assessment for you. The assessment will evaluate if you have an ASC, or “upper neck misalignment”.
How much does NUCCA cost?
NUCCA ASSESSMENT
NUCCA Assessment
Pre X=rays
Digital Report of Findings
NUCCA RE-ALIGNMENT
Series of NUCCA Re-alignments
Post X-rays
Until your misalignment is maximally improved.
NUCCA FOLLOW-UP
Spinal Exam
Or
Re-alignment
Payment is collected on a visit-to-visit basis. After each visit, we provide “super receipts” with the necessary codes your health insurance needs to reimburse you per your out-of-network chiropractic benefits.
If you have an open claim for a recent car accident, treatment is 100% covered by your insurance under your personal injury protection (PIP).