CRANIOCERVICAL INSTABILITY (CCI) & NUCCA CHIROPRACTIC
Craniocervical instability can be serious and cause long-term neurological problems if left untreated. Fortunately, craniocervical instability is the most popular condition we help people with at Elite Upper Cervical.
When the head and neck are injured, the ligaments that hold the head over the neck will tear loose. When these ligaments have been stretched too far, we diagnose this condition as craniocervical instability or CCI.
This then causes the top bone in the neck, the atlas vertebrae, to misalign much easier than if the ligaments were stronger and not stretched out.
Additionally, women are at a disadvantage because the density of their ligaments are much less compared to men.
On top of that, if you pair CCI with a genetic condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), there is now much more of a challenge because the collagen matrix of the ligaments is less, making them even more stretchy and difficult to stabilize. We help a lot of people with CCI that also have EDS.
Unfortunately, most doctors want to hit the snooze button and throw out the body’s internal fire alarm by prescribing medication, which is not a long-term solution.
Why? Because it’s not possible to fix a structural problem with a chemical solution. It’s important to get to the root cause of the problem and secure that structural solution! This is where we specialize.
As a NUCCA upper cervical chiropractic clinic, the first thing we do is take specific x-rays of the atlas vertebrae to see if it’s misaligned.
We have advanced software that allows Dr. Burt to measure the atlas down to 1/100th of a degree, which is critical when it’s time to realign it. The upper cervical x-rays are the most important thing we can do for you as a NUCCA doctor.
When doctors work on the upper neck without taking x-rays, they risk making someone worse.
After the exact position of the atlas has been measured, then Dr. Burt can correct it.
The realignment is so gentle that anyone would feel comfortable with the amount of pressure used. Gentle, slow pressure is all you feel, right below the ear lobe, which is also where the atlas is located.
There is no twisting, popping or cracking of the neck with the NUCCA realignment.
Afterward, we will have to retrain the neck muscles for a few months, realigning the atlas as needed.
If you are curious to see if your atlas is misaligned and is causing your migraines, make sure to schedule your NUCCA assessment below, as soon as possible, to see if you are a good fit for treatment.