If you have been experiencing lower back or neck pain, you may want to see a chiropractor. But how do you pick the right chiropractic care for you? Not all chiropractic methods are the same, and as with any form of health care, there are various ways to address any condition.
Some chiropractic techniques are more gentle and use a light touch to realign your back and neck. More traditional chiropractic methods use the pop and thrust that people most often associate with chiropractic care.
One chiropractic technique you may want to consider is Upper Cervical Care. Learning the difference between an upper cervical chiropractor and a general chiropractor can be crucial to receiving the care your body needs.
What Is an Upper Cervical Chiropractor?
An upper cervical chiropractor practices upper cervical care. This form of chiropractic care focuses on the relationship between your neck and the rest of your body. Your neck influences your central nervous system, along with your brain stem function.
At Upper Cervical Chiropractic of New York, Dr. Gertner performs a specialized method known as the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). The National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to education, research and patient care based on a painless, gentle and safe system of spinal correction.
What Is the NUCCA Treatment?
Dr. Gertner is one of just 200 doctors in the world who can perform NUCCA. NUCCA was founded in 1966, and the current upper cervical technique has been refined from the Grostic method. What is the difference between NUCCA vs. regular chiropractic methods?
The NUCCA treatment is a painless procedure for spinal correction that eases the pressure off your nervous system and gently restores the spine, pelvis and skull to their proper positions. With the NUCCA treatment, the pressure is taken off your nerves and your body can return to its healthy, natural state. A NUCCA practitioner focuses on gently and specifically adjusting the Atlas vertebra to return it to its correct position.
What Is the Atlas Vertebra?
The Atlas is the spine’s topmost bone, located right below the brain stem. This is the first of seven vertebrae in the spine called the cervical spine or C spine. The Atlas is also referred to as C-1.
The Atlas vertebra supports the weight of your head, and it’s the only vertebra that doesn’t have a disc below or above it. This means the Atlas is the only freely movable vertebra in the spine, allowing the skull to rotate. However, because of its ability to move, the Atlas is also subject to easy misalignment and injury.
The Impact of Atlas Misalignment
The Atlas’s misalignment may result in compression of the brain stem, which can impact nearly every body function. The Atlas should be perfectly aligned to ensure the brain can communicate properly with the rest of your body.
Many symptoms that occur lower in the spine are caused by a misalignment higher in the spine at the Atlas vertebra. Attempts to restore nerve flow in the lower spine can’t be effective if the cervical spine and Atlas aren’t receiving a normal nerve supply.
How Do NUCCA Chiropractors Differ From Traditional Chiropractors?
Why should you choose Upper Cervical Care over traditional chiropractic care? When it comes to traditional chiropractic care, most people think of back pain, neck pain and muscle aches. The focus of NUCCA is working out the relationship between your neck and the rest of your body.
NUCCA Chiropractic Care vs. Traditional Chiropractic Method
At UCC-NY, we naturally restore the wellness of individuals who are suffering from various health issues. One of the differences between NUCCA vs. traditional chiropractors is that, according to NUCCA practitioners, the neck is the gateway to the rest of the body. They believe this relationship impacts each aspect of human functionality, from hormone regulation to the fluidity of movement. NUCCA can improve how you feel in multiple areas, including:
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Depression
- Headaches
- Chronic pain
- Hypertension
- Chronic stress
- Sinus problems
- Allergy problems
Your NUCCA practitioner can use precise X-rays to make sense of any misalignment. These measurements determine where within your body the significant imbalance is present.
When the neck or spinal correction takes place, your chiropractor will arrange your body with an adjusting table. Next, your chiropractor will apply light corrections to the upper cervical spine. Adjustments don’t involve cracking or twisting the spine, and your alignment is monitored during every visit to determine if you need an adjustment.
When deciding between NUCCA and traditional chiropractic, consider the following:
- Would you prefer the immediacy of a regional pop and twist approach?
- Would you prefer a light, painless approach to correcting your spine’s irregularities?
- Have you received a thorough neurological, biomechanical and orthopedic evaluation prior to chiropractic care?
- Do you want a global approach that identifies the underlying cause of your discomfort?
Essentially anything traditional chiropractors can do, Dr. Gertner can do at UCC-NY, but he does far more than that.
What Are the Benefits of Upper Cervical Chiropractic?
Through the use of the NUCCA procedure, health and proper body balance can be restored. When your body is properly balanced, it can start healing naturally, and your nervous system can function optimally without surgery or dangerous drugs. Advantages to upper cervical chiropractic care include:
- More energy
- Reduced pain
- Improved sleep
- Improved moods
- Fewer colds and cases of flu
As practitioners of NUCCA, we practice with a holistic approach to health, meaning we treat the whole person — not just their symptoms. By using state-of-the-art technology for diagnosing, we can detect and correct Atlas Subluxation.
Contact Dr. Gertner for a NUCCA Consultation
At UCC-NY, we make every effort to educate the community about the benefits of upper cervical chiropractic care. We’re dedicated to restoring the health of those whose nervous systems have been compromised by the Atlas Subluxation Complex. We are committed to providing you with the safest, most effective spinal correction procedure.
If you are suffering from chronic pain or considering a chiropractor, you may have exhausted many other health care options with no success. If you want an alternative to the traditional chiropractic model, contact us at Upper Cervical Chiropractic of New York, today to access upper cervical chiropractic care.
REVIEWED BY DR. GEORGE GERTNER
Dr. George Gertner is a family man, healer, philanthropist, author of “The Gift of Hope”, public speaker, and founder of one of the world’s busiest Upper Cervical Chiropractic clinics.
After receiving his bachelors degree in biology from Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY Dr. Gertner moved to Atlanta, GA to attend Life University. Before graduation, Dr. Gertner had a severe injury to his lower back. Traditional chiropractic procedures were not providing relief until he met a chiropractor that specialized in NUCCA (National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association.)
Then he spent the next two years mentoring from one of the best Upper Cervical doctors; learning in the same office that helped change his life. After two years, Dr. Gertner returned home to New York to open his own office. He currently is one of less than 300 NUCCA chiropractors worldwide.
Dr. Gertner has been featured numerous times in Chiropractic Monthly Magazine for his expertise in treating Trigeminal Neuralgia and Myofascial Pain. Dr. Gertner has lectured locally and nationwide discussing various symptoms using the Upper Cervical technique.