Chapter Fourteen

The “NUCCA”

We learn new things all the time which really excite us. We believe if doctors and chiropractors can do it, we can do it with the power of God.

Following is an article which appeared in a magazine recently which has really taught us a lot about doing what we call “The NUCCA Thing.”

IS YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT

By Glenn Cripe, D.C.

Just when you thought you have tried everything, have you checked to see if your head is on straight?

Most people have experienced back pain or spinal- related problems sometime in their life. There are numerous approaches to achieving relief from this often times disabling pain. There are procedures that vary as widely as bed rest to medications, acupuncture, acupressure, and then the extreme: surgery. All of these and other systems have had their degrees of successes and failures. Perhaps the one thing that can be said for certain is that there is no cure-all, no one hundred percent solution for all back problems. It is after all, a very complicate problem. The spinal column, various layers of muscles and the nervous system largely make up the structure that not only allows us to remain upright under gravity, but also allows us to bend, twist and tilt.

In seeking out help, most people will use the more conservative approaches first, like bed rest, and then keep moving toward the more extreme, like surgery, if they have not obtained the relief they need.

In this arena of back pain procedures, there is a system that offers still another approach. It conservative, cost efficient, but, more importantly, extremely precise and painless. This procedure is named NUCCA after the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association. The NUCCA principles were developed in Michigan by Drs. Ralph Gregory and John Grostic in the 1940s. NUCCA was formed in 1965 as a national organization recognized by the federal government. NUCCA is a specialty within the chiropractic profession that concentrates specifically on returning the head and neck to normal

Most conditions that can benefit from chiropractic care usually begin and can end in the neck. Falls, a whiplash type of accident, or a twist of the neck can all result in the relationship of the head and neck going off center By adjusting the head and neck, the entire spine, including the pelvis, can return back toward normal This must be done before spinal balance can be attained.

The pelvis is the foundation for the spine; hence it supports the spine. As the head shifts off center, the pelvis must also shift This is to keep the body as upright as possible. If the head is in its normal position, the pelvis will be directly under it. But if the head and neck misalign, the muscles of the back will automatically tighten to shift the pelvis so it will be as directly under the head as possible. This shifting of the structure of spine and pelvis can be the cause of many back problems, such as low back spasms, headaches, poor posture, or tingling pain in the extremities etc. Unless the head and neck are returned back to their normal position, you may never really have a long term correction with long term results.

Because the pelvis is the supporting structure of the spine, NUCCA, through precise instrumentation, measures its displacement and uses it as a gauge in determining if the patient is in adjustment. Three very exacting x-rays are taken and analyzed before any type of treatment is rendered. Each person has his or her unique type of misalignment pattern which must be precisely determined. Once the type and degree of misalignment have been established, the doctor is able to direct a slight and controlled pressure into the neck at a particular spot, which will then bring the head and neck back towards normal. The closer the doctor can restore the head and neck to normal, the more stable and long lasting the adjustment will be. As the body returns to normal the muscles will pull evenly, relieving muscle spasms. Swelling around the nerves can subside, relieving the pinched nerve feeling. Postural changes can occur along with the removal of stress on the weight-bearing joints (hips, low back).

After the correction has taken place, both the doctor and patient should see significant results in postural changes. Within a three to six week period, symptomatic relief should occur

Each case is unique but generally symptoms can begin to alter from as soon as a few hours up to four to six weeks from the adjustment. After all, it usually has taken time to get out of shape. It will also take time for the tissue and nerves to heal.

As an alternative to correcting back problems, NUCCA ha had wonderful results and research documented over the past forth-five years. So when you get to the point where you thought you’ve tried everything, you may want to find out if your head is on straight.

Dr Glenn Cripe - Newport Beach is a Doctor of Chiropractic: specializing in NUCCA.

The daughter of a friend of ours had twin babies a couple of years ago and from the time of the delivery she had never been able to do any of her housework or the normal tasks associated with being a wife and a mother. She had been to many doctors and chiropractors and had received no relief whatsoever until she found out about this NUCCA treatment. She went and had three treatments. After the third treatment, she was able to do normal housework and she has remained healed ever since.

We believe whatever can be done by a doctor or chiropractor can be done by using the power of God!

The first time we ever tried this was when a young man who had been in an automobile accident and was in excruciating pain in his back came to one of our services. We sat him down and measured his legs as we do when we do “The Leg Thing.” He had one leg over four inches shorter than the other from this accident to his back. We did not do the usual “Leg Thing” but instead we laid our finger along his jawbone and made the command for the NUCCA. We said, “In the name of Jesus, we command the brain stem to be centered over the spine to relieve all problems in the back and we command the brain stem and the head to line up perfectly with the spinal column. After we had made this simple command in Jesus’ name, we sat him down, his leg had grown out to absolute normal length with the other one and he had no pain whatsoever! He spent the rest of the night rejoicing and praising God. What a thrill to see this work the first time we tried it.

We have done this many times since then with remarkable success.

If you will look at the diagrams you will see what happens before and after an accident and it doesn’t have to be an automobile accident. It can be any kind where we stretch our body abnormally but which needs to be taken care of.

Here’s what happens before trauma and after trauma:

Prior to a spinal trauma, the twelve pound head is evenly centered over the neck. Post trauma, the head has shifted away from center. To compensate, the neck buckles from its intended position putting undue stress on muscles and ligaments.

The spinal column remains straight and balanced as long as the head is centered over the neck. Following an accident, the head has shifted away from center. To compensate for the change and to keep the body in balance, the entire spinal column begins to buckle. Over time, an injury to the head and neck can cause low back pain.

Date: 2015-02-16; view: 929