NUCCA Chiropractors

Someone suggested this to me - actually swore up and down this cured her migraines. Just wondering if anyone had tried this out? I'm not sure of the theory behind this.

I tried this treatment for about 15 to 16 sessions, it did absolutely nothing. After each session, I would dash home and, I knew, my headache and dizziness would get worse for the next three days.

The NUCCA chiros believe that they can push the C-1 vertebrae back into it's proper place and thus relieve headaches. My questions to the chiro, was if the neck muscles, SCM, Traps. and etc are very tight, how can you push the C-1 back in place? He said, the muscles will be retrained. I never believed that explanation, but like most of us, I was hoping that I was wrong and the treatments would take care of my headaches.

Also, they use a thermo. electronic device to measure, hooked to a computer, the alignment of the muscles to show how the spine is being re-aligned. The computer program said I was making progress, but when I had the second round of X-Rays, they indicated little if any correction to my spine alignment.

Forgive my rant, but that is my experience with a NUCCA chiro.

Martin

Martin,

Thanks for the rant. I have a wonderful chiro that I've seen for 10+ years and he only adjusts what's out (usually not all of them at one shot if there are a lot). He's adjusted various joints following accidents and alleviated a lot of pain over the years. He's done x-rays following accidents so he knows what's going on. I'm sure if my C-1 was out it would have been adjusted. He was one of the first I went to when all this crud started as I am aware that alignment can impact migraines and he told me that there was nothing he could do for me. I trust him - he has been able to do some pretty miraculous things when modern medicine has failed.

I just thought it odd that she swore up and down about it. But then maybe she would have been one that would have benefited from correct chiropractic treatment anyway. Sort of like those folks who are vastly benefited from acupuncture too - most of them have a muscular issue or a stress issue.

Thanks for the input.

Becky

Never believe it when someone claims a "CURE."

Absolutely! I don't believe there currently is a cure...I have suspicions that the M are a symptom of something else going haywire in the body. What I don't know - would be nice to find out in my lifetime. I do think that for different people, the part going haywire is different. Some it is a mechanical issue, others chemical and the rest of us, big fat question mark. Hence why some get full "relief" from chiro/acupuncture/massage, and why drugs work so well in some.

Becky, I have also used chiros for a frozen shoulder, a rib subluxation, and lower back pain. And, I've had very successful experiences for those problems.

Martin

Absolutely. I had just never heard of them. Most of my problems are in my hip - at least this is what is most painful. I may have something in my neck, something midback, and always a hip. I'm not sure that adjusting something in my neck would fix something in my hip...not willing to find out as it's usually pretty miserable.


Becky

and as others said, it was completely and totally worthless. i'm too tired to do a rant, and i just got home from working 12 hours, but i surely could.

there is no doubt that this guy i went to who SWORE the atlas was the cause of my problems, made my head and neck far worse. i stuck at it toooo long. live and learn, dianne

I have worked with chiro docs for 18 years and every one of them pretty much trashes the NUCCA practitioners. Each chiro school puts out a different breed or camp of docs. Each state has vastly different scope of practice. The rules dictating what chiros can and cannot do are all over the map. Buyer beware, there are really great down to earth chiro docs and some complete freak shows.

Even the ones I work have some screwball philosophies and I have been known to butt heads with them on some of the more ridiculous ones.

But I really hope someone's first experience with a chiro is one that is a mainstream, down to earth and sticks to the science of the profession.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what's NUCCA?
I see a chiropractor 3/4 times a year for general adjustment of my whole back and he's a real wiz. I feel so much better after the adjustment....
He also adjusts my C-1 but he's never promised to cure my migraine. He has told me that that manoeuvre can help to relieve migraines for some weeks, which is actually true in my case.

Brent, I was hoping you would weigh in. I know it completely depends on the doctor themselves - even why so many of our neuros don't agree on migraine treatments. All have different philosophies.

Ivy- National Upper Cervical Chiropractor Association. Some strange belief that by adjusting the upper cervical vertebrae it will fix all back problems and can relieve migraines.

I know I'm due for an adjustment. The dogs and horse get one every 6 months and that's my cue to make an appointment whether I think I need it or not. I was going to ask him about it but I think I'll scrap it. If it was a problem with my neck, he would have fixed it already.

Thanks for the input.

NUCCA contradicts almost the entire science of chiropractic. Vertebral subluxation will affect spinal chord nerve branches all the way down to the sacrum. The docs I work with even adjust extremities to relieve nervous and circulatory restrictions. It's the same as having four flat tires but thinking if you just change one you'll be OK.

But almost all chiros believe that headaches/pain are all caused by subluxation. And despite that they can only help a measured number of headache patients is proof that is not the case. I go round and round with them about that with just the pure science deficiency of that philosophy.

They get into to trouble by making it a religion and not just sticking to the research science of it.

Even many of my massage therapy associates go can go way out of the mainstream and get into the belief type of treatments. In fact the profession has a bad track record of attracting the aborant people that get all caught in the new age practices.

I stick to the proven science of my work. What I tell those who I work on can go home and Google it to verify what I say. It's ridiculous and a disservice to the profession to ask people to just believe in a theory or idea.

And I have enjoyed a busy practice with people that have grown to trust me. And quite often I have to almost de-program some who have gone to a new age type therapist first.

Rule number one is don't BS people. They will eventually see right through it.

dcook60 wrote:and as others said, it was completely and totally worthless. ...

there is no doubt that this guy i went to who SWORE the atlas was the cause of my problems, made my head and neck far worse. i stuck at it toooo long. live and learn, dianne

My experience exactly. And the chiro I went to came very highly recommended by many, many friends.

What's even worse if they take flexion, extension and side bending X-rays they will see subluxations other then C-1 and completely ignore them. Which is a huge chunk of chiro training is spinal X-ray interpretation.

They are the fringe of the profession and no way represent the mainstream science.

Thank you HeelerLady.
I said something wrong in my previous post. My chiro manipulates my C-2, not the C-1.
Anyway, he mainly works on the lumbar adjustment rather than on the cervical part.