NUCCA and Parkinson's Disease by Julian Whitaker, MD
Did you know that Parkinson’s disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system? Your centralnervous system is composed of your brain and spinal cord. Parkinson’s disease affects nerve cells in the brain (basal ganglia area), causing movements to be less smooth than normal. Five facts about Parkinson’s disease are:.
- Some causes of Parkinson’s disease include head injury, stroke, certain drugs, and multiple system atrophy
- Affects 1 out of 250 people over 40 years old
- A classic symptom is a tremor when muscles are at rest
- Can progress to a loss of balance
- Mask-like expression
Traditional management of Parkinson’s disease involves prescription drugs,physical therapy, and occupational therapy. These solutions, when combined,can be effective in the short term, but they do not address a potential cause of Parkinson’s disease..
Your Neck and Parkinson’s
So how does your spine relate to Parkinson’s disease? Did you know that your spine is designed to protect your spinal cord? Your spinal cord is responsible for sending signals to and from your brain. When your atlas (top bone in your neck) misaligns,this creates a distortion of those signals along the spinal cord. Misalignments in the upper neck also affect the brain. A longstanding misalignment may be related to Parkinson’s symptoms due to its effect on cerebrospinal fluid flow.
NUCCA is unique in its approach to the spine. Through precise x-rays, the exact position of your atlas misalignment is determined. This allows for a gentle correction, uniquely tailored to you. There is no twisting, popping, or cracking involved in a NUCCA correction. Over time, fewer corrections are needed because of the specificity of this approach. When your atlas is in proper alignment, it allows for proper signals to travel along your spinal cord. This is when healing occurs.
Dr. Bello reported on a case of a 66-year-old female Parkinson’s patient. She had a head injury that led to her symptoms of a left-handed resting tremor, muscle rigidity, fatigue, and depression. Her symptoms were getting progressively worse over time. She received NUCCA care and noticed immediate symptom relief. Her relief remained over time.
References:
1. Gonzalez-Usigli H. Parkinson Disease [Internet]. Merck Manuals Consumer Version. 2016 [cited 17 April 2016]. Available from: http://www.merckmanuals.com/ho... parkinson-disease
2. Bello R. Symptomatic Improvement in a Patient with Parkinson’s Disease Subsequent to Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Case Study. J Upper Cerv Chiro Res [Internet]. 2011 [cited 17 April 2016];2011(June):31-38. Available from: http://uppercervicalsubluxatio...
3. Effect of Atlas Vertebrae Realignment in Subjects with Migraine: An Observational Pilot Study. Woodfield HC 3rd1,Hasick DG2,Becker WJ3,Rose MS4,Scott JN5. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:630472. doi: 10.1155/2015/630472. Epub 2015 Dec 10.
Source: nucca.org