The ‘atlas’ is the first bone in your neck
The procedure called ‘NUCCA’ focuses on this bone only with light corrective adjustments, very similar to atlas orthogonal.
The study involved medical and chiropractic doctors.
It was in the Journal of Human Hypertension.
It found lowered blood pressure was dramatically evident.
Read on…

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: a pilot study
G Bakris1, M Dickholtz Sr2, PM Meyer1, G Kravitz1, E Avery1, M Miller3, J Brown3, C Woodfield4 and B Bell3 1Department of Preventive Medicine, Rush University Hypertension Center, Chicago, IL, USA; 2Chiropractic Health Center, Chicago, IL, USA; 3Barrington Family Medical Clinic, Barrington, IL, USA and 4Atlas Research Foundation, Barrington, IL, USA

Anatomical abnormalities of the cervical spine at the level of the Atlas vertebra are associated with relative ischaemia of the brainstem circulation and increased blood pressure (BP). Manual correction of this malalignment has been associated with reduced arterial pressure.

This pilot study tests the hypothesis that correcting mal-alignment of the Atlas vertebra reduces and maintains a lower BP. Using a double blind, placebo- controlled design at a single center, 50 drug naıve (n 1⁄4 26) or washed out (n 1⁄4 24) patients with Stage 1 hypertension were randomized to receive a National Upper Cervical Chiropractic (NUCCA) procedure or a sham procedure.

Patients received no antihypertensive meds during the 8-week study duration. The primary end point was changed in systolic and diastolic BP comparing baseline and week 8, with a 90% power to detect an/5 mm Hg difference at week 8 over the placebo group.

Lateral displacement of Atlas vertebra (1.0, baseline versus 0.041 week 8, NUCCA versus 0.6, baseline versus 0.51, placebo; P 1⁄4 0.002).
Heart rate was not reduced in the NUCCA group (0.3 beats per minute, NUCCA, versus 0.5 beats per minute, placebo).

No adverse effects were recorded. We conclude that restoration of Atlas alignment is associated with marked and sustained reductions in BP similar to the use of two-drug combination therapy.

Journal of Human Hypertension advance online publication, 2 March 2007; doi:10.1038/sj.jhh.1002133