Dr. Margaret A. Munsey
PRECISION SPINAL CARE, Seattle

PRECISION
SPINAL CARE
Seattle

Dr. Margaret A. Munsey

PRECISION SPINAL CARE
4345 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle WA 98105

phone (206) 547-6370
fax 206-675-0890

email

Directions to office

National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association

Academy of
Upper Cervical

Palmer College

What Is NUCCA? 

The most frequently asked questions about NUCCA Care are: 

01. What is NUCCA?
02. How did I lose my Body Balance?
03. Can Body Balance clear up on its own?
04. What are Adjustments?
05. Are adjustments safe?
06. Are all patients adjusted the same way?
07. How many adjustments will I need?
08. Are X-rays really necessary?

What is NUCCA? top
top

At Precision Spinal Care, we use a system of spinal correction that was developed through the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA, found at www.nucca.org). The NUCCA Spinal Correction is unique in the field of chiropractic, designed to restore body balance and normalize the flow of healing messages from the brain to all parts of the body so it can reactivate its natural self-healing process. The NUCCA spinal correction requires NO CRACKING, TWISTING OR POPPING OF THE NECK OR BACK. This is possible because of the precise X-ray analysis using physics and mechanics to calculate the exact formula used for each spinal correction. No two formulas are the same.  Each patient’s correction is developed for the individual person, with over 10,000 combinations possible.  

A NUCCA doctor is a unique part within chiropractic health care. After extensive additional training, a doctor of chiropractic may become a NUCCA doctor just as a medical doctor may choose to become a cardiologist. As with other specialties, care with NUCCA is more complex and quite unique. 

NUCCA is specifically concerned with the relationship of the entire nervous system and how it is affected by spinal misalignment. NUCCA doctors work in a specific location just below the skull where the brain connects to the body. Damage or irritation to the central nervous system at this critical junction can interfere with communication between the brain and the body, resulting in numerous health problems. Re-aligning the spine and removing abnormal pressure from the nervous system will restore proper communication and allow healing to take place.  

01. How did I lose my Body Balance? top
top

Accidents or injuries that tear loose the connective tissues holding the structures of the spine together cause a loss of body balance.  A weakness is created that allows the spine to break down and lock in a stressed position. This is known as the Subluxated (or out of place) Spine. 

02. Can Body Imbalance clear up on its own? top
top

Rarely. Today’s hectic lifestyles are a constant source of body imbalance. Fortunately, our bodies have the ability to self-correct many of these problems. But often, due to injury or repetitive stress, the body is unable to find its natural place of balance.  That is when we need to see a NUCCA doctor and have our postural balance restored. Once balance is restored, the body has a much greater ability to maintain this balance and heal effectively on its own. 

03. What are Adjustments? top top 

An adjustment is what a chiropractor uses to deliver a gentle, controlled force to the body to correct a Subluxated Spine and bring back your natural Body Balance. 

04. Are adjustments safe? top top 

Yes. A New Zealand government study found that adjustments are "remarkably safe." By avoiding drugs and risky surgery, chiropractic care enjoys an excellent track record. A thorough exam can identify the rare person for whom chiropractic care might be unsuited. The precise and gentle nature of the NUCCA spinal correction requires NO SNAPPING, POPPING OR TWISTING OF THE NECK OR BACK.   The adjustment is extremely safe, gentle and effective. 

05. Are all patients adjusted the same way? top top 

It has been estimated that over 10,000 combinations exist of vertebral displacements. Each combination requires a different, precision adjustment, which is determined from the analysis of the patient’s x-rays.  

06. How many adjustments will I need? top top 

The number of adjustments needed from person to person varies. This variance is caused by several factors.  These factors include:

1) Patient compliance (following the doctors recommendations).
2) How much damage there is to the spinal structures.
3) What type of lifestyle you have.
4) Emotional and physical stress.
5) The shape of your spinal bones.

Some people never lose the initial correction, while others may need a couple of adjustments a month. Once the spine stabilizes (usually within two months), the average person holds their correction between 3 and 6 months. The NUCCA adjustments generally hold much longer than other types of chiropractic adjustments.  

07. Are X-rays really necessary? top
top

Absolutely! Precise spinal x-rays are imperative to the NUCCA procedure. We are often dealing with misalignments as small as ¾ of a degree. With such small misalignments, the precision x-rays that we take allow us to calculate the correct method to restore the misalignment to normal, thus allowing your body to begin the healing process.  

The radiation exposure is extremely low with the NUCCA x-ray series, due to special lead filters that block out a majority of the radiation. The NAS (National Academy of Sciences) considers a single exposure of the whole body of 50,000 mrems (50 rems) to be a high level dose.