What is NUCCA?
National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association
What is NUCCA?
NUCCA stands for the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association. With over five decades of clinical research and development, NUCCA has developed a gentle, effective, and safe method to rebalance your head and neck to relieve pain and restore optimal function throughout the entire body.
Your Brainstem & Upper Neck
Our brain acts as the central command center, controlling and coordinating all functions throughout the entire body. The brain transitions into the spinal cord, and this critical juncture, called the brainstem, is situated right at the level of the upper neck (cranio-cervical junction).
A misalignment at the top vertebra—the atlas (C1)—can disrupt signals between the brain and body. By gently restoring the balance of the head and upper neck, full-body balance is renewed, relieving spinal tension and restoring health.
The atlas (C1) vertebra supports the entire weight of the skull without interlocking bone facets, leaving the brainstem uniquely susceptible to misalignment from physical stress or trauma.
How Did I Get This Way? →Gentle, Specific and Lasting Effects
The NUCCA procedure is very gentle and is highly specific to each patient. The adjustment is done manually, thus placing the head and the upper neck in alignment while lying in side posture. The pressure felt during the correction is very light, without any twisting of the neck or audible crack.
The NUCCA procedure creates lasting effects on the body. With fewer interventions needed as the imbalance and postural distortions unwind and maintain for a longer period of time, the dependency for frequent check-ups diminish, so you can enjoy living with improved quality of life!
For more information about the NUCCA organization, please visit NUCCA.org
Educational Videos on NUCCA Care
Watch detailed clinical overviews of the upper cervical correction process.
Learn More About NUCCA Upper Cervical Care
Explore our dedicated sections on diagnosis, adjustment science, self-healing, and candidacy.
The Chiropractic Adjustment
Discover the purposeful definition of an adjustment ("to set right"), vertebral subluxation, and the neurological highway.
Diagnostics & The Adjustment
Learn how 3-plane X-ray blueprints guide our gentle side-posture correction without twisting, cracking, or popping.
Holding the Adjustment & Healing
Understand the self-healing process, objective structural tracking, and our 9 clinical solutions to holding alignment.
How Did I Get This Way?
Explore how past injuries, falls, whiplash, birth traumas, and repetitive strains shift head and neck alignment.
Is NUCCA Right For Me?
Take our 13-item candidate checklist to assess whether your symptoms stem from upper cervical imbalance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find clear answers about safety, treatment frequency, expected outcomes, and maintaining spinal health.
Partner With Us for Long-Term Alignment
Learn how holding your adjustment can help relieve chronic pain, improve posture, and restore your body’s natural vitality.