SAN DIEGO, July 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A legacy of longevity. This year, the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA) celebrates six decades of advancing education and professional standards centered on a simple principle: restoring balance through precise, patient-centered upper cervical care.
Why is this important?
An injury can cause the upper cervical spine to become subtly misaligned, compromising the nervous system and overall body function. Once corrected, it makes a profound impact on human health.
For 60 years, NUCCA doctors have studied the effects of misalignments of the upper cervical spine—specifically the relationship between the atlas and axis or first two vertebrae. This condition is referred to as the Atlas Subluxation Complex (ASC) and is commonly used to treat patients with neck pain, headaches, migraines and some types of hypertension.
This practice is performed by a highly specialized branch of about 300 doctors worldwide on patients with ASC. Each evaluation begins with a detailed physical examination followed by an image-guided assessment if needed to precisely measure a person's upper cervical alignment.
The technique stands out from other standard chiropractic care in that its specialized, gentle technique focuses solely on aligning the upper cervical spine, rather than manipulating vertebrae throughout the spine.
“The goal is to restore normal structural alignment while using the least amount of force necessary,” said retired NUCCA doctor Gordon Hasick. “We’re bringing the entire body back into a state of optimal equilibrium."
This precise method was born in 1941 when Michigan-based doctors Ralph R. Gregory and John Grostic Sr. collaborated to correct misalignments in the upper cervical spine. The technique was designed to reduce pain and discomfort while supporting overall wellness. It was originally developed to improve neurological function with a complete correction of the ASC.
Gregory later founded NUCCA in 1966 to further advance education and training in upper cervical care. He also helped establish what today is called the Upper Cervical Research Foundation (UCRF), to study the clinical and physiological effects of upper cervical spinal corrections on overall health and function.
Since then, NUCCA clinicians and researchers have developed a growing body of scientific literature examining the relationship between upper cervical alignment, posture and human function.
Among NUCCA's most notable research is a landmark hypertension study by Dr. George A. Bakris, a globally renowned physician and professor of medicine specializing in hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease, along with veteran NUCCA doctor Marshall Dickholtz Sr. The study reported significant reductions in blood pressure following a NUCCA correction in patients with Stage 1 hypertension, highlighting the importance of upper cervical alignment in cardiovascular health.
Another landmark study included University of Calgary neurologist Dr. Werner Becker, an internationally renowned expert in headache research and clinical guidelines, and Hasick as the principal NUCCA investigator. Advanced MRI imaging used in this study also identified measurable changes in brain physiology associated with atlas realignment, supporting the link between upper cervical alignment and neurological function.
When the craniocervical junction (head and neck) is injured, subtle spinal misalignments can occur and disrupt function of the brainstem. This misalignment can have potential effects throughout the body. The NUCCA procedure corrects these small misalignments and uses an image-guided, precise, gentle, non-invasive spinal correction technique that reorients the spine to a more balanced and stable orientation.
In other words, it helps the body function as efficiently as possible by addressing underlying structural stressors and issues, rather than focusing on short-term symptom management. This method is distinguished by its commitment to accuracy and reproducibility, providing a consistent standard of care for patients across geographic locations with practitioners around the world adhering to the same precise standards.
Its practitioners follow a well-defined and taught, multi-step protocol that includes a comprehensive health history, physical assessment, imaging as needed, and precise measurements to determine the most appropriate correction for each patient.
By using precise imaging of the head and neck, along with mathematical measurement analysis, NUCCA doctors are able to establish a misalignment pattern unique to every person.
“We have a rigorous process for understanding where their body is and where it needs to be,” said San Diego-based NUCCA doctor Vivek Soham. “We don’t guess when it comes to your health. We know where it’s supposed to be and we take you to that place.”
NUCCA care is highly individualized, with no one-size-fits-all approach designed to guide the body back toward optimal spinal alignment and position.
"Every case is unique,” said San Francisco-based NUCCA doctor Catherine Zabelin. “Every person's alignment, history and correction are different."
Patients who arrive at NUCCA centers often do so with histories of head or neck trauma caused by motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, or falls and are suffering from symptoms including whiplash, chronic migraines, dizziness, and post-concussion issues.
These individuals aren’t just looking for symptom relief, they want their lives back.
Rather than focusing solely on symptom relief, NUCCA practitioners support the body's natural ability to heal and regulate itself by optimizing the body’s structural balance and reducing stress on the nervous system. They’ve helped hundreds of thousands of people of all ages achieve and maintain optimal physiological function.
Patients are often surprised by how gentle the adjustment is (no forceful twisting, cracking, or popping) and how quickly they experience physical change.
“There have been so many patients that canceled surgeries after receiving NUCCA care,” Dr. Zabelin said.
For some, treatment is so powerful, patients forget they had problems in the first place.
"People actually tell us they forgot what it feels like not to be in pain,” Dr. Soham said.
The testimonials are powerful.
"One mother called to tell me I had saved her son's life … after years of debilitating dizziness and hopelessness,” Dr. Zabelin said. “Those are the moments that remind you why this work matters."
Dr. Soham provided another example.
"I had a mother in tears because, for the first time in years, she could sit on the floor and play with her toddler again,” he said.
Many NUCCA practitioners also have stories of their own. Orange County-based NUCCA doctor, and current NUCCA President, Glenn Cripe injured his neck and lower back in the ocean at 20 years old.
“I had severe back pain and went to see a variety of doctors,” Dr. Cripe said.
It wasn’t until he received his first adjustment in 1974 that he finally got relief.
“It was the first time I stood up straight in 2 and a half years,” he said. “After that experience, I went to chiropractic college.” Dr. Cripe has been a NUCCA practitioner for 38 years.
Dr. Zabelin is also a product of successful NUCCA treatment, after using it for head and neck trauma following a major car accident and gets checked every few months for health maintenance.
NUCCA practitioners agree that while medicine and surgery have a place in clinical care for pain management, upper cervical care bridges the gap within the broader healthcare landscape and should be considered a necessary and logical step in navigating health journeys.
“We're one of the most reproducible techniques in healthcare because our entire clinical process is designed to deliver the same quality of care every time,” Dr. Soham said.
In lieu of a growing demand worldwide, its practitioners are motivated to expand access to the technique by training more practitioners. Today NUCCA has about 300 members from around the world.
Ongoing collaboration among clinicians, engineers, neuroscientists, and academic researchers is a critical goal of UCRF to expand the scientific understanding of the relationship between upper cervical alignment, neurological function, and human health.
Moving forward, the NUCCA and UCRF organizations envision greater collaboration with healthcare professionals, including primary care providers, dentists, pain specialists, physical therapists and concussion experts, to help patients access it.
"Our vision is to see more doctors delivering this work to the highest standards of quality and consistency,” Dr. Cripe said. "We want people to know they have another option to become more balanced, improve their quality of life, and find answers when other approaches haven't helped.”
The organization continues to invest in training and board certification programs designed to preserve the precision and integrity of the technique while preparing future generations of practitioners.
"Right now we're at a tipping point where the rigor of our process and the technology available today, allows us to demonstrate what we do with a level of confidence that few others can,” Dr. Soham said.
Ultimately, NUCCA's 60-year legacy is the hope, healing and improved quality of life experienced by its many patients.
"A lot of people have dedicated their lives to helping others suffer less,” Dr. Zabelin said. "We're all dedicated … to improve the health and lives of our communities by correcting this small, but critically important part of the spine.”
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A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e1a967c0-f6e5-4539-81fd-4c5fbdd46230
