Editorial From "MONOGRAPH" Vol. 1, No. 1 - March 1973

The revival of interest among chiropractors in upper cervical techniques of film analysis and adjusting is gratifying. Nor is this upswing of interest confined to the chiropractor; upper cervical techniques are receiving the enthusiastic attention of an increasing number of chiropractic college students. It is to be expected that interest will continue to grow regarding upper cervical as the evidence mounts showing clearly that the upper cervical subluxation causes more damage to the central nervous system than any subjacent spinal subluxation.

The research work done by the NUCCA-NUCCRA organizations has certainly aided in increasing interest in upper cervical. Further, the scientific approach that the NUCCA-NUCCRA organizations have taken to the subluxation has apparently caught the imagination of those practitioners and students who recognize, or have been exposed to, scientific procedures; and who know the necessity of obtaining precise measurements of the physical effects of the vertebral subluxation on the body and the soundness of demonstrating the reciprocal relationships between a subluxation-cause and a subluxation-effect. In brief, they want conclusive evidence, evidence that is based on the observable the physical, the measurable, the demonstrable; that evidence that can be tested through the senses and is verifiable.

The insistence of the NUCCA-NUCCRA organizations on a scientific attitude, on measurement, demonstration, and verification, on testing the physical phenomena observable when a subluxation exists, has resulted in greater knowledge of what a subluxation is mechanically and neurologically, what it specifically does to the central nervous system, what its physical signs are as manifested in the body, and how these signs can be measured and related reciprocally to the subluxation. These things, in turn, have lead to a sound basis for the classification of the subluxation, to predominant factor studies, and the like.

For example, in breaking down the subluxation into its component parts-an analysis into units study-and by testing the effect of each unit in any given occipital-atlanto-axial subluxation, it became clear that the detriment to the nervous system caused by this subluxation was that of tractionization, longitudinally and transversely, on the spinal cord and brain stem. Tractionization so affected the reticular formation of the central nervous system as to cause far reaching and damaging effects throughout the entire nervous system, causing spastic contracture and an over-loading of the motor units of the spinal cord. Thus we established meaning to the nebulous term "nerve interference" and demonstrated that the subluxation is a causative factor in disturbing the neuromuscular system. Further, we placed the subluxation, as a damaging factor to the well-being of the human organism, on a basis that could not be successfully refuted by anyone, in view of the research work already done on tractionization and muscular spasticity.

It has been difficult for some of us to understand why upper cervical techniques have not progressed more rapidly in the past 40 years. Perhaps one reason is the discipline required in their practice, another may well be the lack of interest by college heads and chiropractic educators. There seems to be an apparent policy in effect that if upper cervical is ignored it will go away. This attitude seems strange when it has been repeatedly shown over the past 30 years that specific upper cervical adjusting corrects spinal subluxations, misalignments and distortions more dramatically than other systems of adjusting, as proved by post X-rays. This fact alone should have engaged the interest of chiropractic educators who have chosen apparently to continue to teach adjusting techniques that utilize the skull as a lever in attempting correction of cervical vertebrae as well as other non-specific and mechanically inept methods.

Chiropractic adjusting techniques are numerous, yet a sound basis for justifying the use of any adjusting technique would seem to be proof of its efficacy in correcting the misalignments and distortions that are part of the vertebral subluxation. This is a traditional concept in chiropractic.

The chiropractic student entering college today has been more exposed to scientific techniques. He is inclined to be more interested in the backing evidence of a chiropractic technique than in the technique itself; more interested in the "why" than in the "how". This is a healthy situation and one to be recognized and encouraged. Doubtless it will increase as time goes on. The future of chiropractic will be considerably influenced for the better because of it. In the meantime, however, as long as the present situation exists in our chiropractic colleges, the student will be forced elsewhere to obtain training in techniques of chiropractic that have abundantly proved themselves.

Dr. Gregory is a member and Fellow of the International Chiropractors' Association, a past president of the Michigan Academy of Chiropractic, and served as chairman of the jurisprudence committee of the Michigan State Chiropractic Association.

For several years Dr. Gregory has conducted seminars on chiropractic practices and lectured extensively on research in chiropractic. He has conducted research activities and has written several articles relating to research in chiropractic.