When a person is afflicted with various physical and mental symptoms, they often resort to online searches to find solutions to their problems. This seriously dangerous chiropractic technique often pops up in online searches, which is the realignment of the atlas by manipulation. I want to explain why you should not be manipulated and how to remedy your pain safely and decisively.
Paramedical figures who carry out this atlas manipulation technique are chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists.
Even after a careful evaluation of their patient, they apply this method of atlas manipulation even if it is very dangerous and can lead to health risks both in the short and long term.
Mainstream thought states that all postural misalignments of the body arise from the misalignment of the first cervical vertebra in relation to the skull. In a nutshell, when the first cervical vertebra (atlas) is misaligned with respect to the skull and concerning the second cervical vertebra (axis), numerous painful symptoms arise.
Furthermore, it must be said that inside the vertebrae and atlas, the spinal cord passes, which connects the brain to the entire body. A misalignment of the atlas then creates a mechanical compression on the spinal cord generating numerous neurological symptoms.
Consequently, according to the common belief, atlas manipulation should, through its domino effect, realign and decontract all the underlying bone and muscle structures with the benefit of soothing muscles, nerves, tendons etc.
According to these paramedical figures who resort to the atlas manipulation technique, a long list of symptoms can be cured.
I want to explain why this technique of realigning the atlas is dangerous.
This technique is invalid because its operating principle is unfounded, i.e. the fact that all postural problems arise from a misalignment of the atlas. This theory is wrong because all postural problems effectively arise from another biomechanical misalignment.
The pivotal biomechanical misalignment from which all postural problems arise is the misalignment of the jaw in relation to the skull.
Consequently, biomechanical problems arise from the area above the atlas. The atlas is only the first vertebra that undergoes craniomandibular misalignment. All the others follow in cascade.
In reality, it is the positioning of the mandible in relation to the skull that determines the posture of all the underlying biomechanical structures. We know there are teeth between the skull and the jaw. These represent the supporting scaffolding of the skull.
We practically all have this craniomandibular imbalance but it has never been diagnosed because medical thinking in this field is not updated.
Starecta, on the other hand, has perfectly identified the resolutive technique to restore and balance the skull on the mandible through a bite called Rectifier which is positioned in the molar and premolar area acting as a fulcrum. In this case, the Rectifier through its peculiar characteristics makes the jaw work like a lever that can push the skull upwards and stretch the spine.
The Rectifier also repositions the skull symmetrically on the mandible on the frontal plane, while on the sagittal plane it brings the gaze back to the horizon effortlessly.
But before we delve into the postural solution that could finally bring you safe relief, let’s see why you shouldn’t trust those who perform this dangerous forced manual manoeuvre of atlas realignment.
These paramedical figures on their sites say they can act on numerous symptoms even where there is no correlation between them.
What are the treatable symptoms according to chiropractors who practice atlas manipulation?
Here is an example of a list of symptoms treatable by manipulating the atlas:
- Widespread joint pain, especially back pain and neck pain
- Head pain or headache
- Headache
- Migraine
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Epileptiform Neuralgia
- Tinnitus
- Scoliosis
- Akureyri disease
- Sciatica (some specific cases)
- Previous diagnosis of Fibromyalgia
- Previous diagnosis of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (some cases)
- Attention-deficit
- Insomnia
- Sudden asthma attacks
- Consequences of an accident (whiplash, fall, sports trauma)
- Previous diagnosis of arthritis or osteoarthritis
- Spinal disc herniation
- Hypertension
- Previous diagnosis of Bell’s palsy (some cases)
- Pain of the temporomandibular joint
- Dental malocclusion
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Paresthesia or numbness or tingling in the arms and hands
- Sudden easy irritability
- Chronic stress
- Recurrent otitis
- Sinusitis (some cases)
In short, those who practice atlas manipulation would also succeed in having you getting along with your wife simply by pushing the first cervical vertebra into the correct position with their hands (I’m being ironic!).
It would be great to resolve this long list of symptoms quickly, simply by manually forcing the atlas into its correct position. Too bad that it is a useless and dangerous practice given that it is not the first cervical vertebra that is the root cause of all ills. The root cause lies in the skull-cervical-mandibular relationship
Instead of wasting time with atlas manipulation, read this article which identifies the true source of postural problems. (Body posture depends on the teeth).
So why is it dangerous to have the atlas manipulated?
Inside the vertebrae that make up the spinal column is the spinal cord that connects the brain to the rest of the body via biochemical signals.
The atlas must allow the head to be able to make different types of movements, such as rotation, bending, twisting. For this reason, it is structured in a particular way.
The point is that if this vertebra is misaligned, there can be compressions at the base of the skull to the nerves and the medulla, and then the inflamed area can create a series of symptoms described above because the brain-body signals are interrupted.
Starecta has gathered why the atlas or axis or other areas of the vertebral column can have dysfunctions: the cause always lies in the incorrect craniomandibular relationship that affects the rest of the column.
I do not blame all the doctors and paramedics who have not yet understood this postural biomechanical concept, because it is a very long and slow domino effect that is carried out over time.
It is a succession of misalignments and cascading compensations that arise from an incorrect relationship of the skull to the mandible.
An erroneous cranial mandibular relationship takes the name of mandibular lateral deviation, which is the simplest problem to diagnose.
The most complicated problem to diagnose is the lack of vertical dimension in the premolar and molar area. That is when the molars and premolars are not extruded. In this way, the premolar and molar teeth do not offer adequate support to the skull, which sinks and changes its structure and inclination.
At this point, the skull compresses the spine which is crushed into a smaller space.
Consequently, an incorrect craniomandibular relationship distorts the bone-muscle symmetry.
Craniomandibular asymmetry is transmitted via a neuro-motor signal to the first cervical vertebra and the entire vertebral column via swallowing.
For this reason, like the other vertebrae, even the atlas is the first to suffer from an incorrect craniomandibular relationship.
At this point, the position of the atlas is a consequence of what happened above in the stomatognathic district and in 100% of cases, the solution is in the mouth and an unbalanced craniomandibular relationship.
Unfortunately, only a handful of doctors can identify and diagnose a craniomandibular asymmetry or imbalance.
However, Starecta has the tools to identify and treat a craniomandibular imbalance through the Rectifier. (link to SPI)
At this point, it is clear that atlas manipulation would be exerting force against the laws of biomechanics that the body is based on. So atlas manipulation, both short-term and long-term, could lead to severe neurological damage.
In addition to atlas manipulation, numerous other dangerous manipulation techniques are constantly practised without taking into account the real cause that generated the painful postural symptoms that led the unfortunate patient to the therapists who never definitively solve the real issue.
So, how can I solve my problem?
Starecta has created a Plug & Play postural device called Rectifier precisely because it rectifies the skull-cervical-mandibular relationship giving an immediate benefit and an input of symmetry.
- The Rectifier is a lower dental splint that has particular characteristics:
- built-in biocompatible hard thermoplastic material
- through the activation video, instructions are given on how to create dental pits that hold the occlusion in place
- the Rectifier has a height of 3 mm in the premolar and molar area that favourably activates the mandibular lever pushing the skull upwards and consequently decompressing the spine, letting the vertebrae realign themselves naturally
