| Imagine for a moment a radically conservative | | | | Yes. For the systolic change, the significance was |
| Mosque that issues a report acknowledging the | | | | measured at 0.0001, and for the diastolic at 0.002. |
| Jesus Christ is truly the Messiah. Or imagine a | | | | That is like asking the question, "Is the White |
| news release from a major automobile | | | | House in Washington DC?", You know what the |
| manufacturer stating that designs for an efficient | | | | answer is with confidence. |
| engine running on grass clippings - something that | | | | 6. How did they know the atlas misalignment was |
| many people have ready access to - have been | | | | really corrected? |
| released to production. | | | | Following NUCCA protocol x-ray analysis before |
| It is this category of surprising events wherein | | | | adjusting, the misalignment in the experimental |
| we find reports about a new study produced by | | | | group averaged 2.17 degrees. Again following |
| Rush University Hypertension Center. This is a | | | | NUCCA protocol, the x-rays after the initial |
| report that needs to be studied, pondered and | | | | adjustment showed a reduction down to.22 |
| expanded upon. This is a report from a large | | | | degrees. At the end of the eight-week study |
| medical institution stating that chiropractic | | | | period, x-rays showed that the correction was still |
| adjustment of the atlas can reduce blood | | | | reduced to.22 degrees. In other words the |
| pressure in people suffering from Type I | | | | misalignment got corrected and stayed corrected. |
| hypertension. Let us take a closer look! | | | | 7. How did they know the adjusting doctor did not |
| Dr. George Bakris, MD, director the Hypertension | | | | just perform some kind of hypno-babble on the |
| Center at Rush University, is the lead author in | | | | patients? |
| this study that concludes correction of the atlas | | | | There was an observer in the room to be sure |
| misalignment, following the NUCCA (National Upper | | | | he did not say a word. |
| Cervical Chiropractic Association) protocol, can | | | | 8. Was there some other factor that may have |
| reduce hypertension in people for at least eight | | | | been responsible for the change? |
| weeks, the duration of the study. Here are the | | | | In order to reduce the likelihood of this, |
| natural questions, and answers, that arise from | | | | participants could only be in the study if they |
| this conclusion: | | | | agreed to forego osteopathic manipulation of any |
| 1. What is the atlas misalignment? | | | | kind or chiropractic work for the duration. Also, |
| The atlas misalignment consists of a measurable | | | | they were not allowed to take any kind of |
| displacement of the normal relationship between | | | | antihypertensive drugs. Subjects were screened |
| the atlas (first cervical vertebra), the skull and the | | | | out who had an active drug or alcohol addiction. |
| neck below. The misalignment can be as little as.75 | | | | 9. Does this mean everyone should throw out |
| millimeter in linear measurement and still cause | | | | their blood pressure medications? |
| neurologic insult. | | | | No, but it does mean that if you have symptoms |
| 2. What kind of hypertension was reduced? | | | | of high blood pressure and signs of an atlas |
| Type I, or idiopathic, benign hypertension. | | | | misalignment, correcting the atlas to the fine |
| 3. How many patients were in the study? | | | | degree attained by a NUCCA practitioner might |
| There were 50 patients in the study, half were in | | | | help the blood pressure normalize. Ask your |
| the placebo group and half in the experimental | | | | doctor if he or she knows how to check for an |
| group. | | | | atlas misalignment. Alternatively, contact a local |
| 4. How much was the hypertension reduced? | | | | chiropractor or even check with the NUCCA |
| Hypertension was reduced an average of 17 | | | | organization to find a local doctor who knows the |
| points on systolic, 10 points on diastolic. | | | | right way to check for an atlas misalignment. |
| 5. Is this statistically significant? | | | | |