The Atlas - Occipital Joint
"Is your head on straight ".
The reason why you are getting migraines, stiff neck headaches and other strange neural symptoms, explained.
No-one has assessed and aligned your Atlas properly.
ATLANTOtec vibration tools are an Atlas adjustment method in a single session.
Ever had a friend who suffered a whiplash car accident who never really got better?
Ever had a friend who kept complaining about recurring migraines?
Ever had a friend suffering from scoliosis?
Ever had a friend who continually suffers tension headaches and migraines?
Perhaps it is time that you shared this post with your friend.
For a long time, manual therapists have attempted various techniques to adjust the Atlas to its correct position under the base of the skull.
Manipulative pressure with fingers on muscles, as a rule, cannot lead to long-lasting changes in the Atlas first cervical vertebra's position.
Evidence is the fact that these techniques are applied over and over again.
Why is this?
To permanently correct the position of the first vertebra, it is necessary to sufficiently relax the deep internal muscles that hold the first vertebra in place.
This is not possible if done manually. Not possible with heat packs, ultrasound, not possible with TENS.
The Atlas is deep under the external muscles of the neck, and attached by short strong internal muscles to the base of the skull.
When the ATLANTOtec Atlas alignment vibration tools are used, the Atlas is aligned correctly ONCE, and will remain correctly in place long-term.
ONE visit, one adjustment.
But maybe some muscle work after, from a good physical therapist or osteopath./musculoskeletal therapist or chiropractor, to address remaining " old compensations" within the neuromuscular/craniosacral/musculoskeletal system.
To understand why the ATLANTOtec vibrators work, it is necessary to understand the anatomy of the Atlas-occipital joint.
This joint is unique in that it is a simple roller joint, and is held tightly as a joint with very high joint stability, in two 3 D cup shaped facet joints.
The joints have rigid ligaments and the very limited elasticity.
Atlas-occipital ( rectus -capitus ) muscles are almost always in a state of contraction, because they are bracing the 5-7 kg weight of the head.
These muscles produce an extremely limited mobility side to side in the Atlas-occipital joint. Basically, the Atlas has the tendency to maintain the same alignment.
For the Atlas to shift OUT of alignment, a whiplash force has to be applied to this joint.
Only an external force of an injury can modify the alignment of the joint.
This is usually a whiplash injury to the neck, but could also be a difficult birth causing trauma to the neck, such as forceps delivery.
Any head and neck injury to a young child, such as a fall out of a cot, a head impact diving into a swimming pool, or multiple header impacts in soccer, or a faint and hit the head, or a motor vehicle accident, or falls off a horse / skateboard / bike can produce enough whiplash injury to the occiput/C1 joint to cause the joint to slip.
Once the Atlas-occipital joint has slipped, the response of the neuromuscular system to the injury is to brace and splint this new position.
Therefore, the Atlas bone can be out of alignment for years following the injury causing lasting pain, dysfunction and neural problems.
Because the Atlas-occipital joint is so very stable, the ATLANTOtec vibration tools provide alignment and the body responds to hold the new position.
The vibration method provides a once only treatment that holds.
ATLANTOtec vibrators use the principle of deep external vibration and resonance harmonic vibration causing the deep internal muscles to relax, and then the joint is repositioned by deep vibration, affecting the stretch receptors in all the muscles of the spine, and stimulating all the cervical nerve synapses.
Direct vibration is used to move the first vertebra to the desired position.
The application of too little force for too little time, or the application of force on the wrong point, will change muscle tension but not provide adjustment of joint position.
Progressive force at the right point and correct angle is needed to position the Atlas into the correct position.
ATLANTOtec Atlas alignment does not use sudden and jerking neck movement experienced during chiropractic manipulation.
A chiropractic method called Atlas Orthogonal was invented in the 1980s,
and uses short and immediate impulses of an air piston. No preparatory deep muscle relaxation is used. Therefore this type of adjustment is generally a repeat business model of palliative relief, because the rectus capitus muscles hold the dysfunctional joint and resist its re-alignment.
The application of too little force for too little time, or the application of force on the wrong point, will change muscle tension but not change the joint position.
Change in muscle tension may reduce symptoms for a while, but the fundamental joint mis-alignment remains.
Progressive force at the right point and correct angle is needed to position the Atlas into the correct position.
There are no risks associated with the ATLANTOtec vibration method because the correction of the Atlas takes place after 20 - 30 mins of deep internal vertabral muscle relaxation, prior to Atlas alignment correction.
This is why Physiotherapists, Chiropractors and Manipulative therapists in Europe have been trained in the use of these ATLANTOtec tools, and use the vibration method to augment their skills and patient outcomes.
Here in Australia, Dr David Stephenson needed his own Atlas aligned. He had an accident at age 2 falling down a flight of steps, and then an accident to his head neck and collarbone at age 11. He grew into a postural dysfunction with scoliosis and kyphosis and a left / right assymetry of shoulders, the TMJs and a left dental crossbite and midline bite discrepancy.
Dr David spent a lifetime trying to address his worsening scoliosis and kyphosis, head forward neurologically based " poor posture" and his chronic " knife in the back" pain, one sided headaches of migraine proportion, and occasional sciatica.
Because he has been threatened with surgery for his scoliosis, David decided to learn how to correct this " diagnosis ".
This meant addressing the unresolved " accident / traumas " to his spine over 50 years.
One visit to a Chiropractor in Dusseldorf Germany at age 52y , using ATLANTOtec, vibrators corrected his neck after years of pain, headaches, scoliosis, and repeated physio remedial therapy.
Dr David's C1 Atlas was diagnosed as being jammed/twisted as far as it could go forward on the left. One session with vibrators pushed it back into balanced alignment.
No further headaches, no further back pain, immediate improvement of posture, immediate change in jaw posture and " bite ".
Because, David is a dentist he started to notice that his " bite " changed" and his TMJ dysfunction eased off.
ATLANTOtec Europe does not usually train doctors and dentists.
However, as Dr David says “ an experienced dental professional who is trained in TMJ dysfunction knows that for any TMJ/ occlusal remedy to be fully therapeutic, the patient’s neck must be aligned."
And since no-one in Australia usually gets sent for alignment of the Atlas in one visit using vibration, the patient is only likely to get remedial relief by chiro adjustment of the second cervical joint, the c1/c2 side to side joint and perhaps a base of neck adjustment, or perhaps some remedial Physio.
This means that the dentist performing complex dental "bite" occlusal reconstruction may be chased with ongoing problems, due to the first cervical joint remaining out of alignment.
Atlas misalignment affects neck posture and TMJ posture and " the bite ".It affects stnace posture and pelvic alignment.
Most neck injuries occur at C0/C1 and C1/C2 and C2 /C3 and C5/C6.
It would make sense to get C0/C1 correct so the skull can come back and up, and stop straining the lower cervical vertebrae.
How do we determine the position of the Atlas?
Incorrect positioning of the Atlas is determined by a close manual examination of the position of the transverse processes of the Atlas under the mastoid processes of the skull. This requires a palpation technique and assessment of the range of motion of the upper cervical spine. It sometimes requires preparatory vibration of the external muscles, to loosen them enough that adequate digital palpation can feel the C1 Atlas transverse processes, before any correct assessment of the Atlas transverse processes can be palpated.
If there is any doubt as to the alignment of the Atlas, a 3-D scan can be ordered by a medical doctor or a dentist to show clearly the alignment of the Atlas under the occiput.
Please note: A standard X-ray or MRI will NOT show the alignment of the Atlas in a detailed 3D view.
Many CT scans for migraine do not actually scan below the skull / occiput base and therefore do not actually show the Atlas.
Occasionally these scans will show a view that gives evidence.
Contrary to the assertion made on the main ATLANTOtec website,
https://www.atlantotec.com/en/
the alignment of the Atlas can be easily seen a a standard 3D cone beam xray that can be ordered by any medical doctor or dentist, to show the anatomy of the face and neck.
There is no need for an MRI because an MRI shows muscles and soft tissue but not bones and joints. There is no need for the radiation of a spiral CT scan of the brain.
Many dentists actually have a 3D cone beam xray machine in-house, that will allow a detailed examination of the Atlas-occipital joint in 3 D.
However,most medical doctors do not know what is available, because they order scans to look for tumours, ruptured vertebral discs, and gross pathology.
MRIs and CTscans ordered by the medical profession are looking for and ruling out pathology - tumours, aneurysms, fractures, anatomical abnormalities.
The radiologist and medical doctor do not assess or treat joint alignment.
Dr David Stephenson is the only trained ATLANTOtec Atlas Alignment Practitioner outside the European Union, and is based in Brisbane Australia.
As a professional Dental Practitioner trained in TMJ dysfunction, sleep disorder breathing, early intervention growth " orthodontics", orthopostural assessment, treatment of headaches and migraine, and a personal sufferer of whiplash, headache, migraine and postural dysfunction, Dr David has been able to reverse his own pain and postural dysfunction, and unwind the chronic pain of his patients.
Please email [email protected] or phone 0419112260.