In a pilot study conducted at the University of Chicago, a one-time specialized chiropractic adjustment, delivered to patients suffering from high blood pressure and misaligned C1 vertebrae, resulted in significant reductions in diastolic and systolic BP compared to controls. According to a press release from the University of Chicago Medical Center, Office of Public Affairs, the decrease in BP was equivalent to that seen with concurrent administration of two blood pressure drugs. None of the patients took any antihypertensive medications during the study period.
The study was led by George Bakris, MD, director of the Hypertension Center at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Study participants were referred to Dr. Marshall Dickholtz Sr., a Chicago-area chiropractor and member of the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA), for cervical assessment, including paracervical skin temperature determination, postural analysis, pre-alignment craniocervical X-rays, and supine leg-length check. NUCCA practitioners focus on precise manual adjustment of the Atlas.
Half of the 50 patients received a NUCCA adjustment, while the remaining half received a sham procedure, carefully designed to mimic the actual adjustment in order to ensure blinding. This was possible due to the delicate nature of the C1 adjustment. The primary outcome measure, assessed after eight weeks, was change in systolic and diastolic BP compared to baseline readings. Average age of the study participants was 52.7 years; 70 percent were male.
The study authors emphasize that "[while] the mechanism as to why this improvement in blood pressure occurs is unknown and cannot be determined by this study ... the data presented, however, raise a number of important questions including a) How does misalignment of C1 affect hypertension?; and b) If there is a cause and effect relationship between C1 and hypertension, is malposition of C1 an additional risk factor for the development of hypertension?" A larger clinical trial is being planned to address these questions.
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