For a while now, I’ve been hearing and reading some information on AtlasPROfilax, and now to a lesser extent ATLANTOtec. AtlasPROfilax, which began in 1993, and its apparent rip-off ATLANTOtec, which started in 2006, are groups of people who use a short muscle massage technique to “adjust” the atlas (C1) vetebra. They claim that this treatment is permanent, and that after one “adjustment” you will never need another one. Many of these individuals who use these techniques also claim that any and all your health problems will be cured, never to return.
There are a number of problems with these groups, but number one is that they aren’t chiropractors. They are lay people without proper training. And believe me, when dealing with the upper cervical spine, proper training is paramount, otherwise you could very easily make someone’s life a lot worse. I’ve seen and felt what can happen when you adjust someone’s upper cervical spine on the wrong side, and it’s not fun. But that’s why there is TRAINING. And a lot of it. There are also reasons some martial arts target vital points in the upper cervical spine to incapacitate or even kill an opponent… something to think about.
The second problem is that these people are not very well researched. For example, from the AtlasPROfilax website (this was apparently translated from Swiss):
“The Atlas does not only carry the head, it also promotes – if in an optimum position – the untroubled unfolding of self-healing powers and thereby the physical and mental balance, as well as the integrated recovery of human beings.
In Sierre/Sidders in Valais (Switzerland), René-Claudius Schümperli discovered already in 1993 for the first time worldwide that the first cervical vertebra (Atlas) is more or less wrong rotated in almost every human being.”
Schümperli failed to learn that Dr. A.A. Wernsing, a chiropractor, was the first one to put together a specific method for eliminating the upper cervical subluxation back in the 1920s, and presented his ideas to B.J. Palmer in 1933. B.J. Palmer liked it so much, that he changed much of Volume XVIII to include Wernsing’s work and ideas.
Next, let’s look at a statement made on the ATLANTOtec website, also from Europe:
“Where the Atlas vertebra is involved, a chiropractic manipulation is not usually helpful; aside from the fact that the results are not permanent, this can produce undesirable side effects or even aggravate the symptoms, as various patients have reported after a series of manipulations.
In attempting to explain the problem more clearly, we must begin with anatomy. The Atlas is composed of its upper surface together with the atlanto-occipital joint at the base of the cranium and its lower surface together with the Axis, the Atlas-Axis joint. The latter allows a rotation of the head of around 40°. In contrast, the atlanto-occipital joint is responsible for the nodding movement of the head (flexion-extension) up to a maximum of 20°. The problem is as follows: we are looking to correct a rotary incorrect Atlas position from 3° to 8° in relation to the cranium, but the Atlas-Axis joint allows a rotation of a good 40°.
What happens if I turn the head with jerky movement, such as in a chiropractic manipulation? If I turn the entire atlanto-occipital joint in an uncontrolled manner, the atlanto-occipital joint therefore absorbs practically all the rotation movement, because that’s what it’s there for! The 3° to 8° incorrect Atlas position remains where it is, because the Atlas is securely linked to the base of the cranium, which allows no rotational movement under normal conditions, with the exception only of a flexion-extension movement. The result is that, irrespective of the risk that this manipulation could cause structural damage, it will yield no practical result.”
These people are completely disingenuous when they talk about chiropractic. Yes, there are chiropractors out there who do the general non-specific rotary break cervical manipulations, of which I’m not a fan, but that doesn’t include ALL chiropractors. Many chiropractors use very gentle methods to correct an upper cervical subluxation, of which specific upper cervical chiropractic techniques are the best at. Upper cervical chiropractic is not a jerky movement and is even more specific and more effective than these two particular methods could ever hope to be.
As an Upper Cervical Chiropractor, I think I speak for all of us when I say these two groups are amateur at best. Having a lay person with minimal experience working on my upper cervical region claiming to cure everything under the sun doesn’t give me much comfort (remember, chiropractic isn’t a cure or treatment for ANYTHING.). When they lie about recently discovering a secret that has actually been around for about 80 years, that doesn’t help either.
To get a more accurate assessment and comparison between AtlasPROfilax, ATLANTOtec and Upper Cervical Chiropractic, check out this website.
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I’m assuming these people are all practicing in Europe? In the USA when you hear about such shenanigans, it’s good to get affidavits from patients and then turn them into their board, which usually yields the results desired. Europe seems to be full of laypeople trying to practice chiropractic, so I wonder what laws may be in place there to help the cause?
As for AA Wernsing, he didn’t present his ideas to BJ until 1933 or 1934 (I think it was 1934 when he took his train ride to Davenport) but he had started working out upper cervical biomechanics, true plane radiography and adjustment methods in the late 1920′s.
Thanks Steve. I made that correction.
Thank you, Brandon for this post.
I think that this kind of story reveals why the work of guys like Dr. Agocs (and really the unofficial historians of our technique organizations as well) is so important. When it comes to meeting the criticisms of both skeptics, and the infringement of other disciplines on unique chiropractic methodology, there is nothing like having a clear historical record in the development of our clinical science. While we may like the funding to be able to impose a rigorous RCT standard to all of our clinical choices, there is, generally, some deep-thought behind why we do what we do, and why we view certain data in patient management as being more relevant than others.
Why not just palpate the motion of the UC spine? Why not just palpate to find the transverse of atlas? Why take an x-ray? Why use stereo-images? Why take post x-rays? Why might a traditional HVLA adjusting of the atlas be problematic?
All chiropractors, and most importantly, chiropractic students, would do well to understand that we have asked these questions of ourselves for decades, and there are answers that are clinically sensible and deserve investigation.
Unfortunately ignorance of history is endemic of our profession, and in some places, is purposeful strategy to ensure that the student body never learn about groundbreaking chiropractors like A.A. Wernsing.
The upper cervical spine does not belong to us. It belongs to humanity. But it is our duty to share what we know in order to protect our patients.
Steve, awhile back I contacted either an AtlasProfilax or Atlantotec practioner who practiced this as part of her massage therapy practice in the State of Idaho. Unless I am mistaken, this DOES exist in the U.S. under the guise of massage therapy.
There are several take-aways from this blog. First, we need to confront and bring to the surface imposters who masquerade as innovators, inventors and originators. Second, those of us who practice upper cervical specific chiropractic need to publicize and lay claim to our work. The public deserves to understand that this advanced art form was a scientific advancement of the chiropractic profession. Third, and this goes hand in hand with the second take-away, we need to make sure that no factions within the upper cervical chiropractic niche attempt to splinter away as a new profession or seperate themselves from the term chiropractic. In my eyes, that would be no different than what AtlasPROfilax and ATLANTOtec are doing.
Zach, you’d be interested to know that Dr. J. Clay Thompson, inventor of the drop table (as well as other things chiropractic) and founder of the Thompson Terminal Point Technique was granted a process patent for the side-lying Toggle-Recoil adjustment on the drop piece in the 1950′s. This type of UpC care is literally patented! For all the good that does, but still an interesting thing. That was the first process patent granted a DC in history, and it was one of only a handful of process patents that the Patent Office had ever granted since its formation. Perhaps we can sue people for patent infringement!
Steve,
Good trivia about Clay Thompson! I think I remembered learning that one before from one of the Thompson instructors we had in school.
Hello to all of you professionals!
I can say I respect the opinion of all of you, but in fact we should note some unarguably facts.
In each practice has both- good and bad representatives.
I think everything that relates to human health has its place under the sun. The choice is personal. Like every person I prefer to have choices and to decide what is the best for me. Ultimately, in every thing there is a risk. Even in medicine, what could gives you 100% certainty- please tell me. Even plastic surgery does not always lead to aesthetic results all the time. The medicines used to ” treat” after can harm another part of the human body.
Leave people alone to decide which option to choose. It is normal to defend yourself and your work, I understand you, but let me give you some facts and then explain me as a patient, why things are as they are.
More than 12 years I have back pain and constant backpain, headaches, migraines, lack of any energy and so on. Then I invested time and money (thousands of dollars) in chiropractors but nothing changed. The relief was temporary, and even often alert, increased. I tried dozens of different professionals and specialists, but no result.
Sharing the experience with many friends proved that few have visited the same place – ATLANTOtec and the results are amazing in all of them. I decided that this was my chance. However I have not lived in delusion that if it works for someone, it will be well for me. People are different and individual. Regardless of the “risk” ( that you talk about) I wanted to try, because after I tried the “best” chiropractors this became as my last hope to break the pain. And you know what distinguished experts … for the first time in 12 years, I felt human. Truly alive with life without pain. Even one more interesting fact, all of this thanks to only one atlas correction treatment in ATLANTOtec … interesting, eh?
Why do you always deny the new things? You say that you are protecting human health and if is true why should deny those who do it when you are helpless. There are simple statistics, which are conducted and show that this type of therapy works effectively for the most of the people. As already mentioned, probably has a case that does not work, but believe me even if I know I would be one of those .. I would tried again for the chance to feel better.
In the extreme expense all have this right and no one has right to take away this free choice. Normally traditional techniques to resist anything new and different. Who gave up their livelihoods?
Be honest and let’s not deny all around. The world move forward and emerge new things .. give us all a chance to decide what is good and what is bad. The best thing is the criteria for people’s opinions. And this is the Agreement of a happy woman and many others like her, because I was lucky enough for someone to tell me that ATLANTOtec exists! Please don’t judge the others if you are not perfect at all!
Thank you for attention!!
Renata Loyd
I don’t doubt that you got help. But did you actually go a specific Upper Cervical Chiropractor? Someone who uses Orthospinology, Atlas Orthogonal, Blair, NUCCA, Knee Chest, HIO, or grostic as their technique? I’d be willing to bet you didn’t. My point in this post is that Atlas Profilax and ATLANTOtec are not being honest when they say they innovated this technique out of the clear blue, and then say chiropractic is dangerous and causes stroke. It’s dishonest, especially when talking about upper cervical chiropractic. Upper Cervical is so gentle, there is no way possible for someone to have a stroke with this type of care.
In my opinion, it’s Atlasprofilax and ATLANTOtec who are not being honest.
Renata may be someone who actually has a good testimonial about Atlantotec…but my guess it Renata didn’t leave that comment. A nice anchored link back to the Atlantotec website for “migraine” is probably not in Renata’s skill set. LOL.
Thanks for pointing that out Zach. I was in a hurry when I approved that. Name changed and back link removed.
I currently have a patient who has been to someone using Atlasprofilax. They were told the one treatment would be all they needed. Three times and hundreds of dollars later, they were told it finally worked. The patient stated the treatments had absolutely no known positive results. When the patient presented to my office, specific upper cervical films revealed a large misalignment. When the patient left my office, they were subluxation free.
And that’s the point Shawn. These people lie and say 1 treatment will cure everything. No one can determine how that will happen from person to person. Ridiculous! Good job with your patient though.
I want to be clear about something …
First, I’m only simple patient and my comment is a personal suffered experience. The link which I left was just my will to allow more people who seek salvation to get know about it and make their choice as I did. If nobody was told me, may be I have still suffered from this pain. I’m not looking for commercial purposes -this is just my own opinion and again as I said is my experience.
Secondly – You say that one treatment does not fix the problem, but to me and more than 10 other of my acquaintance this happened for a long time and nobody complained of their old ills anymore thanks to Atlantotec. Of course again everything depends from the particular case- we could not expect to wear our desease many years in a roll and after everything to disappear with a magic wand, but sometimes is happen.
Third, I tried a lot of those treatments that Dr. Harshe suggest, but It did not help.
You say that these people lie. I do not know others, but I know one- that I was totaly influenced by the method of AtlantoTec!
Did I say that to be a suspicious human is wonderful, but is much better to be open about the new things which works. There is no way to know whether something is good or bad if you tried it, right dear specialists??
I have one question to all of you- let forget what is written in these sites-one of you – have you ever seen personally how these methods work? Just a simple question, isn’t it?! If you are not than what more we could say …. opinion is a good thing, but it is a personal thing!
Thanks again for your attention!
It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. Read about Arden Zimmerman specific adjusting machine. Love, Jay
Been quietly following AtlaPROfilax since 2003 or 4. Anyway, wanted to help docs get a better perspective on European law.
British Chiropractic Association drops defamation claim against Simon Singh: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/british-chiropractic-association-drops-defamation-claim-against-simon-singh-1945827.html
Recently investigated the laws while visiting in Romania. Back in 2007 legislation was passed specifically outlawing (unless performed by a licensed MD) the following: chiropractic, homeopathy, yoga, acupuncture….and every other popular alternative mode of care you find in your everyday coupon clipper in Everytown, USA.
http://www.infoterapii.ro/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3
Europe in a word is “different”. In the states chiros have some political clout, but it isn’y organized. In most Europea countries there are no chiropractors let alone political influence. Laws cost time and money.
No solution here, just offering some more information and perspective.
Saying that only non-chiropractors do this is not entirely true. I know of someone in Minneapolis who is a licensed chiropractor who provides Atlas Profilax. A friend of mine with atlas problems had atlas profilax done, and she feels it has helped so far, and it has been 1 month since it was done.
You know what Nicolette, I can’t say I feel as bad about that as a layperson doing it. But then again, if he’s a Chiropractor, why not learn a specific upper cervical technique, get really good at that, instead of paying money to learn from someone who’s obviously making outlandish claims left and right? Not to mention, their qualifications are suspect, too.
I believe the Atlas Profilax claim to the invention is simply the vibration technique. Not the underlying problem. They are the only ones that claim “One Treatment,” unlike Atlas Orthogonal which requires multiple…..just like ALL chiro work.
I spent two years going to my PCP and only being given medicine. None of which helped or prevented my migraines.
Then near wits end, went to a Chriopractor. Was told to visit three times a week for four weeks and then we could lessen the visits. ($30 per visit)
This helped, migraines went away, it was great……then it started to not work anymore. : (
Before putting an end to things, I started to think, “what was the chiro adjusting that made the difference.” To which I concluded it was my Atlas bone.
Doing internet research, I found Atlas Profilax. I had two options. 1. Try it. 2. Jump off a tall building.
So I had the Atlas procedure done and had imediate results! Went from 5 migraines a day to ZERO. Plus, my digestion improved, my dizzy spells went away and my finger tips stopped hurting.
I will admit, after having the procedure, I felt dupped, because you don’t feel any thing moving like you do at the Chrio.
It’s been four months, and I recently lifted a heavy object on one side of my body. I felt a pull in my neck and the migraines are back.
Needless to say, I will be going back to Atlas Profilax. One time? may depend on your life activities.
All I know, is I’ve spent thousands at the chiro to no avail and all their techniques require multiple visits. Sounds like gauranteeing repeat business to me.
Sorry, the chiro did help at first, but not like Altas Profilax.
I do however wish more closed minded Chiros would take an honest look at the techinque and start practicing it. I would feel more comfortable, plus insurance would pick it up.
So Chiros!! Start doing Atlas Profilax (NOT altas orthogonal) Take an honest look!
Frustrated Pain Feeling Human.
@Sam: I’m glad you got help, but saying Atlas Orthogonal didn’t work for you, therefore all Chiropractic doesn’t work is ridiculous. Maybe a different upper cervical technique other than AO i.e. Blair, knee chest, orthospinology, Grostic, HIO, NUCCA might have worked better. You say Chiropractic didn’t work because you had to multiple times… but you had to go to an atlas Profilax practitioner more than once as well. Like I said, I’m glad you got help, but lumping all Chiropractic in to something to guarantee repeat business is a pretty baseless generalization, especially when it looks to me as if you didn’t do your research into other upper cervical chiropractic techniques that might have helped you better than AO.
I had my neck adjusted with Arden Zimmerman’s machine by Dr. Zimmerman himself. It was following a very bad case of whiplash. My mother also had his treatment. I want to tell you that the results were absolutely amazing. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity.
I have read your website and completely agree that it would be better if the alternative Atlas therapies were conducted by people with more training and if there were more emphasis on diagnosis. I can easily imagine the damage that could be done by an unskilled practitioner.
With that said, I have suffered with neck and mid thoracic pain for over 10 years. The last 5 years I have suffered from severe headaches. I have had numerous blows to the head in various sporting activities, including at least 3 concussions. I worked as a mountain guide and routinely carried very heavy backpacks for many years as well. As a result, I suspected that there may be some issues with my neck alignment that were contributing to my symptoms. Over the last 10 years I have given my patient history to numerous care providers. I have seen at least three GP’s, one orthopedic surgeon, one acupuncturist, at least a half-dozen massage/body workers, one physical therapist, 3 osteopaths, and 3 chiropractors. I have been treated with massage, adjustments, drugs, acupuncture needles and been screened for allergies.
About a week ago, at the advice of a friend, I visited an Atlas PROfilax practitioner. Immediately after the session the debilitating headaches which had plagued me for 5 years were gone, completely. My mid thoracic back pain is still there and initially it actually got worse though it appears to be improving now. All in all, I am very pleased with the results.
It was unusual for me not to have done any research before visiting this practitioner. I relied solely on anecdotal stories and I am glad I did. By the same token, If I had I would’ve likely found a cervical chiropractic specialist since they start to show up when researching Atlas PROfilax. I would have been more comfortable what a more analytical approach. I do find it troubling that there was no diagnostic effort on the part of the technician I saw.
My point in writing is not to sing the praises of the Atlas PROfilax. I did want to point out that lots of people appear to be having good results. In the last week I have spoken with several people in my community who have achieved similar improvement. Perhaps the chiropractic community should embrace the technology and incorporate it into a more controlled environment of a chiropractic practice rather than react defensively to it. It really doesn’t look that different than what is done in the Atlas Orthogonal scheme. I would note that my practitioner appears to have achieved similar results without the x-ray exposure or the precision application of the percussive device. Makes me wonder about the necessity of either. Sounds a research project rather a legal action is in order.
As I wrote earlier, I did seek out 3 chiropractors. In all I had over 15 chiropractic visits. All of them manipulated my neck with what I assume to be the common practice of a rather aggressive, violent jerk. In every case my only result was a sore neck for several days. I put it to you that I was probably at much more risk during those procedures that I was receiving gentle pressure to the muscles of my neck. At no time did one of these chiropractors refer me to upper cervical chiropractic specialist. As an outsider it causes me to wonder about their training and the their ethical standards. They either didn’t know about alternatives or neglected to tell me.
Perhaps rather than creating a website that criticizes someone else’s at least anecdotally effective treatment without providing much evidence (for instance it would be interesting to see the incidence of good and bad outcomes in both Atlas Profilax vs. conventional chiropractic) , you might consider why it is that people are turning to this alternative therapy.
Based on my experience 3 out of 3 of the chiropractors I saw did not appear to do much to assess the position of my Atlas and treated it in what I would assume is a fairly risky maneuver. In the end their treatment did not work. On the other hand, the Atlas PROfilax seemed to be gentle and low risk,at least more controlled. In fact it was more gentle than some massage therapy. More important, the treatment did work, at least so far.
I am with you, better diagnosis and more training would reduce risk. More research would be even better.
My suggestion, since you appear to be representing at least some component of the chiropractic community is that you review what these alternative therapies are doing to see if you can learn something from them. Most importantly, you need to do something about the general chiropractic community. It seems that many of them don’t practice or recommend effective cervical treatment procedures which leads people like me to try less proven procedures.
Sorry for the long message, I thought you ought to hear from a real world patient with real world experience.
Best of luck,
Steve Dunbar
That’s great you got help Steve. But instead of learning from them, these lay people posing as upper cervical experts should admit they have stolen upper cervical chiropractic techniques. It’s not about learning, it’s about being honest and ethical, which the originators of these techniques (AtlasPROfilax, reconnect, etc.) have not done.
Personally I don’t really care who developed the technique. As for learning from them I still maintain that there is value in studying their technique if they achieve similar results without the expense or exposure of all the x-rays. The proof is in the results – instead of arguing about the provenance of the technique, I think it would be better for the sake of the patient (remember us?) to organize a study, collect data and concentrate on refining technique. Maybe the x-rays and precision are necessary for effectiveness or injury prevention. Then again, maybe not. Let’s all find out.
I’m not going to argue with you Steve. I’m glad you are better but the truth is these practitioners are practicing chiropractic without a license. It’s illegal, plain and simple.