What is the Blair Upper Cervical Technique? | History | Objective | Analytical Procedures
Adjusting Procedures | Outcome Assessments | X-Rays Explained
Adjusting Procedures | Outcome Assessments | X-Rays Explained
What is the Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique?
The Blain Chiropractic Technique is a unique system of analyzing and adjusting the upper cervical vertebra of the spinal column. When these vertebrae misalign in such a way as to interfere with the brain stem and spinal cord as they exit through the floor of the skull and into the natural canal. Special attention is given to the first two cervical vertebrae, the atlas through the floor of the skull and into the neural canal. Special attention is given to the first two cervical vertebrae the atlas and the axis, as they are the most freely moveable vertebrae in the spinal column and the ones most commonly misaligned.... Read More about What is the Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique
History
Dr. William G. Blair began to develop his distinctive method for the analysis and correction of subluxations of the cervical spine soon after graduating from the Palmer School of Chiropractic and establishing his practice in Lubbock, Texas, in later 1949. Trained in the classical Upper Cervical Specific (HIO) method, Dr. Blair soon became concerned with the potential effects of osseous asymmetry ("malformation," as he termed it) on the accuracy of the traditional spinographic analysis in producing a valid adjustive listing. His observations of skeletal specimens also led him to conclude that the prevailing view of the misalignment of atlas in relation to the occiput was inaccurate: atlas could not move in a truly lateral direction because the slope of the lateral masses and the condyles created an osseous locking mechanism preventing such motion, and atlas could not rotate in relation to occiput in the coronal plane without causing a gapping of the atlanto-occipital articulations due to the complementary shapes of the articular surface of the occipital condyles and the lateral masses.
Working in his own practice, Dr. Blair developed methods for imaging misalignments of the cervical vertebrae at the margins of their articulations eliminating asymmetry as a source of error in the spinographic analysis. He developed new concept of the misalignment of the cervical vertebrae which made it possible to tailor the adjustment precisely to the shape and orientation of the articulation being adjusted, as it presented in each case. Both the spinographic analysis and the delivery of the adjustment itself could therefore be "customized" to accommodate each individual patient's anatomical situation.... Read More about the History of Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique
Working in his own practice, Dr. Blair developed methods for imaging misalignments of the cervical vertebrae at the margins of their articulations eliminating asymmetry as a source of error in the spinographic analysis. He developed new concept of the misalignment of the cervical vertebrae which made it possible to tailor the adjustment precisely to the shape and orientation of the articulation being adjusted, as it presented in each case. Both the spinographic analysis and the delivery of the adjustment itself could therefore be "customized" to accommodate each individual patient's anatomical situation.... Read More about the History of Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique
Objectives
The Blair Technique has as its exclusive concern the analysis and correction of the subluxations of the cervical vertebrae and as its only goal the consequent cervical spine. Subluxated articular misalignments are analyzed as they displace the neural rings, thereby occluding the neural canal and compromising cord space. The clinical objective of the technique is therefore to restore maximum potency of the neural canal in the cervical region.... Read More about the Objective of the Blair Upper Cervical Technique
Analytic Procedures
The presence of nerve interference in the cervical spine is determined by the observation of both a persistent differential paraspinal dermothermographic pattern in the cervical region and a functional leg length deficiency. Read More about the Analytic Procedures used in Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique
Adjusting Procedures
The Blair Toggle-Torque adjustive thrust, developed from the adjustive methods of B. J. Palmer, is a distinctive toggle mechanism without recoil on the part of the adjuster and incorporating a 180 degree torque. It is applied with the patient placed in the side posture on an adjusting table with a drop headpiece. Crucial to proper application of the Blair Toggle-Torque is the mastery of the "pisiform lead", in which the contacting surface of the adjuster's pisiform remains in firm contract with the segmental contact point throughout the adjustive thrust, rather than describing a helical pathway as in some other cervical techniques.
One unique feature of Blair Technique.... Read More about the Blair Upper Cervical Adjusting Technique
One unique feature of Blair Technique.... Read More about the Blair Upper Cervical Adjusting Technique
Outcome Assessments
Differential paraspinal dermothermography and and spinal balance testing are used post-adjustment to verify relief of nerve interference. While most clinicians post-test the patient immediately after the adjustment and a required resting period, some practitioners defer the post-test to the next visit. During the corrective phase of care it is common to test the patient for the return of nerve interference at intervals of twice weekly for at least 6-8 weeks, and Dr. Blair did not hesitate to insist that the patient be tested at this frequency for three to 18 months initially, depending upon the initial severity and complications of the case.... Read More about Outcome Assessments of Patients
BLAIR UPPER CERVICAL SPINOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS
Conference on Research and Education
Monterey, California June 21-31, 1991
Presenter: E. A. Addintong, M.A., D.C.
Blair Chiropractic Clinic
Lubbock, Texas
X-Rays Explained
APPENDIX BBLAIR UPPER CERVICAL SPINOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS
Conference on Research and Education
Monterey, California June 21-31, 1991
Presenter: E. A. Addintong, M.A., D.C.
Blair Chiropractic Clinic
Lubbock, Texas
The technique developed and taught by the late William G. Blair, D. C. Ph.C., F.I.C.A., is an exclusively cervical technique that considers subluxations of C1 through C4. (A number of contemporary practitioners extend the analysis and adjustive procedures through the entire cervical spine.) The presence of cervical nerve interference is established by observation of both the persistent differential paraspinal dermothermographic pattern and functional leg length deficiency (traditionally assessed in the prone position). The misalignment component of the subluxation is demonstrated radiographicaly by means of specially developed spinographic views which are customized to each patient's anatomy.... Read More about Blair X-Rays....
Educating the Public about Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care
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