Contraindications to Atlas correction

Relative contraindications

• Instability of the cervical ligaments, especially if, after an accident or trauma, there has been an injury to the joint capsule, the ligaments of the Atlas or the Epistropheus (atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial instability). Ligament laxity is a relative contraindication, because in this case the Atlas correction can be carried out, but may not be permanent.
• Severe malformations of the Atlas in the posterior arch or in the incomplete or missing transverse processes, or malformations of the occipito-cervical hinge.
• Subcutaneous implants: ear implants and prostheses, pacemaker implants, vagal stimulator implants (VNS).
• Whiplash injury more recent than 2 months.
• Very poor general health: lack of resources for the regeneration phase.
• Taking oral anticoagulant or dicumarol drugs such as Coumadin and Sintrom (excluding aspirin): these are the drugs used for long-term prevention of embolism in cases of cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, valvulopathy, implantation of mechanical valve prostheses, dilated heart disease, previous deep vein thrombosis.
• In the case of pregnancy, correction of the Atlas should only be carried out if the mother suffers from considerable complaints due to misalignment of the Atlas, which would otherwise force her to take regular medication.

For related contraindications, do not hesitate to contact an Atlantomed specialist in order to assess a possible individual solution.

Particular cases

There are some cases in which realigning the Atlas is a particularly difficult operation and it is necessary to vary the normal course of treatment, for example:

Extreme cervical tension

• If the muscles of the nape of the neck are excessively tense, before proceeding with the actual treatment, it is necessary to carry out one or two sessions of intensive massage (preparatory session) using the dedicated AtlantoVib device, which induces very deep muscle relaxation, capable of bringing considerable benefits. When the neck muscles are sufficiently relaxed, it is possible to proceed with the correction of the Atlas misalignment.

Excessive adipose tissue

• In the case of an overabundance of fatty tissue or highly developed neck muscles with extreme sporting activities, the treatment will be particularly problematic, especially because of the difficulty in determining the precise position of the Atlas.

Severe depression

• The treatment is not recommended in the case of severe depression, associated with long-term use of psychotropic drugs, or in the presence of very negative moods. After the treatment the body needs resources to regenerate itself and to eliminate the posture compensations it had put in place in order to counterbalance the misalignment of the Atlas.

Depressed people, who often lack sufficient resources, may experience negative reactions after treatment for a much longer period of time than normal before any improvement is perceived. If the depression is only the result of constant pain due to the after-effects of whiplash, or very frequent migraine attacks, then the Atlantomed treatment can bring great benefits.

Surgical cases and fractures