A University of Utah downhill skier from Spain was training when she experienced something terrifying: an inexplicable loss of function and feeling on the entire right side of her body. Her right hand could not grip. Her right foot was numb and uncontrollable. The pain was constant and severe. She was a competitive athlete with Olympic aspirations — and she had no diagnosis that explained what was happening to her body or any treatment that was helping.
What followed was a diagnostic journey through the University of Utah Medical Center — one of the most respected academic medical institutions in the region. Five specialists evaluated her. They arrived at a diagnosis — cervical brachial plexopathy and lumbosacral plexopathy — but offered no clarity on the underlying cause and no treatment beyond a prescription for Neurontin, a neurological medication with documented side effects including mood changes, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide. The prognosis was a lifetime of pain and dysfunction. The diagnosis had a name but no solution. She was searching for a chiropractor near her in Draper or Kaysville, Utah, when she found AMIT Clinics.
In the world of competitive sports, setbacks are inevitable. For a University of Utah downhill skier from Spain, the blow was not just physical but threatened to shatter her Olympic dreams.
As she trained, the skier experienced an inexplicable loss of function and feeling on the right side of her body struck like a lightning bolt.
Holding a coffee cup became a challenge
Her right foot was numb and uncontrollable
She experienced constant and severe pain
Five specialists at the University of Utah Medical Center were perplexed. The diagnosis—cervical brachial plexopathy and lumbosacral plexopathy—offered no clarity on the cause, only a grim prediction of a lifetime of pain and dysfunction.
The prescribed solution? Neurontin--a medication with a laundry list of potential side effects including mood changes, anxiety, and even thoughts of suicide.
What the Diagnosis Got Right — and What It Missed
Cervical brachial plexopathy — the impairment of the brachial plexus nerve network originating from the cervical spine, producing arm, hand, and upper extremity symptoms — and lumbosacral plexopathy — the equivalent impairment of the lumbosacral plexus producing leg and lower extremity symptoms — are accurate diagnostic descriptions of what the skier was experiencing. Her symptoms matched both diagnoses precisely.
What the diagnoses did not provide was a structural explanation. Plexopathy describes a pattern of nerve involvement. It does not identify why the nerve network is being impaired. In the skier's case, the five specialists had correctly named the neurological pattern — but had not identified the structural source creating that pattern. The prescribed treatment (Neurontin) manages neuropathic pain signals. It does not correct a structural cause.
AMIT assessment takes a different approach to the same presentation. Rather than starting from the symptomatic pattern and working backward, AMIT assessment evaluates the structural integrity of the cervical spine — specifically the upper cervical complex, where the atlas (C1 vertebra) sits at the base of the skull directly adjacent to the brainstem and the origin points of the nerve plexuses the specialists had identified. A displacement in this region, even a functional one not visible on standard imaging, can produce exactly the bilateral and extensive neurological pattern the skier was experiencing.
A Beacon of Hope: The A.M.I.T Method
Enter the Buhler A.M.I.T. Clinics and Dr. Buhler, a beacon of hope in the realm of sports medicine.
An A.M.I.T-certified doctor diagnosed her with a functionally displaced C1 vertebra at the base of her skull. It was placing pressure on the upper part of her brain stem was the source of her pain.
Why a Displaced C1 Produces Symptoms Throughout the Body
The atlas (C1 vertebra) is the most neurologically significant vertebra in the spine. It sits at the craniocervical junction — the point where the skull meets the spine — and its position directly affects the brainstem, which it surrounds. The brainstem is the origin point of all neurological communication between the brain and the body. It also houses the vestibular nuclei, the reticular activating system, and the descending motor and ascending sensory pathways that coordinate function throughout the entire body.
When the C1 vertebra displaces — even functionally, without visible fracture or dislocation — it can place mechanical pressure on the brainstem and alter the neural signaling traveling through it. For the skier, this pressure was producing a pattern of impaired sensation and motor function that followed the neurological distribution of both the brachial and lumbosacral plexuses — which explained why five specialists could identify the neurological pattern accurately while missing its structural origin entirely. The cause was not in the nerve plexuses themselves. It was at the C1 junction, one level above where everyone was looking.
The A.M.I.T Method's precision addressed the problem with a manual spinal adjustment known as a "toggle recoil".
This meticulous intervention aimed to reposition the vertebra and alleviate the stress on the brain stem.
The result was nothing short of miraculous.
What the Toggle Recoil Technique Involves
Toggle recoil — a precise, high-velocity, low-amplitude manual adjustment applied specifically to the upper cervical spine (C1/atlas) — is the technique Dr. Buhler used to address the displaced C1 vertebra at the base of the skier's skull. Unlike general spinal manipulation, the toggle recoil is performed with the patient in a specific lateral position and involves a carefully calibrated thrust designed to reposition the atlas without causing compensatory movement in adjacent spinal segments. It is one of the most precise adjustments in chiropractic, specifically developed for the craniocervical junction where the atlas-brainstem relationship makes intervention both critical and delicate.
For the skier, the precision of this adjustment was what made the immediate result possible. The displaced C1 was repositioned. The mechanical pressure on her brainstem was relieved. The neurological pathways that pressure had been disrupting resumed normal function. The sensation that had been absent from her right hand and foot returned — not gradually, over weeks of rehabilitation — but as she rose from the treatment table. That immediacy is the clinical signature of a structural cause being directly addressed: when the structure is corrected, the neurological consequence resolves.
Immediate Transformation
As the skier rose from the treatment table, sensation returned to her hand and foot. A wave of emotion overwhelmed her.
Her feeling and function returned, and she returned to the ski slopes with confidence. A spark of hope, once extinguished, was reignited in her eyes, proving that the A.M.I.T Method could defy expectations where conventional medicine fell short.
When to Consider Upper Cervical AMIT Assessment
The skier's story represents an extreme presentation — rapid, severe, and affecting a competitive athlete. But the underlying mechanism — upper cervical structural displacement producing neurological symptoms that conventional specialist workup cannot explain — is not rare. It is underdiagnosed, because the upper cervical spine is not always the first region evaluated when extremity symptoms are present.
Presentations That Warrant Upper Cervical Evaluation
The following symptom patterns may indicate upper cervical structural involvement and warrant AMIT assessment at our Draper or Kaysville clinics, particularly when standard neurological or orthopedic workup has not identified a clear structural cause:
Unexplained numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation in the hands, arms, feet, or legs — especially when onset was sudden or associated with a physical impact
Unilateral weakness or loss of motor control that is disproportionate to any identified spinal pathology
Chronic headaches located at the base of the skull (suboccipital), particularly those that worsen with neck movement
Dizziness or balance disturbances without a vestibular diagnosis
Neurological symptoms that persist despite negative MRI or CT findings
Symptoms previously diagnosed as brachial plexopathy, lumbosacral plexopathy, or 'idiopathic' neuropathy without a structural explanation
Athletes who have experienced head or neck trauma — even without acute injury diagnosis — and subsequently develop peripheral neurological symptoms
For patients in Draper, Kaysville, and throughout Salt Lake County who recognize their presentation in this list, an upper cervical AMIT assessment represents a clinically specific evaluation that standard neurology and orthopedics do not routinely perform.
👉 Schedule your upper cervical assessment at AMIT
Why It Matters
Chronic pain limits potential and stifles dreams. Inhibited muscles and neuromuscular conditions often lurk behind such issues. With the A.M.I.T Method, you benefit from:
Non-Invasive Excellence: Unlike traditional treatments, the A.M.I.T Method is gentle yet powerful, avoiding the need for surgeries and invasive procedures.
Natural Healing: By activating inhibited muscles, the A.M.I.T method taps into the body's innate healing power, fostering long-term well-being and vitality beyond immediate relief.
Immediate and Lasting Relief: In a world where time never stands still, the A.M.I.T Method stands out for its ability to deliver swift results and spare individuals from prolonged rehabilitation periods.
Section D — FAQ Section
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Frequently Asked Questions About Neurological Symptoms, C1 Adjustment & AMIT Treatment
What is cervical brachial plexopathy and can it be treated without medication?
Cervical brachial plexopathy is a neurological condition involving impairment of the brachial plexus nerve network — the nerve complex originating from the cervical spine that controls sensation and movement in the arm, hand, and upper extremity. It produces symptoms including numbness, weakness, tingling, and loss of fine motor control. Standard medical treatment typically involves pain management medication (such as Neurontin) and monitoring. AMIT assessment approaches cervical brachial plexopathy by evaluating the structural cause of the nerve impairment — specifically upper cervical alignment — rather than managing the symptoms pharmacologically. In the case documented on this page, the structural cause was identified as a displaced C1 vertebra placing pressure on the brainstem, and correcting it produced immediate and complete resolution.
Can a displaced C1 vertebra cause numbness and loss of function in the hands and feet?
Yes. The C1 (atlas) vertebra sits at the craniocervical junction directly surrounding the brainstem — the hub of all neurological communication between the brain and body. A functional displacement of the C1 vertebra can place mechanical pressure on the brainstem and alter the neural signaling transmitted through it, producing neurological symptoms throughout the body including numbness, loss of sensation, and loss of motor function in the extremities. This mechanism explains presentations that conventional specialist workup correctly identifies as plexopathy patterns but cannot trace to a spinal structural source, because upper cervical functional displacement is not always visible on standard imaging.
What is the toggle recoil chiropractic adjustment?
The toggle recoil is a precise, high-velocity, low-amplitude manual adjustment applied specifically to the upper cervical spine (C1/atlas) at the craniocervical junction. It is performed with the patient in a lateral position using a carefully calibrated thrust designed to reposition the atlas without producing compensatory movement in adjacent spinal segments. It is one of the most precise adjustments in chiropractic and is specifically indicated for craniocervical junction structural displacement. For the University of Utah skier documented on this page, the toggle recoil repositioned the displaced C1 that had been placing pressure on her brainstem — and sensation returned to her right hand and foot as she rose from the treatment table.
What should I do if doctors can't find the cause of my neurological symptoms?
If you have received neurological or orthopedic specialist evaluation without a clear structural explanation for symptoms including numbness, loss of sensation, weakness, or loss of motor function — particularly in the extremities — an upper cervical AMIT assessment at AMIT Clinics in Draper or Kaysville is a clinically specific next step that standard specialist workup does not typically include. AMIT assessment specifically evaluates the upper cervical structural integrity (C1/atlas positioning) and its relationship to the brainstem and nerve plexus origins. This evaluation identified the cause of the University of Utah skier's symptoms after five specialists could not — and produced resolution in a single treatment.
How quickly do neurological symptoms improve after C1 adjustment?
When the neurological symptoms are being maintained by mechanical pressure from upper cervical structural displacement, improvement can be immediate — as demonstrated by the University of Utah skier, who experienced the return of sensation in her right hand and foot as she rose from the treatment table following the toggle recoil adjustment. The immediacy reflects the structural nature of the cause: when the mechanical compression is relieved, the neurological pathway resumes normal function. Not all presentations resolve this rapidly — cases with longer duration or additional contributing factors may require multiple sessions — but upper cervical displacement producing direct brainstem compression can produce immediate improvement when the displacement is corrected.
Where can I find an upper cervical chiropractor near me in Draper or Kaysville, Utah?
AMIT Clinics has locations in both Draper and Kaysville, Utah, providing AMIT-based upper cervical assessment, C1/atlas evaluation, and treatment for patients with unexplained neurological symptoms throughout Salt Lake County, Davis County, and the greater Wasatch Front. We specialize in presentations that have not been resolved through conventional specialist workup. Same-week appointments are available. Contact AMIT Clinics to schedule your upper cervical assessment.