Chiropractic
Main Entry: chi-ro-prac-tic
Pronunciation: "Ki-ro-"prak-tik
Function: Noun
:a system of therapy which holds that disease results from a lack of normal nerve flow and which employs manipulation and specific adjustment of body structures.
(Merriam Webster Medical Dictionary)
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHIROPRACTIC
The year was 1885, the same year x-rays were discovered. At that time, Health Care was provided by a diversity of unregulated and unlicensed professionals including Osteopaths, magnetic healers and "medical doctors". In those days, most medical education consisted of working as an "apprentice" for a medical doctor, and learning the craft by observation.
D.D. Palmer, the Father of Chiropractic, was a magnetic healer with a huge practice in Davenport, IA. His belief was that it was not just the "seed" (or germ) which was the cause of disease. He felt that the "soil", or the bodies own recuperative power was the missing part of the equation, which defined the continuum between health and "dis-ease".
One day D.D. was talking with Harvey Lillard, the man who owned the janitor service in his building. Harvey was deaf. He mentioned to D.D. that years before, while lifting a heavy weight, he felt something "snap" at the base of his neck. It was several weeks later that his hearing started to fade.
D.D. was intrigued and asked Harvey if he could examine his back. What he felt (and we now call palpation) was that one of the upper thoracic "bones was out of place" and could be causing pressure on his spinal cord, also this could be the reason Harvey was now deaf. He convinced him to lie on the couch, and placed his hands on the transverse processes of the bone and, as D.D. explained "wracked it back into position". When Harvey got up, he stated that he could hear a horse drawn carriage down the street! This was the first thing he had heard in 17 years!
What an auspicious way for a profession to be born! Our "no drugs, no surgery" approach has remained true to D.D.'s philosophy of the "seed and the soil". What a chiropractor accomplishes with the adjustment of the spine is to remove the body impediment to the brain's control of the body. We call that impediment, which impinges the nerves a "sublaxation".
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that your nervous system controls the function of every cell, tissue, organ and system of your body. Your nervous system consists of your brain, spinal cord and millions of nerves. Your skull protects your brain, and 24 moving bones of the spine protect your spinal cord. Many everyday activities can cause these spinal bones to lose their normal position or motion. This can result in nervous system dysfunction and ultimately, ill death.
The Chiropractic approach to better health is detect, reduce and help prevent nervous system dysfunction. Doctors of Chiropractic elect not to use drugs or surgery to treat this dysfunction.
The seven most commonly treated health problems are:
- Neck Pain
- Shoulder, Arm & Hand Symptoms
- Headaches
- Low Back Pain
- Leg & Foot Symptoms
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
It is interesting to note that, although these seven symptoms are commonly treated by Chiropractors, other "non-related" health problems will often begin to resolve themselves when patients begin Chiropractic care. For example, teenagers who begin treatment for adolescent scoliosis (curvature of the spine) may also begin to experience relief of childhood asthmatic symptoms. The reason for this lies in the function of the nervous system.
As the Chiropractor restores the vertebrae of the spine to a normal position, the nerves that exit the affected area begin to function more efficiently. Another example is the patients who begin treatment for low back problems.
Chiropractic is a safe, non-invasive method of health care delivery. It is highly effective in treating a variety of musculosketal problems, and should always be considered as a possible alternative to surgery or drugs. Chiropractors are highly qualified diagnosticians. A reputable Chiropractor can guide a patient to the best path of treatment for their musculosketal problems, whether it be a course of conservative Chiropractic care, or a more radical treatment through a referral to a neurologist or orthopedic doctor for surgical options.
Common Injuries
Chiropractors commonly treat all types of injuries and recognize the unique findings associated with each. For example, it is important to understand that auto injuries often involve a delayed onset of symptoms which commonly surface weeks and even months post-accident. In work injuries, Chiropractors routinely look beyond the actual injury and address such things as workstation setup, ergonomically correct equipment and proper work techniques. For sports injuries, Chiropractors often check for biomechanical and muscle imbalances as a routine part of the treatment plan. Treating the whole person and optimizing health is what Chiropractic is all about.