WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC?
Chiropractic is the profession that does not use drugs or surgery to treat mostly musculoskeletal ailments, especially those of the spine, with the idea that it will help overall health through optimizing nervous system function. Chiropractors achieve this goal of optimizing nervous system function by their signature gesture, otherwise known as the spinal adjustment. By helping the spinal bones assume proper position and movement the spinal nerves will not be impeded upon, providing optimal nerve function. This phenomenon of the spinal bones not being in the proper position and lacking proper movement putting pressure on the spinal nerves is called subluxation. The main technique to improve health by chiropractors is the spinal adjustment, however they often implement exercise and lifestyle modification. Chiropractors have many similarities to primary care physicians but are specialist doctors for the spine and nervous system. Chiropractors go through a similar educational process as medical doctors with the emphasis on spinal adjustments rather than pharmacology.
WHAT IS SUBLUXATION?
Subluxation is a term used by many chiropractors to describe the phenomenon of decreased nerve function caused by spinal bones that are not in the proper position or lack normal movement. Each pair of spinal bones create a tunnel on either side, the right and the left, where a spinal nerve exits to the body. These spinal nerves are a direct extension of the spinal cord and go out into the body to control a specific organ or tissue. When the two spinal bones that create the tunnel for the exiting spinal nerve are not in the right position or lack normal movement, the spinal nerve has pressure put on it which inhibits that nerve from functioning normally. It is the job of the chiropractor to identify which level is subluxated and adjust accordingly relieving pressure on the nerves.
HOW DO CHIROPRACTORS HELP THE NERVOUS SYSTEM?
The nervous system is the master system in the body which controls function of all the systems, organs, and tissues in the body. When subluxations are present the spinal nerves cannot function at an optimal level. Chiropractors correct these subluxations and allow the nervous system to function at an optimal level. When the nervous system, the master system of the entire body, is functioning at an optimal level, your body as a whole functions at an optimal level.
BENEFITS OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE?
Chiropractors do not just help people with low back pain, headaches, neck pain, etc. They can help with a multitude of ailments that are not specifically musculoskeletal in nature. When there is dysfunction in the body you have to ask if what controls that organ or tissue is working at 100% or its capacity. The system we speak of is the nervous system and if it is not functioning at 100% then for whatever ailment you suffer from, chiropractic care and an optimally functioning nervous system would help. If there is an ailment of a tissue, organ or system of the body and the nerves that go to help that tissue, organ or system are not functioning correctly, then your body can only benefit from the removal of that nerve interference. Optimal nervous system function is what the profession of chiropractic is based upon. It is not based upon the relief of pain but the relief of nerve interference. Often times when the nerve interference is removed, symptoms like pain are also removed but that is not the overall goal of chiropractic care. So whether it be neck pain, headaches, ear infections, nocturnal enuresis, depression, ADHD, infertility, diabetes, asthma or the desire to function at a high level, chiropractic care leading to an optimally functioning nervous system will only benefit you.
ALLOPATHIC VS HOLISTIC HEALTH CARE?
Allopathic care is the treatment involved with the suppression of symptoms which are manifestations of certain pathologies. Holistic care is the treatment of the whole process of the disease which could be factors other than symptoms. The mainstream medical profession where drugs, shots and surgery are administered to combat symptoms caused by pathology is known as allopathic care. This not necessarily the treatment of the disease but simply the treatment of the result of the disease. A comparison could be made to allopathic care by simply putting a piece of duct tape over the check engine light in your car. The check engine light is the symptom of some dysfunction under the hood and simply putting a piece of tape over the check engine light will not make the dysfunction go away, but it will take care of the annoying check engine light; symptoms. Chiropractic is better described as a holistic type of health care in which the whole body is taken into account when there is a specific symptom or dysfunction taking place. Chiropractors will take the symptoms into account and identify the cause of the dysfunction rather than concentrating on the symptoms solely. When the cause of a disease process or dysfunction is corrected, the symptoms manifesting from that disease are eliminated. When systems, organs and tissues are not functioning at 100%, disease and dysfunction take place and often times they are associated with symptoms. Chiropractors make sure that the control system (nervous system) for that specific system, organ or tissue is working as close to 100% as possible by removing nerve interference. This approach would be equivalent to looking under the hood and checking the engine for dysfunction to fix the problem rather than just putting a piece of duct tape over the check engine light. Most times when the engine is fixed and dysfunction and interference are removed, the check engine light goes out.
