What is Chiropractic?
In the 120 years of its development, chiropractic science has grown to major stature in the field of the healing arts and has reached millions of people. With the rate of growth steadily increasing, the chiropractic profession has found a continuing need to acquaint new patients with the nature of chiropractic care.
The modern chiropractor works both directly and indirectly with the nervous system. Every function of the body is controlled by nerve impulses traveling from the brain to all parts of the body. Nerves make possible all movement. Nerves transmit all sensations to the brain. Nerves make possible all sense; sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. Nerves maintain balance and keep the body temperature at 98.6. Nerves make it possible to swallow. Nerves make the bowels move. Nerves control the liver, lungs, spleen, pancreas, gallbladder, and kidneys. In fact, the nervous system is the master system which controls all other systems of the body, including the glandular, reproductive, digestive, eliminative, respiratory, circulatory and immune systems.
Every science of healing has what is known as an avenue of approach. For example, in the field of medicine a hypodermic needle injects drugs through the skin or a pill is swallowed and goes into the stomach. They are the avenues through which the drugs gain access to the body.
In the field of chiropractic, the avenue of approach is the spine. The spine houses and protects the spinal cord - this "switchboard" of the nervous system, through which nerve fibers pass from the brain to different parts of the body.
For every effect there must have been a cause. If a person is ill, then the condition of pain, regardless of the name applied to it, is an effect for which there must have been a cause. The nerves leave the spinal cord through the openings between movable spinal bones called vertebrae.
When vertebrae, through injury or posture problems, become misaligned they may interfere with the normal function of these nerves. This misalignment causes pain and malfunction of the nervous system and is called a "subluxation". The subluxation then becomes the cause of pain.
The objective of chiropractic care is to determine through examination, the exact degree of spinal misalignment producing the subluxation. Proper "adjustments" are given to remove these subluxations and thus remove the cause of pain and malfunction.
This way improving the communication between the brain and different parts of the body by activating the “switchboard.”
Visit What is Subluxation? for more information.
What is Subluxation?
In simplest terms, a subluxation (a.k.a. Vertebral Subluxation) is when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves. Spinal nerves are the nerves that come out from between each of the bones in your spine. This pressure or irritation on the nerves then causes those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over those nerves.
How does this affect you? Your nervous system controls and coordinates all the functions of your body. If you interfere with the signals traveling over nerves, parts of your body will not get the proper nerve messages and will not be able to function at 100% of their innate abilities. In other words, some part of your body will not be working properly.
It is the responsibility of the Doctor of Chiropractic to locate subluxations, and reduce or correct them. This is done through a series of chiropractic adjustments specifically designed to correct the vertebral subluxations in your spine. Chiropractors are the only professionals who undergo years of training to be the experts at correcting subluxations.
The Five Components:
The osseous (bone) component is where the vertebrae are either out of position, not moving properly, or are undergoing physical changes such as degeneration. This component is sometimes known as kinesiopathology.
The Nerve Component is the malfunctioning of the nerve. Research has shown that only a small amount of pressure on spinal nerves can have a profound impact on the function of the nerves. This component is scientifically known as neuropathology.
The Muscle Component is also involved. Since the muscles help hold the vertebrae in place, and since nerves control the muscles themselves, muscles are an integral part of any VSC. In fact, muscles both affect, and are affected by the VSC. This component is known as myopathology.
The Soft Tissue Component is when you have misaligned vertebrae and pressure on nerves resulting in changes in the surrounding soft tissues. This means the tendons, ligaments, blood supply, and other tissues undergo changes. These changes can occur at the point of the VSC or far away at some end point of the affected nerves. This component is also known as histopathology.
The Chemical Component is when all these components of the VSC are acting on your body, and therefore causing some degree of chemical changes. These chemical changes can be slight or massive depending on what parts of your body are affected by your subluxations. This component is often known as biochemical abnormalities.
Chiropractors have known about the dangers of subluxations for over one hundred years. Today, more scientific evidence is showing the dangers of subluxations and the health benefits of correcting them. To be truly healthy, it is vital that your nervous system be functioning free of interference from subluxations. Our goal is to allow your body to return itself to the highest level of health possible by correcting VSC. Chiropractors are the ONLY health professionals trained in the detection, location, and correction of the VSC.
Phases of Health
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Phase 1
Many people go to a chiropractor because they are in pain. In this first phase of care, the main goal is to reduce your symptoms. Sometimes this will require daily visits, or two to three visits per week for a time. Most people are under the assumption that if they don’t feel any pain that there is nothing wrong with them – that they are healthy.
Unfortunately, pain is a very poor indicator of health. In fact, pain and other symptoms frequently only appear after a disease or other condition has become advanced.
For example, consider a cavity in your tooth. Does it hurt when it first develops or only after it has become serious? How about heart disease? Regardless of whether you are talking about cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stress or problems with the spine, pain is usually the last thing to appear. When you begin chiropractic care, pain is also the first symptom to disappear, even though much of the underlying condition remains.
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Phase 2
Most chiropractors regard the elimination of symptoms as the easiest part of a persons care. If all that the chiropractor does is to reduce the pain and stop there, the chances of the condition recurring are much greater. In order to prevent a rapid recurrence of symptoms, it is necessary to continue receiving care even though your symptoms are gone.
During the correction/restorative phase of your care, you will not have to receive adjustments as often as you did during the first phase of care and, depending on your particular circumstances, you may begin doing exercises and stretches either at the center or at home to help accelerate your healing.
Do not be discouraged if on occasion you have mild flare-ups in your symptoms. This is considered normal as flare-ups are bound to occur during this phase because your body has not fully healed.
Depending on the severity of your injury or condition, and how long you have been suffering from it, this phase of your care may last anywhere from a few months to a couple of years.
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Phase 3
Once your body has fully healed, routine chiropractic care can help ensure that your physical problems do not return, and keep your body in optimal condition. Just like continuing an exercise program and eating well in order to sustain the benefits of exercise and proper diet, it is necessary to continue chiropractic care to ensure the health of your musculoskeletal system.
When you make routine chiropractic care a part of your lifestyle, you avoid many of the aches and pains that so many people suffer through, your joints will last longer and you will be able to engage in more of the activities you love.