A. Chiropractic locates and
removes a severe form of spine and nerve stress, a condition that puts
pressure on nerves, unbalances your body, lowers your resistance to
disease and weakens you: the vertebral subluxation complex.
Q. What does a Chiropractor do?
A.
The doctor of chiropractic analyzes your body for vertebral subluxation
using his or her hands and other analysis tools and then corrects or
removes any spinal nerve stress using various spinal adjustment
techniques.
Q. How do we get spinal nerve stress (subluxations)?
A.
From stress. It may occur in
infancy from a difficult birth or from childhood falls. Later in life, emotional tension or stress can
gradually damage your spine. Violent injuries
from automobile accidents or sports can suddenly knock you "out of
whack".
Q. Who is affected by subluxations?
A. Nearly everyone
eventually gets spinal nerve stress. It is a "hidden epidemic" and it
is for that reason that we all need to have our spines checked for this
condition by a doctor of chiropractic every once in awhile, just as we
get our eyes, teeth and blood pressure checked!
Q. When was the first chiropractic patient treated?
A.
Modern chiropractic began in 1895 when Dr. D.D. Palmer performed the
first chiropractic "spinal adjustment" on his deaf janitor, Harvey
Lillard. Lillard's hearing returned and Palmer thought he had
discovered a cure for deafness. But as patient's
with digestive problems, sciatica, menstrual trouble, migraine
headaches, epilepsy, heart problems, back pain and many other
conditions responded to spinal care, Palmer realized that he had
discovered something more far-reaching indeed.
Q. Assuming I'm going to take chiropractic treatments, how
are the performed?
A. Chiropractors work with
the bones and nerves of the spinal column and spinal cord respectively.
Chiropractors spend years of highly specialized training in order to
locate where misplaced spinal vertebrae are impinging the nerves which
travel down the spinal cord and out through the spinal column to the
muscles, organs and glands of the body. After locating the vertebrae
impinging the nerves (subluxations) the chiropractor, using various
highly specialized techniques, is able
to replace the misplaced vertebrae and thus release pressure on the
nerves. This is called a spinal adjustment.
Q. What are some of the conditions commonly treated by
chiropractic?
A.
All kinds of conditions are treated
with chiropractic care, such as colds or ear infections, PMS, spinal or
disc problems, arthritis, insomnia, stress, vision problems, headaches,
allergies, bedwetting, colic, high blood pressure - the list is
long! And yet, please remember, the goal of chiropractic treatment is
not the treatment of disease but rather the enhancement of health
through the reduction of spinal nerve stress (vertebral subluxation
complex).
The above list may seem long as though chiropractic were a Panacea. The
truth is that most textbooks list over two hundred diseases. Please be
mindful of the fact that chiropractic is not like one drug used for one
condition, but on the contrary, it is a complete healing art within
itself, concerned with the systems of
the body such as nervous, circulatory, digestive, respiratory,
eliminatory, reproductive, hormonal, musculoskeletal, etc., and seeks
to correct health problems within those systems.
Q. Can I receive chiropractic treatments if I'm under
medical care?
A.
Absolutely. Having your spinal nerve stress corrected is important no
matter what other type of care you are receiving. You can have your spinal column checked for
vertebral subluxations by a doctor of chiropractic and still
visit a doctor of homeopathy, naturopathy, osteopathy or medicine.
M.D.'s and other healers cannot tell if you are suffering from spinal
nerve stress (vertebral subluxations) and are not trained in correcting
them.
Q. In Chiropractic, are there other significant factors
besides vertebral adjusting?
A.
Yes, there are four laws to obey for those who desire health and
longevity:
No matter what disease or condition you have, you can benefit from a
healthy spine. Spinal health can be as important for your overall
healing as proper nutrition. Are you and your family carrying the
silent killer, the vertebral subluxation complex, in your spines? Only
a Chiropractic spinal checkup can tell.
Among the many things contributing to your health - the quality of the
air, food and water you take in; how you handle emotional stress; your
inherited weakness and strengths; your use of drugs; exercise and
relaxation - a healthy spine is
absolutely essential. In some people it is a major factor and
can make the difference between a life of health, strength and vitality or a
life of disease, weakness and disability.
