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Common Conditions We See
Chiropractic: Health Care
of the Future
 Chiropractic
was first practiced by Hippocrates, the so-called father of modem medicine.
It was quite common in those days but was later abandoned, then re-discovered
in 1895 by D.D. Palmer from Port Perry, Ontario.
Mr. Harvey Lillard, a janitor who had been deaf for some 17 years, approached
Palmer for a possible cure for his deafness. Palmer adjusted his spine,
Lillard's hearing was restored and the rest is history. Out of that
seemingly simple procedure, a whole profession developed and is sweeping
the globe at an unprecedented rate. The name of our profession comes
from Greek: "Chiro" means "hand," and "praktikos"
means "to do." In other words, to do by hand!
Chiropractic is essentially founded on three basic principles:
1. That the body is a self-healing, self-regulating organism.
2. That the nervous system is the master controller of the body.
3. Any interference to the function of the nervous system would then
cause the body to malfunction. Chiropractic eliminates this interference.
What is Health?
Most people have become conditioned to think of health in terms of "feeling
good." Have you ever considered someone who just had a heart attack
but felt "good" prior to it? Or someone who had recently learned
of a serious health problem but has felt "OK?"
Health is not just "feeling, good." It is much more than that.
It is functioning optimally: physically, mentally and emotionally. Health
really has little to do with how you feel and everything, to do with
how you are!
Marvel at the function of your body for a moment. All your red blood
cells are replaced every four months, your liver cells replaced every
month, cancer cells killed every second. Your immune system moves white
blood cells to the site of infection, damaged tissues are repaired,
the vegetables you had for lunch are turned into muscles, tendons and
bone and thousands of chemical reactions take place every second, all
under the perfect guidance of your nervous system-all 120,000 miles
of it. It all takes place while you're watching the ball game, sleeping,
reading or driving your car!
Your Innate Intelligence
Have you considered what is responsible for this amazing activity of
your body? Intelligence!
Deepak Chopra, MD states "Intelligence is present everywhere in
our bodies ... our own inner intelligence is far superior to any we
can try to substitute from the outside."
That inborn intelligence is intimately united with your nervous system:
the brain, spinal cord and billions of nerves that send messages and
life to every cell, organ and tissue of your body. Every nook and cranny
of you is controlled by your nervous system and your innate intelligence.
This vast communication system is used to alter the way you digest a
tomato sandwich, the speed with which your body heals a cut or the manner
in which your body fights an infection.
Health occurs when your innate intelligence can communicate with all
parts of your body without interference or "static." A complete
break in that communication results in death. A partial break results
in the general deterioration of health or "dis-ease"-you are
less alive and less able to cope with life. Eventually, a diseased state
turns into diseased conditions with myriads of complications.
Enter Vertebral Subluxation
In most simple terms, a vertebral subluxation is a "misalignment"
of some of the spinal bones called vertebrae. These vertebral subluxations
are most often painless but do cause an interference in the manner in
which your nervous system transmits information. A distortion in the
function and alignment of your spine will cause your body to malfunction,
eventually producing a state of dis-ease. Some of the most common examples
of malfunction I see are tingling in the hands and/or feet, headaches,
dizziness, stomach and bowel problems, heartburn, asthma, attention
deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), spinal stiffness, ear infection,
bed-wetting and colitis.
Chiropractic doctors spend years learning how to locate and correct
these vertebral subluxations, allowing your nervous system to function
optimally-essentially reconnecting you with your innate intelligence.
All without drugs and surgery!
Approximately three weeks ago a young couple brought their fourweek-old
baby to my office. They told me that one and a half hours after she
was born in the local hospital, their baby girl stopped breathing and
needed to be resuscitated. She was hospitalized and a 24-hour breathing
monitor was attached to her. The monitor would go off every 20 minutes
or so indicating apnea (cessation of breathing)
A pediatric neurologist was consulted but could find no reason for this
problem. Eventually the baby was sent home with the parents and the
breathing monitor. This device would sound its alarm every 20 minutes.
Imagine the mental state of the parents! I examined this little girl
and found a vertebral subluxation in her spine affecting, the nerves
that control breathing. I corrected this subluxation and the breathing
monitor has not gone off in over three weeks!
How does one get these vertebral subluxations? Most of the problems
I see in adults actually have their start in childhood. The most common
cause of vertebral subluxations is actually the process of delivery.
Birth! Birth trauma accounts for approximately 85 to 95 per cent of
vertebral subluxations a chiropractor sees, even in adults!
There are many other causes of vertebral subluxations: falls, poor posture,
emotional stress, chemical intervention or sports. The list is endless.
Birth, however, is number one! It is for this reason that chiropractors
place much emphasis on children. We feel it is imperative for parents
to have children checked for subluxations at an early age to ensure
optimal health and development.
Politics
You have most likely noticed a considerable difference between the chiropractic
and the medical approach to health. The reason for this diversity is
actually based in the philosophy of life and health. Medicine, it seems,
is primarily concerned with symptom attenuation, altering body chemistry
through medication and/or surgical intervention. This allopathic approach
is based on treating and eradicating disease. Chiropractic, on the other
hand, is primarily concerned with the restoration and maintenance of
health.
A recent study found that there are approximately 100 million more office
visits per year made to chiropractors and other holistic doctors than
to physicians. Chiropractic is no longer thought of as "alternative
medicine." It is the mainstream! Medical associations and drug
manufacturers are well aware and are concerned about this new emerging
paradigm. They are simply losing their market share. But the consumer
likes the chiropractic approach to health care because it is safe and
different. It defies and even stands in the way of allopathic domination.
My suggestion to you is this: If you have been procrastinating about
seeing a chiropractor, now is the time to go! It may change your life!
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