Chiropractic is a very misunderstood area of alternative medicine which is unfortunate because Chiropractors have been providing truly unique, and safe healing and therapeutic procedures to address various health conditions in addition to chronic backpain which they are more commonly thought of since the early 1900s. The word ‘Chiropractic’ comes from the Greek words chiro or cheiro (meaning ‘hand’) and praktikos (meaning one who practices), i.e. Done or Practiced by Hand. The name was chosen by the developer of chiropractic, Daniel David Palmer.

Today chiropractors offer more than pain management. Many are board certified in clinical nutrition and as chiropractic internists. In many states they can serve as the primary care physician.Some chiropractors are board certified to consult on internal disorders, pediatrics, orthopedics, and nutrition. Many provide physicals and in office tests such as ECGs, and can administer IV nutritional protocols.  

The science behind Chiropractic is based on the fact that the brain, spinal cord and nerves control virtually every aspect of your body. So it stands to reason that any interference, physical or otherwise to the vital nerve links between your brain and your body, can result in pain and illness. A major cause of this interference happens when bones get out-of-place, or misaligned thus affecting the position of your spinal cord which they enclose and protect. In Chiropractic these misalignments are known as subluxations and can produce a variety of health problems.

Unnatural pressure on nerves can cause pain, numbness, weakness, and interfere with the healthy operation of vital organs and tissues. A misaligned spine can lead to stretched nerve tissues and inflammation. This can alter the messages carried by your nervous system and the natural communication that occurs between your body and your brain. This in turn can lead to hyperactive organ function, high blood pressure, and even severe pain. Pinched nerves and entrapped muscle sheaths or fascia, and ligaments are the root cause of most arm, neck and hand problems.

Conventional medicine, also known as allopathic medicine which normally focuses on symptoms and treating disease rather than promoting health to reduce ones susceptibility to disease, normally prescribes pain killers and muscle relaxants to patients with these complaints. However, these drugs artificially change the way your body works. Besides the side effects and overdose risk and possible kidney damage, these drugs often ignore and mask the real cause of the problem. Some like Vioxx which was directly linked to thousands of deaths, have been taken off the market. Contrary to allopathy, the focus of chiropractic care is on preserving and restoring the integrity of your nervous system and a healthy body.

A thorough chiropractic evaluation helps locate areas of nervous system compromise. As previously noted these are usually caused by bones of the spine that have moved out of place. The chiropractor will place their hands on you so if you have issues about being touched, or areas more sensitive than others, or in pain you need to communicate all this to him or her prior to and during the examination. Specific chiropractic adjustments may be performed to reduce these interferences but should be explained to you by the chiropractor before and during the chiropractic adjustment. Remember, the intent is to restore your body's ability to regulate and heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery.

What is Muscle Testing?

Chiropractors often use what's known as muscle testing as part of their patient evaluation process. It was developed in the 1950s by a Chiropractor. It is similar to but different from acupuncture. Muscle testing leverages the human nervous system which is the most powerful system in the human body. Muscle testing must be experienced to be believed. The following You Tube video by Dr. Mike Spearman, DO, explains muscle testing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MyOQDMqsNU

As previously stated many chiropractors are board certified in nutrition and are also chiropractic internists so they can address your overall wellness issues as well as any pain you are experiencing.

Natural MD Search can help you locate a chiropractor in your area.