Chiropractic

Although Chiropractic is a well respected manipulative therapy, accepted and used by most doctors today, it was not always the case and it is still considered “alternative” because it doesn’t treat patients with the use of manufactured drugs and biological agents or surgery.

Modern Chiropractic was born in 1895 when a well read magnetic therapist by the name of Daniel David Palmer, with no medical training and only a keen interest in how the body worked, cured a man of deafness. That man was Harvey Lillard, a janitor who became deaf 17 years earlier as a result of a spinal injury. Palmer was placed in prison for practicing medicine without a licence and ridiculed by the medical establishment. Today, Palmer could find justice in the knowledge that Chiropractic is the third largest primary healthcare profession in the world.

Chiropractic is primarily concerned with the positioning and alignment of the spine and therefore bears resemblance to Osteopathy. Chiropractic places more emphasis on the nervous system and supporting structure while Osteopathy places more emphasis on blood circulation to healthy tissue. Both are valid and many therapists have qualifications in both modalities.

Put simply, Chiropractic asserts that our nervous system plays a large part in our body’s health. Our spine is part of the central nervous system and is the “conduit” for the nervous system to different parts of the body, including organs. If the spine is misaligned, pressure is placed on the nervous system causing an interruption of the transmission of signals to parts of our body, thereby resulting in discomfort and illness. The Chiropractor uses manipulative techniques to remedy these problems and it has been documented in helping conditions like scoliosis and sciatica to name a few. Conditions such as being overweight or getting a slipped disc, compromise the spine and cause health problems.

Medical studies conducted in 1985 and 1995 continue to validate this therapy for mobility, pain relief and long term benefits over conventional medical treatment and care.

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