What is Chiropractic
What is Chiropractic?
Let's start at the beginning.
DD Palmer's, the discoverer of Chiropractic, first case was Harvey Lillard who had his hearing restored after an adjustment.
DD Palmer's second patient had heart problems and he also responded to the adjustment when all other treatment failed.
In those early days, from 1895 until the early 1900's, medicine was entirely different than it is today--although this is now changing. Doctors of all kinds--chiropractors, osteopaths, medical doctors, etc were much more collegial. They worked together to improve their understanding and therefore patient care. So when DD Palmers success in these cases occurred, they went about trying to find an explanation using the science of that day.
Palmer believed that the main regulator of all body functions was the nervous system. This idea has been born out in present day research and a broad foundation has been developed not only in the basic sciences but in neurology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiropractic_neurology) detailing the ways the adjustment effects the function of the brain and nervous system and the functions that flow from there. This has been greatly developed in great depth in the last 20 years by Frederick R. Carrick, DC, PhD,, DABCN, DACNB, DAAPM, FRCPN, FACCN, FAAFN, FEAC (Neurology).
AT Still, the founder of osteopathy, and DD Palmer had much in common.
Both had a common implicit foundation for understanding the working of the body in health and disease.
Chiropractic is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of physical conditions in patients with nervous system, muscular, and skeletal problems, especially of and by way of the spine. These are called subluxations.
Diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, MRIs, and lab work, as well as specific procedures that involve manipulation by hand of various parts of the body are used when deemed necessary. Although correcting subluxations is the core of Chiropractic, other aspects to manage and relieve pain and many kinds of ailments may be condsidered in any particular person. These may include:
- Nutritional counseling
- Electrotherapy
- Therapeutic exercise
- Ice/heat therapy, including therapeutic ultrasound
- Lifestyle and nutrition counseling
- Massage therapy
- Physical rehabilitation
- Stress management
