What is Chiropractic?

The Founder of Chiropractic was Daniel David Palmer. He was a magnetic healer by trade before facilitating the first ever “chiropractic adjustment” in 1895 in Davenport, Iowa. After the first adjustment by DD Palmer, he chose the name ‘Chiropractic’ for what had just occurred as it properly described the action that took place.

If you break the word ‘Chiropractic’ down to its root origins, you will find two Greek words:

• ‘Cheir’ which means “hand” in Greek.
• ‘Pracktos’ which means “done by” in Greek.

The philosophy, science and art of chiropractic that DD Palmer established is based on “an inherent recuperative power within the body to heal itself that utilizes the neurological system for the proper coordination and direction of normal function which is dependent upon healthy structural spinal integrity.” 

The power of healing is dependent on the neurological system to coordinate and direct the trillions of cells working together towards an optimal state of well-being. 

Your highest quality of well-being is directed by your neurological system through communication of mental impulses from the brain to the body and the body back to the brain through the nerves. This process needs to be free of any interference in order for an optimal state of communication and increased well-being to take place.

The practice of chiropractic focuses on the spine (back and neck) due to the intimate relationship the bones of the spine have with the neurological system. 

The power within the body to heal back to an optimal state of well-being is coordinated through the neurological system, and the structure or alignment of your spine affects the function of the neurological system.

Because the neurological system coordinates every cell and organ in your body, chiropractors focus on the structure of the spine being properly aligned. 

If spinal integrity interferes with neurological function due to vertebral subluxation, then chiropractic adjustments are used to help bring the spine back into alignment. Vertebral subluxation are misaligned spinal bones that interfere with neurological impulses. 

A common question is, “What does vertebral subluxation affect?”

To best answer that question, let’s look at the objective of the chiropractic adjustment.

The objective of the chiropractic adjustment is to restore proper structural alignment within the spine to allow the relationship between the spine and the neurological system to have less interference or impingement due to malfunctioning spinal integrity.

Better structure within your spine means better function within the neurological system.

So, what does vertebral subluxation affect?

Vertebral subluxation can affect the body’s inherent recuperative power that utilizes the neurological system for coordination. When structure of the spine is dysfunctional, there can be interference in the function of the neurological system.

Impulses travel through the neurological system between the brain and the body’s 100 trillion cells to coordinate all bodily functions, directing your quality of life. The neurological communication process needs to be free of any interference in order for a complete state of well-being to occur from within.

Better structure within your spine means better function of the body’s inherent recuperative power to coordinate overall well-being.

So, how do you know if you need to be adjusted by a chiropractor? 

Always consult with a chiropractor who will help determine that care is appropriate for you. This process includes a consultation, as well as a biomechanical and neurophysiological evaluation to make a determination of the need for care. Based off findings in the evaluation, this process may be followed by the chiropractic adjustment.