Chiropractic is a philosophy, science, and art which utilizes the inherent recuperative powers of the body and deals with the relationship between the brain, the body and the spinal cord and the role of that relationship in the restoration and maintenance of health.

HISTORY

The actual profession of chiropractic – as a distinct form of health care — dates back to 1895. However, some of the earliest healers in the history of the world understood the relationship between health and the condition of the spine. Hippocrates advised: “Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases.” Hippocrates’ dictum “Look well to the spine for the cause of disease,” followed by “reaffirmation” of Hippocrates’ beliefs by mention of the theories of such long ago famous men as Herophelus, Erasistratus, and Descartes who emphasized the importance of the nervous system in health and in disease.

Herodotus, a contemporary of Hippocrates, gained fame curing diseases by correcting spinal abnormalities through therapeutic exercises. If the patient was too weak to exercise, Herodotus would manipulate the patient’s spine. The philosopher Aristotle was critical of Herodotus’ tonic-free approach because, “he made old men young and thus prolonged their lives too greatly.”

B.J. Palmer

But the treatment of the spine was still crudely and misunderstood until Daniel David (D.D.) Palmer discovered the specific spinal adjustment. He was also the one to develop the philosophy of chiropractic which forms the foundation for the profession. Later, his son B.J, who carried on his father’s work — was credited with developing chiropractic into a clearly defined and unique health care system.

Although the profession has advanced tremendously since the days of D.D. and B.J., the basic tenets and understanding of chiropractic as a drug-free method of correcting vertebral subluxations in order to remove nerve interference still stand.

WHY CHIROPRACTIC?

The chiropractic profession is the most popular natural health care choice in the United States. Chiropractic healthcare is a branch of the healing arts that offers the public a natural drugless approach to improving the health and function of the human body. It is a complete system of healthcare focused on restoring, preserving, and optimizing health by natural hands-on care. Where conventional or “allopathic” medicine focuses on curing illness through surgery and pharmaceuticals, the goal of chiropractic is to optimize health with a non-invasive approach that does not use drugs or surgery.

Chiropractic care is based on the scientific fact that the nervous system controls and coordinates the function of every cell, tissue, and organ in the body. Our focus is on the connection between the brain and the body – the brain is the master controller of every system, organ, tissue, and cell in your body. Your health DEPENDS on a proper functioning nervous system.

A basic philosophy of chiropractic is that the body naturally seeks the proper balance among all the systems of the body, and that these systems are meant to work together. A second basic principle is that proper structure is necessary for proper function. If a structure is impaired by injury or stress, its function can be adversely affected.

The spine is an important structure that houses and provides protection for the spinal cord, while providing mobility for the upper body. This dual requirement of strength and flexibility makes the spine a very complex structure, with multiple joints at each spinal segment (the vertebrae) forming the spinal column.

When these joints (also known as articulations) are not positioned or functioning normally (subluxation), it can affect the nerves exiting the spine, which in turn affects the signal traveling through it. Since these signals provide information to the body from the brain and from the brain to the body, the integrity of that connection is crucial to maintain proper function and optimal health.

For example, when our spine (structure) is not positioned normally, it can irritate the nerves exiting the spine. And when spinal nerves are irritated, they don’t function normally and can affect the function of the tissues they interact with. This “end-organ” effect is the central interest in chiropractic care. The relief of localized discomfort at the point of irritation is a secondary objective or “side effect” of care.

Thus chiropractic focuses on the integrity of the spine and its surrounding tissues as a means to enhance normal human function and health. We know if your nervous system is working at 100%, then your body can rely on its own intelligence to heal itself. It’s that simple!

We know if your nervous system is working at 100%, then your body can rely on its own intelligence to heal itself. It’s that simple!

SUBLUXATION & ITS EFFECTS

A subluxation is when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves. Spinal nerves are the nerves that come out from between each of the bones in your spine. This pressure or irritation on the nerves then causes those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over those nerves.

Vertebral subluxations have a great number of different causes all of which the average individual is exposed to daily. These causes can be described in terms of physical, chemical, and emotional causes:

Chemical causes include poor dietary and nutritional practices, drug and alcohol use and abuse, and the ingestion of chemical toxins in the foods we eat, air we breathe, and water we drink. Chemicals which are harmful to the body decrease the body’s ability to function optimally and reduce the ability to successfully adapt to and withstand internal and external stresses – making us more susceptible to spinal subluxations and the consequences of these subluxations.

Emotional causes refer to stress. Excessive stress or inadequate stress management skills can deplete the body of the ability to sustain normal functions. The impact of emotional stress on physical health is well documented in the medical research and can have devastating effects on the immune system, making the body susceptible to injury and disease.

Your brain is made up of nerve cells that organize into a thick cord of billions of nerve fibers to create your spinal cord. Your spinal cord extends down your back, protected by the bones of your spinal column, from where it branches into numerous nerves that travel to the billions of destinations in your body.

Your nervous system controls and coordinates every function of your body. It is your nervous system that allows you to adapt to, and live in your environment. A large portion of your nervous system passes through your spine. It is your spinal cord that acts as the major cable exiting your brain, travels down inside your spinal column and branches off into spinal nerves at various levels of your spine. These spinal nerves then exit between individual spinal vertebrae and go to the various parts of your body. To be healthy it is essential that your nervous system function properly and free from any interference caused by subluxations.

It’s about much more than back or neck pain or sciatica. Leaving subluxations untreated in your body will lead to dysfunction and then disease. Subluxations are called “silent killers” because many times they start out painless, just like cavities, cancer, and many other diseases. And if they are left uncorrected, they continue to get worse and have profound and serious affects on your health. Your body begins to perform poorly at every level : Your immune system weakens, your strength and coordination is negatively affected, your emotional state can be altered, your organs may not function normally, and you could experience a constant state of pain, stiffness, lack of flexibility, stress, fatigue, and many other symptoms.

This is why it is so important to have regular chiropractic checkups. It is the responsibility of the Doctor of Chiropractic to locate these subluxations, and reduce or correct them. This is done through a series of chiropractic adjustments specifically designed to correct the vertebral subluxations in your spine.

Chiropractors have known about the dangers of subluxations for over one hundred years and we are the ONLY health professionals trained in the detection, location, and correction of these misalignments. Our goal is to allow your body to return itself to the highest level of health possible by correcting these misalignments.

Leaving subluxations untreated in your body will lead to dysfunction and then disease.

WHAT IS A CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT?

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixated or not moving properly. This adds motion to the joint, helping bones gradually return to a more normal position. The purpose of this safe & natural procedure is:

– improved spinal function

– improved nervous system function

– improved health

Unfortunately, the muscles connected to subluxated vertebrae get used to their positions and have a tendency to pull the bone back out of place. It may take several adjustments before the adjustment “holds,” and the bone settles into its proper alignment. And, since the first subluxation may have taken place at birth, it also takes time to undo the damage that an uncorrected subluxation has created.

Our education & experience has allowed us to become proficient in various effective, techniques such as Diversified technique, Sacro-occipital technique, Activator or instrument adjusting, & Thompson which utilizes our specialized drop tables. We will choose the most effective technique taking into consideration your physical build, age, or any other health matters.

Research shows patient risk is considerably lower for chiropractic care when compared to medical care, due to the risks with prescription drugs & surgery. Positive proof of its safety record is the fact that medical doctors’ malpractice insurance premiums are, on the average, 10 to 14 times higher than those for Chiropractors. Every person is adjusted differently. Each visit, your spine may be different & upon analysis it is determined where to adjust you on that particular day .

Chiropractic is safe for people of all ages. We care for newborns & children up to the elderly, & everyone in between. Chiropractic procedures take into consideration the nature of the aging spine & the many abnormalities present to provide a strategically effective, safe & noninvasive treatment plan. We also consider the fragile structures of the newborn spine providing gentle, delicate adjustments.

Research shows patient risk is considerably lower for chiropractic care when compared to medical care, due to the risks with prescription drugs & surgery.