What Is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a paramedical Science that concerns itself with maintaining the normal function of the nervous system. Since the nervous system is the main mechanism of communication and control used by the brain, any interference with the flow of information along nerves can lead to a break down in function and eventually disease in the body.

Most people associate chiropractors with spinal problems such as back ache and headache. The reason for this is that the spine acts as both a structural support for the muscles and bones as well as a protective housing for the spinal cord and its nerves. Poor posture, repetitive strain and injuries can lead to twisting and deterioration of the discs, muscles, ligaments and membranes of the spine that can result in inflammation or scarring around the delicate nerves that exit each level. Severe or chronic deterioration can manifest as pain, weakness and spasm of the back and neck and often leads people to make their first visit to a chiropractor, but most people are not aware of the other, more serious effects of nerve pressure until they begin to suffer from sciatica, pins and needles, numbness or tingling in their arms and legs.

However, the nerves that exit the spine don’t just go to the arms and legs. They also go into all of your organs, they control the secretion of hormones, they control digestion, breathing, your immune system and the countless other functions performed by your body unconsciously. Unfortunately, unlike muscles and discs, most of these organ functions do not “hurt” when there is nerve pinching. Instead, they either increase or decrease their function depending on the kind of pressure that the nerve is experiencing. For example, the nerves that go to the stomach might cause the stomach lining to produce more acid when they are irritated. On the other hand, they may inhibit acid production if they are pinched or choked off by pressure. Either way, the result would be a disturbance in stomach and digestive function. Only when the organ is starting to seriously deteriorate do we feel any pain. By then it can be quite a serious problem that may require surgery or powerful medication. The dangers of surgery and the long term side effects of medication are undesirable and pose risks that can minimised under chiropractic care. Chiropractors are uniquely trained to find these nerve pressures before they cause serious damage. In many cases there will be clues such as stomach ulcers, heart palpitations, a weak bladder, asthma, sinus inflammation, migraines or dizziness that will suggest the area of the spine a chiropractor should examine.

Many patients are surprised to hear that chiropractic can help “medical” cases such as asthma, bedwetting, colic in babies, constipation or period pains. However, it is important to remember that chiropractors do not treat the organ or the disease that affects it, but rather, they try to normalise the signals travelling through the nerves by making sure that they are free of obstruction or interference. In many cases, when the interference is removed the organ begins to heal and the patient recovers. If the disease has overwhelmed the the organ or body, then medical intervention may be necessary. Sometimes the use of medication or surgery is necessary. A chiropractor is always ready to refer such cases to medical doctors.

Countless cases of disease, pain and illness over the years could have been prevented if people had their nervous system checked by a chiropractor before they deteriorated to the point of a medical emergency. With all of the harmful effects of bad posture, sitting, stress, poor diets and pollution causing ever more distortion to the human nervous system, chiropractors have always strongly believed in preventative check-ups to catch the effects of those distortions to allow the body to heal as effectively as possible. Of course, there is more to health than just pressure-free nerves. Proper diet, a positive mental state, adequate rest and recreational exercise also play important roles. Chiropractors are well trained to provide advice on many of these areas, including exercise, diet and proper posture. They also refer patients to other health professionals when a particular need arises. Chiropractic care has withstood the test of time. Time and again it has been shown to be safe and effective. Many government inquiries over the years have recommended the wider adoption of chiropractic into the mainstream health system, and several studies have been done over the years indicating that chiropractic care has shown iteslf to be remarkably safe, in spite of the myths many people hold about it.