what is chiropractic?
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History of Chiropractic Care
Near the end of the 19th century, Daniel David Palmer took an interest in the various health philosophies of his day. He read medical journals and kept abreast of developments in anatomy and physiology around the world. While working in an office building in Davenport, Iowa, Palmer encountered a deaf man who owned a janitorial business in that same building. Harvey Lillard had been deaf for 17 years. Palmer asked Lillard how he had become deaf, and Lillard replied that one day, when he had strained his back, he heard something "pop" in his back.
Palmer examined Lillard's back and found a spinal vertebra clearly out of position. Understanding that the nervous system controls all bodily functions, Palmer reasoned that this misaligned vertebra could be the cause of Lillard's deafness. Palmer used his knowledge of anatomy to precisely deliver a short rapid thrust, moving the vertebrae back into place. And, as he expected, Lillard's hearing improved. Mr. Lillard reported hearing "quite well" after two chiropractic treatments, and that his hearing had not decreased nearly a year after the first adjustment on September 18, 1895.
Palmer was sure he was on to something. He began developing his theory of "chiropractic," which means "done by hand." Palmer's theory was that decreased nerve flow may be the cause of disease, and that if the spinal column were correctly positioned, the body could keep itself healthy.
Palmer opened the Palmer School of Chiropractic (PSC) in 1907. Bartlett James Palmer, his son, was one of the school's graduates and went on to influence the field and chiropractic philosophy greatly over the next century. Chiropractic students now prepare in their undergraduate study by taking the same types of classes as pre-medical students, and complete over 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience as well as 555 hours of adjusting technique and spinal analysis before receiving the degree of Doctor of Chiropractic.
Today, chiropractic is based upon the understanding that good health depends, in part, upon a normally functioning nervous system. This includes the central nervous system housed within the spine, and all of the nerves extending from the spine to all parts of the body. Chiropractic stresses the idea that the body has the innate ability to adapt to its environment, but that this innate ability is hindered or halted when the nervous system is not functioning normally.
Your Nervous System and Subluxation
It's a scientific fact that every movement of your body and the function of every internal organ and tissue within your body are controlled by your brain. Your spinal cord and nerves carry messages from your brain to the tips of each finger and toe and to every cell in your body, telling them what to do. When communications are distorted or hindered between the brain and any area of the body, all kinds of health problems can arise.
Your spine is made up of 33 bones called vertebrae. Together with your skull, the vertebrae protect your brain and spinal column, the central part of your nervous system. Your spinal column is housed within the column of vertebrae and branches out into the network of nerves which serves your entire body.
At any place in your body where two bones come together to form a joint, there should be a specific type of movement which occurs at that joint. For example, your knee joint is designed to bend back and forth like a hinge and your hip joint is designed for a full range of circular motion. The joints between vertebrae in your spine are designed to be flexible, but because they are so close to your spinal cord and nerve roots, their range of motion is very small.
When one or more of your vertebra move too much - twisting or moving out of position - it creates pressure on the spinal nerves. In addition, when one or more vertebra get "stuck" and lose their joint flexibility, the spinal nerves can become chaffed, irritated, or inflamed. Either one of these scenarios results in subluxation, which can cause interference in the communication your brain wants and needs to have with the rest of your body.
It may be easy to see how subluxations can be caused by physical stress – falls, accidents, lifting or injury. But emotional stress and toxins in the body are equally responsible for causing subluxations even when we feel pain free. Stress, lack of sleep and tension, as well as medications, poor diet, and alcohol and drugs all contribute to subluxations in the spine.
Some subluxations cause great pain. Others may cause no pain at all. But all subluxations can interfere with your brain's ability to communicate with your body, which can cause a host of problems in any tissue, organ, or system of your body.
Adjustments
Doctors of Chiropractic are the only health care providers trained and licensed to diagnose and treat subluxations. Dr. Kolbus is trained in locating subluxations and specifically adjusting them. A chiropractic adjustment is not the same as "cracking your own back," where you randomly crack the vertebral joints by twisting or stretching. Back cracking is neither specific nor targeted. Adjustments delivered by Dr. Kolbus are focused on correcting a specific subluxation with a gentle thrust or a constant pressure with the hands. He will adjust your spine in just the right direction and correct spot to eliminate or reduce your subluxation(s).
In 2005, The World Health Organization determined chiropractic adjustments to be "safe and effective." Statistically speaking, chiropractic adjustments are about 100 times safer than taking an acetaminophen tablet.