I’m a chiropractor. My own first experience with a chiropractor was when I was in high school. To this day a colleague regularly adjusts me every two to three weeks. As a chiropractor I hear a lot of questions and concerns about the practice and treatment. I want to share with you what chiropractic is to me and why it’s a vital component of my family’s healthcare and mine.
Chiropractic is a distinct healthcare profession and healing art that focuses on maximizing human health through the ever-evolving relationship of the body’s structure and function. The vertebrae within our spine protect our spinal cord, which is an extension of our brain. Our brain communicates to the rest of our bodies via the nerves that exit the spinal cord.
Chiropractic officially started in the late 1800s with D.D. Palmer and B.J. Palmer. D.D. Palmer is credited with starting and naming the profession, based on his findings and recordings of vertebral misalignments. His son, B.J., was the one who spread the word and brought chiropractic to the public. He developed protocols for locating misalignments and documenting the outcomes with specific adjustments. The name chiropractic is relatively young, only one hundred plus years. The theories behind it, however, date back thousands of years in multiple cultures and communities.
A chiropractor will seek out misalignments of the spine and the musculoskeletal system. When a doctor of chiropractic finds a subluxation, he or she will make a specific adjustment in an effort to correct that misalignment. A subluxation is a misalignment of the spine that alters the function of the nervous system, resulting in less than optimal physiology of the organs, nerves, and muscles that are included in the subluxation.
As a chiropractor, I have a more vitalistic approach rather than a mechanistic. I view the body as an intelligent being with an innate ability to heal itself. For instance, if you scrape your knee, your body automatically knows what to do in order to form a scab and heal. Therefore, I see my job as a chiropractor as very important in adjusting a subluxation and restoring function to surrounding musculature, nerves, and/or organs.
As a chiropractor, I see myself as a conduit and facilitator of health. I view each patient individually and aim to get each patient functioning at his or her most optimal levels. I prescribe real food options and functional movements to my patients. When needed, I will review a patient’s blood analysis along with their omega testing. I prescribe supplements and probiotics when needed.
Chiropractic is a natural alternative for acute and/or chronic ailments. Chiropractic views the big picture of health. I encourage people to take ownership in their health, in the health of their children, and to invest in the future. I strive to work in partnership with my patients to maximize their daily performance. Eating clean, moving daily, and regular adjustments are the key to optimal performance.
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