Chiropractic Medicine

Chiropractic Medicine As Home Remedies

Quick Audio Introduction:

What is Chiropractic Medicine?

Chiropractic medicine is an alternate branch of healing that focusses on maintaining a normal functioning of the nervous system.

Derived from Greek words “Chiero” (hands) and “praktos” (to use), the word Chiropractic means effective treatment by use of hands.

This natural healing science aids in diagnosing and treating conditions which are due to spinal subluxations (misalignment and slight dislocation of spinal bones). Apart from helping in spine related problems, Chiropractic therapy is helpful in treating headaches and pain in arms, legs, neck, knee, hip or shoulder. Chiropractic is also effective in treating numbness and dizziness (vertigo).

Origin of Chiropractic Medicine

An unrefined type of physical manipulation of the spine has been practiced throughout the world for thousands of years and was commonly used in Rome, Greece and India. Modern Chiropractic marks its beginning in 1895, when Daniel David Palmer performed the first chiropractic adjustment on a partially deaf janitor, Harvey Lillard. D.D. Palmer was a practitioner of magnet therapy and his objective was to find a natural cure for diseases that did not rely upon drugs.

D.D. Palmer discovered that dysfunctioning of various systems in the body can be due to the subluxation of vertebrae, which produces improper functioning of nerves. Chiropractic adjustment of this vertebral subluxation can relieve pain and other symptoms. Palmer opened the Palmer School & Infirmary of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa in 1898 and started teaching his techniques of modern chiropractic to others. He used these “hand treatments” to treat several ailments such as migraine, stomach problems, epilepsy, sciatica and headaches.

Philosophy of Chiropractic Medicine

Chiropractic therapy is based on the principle that human being has an innate power to maintain its own health. Every human being has Innate Intelligence, which is the ability to create perfect balance between the external as well as internal environment helps in maintaining a state of health. Chiropractic therapy believes that whenever there is interference with the transmission of innate energy within the body, it results in decrease in the expression of Innate Intelligence and this is called disease.

According to chiropractic philosophy, the nervous system controls the healthy functioning of all the systems and organs of the body. The proper flow of information in the form of innumerable chemical reactions helps the body to maintain its innate energy and help in coping with disease. When the bones of the spinal column become misaligned, they distort the flow of information from the brain to the body. The art of chiropractic focusses on adjustments to correct spinal malfunctions in order to remove the interference to the spinal cord and the nerves to maintain proper flow of Innate Energy. Without the proper flow of information from the nervous system, the body cannot functional at the optimal level and this results in pain and other diseases.

Chiropractic medicine focuses on holistic treatment of the overall patient rather than treating the visible external symptoms of the disease condition. It is a complete health care approach that promotes the physical as well as mental well-being of the patients. This drug-free and natural method of treatment relies on the body’s inherent ability to restore itself.

It involves treating the main cause of disease- which is spinal subluxation and maintaining health to normal. It only involves manual therapy to restore health and recognises other factors that affect health, such as environment, diet, exercise and rest. This natural science does not involve taking pharmaceutical drugs.

Scientific Evidence

Many controlled clinical studies have been conducted on subluxation, but their results often disagree. However, a 2010 report found that manual therapies used by chiropractors are effective in treatment of neck pain, low back pain, headaches and joint pains.
Clinical studies have found the effectiveness of chiropractic in migraine headache, cervicogenic dizziness and pain related to extremities.

D.D. Palmer’s chiropractic theories and techniques were not accepted by the medical community. They called him quack and he was even indicted for treating patients without the license in medicine or osteopathy. However today, due to on-going research and clinical results, more and more people have started believing in natural and holistic concept of chiropractic medicine. Chiropractors are licensed in US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most of the European countries. This non-invasive branch of medicine is gaining world-wide acceptance by the medical, legal and patient communities. Many famous celebrities including Mel Gibson and Arnold Schwarzenegger use Chiropractic care on a regular basis.

Health Benefits

The Chiropractors primarily work on spine to get rid of any interference between spinal bones and nerves and helps in relieving pain and discomfort. The health benefits of manual therapy go beyond the initial relief after quick adjustment. Some of the known positive effects of spinal manipulation are:

• Correcting misalignments: Chiropractic adjustments are done to correct subluxation or vertebral misalignments. This helps in relieving back pain, neck pain, headache, spasmodic pain related to menstruation in females and sciatica. Apart from relieving the pain, chiropractic helps in improved circulation, reduced muscle spasm, more flexibility, increased flow of nutrients and oxygen and prevention of further injury of the affected area of your body.

• Psychological Impact: Most patients experience relaxed and calm feeling after the chiropractic session. The enhanced blood flow to the traumatized part reduces pain and brings more flexibility. This results in boosting of self-confidence and a sense of well-being.

• Home Remedy: Chiropractic manipulation can be used as home remedies to give relief from neck and back pain, ADHD symptoms in kids and constipation and otehr digestive ailments. However, before administering chiropractic care at home, it is advisable to visit your chiropractor to learn about chiropractic techniques that can be used at home safely.

• Other benefits: Chiropractic care prevents bed wetting, breathing problems an ear infection in children. It helps in easy labor in pregnant women. In elderly people, it helps in improving balance and preventing injuries due to falling. It enhances immune function and improves vitality.

Chiropractic is a complete therapy which also involves guidance to diet, nutrition and exercise.

Side Effects

As with any therapeutic procedure, there is a risk involved of side effects and safety. Some of the temporary side effects are mild pain, stiffness and soreness at the point of manipulation, and they do not last long. Complications such as damage to the artery and stroke can occur if chiropractic manipulation is not performed by trained hands.

Chiropractic adjustment is safe when it is performed by someone trained and licensed to deliver chiropractic care.