Chiropractic treatment, developed by Canadian Daniel David Palmer in 1895, is the manipulation of the spinal column and extremities in order to alleviate various conditions. According to more recent evidence, the benefits of chiropractic manipulation is not from realignment of the vertebrae, but from the improved mobility of the vertebrae as they move against each other.

These subtle movements are thought to relieve the pressure on the nerves that run through the vetebral column. Chiropractic manipulation is most often used as a treatment for pain or stiffness in the back and neck, but is also used for problems in other areas of the body believed to originate in the spine such as migraines, limb pain and many others. It is also useful in treatment of sports and work injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders.

Chiropractors generally also take into account the patient’s diet, work habits and other factors in a holistic approach to overall health. While patients often feel an immediate and lasting benefit from their first treatment, the technique is less successful for chronic conditions.

Chiropractic healing is a kind of healing that taps the body’s ‘inner intelligence’ – that innate sense of balance the body has when a person is physically, emotionally and mentally healthy. A healing art that was developed in the United States , chiropractic healing operates on the belief that the body can heal itself if there is an uninterrupted flow of energy or nerve impulses from the brain to the rest of the body.

It’s interesting to note that chiropractic healing came to the fore when David Palmer was able to cure deafness by manipulating a misaligned vertebra. This miraculous healing led more and more researches into the field of chiropractic healing. Modern chiropractors trace the beginnings of this art of healing to Hippocrates, who said, “Get knowledge of the spine, this is the requisite for many diseases”.

Chiropractors work primarily with the joints that lie along the spinal column. They believe that when the vertebrae and adjoining bones are misaligned in relation to the joints, the flow of impulses from the nerve is impeded or blocked. This in turn drains the body of its ability to stay healthy. What chiropractic healing does is quite evident from the name itself; ‘cheir’ means “hand” and ‘practikos’ means “done by” - healing manipulations that seek to correctly align the bones of the vertebra to restore total health. Chiropractic philosophy grew out of a ‘wholism’ which considers the body to be a single unified organ.

During therapy, a patient may hear his joints crack however the sessions are pain-free and quite refreshing too. This ‘crack’ is actually a vacuum-created nitrogen bubble that is bursting within the joint. The actual manipulations are often very gentle, and make use of a technique called ‘non-force’. Depending upon the nature of the problem and its longevity, multiple sessions may be needed. These techniques have been found to be very effective not only in restoring strength to the spine and vertebra, but also in restoring good health so that there is vigorous flow of energy throughout the body.

Chiropractic healing is an effective treatment for muscle, joint and bone problems. It is very effective when used to treat conditions such as headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome. It is the single most effective treatment for lower back pain. In fact, it has been so effective that it is the third largest health care profession after medicine and dentistry. Of the 36+ million Americans visiting chiropractors every year, 70% are treated for back pain, 20% for head and neck disorders and the rest are treated for other disorders. Chiropractic healing even soothes colicky babies, thereby giving harassed mothers a well-deserved break.

Chiropractic healing may also help people who are partially paralyzed. Therapy is not contained to the paralyzed parts of the body. Many confined individuals suffer from excessive shoulder and arm related injuries that come from the stress of using a wheelchair. Strengthening exercises help to prevent future injuries and harden the areas that are prone to over-use.

A growing number of Chiropractic therapists reject traditional dogma and restrict treatment to musculoskeletal problems. These practitioners are more closely aligned with modern scientific theory and practice often prescribing additional treatments such as home exercise routines, application of icepacks and in some cases ultrasound therapy.

Although X-rays are sometimes used for chiropractic analytical purposes, other conventional drugs and surgery are not necessary to treat most disorders. Chiropractic therapy can be used to treat most health problems but is particularly efficacious in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Therapists consider regular chiropractic sessions essential to maintain a healthy state of body and mind.

Although chiropractors have an excellent safety record, with thousands of Canadians experiencing chiropractic manipulation with no ill effects, the risk of paralysis and strokes (although very rare) does exist. It is important to discuss any preexisting medical conditions with your chiropractor before treatment is commenced.

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