What is Chiropractic?
Doctors of Chiropractic are health care professionals who focus on disorders of the musculoskeletal, nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is usually associated with certain musculoskeletal conditions such as neck pain, back pain, joint pain and headaches. However, the benefits of chiropractic care are not limited just to these pain associated conditions. Chiropractors practice a drug-free, hands on approach to health care which includes examination, diagnosis and treatment. Chiropractors are the only professionals trained to find and correct spinal subluxations. Chiropractors have a broad diagnosis range and are trained to recommend rehabilitative and therapeutic exercises. In addition, they are trained to provide nutritional, dietary and healthy lifestyle information.
The primary therapeutic treatment a chiropractor uses, is the spinal adjustment. The adjustment restores the proper motion and position of joints which have lost their normal function. This removes any irritation on the nerves that exit the spine and allows the muscles and tissues surrounding the affected joint to heal. Chiropractors also use therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises in order to help with healing. People of all ages and lifestyles seek chiropractic care. Everyone from newborns to the elderly, professional athletes to corporate executives have experienced the benefits of chiropractic.
Chiropractic History
The practice of joint manipulation can be traced back thousands of years. Records from China and Greece written in 2700 BC and 1500 BC mention manipulating the the spine and lower extremities to relieve back pain. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, wrote "Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases". In the United States, chiropractic began in Davenport, Iowa in 1895. Until then manipulating the spine wasn't completely understood. Daniel David Palmer was the first person to make a specific spinal adjustment targeting one area. His first patient was a janitor, Harry Lillard, who years before was working and felt a pop in his back. Ever since the incident, Mr. Lillard had lost his hearing. D.D. Palmer decided to take Hippocrates advice and look at the spine to see if that was the cause for his hearing loss. Mr. Palmer found a bone in his spine that was out of normal position. "I reasoned that if that vertebrae was replaced that the man's hearing would be restored" he wrote in his notes "With that object in view, a half hour persuading Mr. Lillard to allow me replace it, I racked it into position by using the spinous process as a lever, and soon the man could hear as before."
Over the next several months, patients began coming to see D.D. Palmer for several different issues such as flu, sciatica, migraines, stomach problems, heart trouble, epilepsy and many more. D.D. Palmer found each of these conditions responded well to the adjustments which he was calling "hand treatments." Later he coined the term chiropractic -- from the Greek words, Chiro, meaning (hand) and practic, meaning (practice or operation).
Over the years, the reasoning and science behind chiropractic has really developed. There has been many research studies showing the effectiveness of chiropractic care. Even though chiropractors work with the musculoskeletal system their primary focus is your making sure your nervous system is working properly. Your nervous system controls every cell, tissue, organ and function of your body. If there is something interrupting those important signals then your body may experience certain symptoms and problems.
The primary therapeutic treatment a chiropractor uses, is the spinal adjustment. The adjustment restores the proper motion and position of joints which have lost their normal function. This removes any irritation on the nerves that exit the spine and allows the muscles and tissues surrounding the affected joint to heal. Chiropractors also use therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises in order to help with healing. People of all ages and lifestyles seek chiropractic care. Everyone from newborns to the elderly, professional athletes to corporate executives have experienced the benefits of chiropractic.
Chiropractic History
The practice of joint manipulation can be traced back thousands of years. Records from China and Greece written in 2700 BC and 1500 BC mention manipulating the the spine and lower extremities to relieve back pain. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, wrote "Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases". In the United States, chiropractic began in Davenport, Iowa in 1895. Until then manipulating the spine wasn't completely understood. Daniel David Palmer was the first person to make a specific spinal adjustment targeting one area. His first patient was a janitor, Harry Lillard, who years before was working and felt a pop in his back. Ever since the incident, Mr. Lillard had lost his hearing. D.D. Palmer decided to take Hippocrates advice and look at the spine to see if that was the cause for his hearing loss. Mr. Palmer found a bone in his spine that was out of normal position. "I reasoned that if that vertebrae was replaced that the man's hearing would be restored" he wrote in his notes "With that object in view, a half hour persuading Mr. Lillard to allow me replace it, I racked it into position by using the spinous process as a lever, and soon the man could hear as before."
Over the next several months, patients began coming to see D.D. Palmer for several different issues such as flu, sciatica, migraines, stomach problems, heart trouble, epilepsy and many more. D.D. Palmer found each of these conditions responded well to the adjustments which he was calling "hand treatments." Later he coined the term chiropractic -- from the Greek words, Chiro, meaning (hand) and practic, meaning (practice or operation).
Over the years, the reasoning and science behind chiropractic has really developed. There has been many research studies showing the effectiveness of chiropractic care. Even though chiropractors work with the musculoskeletal system their primary focus is your making sure your nervous system is working properly. Your nervous system controls every cell, tissue, organ and function of your body. If there is something interrupting those important signals then your body may experience certain symptoms and problems.
Want to learn more?
Follow the other tabs in the "What is Chiropractic?" drop down menu above or follow the links below!
How can Chiropractic help?
Subluxation - Explains what we look for and treat.
Adjustment - The different techniques we use to return normal alignment and movement to the spine.
Pregnancy & Chiropractic - How Chiropractic can help reduce pain during pregnancy.
Children & Chiropractic -
Athletes & Chiropractic - Chiropractic care benefits athletes, from weekend warriors to pro athletes. Includes videos and pictures of top athletes who have found chiropractic care gives them the edge they need to be at the top of their game.
Follow the other tabs in the "What is Chiropractic?" drop down menu above or follow the links below!
How can Chiropractic help?
Subluxation - Explains what we look for and treat.
Adjustment - The different techniques we use to return normal alignment and movement to the spine.
Pregnancy & Chiropractic - How Chiropractic can help reduce pain during pregnancy.
Children & Chiropractic -
Athletes & Chiropractic - Chiropractic care benefits athletes, from weekend warriors to pro athletes. Includes videos and pictures of top athletes who have found chiropractic care gives them the edge they need to be at the top of their game.