By Dr. Andrew Adamski, BSc, D.C.
According to many research studies, Chiropractic has proven to be one of the most effective treatments for back pain, neck pain, other musculoskeletal ailments, and many types of headaches. Because chiropractic removes subluxations – “blocks in the spine to the normal flow of information, energy, and intelligence from the brain to the rest of the body” – it can help resolve a number of conditions that you might not associate with the spine or nerves. Once you understand the workings of the spine and nervous system, the effect of subluxations on the overall health becomes all too clear.
The spine is one of the most complex organs in the body, consisting of nearly a hundred intricate joints connected by a vast array of ligaments, tendons, cartilage and six layers of muscles all surrounding and protecting over a trillion nerve pathways that connect the brain to the rest of the body.
The spine is a unique structure within the human skeleton in that it is designed to have enormous mobility, flexibility, and strength. Chiropractors believe that misalignments in the cervical spine have a great impact on the communication from the brain to the rest of the body. Others ascribe to the view that sacroiliac and lumbar spines are the most important because they form the structural foundation of the spine. Regardless all chiropractors believe that it is important for the bones of the spine to maintain proper alignment and function. This ensures uninterrupted communication of life and nerve energy throughout the body.
Subluxations occur frequently and may or may not have obvious causes or symptoms. Think back over your own history of bumps, bruises and less obvious injuries. That fall you took out of the treehouse when you were nine. Maybe you had headaches since that time and never associated the two occurrences? The sore neck you have when you leave work? The hours you spend with the phone cradled between your ear and shoulder may be pulling your neck out of alignment.
Studies have found that there is some sort of spinal imbalance in 80 percent of twenty-something olds and 95 percent of forty-five-year-olds.
If left untreated subluxations can cause the muscles, bones, and nerves to degenerate. This appears in many different forms such as muscle weakness, degeneration and nerve interference that can cause numbness and lack of function.
Unless you are getting regular chiropractic care you may find yourself with less vitality, greater discomfort, and less mobility and other health concerns.
Note: There is a wide variety of chiropractic techniques. Each chiropractor offers his/her unique sets of skills and specialized techniques based on their background and theoretical beliefs. There are also two major groups that split the chiropractors based on their practice philosophy. One is “old school” subluxation-based chiropractors and another one is “new school” evidence-based chiropractors. The presented chiropractic information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only. It does not necessarily reflect our chiropractor’s view and the way he/she practices chiropractic.