Chiropractic has
been around for over a century and was originally defined by its creator DD
Palmer and taken from the Latin for 'done by hand'.
While it took some
time to develop a basic premise, in the early stages the ideas that formed its
base had many influences. D.D. Palmer was originally a 'magnetic' healer with
an interest in the metaphysical. B.J. Palmer his son had probably the most
impact on the expansion of the profession.
Hippocrates said
"It is most necessary to know the nature of the spine. One or more
vertebrae may or may not go out of place very much and if they do, they are
likely to produce serious complications and even death, if not properly
adjusted. Many diseases are related to the spine".
This may have been
an underlying thought that people at the time had. D.D. could have, at least at
some point believed it to be always the case. And so he set about 'adjusting'
or manipulating the spine in an attempt to help people with various complaints.
The basis of care
focused on the integrity of the spine and nervous system. It was known that the
brain controls every system in the body and uses the spinal cord and nerves to
deliver messages to every part of the body. Palmer taught that if you are
unwell there is a good chance that your nervous system was involved and that
the chiropractor's job was to correct it.
He used his
metaphysical interest to introduce the concept of 'Innate intelligence'. This
thought involves the inbuilt ability of the body to heal itself and that any
interference to the "flow" of this intelligence could cause
'dis-ease'. "The kind of dis-ease depends upon what nerves are too tense
or too slack"
Later that concept
developed into a more accepted version. This was still based on the thought
that the body has an inbuilt ability to heal but that stressors on the body
would disrupt the spinal joint motion. The most common causes of stress was
believed to be Emotional, Physical and Chemical.
By the 1920's the
research on spinal motion, disc herniation and nerve impingement was well
underway in the medical realm. This at least showed that disruption to a spinal
joint can irritate nearby nerves. D.D. termed this a Vertebral Subluxation - a
dysfunction of a spinal joint that irritates a spinal nerve. It is a
chiropractic specific term not to be confused with the medical term of
subluxation.
And it has been
this term 'vertebral subluxation' that has continued to dog the profession from
inside and out. From inside there are practitioners who hold firm to this
construct, others that have let it go, each side being very vocal. Of course
from outside the profession this has been seen as a mark of disunity and has
tarnished the professions credibility.
Palmer said, the
chiropractor's role is to adjust subluxated spinal vertebrae back to their best
position and restore joint motion. The premise being that this will remove any
nerve interference and associated symptoms.
This is what they
do, and the reason they believe they do it is of some contention. But what is
not at all debated is that Workcover NSW Australia (a state-wide workers
compensation scheme) do not have any bias toward Chiropractic or Physiotherapy
treatment for injured workers. This at least implies they have similar return
on investment to each other with respect to injured workers regardless of the
type of injury.
A study in Canada
in the late 1990's implied the results from chiropractic and other modalities
for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation was effective and appropriate in
comparison to a medical alternative treatment. A number of other studies also
mentioned that manipulation is safe and appropriate for the great majority of
patients with lumbar disc herniation.
So it appears that
this constantly debated premise for why chiropractor's do what they do has very
little bearing on patient outcome.
A recent study out
of New Zealand 2016 shows that a manipulation does in fact cause a change in
brain function. So maybe the research will one day be able to clarify the
underlying belief of the subluxation that has dogged and divided the
profession.
Whether a
Chiropractor is improving the "Innate Intelligence" or helping the
lower back repair after a work injury, one thing is still a reality, they have
been helping people naturally for more than 100 years without drugs or surgery.
Maybe this could be a more appropriate fact to inspire the profession to unite
and move forward?
All Chiropractors
will have their own views on why they do what they do. Most spell out exactly
where they stand on their Websites.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9671454
