Chiropractic Facts

- Manual manipulation of the spine and other joints in the body have been around for a long time. Ancient writings from China and Greece dating between 2700 BC and 1500 BC mention spinal manipulation and the maneuvering of the lower extremities to ease low back pain.

- Hippocrates, the famous Greek physician who lived from 460 to 357 BC, published a text detailing the importance of manual manipulation. In one of his writings, he declares “Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases.”

- Evidence of manual manipulation of the body has been found among the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Babylon, Syria, Japan, the Incas, Mayans, and Native Americans.

- The official beginning of the chiropractic profession dates back to 1895 when Daniel David Palmer restored the hearing of Harvey Lillard by manually adjusting his neck and something told him that he was on to something good. Two years later, in 1897, Dr. Palmer went on to begin the Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa which continues to train doctors of chiropractic to this day.

- Throughout the twentieth century, the profession of chiropractic has gained recognition and scientific support. Research studies have clearly demonstrated the value of chiropractic care in reducing health care costs, improving recovery rates, and increasing patient satisfaction.

- Spinal adjustments to correct subluxations are what make doctors of chiropractic unique in comparison with any other type of health care professional. The term “adjustment” refers to the specific force chiropractors apply to the vertebrae that have abnormal movement patterns or fail to function normally.

- The objective of the chiropractic adjustment is to reduce the subluxation, which results in an increased range of motion, reduced nerve irritability, reduced spasm, reduced pain, and improved function. The chiropractic adjustment is a quick thrust applied to a vertebra for the purpose of correcting its position, movement, or both.

- The goal of receiving adjustments should be to restore the body to its natural state of optimal health. In order to accomplish this, chiropractors can use and recommend a variety of natural healing methods, including adjustments, massage, trigger point therapy, nutrition, exercise rehabilitation, and counseling on lifestyle issues that impact your health. The primary focus is simply to remove those things which interfere with the body’s natural normal healing ability. The adjustment of the spine is the primary objective of a chiropractor.

- There are some chiropractors who also adjust the extremities and use other forms of physiological therapeutics including the use of electrical stimulation, ultrasound, traction, neuromuscular re-education, and a variety of manual therapies. Increasingly, chiropractors’ offices are becoming full-service wellness centers providing a variety of wellness services.

- Chiropractors are doctors who understand that within each of us is an innate wisdom or healthy energy that will express itself as perfect health and well-being if we allow it to. Therefore, the focus of chiropractic care is to remove any physiological blocks to the proper expression o the body’s innate wisdom. Once these interferences are reduced, improved health is the natural consequence. Who wouldn’t want that?