As a chiropractor for more than 35 years one of the saddest things I experience in practice is a misunderstanding of chiropractic and as a result a failure for most people to experience the real benefits chiropractic has to offer them.

Most people understandably view chiropractors as back doctors. While I like the vast majority of chiropractors who work on the spine, the real focus of my clinical care is on the nervous system. The spine simply offers the easiest access to the nervous system along with the area where the greatest interference occurs. 

Chiropractic is based upon a vitalistic philosophy. You might question what a philosophy has to do with a healthcare profession. I can’t imagine having a profession that isn’t based on a philosophy that guides one in what to do with an underlying understanding of why it is done. I believe this has much to do with how broken our current healthcare system is and one reason why medical error is the third leading cause of death in the US.

Here are the philosophy and beliefs that form the foundation for how true chiropractic is delivered:

• The body is intelligent. This becomes evident with the following points.
• The body is self-aware. It is continually monitoring thousands upon thousands of chemical reactions and physiological processes.
• The body is self-regulating. Based on the monitoring process the body is making adjustments and modifications in a continual effort to maintain balance or homeostasis.
• The body is self-healing. All healing comes from within. Occasionally the body might need some support but no drug or surgery does the healing. All they can do is provide the environment for healing to take place. 

Check out this post I made explaining chiropractic…Chiropractic Explained.

What System is Responsible for All That?

If the body is intelligent, self-aware, self-regulating, and self-healing then there must be some part or system that is responsible for all those amazing qualities of the human body. 

The Central Nervous System consisting of the Brain, Brainstem, and Spinal Cord is what I describe as the conduit for all those amazing processes of the human body. 

Based on all that, the real underlying intention of chiropractic care is to help remove any interference to the nervous system that is impairing its ability to express health. 

So, What If….

…the body really is self-monitoring, self-regulating, and self-healing. Then it truly knows how to heal and express health and if it is not, then it must be because something is interfering with its ability to fully heal. 

I view my role as locating areas of nerve interference that chiropractors call a subluxation, correcting that interference and giving the body an opportunity to do what it does best….heal and express health. 

Beyond Pain Relief

The vast majority of people come to see me seeking relief from some kind of pain. It ranges from back and neck pain to headaches to anxiety. Regardless, their motivation is to seek relief. Even partially removing tension and interference from delicate nerves often provides them with quick relief.

Those who stop at pain relief truly miss out on the more significant benefits of chiropractic care. The body is incredibly resilient, able to endure significant physical, emotional, and chemical insults and keep working. 

Chronic stress eventually results in imbalances that put tension on the nervous system and interfere with it being able to fully do its job. Pain is quite often the last symptom to appear and the first to go away. But, the absence of pain really means little in the overall picture of health. Let me offer a couple of dramatic examples to underscore this.

Someone can have advanced heart disease with almost complete blockage of their coronary arteries and feel great with absolutely no pain. They are clearly not healthy and their first symptom of heart disease, a massive heart attack, could be their last. 

On the other hand you could experience significant pain from stubbing your toe or sustaining a paper cut and that pain means nothing with regards to your health. 

Common Side Effects of Chiropractic Care

Because the body is in a continual state of renewal and healing the real benefits of chiropractic care often do not fully show up until after many months. In some ways the people who utilize chiropractic care as part of their wellness protocol for years experience the greatest gifts of a body functioning without interference. 

Here are a few of the side effects of chiropractic care that I see that might surprise you:

Physical Side Effects

Increased Energy
Improved Sleep
Better Breathing
Improved Posture
Menstrual Cycle easier

Health Condtions

Less reliance on medication
Improved Fibromyalgia
Acid Reflux Resolved
Allergy Relief
Asthma Improved
Constipation Improved
Colic improved
Dizziness Resolved
Ear Infections Resolved
Lowered Blood Pressure

Emotional

Improved Mood
Greater Clarity
Sense of Calmness
Reduced Stress
Reduced Anxiety
Reduced Depression
Improved Mental Focus

Life

Improved Relationships
Increased Quality of Life
Greater Creativity
Enhanced Life Fulfillment
Healthier Habits

Health Improvement

Improved Immune System
Fewer Colds and Flu
Dizziness & Vertigo
ADD/ADHD improved
Reduced Inflammation
Improved Healing
Tinnitus Better
Fewer Medications
Spend Less on Health Care

That is less about the power of chiropractic and much more about the incredible brilliance of the human body and its capacity to express health. The body truly needs no assistance, it just needs no interference. The focus of chiropractic is on removing interference and restoring the body to a state of grace or balance where it can express health.

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