Crisis In Healing…Why Natural Healing Is Still Growing

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Crisis In Healing…Why Natural Healing Is Still Growing

There is an age old conflict between treating the disease itself vs. the patient as a whole.  These opposing viewpoints have not changed, relatively, since 460 B.C….why? The current trend in emphasizing the disease puts our money, time and energy in the magic pill.  While this might be efficient for some in times of a crisis, the magic pill does not heal the body as a whole. How about utilizing the most non-invasive form of healing on your body?  Natural healing.

The Science Of Natural Healing

In chiropractic, we utilize inductive reasoning.  Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology has everything to do with the cause of disease.  If you disturb the structure of the human frame, you disrupt the nerve system. We deny that disease “just happens”.  The disease process must have a cause and chiropractic seeks that cause. The cause is attributed to a disturbance (subluxation) in the normal flow of neural communication.   The chiropractic profession is pretty advanced and continues to make more advancements to understand the reasoning of subluxations. These disturbances create a anatomical dis-relationship with the rest of the body, a.k.a dis-ease.

It’s In The Literature

Show me your evidence of natural healing.  Research has and always will provide insight on how the body heals.  The truth is that the day to day action of the body and what it is capable of is research within itself.  In Collected Papers Of Mechanico-Therapeutics, Dr. Edgar Cyriax  states “Every displacement of a vertebra changes the normal condition of pressure, tension, shape, size and length of the surrounding structures.  If nature is able to set up compensations, no evil effects ensue.” This statement means that subluxations will create dysfunction and produce symptoms of the body relating to the visceral (internal organs) or non-visceral.  Eugenics, Dr. Herman Rubin, M.D. – ” It may never occur to them (medical colleagues) that the headaches, stomach trouble, neuritis or nervous irritability they are attempting to cure may be due to nothing more serious than a displaced vertebra which any competent chiropractor can restore in ten seconds.”

Shoulder, Knees, Hips, Ankles…It’s Still A Spine Problem

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Shoulder, Knees, Hips, Ankles…It’s Still A Spine Problem

Extremities….aka, shoulders, knees, ankles, wrists or whatever extremity you want to throw in the mix is all related to the spine.  “Look well to the spine for the cause of disease” – Hippocrates. When extremity problems present themselves in our life, we forget about the structure that provides life to those parts of our body; the spine.  Now, what about incidences that occur like with Nancy Kerrigan. For those who don’t remember, Nancy Kerrigan was an Olympian struck in the knee by an individual who wanted to cause her harm. In these cases, this is a simple cause and effect situation.  For everything else, pay attention to the spine and what it offers in your healing abilities.

The Nerve Of That Extremity

To understand that healing begins in the spine, you must understand the importance of the central nerve system.  Every tissue cell that makes up any extremity, whether it’s your shoulder, knee, wrist or whatever, is originated and can be traced back to a specific spinal nerve.  For example, think about the wrist and carpal tunnel. The concept is that the large amount of time spent typing causes inflammation in the wrist. What most fail to realize is that the wrist and any muscle movement used for typing is controlled via your lower cervical spinal nerves.  Sure, the person is typing for hours upon hours, but what about the position of the monitor.  What about their neck posture…etc? Are they constantly looking down and then back up and creating constant flexion and extension in the lower cervical part of the neck?  Most of the time…YES!  Specifically for the wrist, it’s called double crush syndrome.  The first “crush” (irritated nerve fiber) will occur at the cervical spinal nerve and then the second “crush” will occur in the shoulder, elbow or wrist.

It’s No Coincidence

Every tissue cell of your body traces back to a specific spinal nerve.  Take care of the spine first and foremost and extremity dysfunction will cease to exist.  With a healthy spine, the tissue cells in your extremities will increase its adaptability and perform at peak potential.  The most important project you’ll ever work on is yourself. Technology has become a literal “pain” in the neck. Don’t forget to mind your posture and look to the spine first.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

What Actually Is A Chiropractic Adjustment?

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What Is A Chiropractic Adjustment?

To understand what a chiropractic adjustment actually is you should first understand what it is not.  What is different between an orthopedic manipulation or osteopathic maneuver? The difference is the dynamic thrust in the spinal column that is performed.  This is the identifying feature of a chiropractic adjustment.  A sudden motion of force in a specific manner distinguishes chiropractic from other healing disciplines.

What To Adjust?

The specific procedure applied to a subluxated vertebra is deemed an adjustment.  In order to know what vertebra or vertebrae have become subluxated, a full spinal analysis must be performed.  Thorough spinographs (x-rays) are used to detect exactly which area(s) need to be adjusted. Special instruments are used along the spine to detect temperature differences at various levels.  These temperature differences help to see if the area that is subluxated needs adjusted during a check-up. Also, active or passive palpation along the spine has its own role to play during assessment, when necessary.  With these components being utilized an accurate and precise procedural plan can be set in place to apply restoration of the subluxated vertebrae.

Does The Vertebra Just “Go Back In”

Without diving too much into the concept of the vertebra “going back in”, you must understand that the noise created via an adjustment is made by the surrounding joints and disc space.  The vertebra itself does not snap, crackle or pop. It is not bone on bone. This sound is caused by small pockets of air or bubbles which are in the fluid that surrounds your joints. When joint tissues are stretched during a chiropractic adjustment, the pockets of air/gas “pop” which creates that cracking sound you hear.  The dynamic thrust that is used to restore a vertebra’s position must be followed by sequential multiple adjustments.  With time, innate intelligence will utilize these motions of specific force to make the ultimate correction. Then… guess what?  You have to retain it with check-ups and accurate adjustments to ensure the nerve is in proper tone. There is no such thing as the magic adjustment that your spine “holds” or one that creates proper alignment for the rest of your life.  We understand muscle memory works in two fashions. Either you have positive muscle memory or negative.  Train the muscles well by having a central nerve system free of interference. #getchecked

 

Do You Have Patience To “Get Better”

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Do You Have The Patience To “Get Better”?

Do you have the patience to get better?  As Americans we have a ‘fast-food’ mentality.  We want and need things NOW. Anything that takes time has to come with a warning label!  Who would enforce the warning label though? There are entire industries out there hoping that you are looking for the ‘quick fix’ and will feed on your need for speed.    We are becoming a society that expects the ‘quick fix’. However, we will almost always become disappointed with the results. What happened to patience? We must learn the virtue of patience.  With patience comes results…in everything.

Do Not Neglect The Time

Once you go to a chiropractor you will have to keep going for the rest of your life.  Have you heard this before? In a way, it is true. Your chiropractor should explain to you why this is.  Chiropractic care allows the body to heal and adapt to both external and internal stressors without taking medication, invasive shots, surgeries or other forms of western medicine.  Chiropractic care enables your body to accomplish this by focusing on the central nerve system (CNS). With a healthy CNS you will have a healthy body. It’s a fact. It’s proven. It’s science.  It’s the truth and no one can dispute the significance of a healthy CNS. What is required with chiropractic care? Patience and time. The body requires time to heal. For example, Think of how much damage is done to your tissue cells when you break a bone or get a cut on your hand.  Anything that damages the TISSUE CELL requires time to repair and heal. There is a lot to rebuild.

Patience Is Needed, Oh Tissue Cell

The tissue cell requires your patience.    Want to build muscle by lifting weights? Change the tissue cell.  Want to learn to play the guitar? Change the tissue cell. Want to change improper curves in your spine?  Change the tissue cell. We can keep going on and on about other examples, but what all of this points back to is the word patience.  When your CNS is not adapting correctly, the tissue cell learns negative memory. Change the memory with positive repetitive actions, e.g., chiropractic care.  This is why your chiropractor will tell you to come back again. #getchecked

 

Why Lions, Tigers, Bears and Lifting Fridges While Drinking Whiskey Do Not Mix

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Why Lions, Tigers, Bears and Lifting Fridges While Drinking Whiskey Do Not Mix

This statement itself is stating the obvious, right?  Hopefully you read the title and innately knew that this title was absurd and none of these activities or animals should be played with.  Now, we are not speaking from experience nor would we condone lifting a fridge while drinking whiskey and messing with lions, tigers, and bears.  What’s the purpose of this week’s blog, then?  The purpose of this week’s blog is… stating the obvious. 

Know Us Before You Need Us.

Most people judge their health by how they feel.  Since the first symptom of our Western lifestyle induced diseased state is typically death or some sort of life altering hospital visit, it is safe to say that assessing how you feel is not the most accurate way to measure your health. Stating the obvious.

Know us before you need us.  The ‘us’ is in reference to your chiropractor.  Only go to your chiropractor when you are in pain…said nobody ever!  Only going to the chiropractor when you are in pain is equivalent to eating healthy foods only when you are sick.  Stating the obvious.

It does not make sense.  Back pain, neck pain, and any kind of pain is no fun.  We understand that.  While chiropractic can help you with the pain and get you out of pain naturally, it does not mean you are better.  Healing the body is a process.  Ignore the process of healing and ADAPTING and you will begin the insanity cycle.  Stating the obvious.

Can I Get The Quick Fix?

Every cell, organ, and tissue is controlled by your Central Nerve System.  Since your spine protects the Central Nerve System, wouldn’t it be a good idea to keep it aligned?  Stating the obvious. 

The “one and done” adjustment does not work in chiropractic nor in life.  Buyer beware!  It’s the maintenance that counts.  Your health, or more importantly, the system that regulates your health (central nerve system), is no different than anything else in life.  It requires regular check-ups.  Stating the obvious.

The Truth…

Although regular checks-ups and the maintenance of the central nerve system is important, it is not a chiropractic law.  It’s nature’s law.  Preventing future problems from occurring and old ones from returning is continual adaptation to keep one in the ideal state of health.  Stating the obvious.

Myth: Chiropractic Is Addictive.

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Myth:  Chiropractic Is Addictive

You have probably heard people say that once you start seeing a chiropractor you have to keep coming back. Or that chiropractic is addictive.  While these statements are not factual, they do have some merit when in the proper context. When you understand how the body operates and was designed, being healthy becomes simple.

Being Healthy Is Addictive

Chiropractic is addictive or being healthy is addictive?  One is in the same.  Chiropractic is the study of life and what continues to make man live and be HEALTHY.  So, let’s break chiropractic down into general principles.  Chiropractic does not remove anything from your body (surgery), it does not add anything to your body (pills), it does not perform external interventions (lasers, lotions, potions, etc.).  After eliminating all extraneous “stuff”, chiropractic sounds pretty basic in this day and age of health trends.  Where does the addiction come from?  It comes from choice.

Adapting Is Addictive

When you understand that the human body is designed to adapt and heal itself, health becomes addictive. Why would you want to take, consume, or limit your body from what it actually needs?  Where does adapting come from? It comes from within your body, or it is innately given.  Innate intelligence – the mission of innate intelligence is to maintain the material of the body of a “living thing” in active organization – Chiropractic Text Book.

Living Through The Inside

The inside for this matter is the brain and spinal cord (collectively called the central nerve system, or CNS).  What is the importance of the CNS?  It made every organ, cell, tissue, and material of your body.  Every second the CNS is maintaining your life.  When the CNS has stress placed on it, the body begins to mal-adapt and become dysfunctional.  Regular check-ups via your chiropractor ensure that you have proper connection flowing through your CNS.  A healthy lifestyle begins from taking care of your CNS.  Being healthy is addictive.

 

Adjustment Vs. Manipulation… Choose Wisely

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Adjustment vs. Manipulation… Choose Wisely

Chiropractic adjustment vs. manipulation. What’s the difference? The difference is in everything that the Chiropractor does. Understanding spinal imaging and neurological testing is to comprehend what to adjust and what not to adjust. Something that is “moved wrongly” is considered a manipulation of the spine.  The difference between these words is based on the understanding and science of what they actually mean in the Chiropractic world.

What Is an Adjustment?

A Chiropractic adjustment is a specific force applied to the spine by the Chiropractor’s hands to facilitate the body in realigning a subluxation towards its proper position.  Proper alignment restores optimal nerve supply to the damaged tissues and cells of the body.  By removing neurological interference, the body can initiate healing without external intervention.

What Is a Manipulation?

Manipulation – “The action of manipulating someone in a CLEVER or unscrupulous way.”

A manipulation is a guess.  Some type of nonspecific, general, posterior to anterior spinal manipulation with no thought as to the location or direction of the spinal subluxation.   It’s an experiment on one’s spinal structure that is based off of subjective analysis.  Without objective analysis, over-diagnosing and improper care will continue.

Adjustment, Please!

Sure, people “feel” good after a manipulation because your body can be in a state of shock.  Imagine you have a sprained ankle and someone rips and pulls on it.  Immediately afterwards, your body goes into a state of protection and hormones surge all over the body.  An adjustment is not designed to make you instantly “feel” good, it is designed to make you instantly begin healing and adapt to create a normal physiological response in the body.  The Palmer School of Chiropractic introduced the use of x-ray in chiropractic practice in 1910.  The objective for doing so was to “verify or deny palpation findings and to verify or deny proof of the existence of vertebral subluxations.”

We don’t guess when it comes to your health, and neither should you!  Avoid being manipulated; get checked, and get the right adjustment for YOU.

Banish Seasonal Allergies Naturally

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Banish Seasonal Allergies Naturally

Fall in love with taking care of yourself. Focus on creating a lifestyle that supports your mind, body and your spirit. Don’t rely or turn to medicine and its probability.  Seasonal allergies do not have to hold you back from the world you want to experience. This is not a gimmick, fad or a sale.  Seasonal allergies become apparent when your body is failing to heal and adapt to the stress placed on it.

Why Do Seasonal Allergies Occur?

There are two obvious reasons.  First, we begin to spend more time outside and begin to acclimate to the changes that are occurring.  Secondly, your body is responding to the allergens that have technically always been here.  When the irritant/allergen is inhaled, eaten or touched, the body produces specific antibodies called immunoglobulin, which triggers the release of histamines. Once released, histamines begin ravaging the body. Blood pressure drops, nearby blood vessels dilate, and the spaces between surrounding cells fill with fluid.  This inflammatory response launches a cascade of miserable symptoms, from itching and sneezing to nausea and vomiting.

The Chemical Cascade of Histamines

If two people are standing right next to each other, breathing the same air, why would Person A start producing mucus buildup and sneezing while Person B is completely fine?  What is the difference?  It’s the same air quality for both.  There are MANY factors that are the same and MANY that are different.  Ultimately, it depends on person A’s central nerve system (CNS) and how it responds and processes the air.  Person A will begin to produce more histamines, but then will typically go to Walgreen’s and buy Anti-Histamines.  Person A fails to realize that their body is still making histamines and their “cure” is a cover-up for a couple hours.  They never truly address the cause.

Chiropractic “Heals” The Body

Chiropractors are nerve system specialists.  We focus on subluxations (misalignment’s in the spine) that irritate the CNS and cause damage to your tissues cells.  Cells of the immune system and inflammatory cells receive orders and communicate in their response via the CNS.  Stress can be defined as “a state of disharmony or threatened homeostasis provoked by psychological, environmental, and physiological stressors.”  By removing subluxations, your body is able to adapt and heal from the so called “seasonal allergies”.  Why deal with symptoms when you can go straight to the cause with chiropractic!

Why Do You Have Butterflies In Your Stomach?

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Why do you Have Butterflies in Your Stomach?

Have You Swallowed Butterflies?

A good majority of people have probably experienced an episode of butterflies in their stomach.  You may have felt this sensation before a public speaking event, asking a lady on a date or feeling embarrassed for some reason.   Butterflies in your stomach is technically not a sensation, but more of a reaction.  This reaction is brought on by your innate ability to protect yourself.

Butterflies In Your Stomach Protect You!

A branch of nerves called the sympathetic nerve system is also known as your fight or flight response.  When your internal monologue enters into survival mode, you automatically trigger the fight or flight response.  The Brain-Gut connection comes into fruition with this reaction to stressors.  The brain has a tendency to “overreact” and send more electrical messages to the gut when our body is responding to stress.  Basically, it’s the muscles in your stomach freaking out.

Balancing the Stressors

The central nerve system (CNS) goes to every organ, gland, tissue, muscle and cell of the body.  Chiropractic’s focus is to allow the CNS to function without interference or to remove the subluxation.  The subluxation is a “blown fuse” and your body reacts by expressing itself outwardly via symptoms.  Chiropractic adjustments do not “cure” the butterflies in your stomach; instead they balance your stress response by releasing ‘feel good’ factors in the body.  After an adjustment, your body becomes ENHANCED and begins adapting, particularity the pre-frontal cortex in the brain which controls your thoughts, emotions, and cognitive behavior.

Watch Out For Butterflies in Your Stomach

What can we learn from this?  As we teach patients about their health and well-being, we stress the importance of knowing us before you need us.   The best time to get checked and adjusted is before your event.  You want to make sure your body is firing on all cylinders and this begins with your CNS.  Your brain controls every cell in your body, even the butterflies in your stomach.  Keep your spine aligned and the connection flowing with chiropractic.