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Chiropractic Therapy

Chiropractic care is a form of healthcare focused on the spinal column and its relationship to health. The 33 vertebrae of the spinal column connect the brain to rest of the body through the nervous system. According to chiropractic philosophy, these vertebrae can become misaligned due to injury, stress, or other environmental factors. Misaligned vertebrae can interfere with the transmission of nerve impulses from the brain to the rest of the body. This miscommunication between the brain and other body parts can impede the proper functioning of the body, causing pain or loss of range of motion. Chiropractors believe that by realigning the spine, they can correct this problem.

The Origins of Chiropractic Therapy

Reference to tissue manipulations has been found in ancient medical texts from China (2700 BC) and Egypt (1500 BC). Manipulation was also practiced in civilizations across the globe including the Sioux, Winnebago, and Creek tribes in the United States and the Incan, Aztec, and the Mayan civilizations of South America. The Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, wrote that the spine "is the requisite for many diseases." Claudius Galen (129-199), another key player in the history of medicine, linked the nervous system to health. After the fall of the Roman Empire in 476, and the following decline of medicine in the Middle Ages, spinal manipulation again rose to prominence during the Renaissance when the practice of "bonesetting" gained popularity.

However, the birth of modern chiropractic care is attributed to Canadian-born energy healer Daniel David Palmer, who discovered chiropractic while healing a patient in Iowa in 1895. According to Palmer, a janitor had reported that he had been deaf for 17 years, after feeling something go out in his back while stooping over to lift something. Palmer examined the man's back and found that one of the man's vertebra was significantly out of alignment and after three treatments managed to restore the man's hearing. Two years later, after being convinced by his son, Bartlett Joshua Palmer, to spread his new-found treatment, D.D. Palmer opened the Palmer Infirmary and Chiropractic Institute.

Although D.D. Palmer is known as the founder of chiropractic therapy, it is his son, B.J. Palmer, who is credited with popularizing chiropractic care. In 1904, B.J. Palmer took over as administrator of the school (renamed the Palmer School of Chiropractic) and helped to spread the word about chiropractic care through his writings and teachings on the subject. In addition, the work of chiropractic John J. Nugent helped to legitimize chiropractic as a form of healthcare because he pushed for higher educational standards for chiropractic training.

At the core of chiropractic care is the identification and removal of misaligned vertebrae, sometime referred to as subluxations. This is done in two ways: adjustments and manipulations. An adjustment involves sudden, precise force to a specific vertebra, allowing the nerve impingement to be corrected and the bones to realign. This is a relatively painless process, but often you will hear a "pop" as your spine realigns. A manipulation, however, is a more generalized procedure that mobilizes and realigns the joints or increases range of motion. It is more similar to a massage or osteopathic treatment.

Chiropractors are divided into two camps -- straight chiropractors and mixers -- and the type that you see can significantly affect what your care entails. Straight chiropractors subscribe to D.D. Palmer's belief in the body's innate intelligence, which directs the body to heal itself. Thus, they see their job as focused entirely on the identification and removal of misalignment of vertebrae, allowing the body to cure itself once the alignment problems are corrected. Straight chiropractors are also more likely to use exclusively adjustments, rather than manipulations. Mixers, however, offer more holistic care, which, in addition to spinal adjustments and manipulations, may include: nutritional counseling, herbal medicines, and exercises or stretches. These chiropractors are often trained in multiple modalities of care.

Many chiropractors also recommend that once your existing problem is gone, you continue to see them every 3-4 months so that any vertebrae misalignments that occur can be removed before they begin to cause health problems.

A visit to a chiropractor typically takes about 30-45 minutes. During your first visit, the chiropractor will conduct a pre-examination consultation, during which he or she will ask about the duration, location, and severity of your symptoms. He or she may also ask about your health history (especially past injuries), as well as about diet, exercise, smoking, drinking, stress, and other lifestyle habits that could be affecting your health. Next, the chiropractor will conduct a physical examination, which includes observing the affected areas range of motion and how it affects the way you move (postural analysis). Some chiropractors may wish to supplement this examination with X-Rays, MRIs or other kinds of imaging.

Often, a chiropractor will not adjust you until your second visit, after he or she has had time to investigate the findings of the first visit. He or she will then create a treatment plan, which will dictate how often you have to come back. This varies widely from patient to patient, but you can expect that you will likely need to have multiple appointments a week at the beginning. Many chiropractors also caution that at the beginning of your treatment, you may not feel completely better, as your body adjusts to your new (correct) alignment.

Chiropractors are best known for their treatment of neck and back problems, especially the lower back. However, because chiropractic care is set up to treat the overall health of the patient, people see chiropractors for a wide variety of health issues. In addition to the typical problems of whiplash, sciatica, and bursitis, chiropractors also see individuals suffering from asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), headaches, hypertension, among other health issues.

Chiropractors are best known for their treatment of neck and back problems, especially the lower back. However, because chiropractic care is set up to treat the overall health of the patient, people see chiropractors for a wide variety of health issues. In addition to the typical problems of whiplash, sciatica, and bursitis, chiropractors also see individuals suffering from asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), headaches, hypertension, among other health issues.

Chiropractors must complete a rigorous course of education in order to earn a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. After earning a Bacehlor's degree at a four-year institution, candidates must complete a four- or five-year program at one of the nation's eighteen chiropractic colleges (http://www.nbce.org/links/colleges.html), where the chiropractic candidate gains a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience, while studying a wide variety of subjects, including: anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pathology, bacteriology, nutrition, public health, diagnosis, pediatrics, orthopedics, roentgenology, first aid, dermatology, toxicology, chiropractic principles and practice, spinal analysis, and adjustment.

Upon completing a D.C. program, a chiropractor must be licensed by the state in which he or she intends to practice. The requirements from state to state can vary. But, generally, obtaining a license includes passing the main sections (Parts I through IV) of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) (www.nbce.org). Optional sections are also offered in Physiotherapy and Acupuncture. In the state of Massachusetts, all licensed chiropractors have passed both the NCBE exam and Physiotherapy section as well as a Massachusetts Jurisprudence exam. Licensure for acupuncture must be registered separately with the Massachusetts Board of Medicine.