Chiropractic was
created on the
principle that everything the body needs to heal itself comes from
within. This means that our bodies were gifted with an innate
intelligence. It is this innate intelligence that takes care of every
cell in your body. A large part of this inner system of communication
is found in the parts of your brain that control your immune system.
Although you are not consciously aware of this part of the brain, every
day billions of impulses travel through this important part of your
nervous system to constantly monitor and correct any problems in the
cells of your body. As a simple example, think of the last time a minor
cut you had was healed. Did you have to ‘think’
about anything to get the skin to heal, or did you just notice that
after a few days the body had healed itself?
But
what happens if this essential part of our nervous system is interfered
with or is not properly supported? The answer is a breakdown in normal
function begins. Chiropractors believe one way this problem can occur
is when the nerves that carry these messages are irritated at the level
of the spine where they exit. This irritation is the result of a
subluxation, which is scientifically defined as a minor misalignment
between joint. The theory is that a subluxation creates undue stress on
the involved joints, much like a poorly aligned hinge would make it
difficult to open and close a door. As this irritation continues,
swelling takes place. The swelling builds up and because subluxated
joints do not move well, there is no natural pumping action to help
remove this swelling, so the problem persists. When the swelling
reaches the point where it impedes either the circulation of the blood
flow to the nerve, the nerve itself, or both, nerve transmission
suffers.
The old model of this was
the classic story of someone placing a foot on a hose, with the foot
representing the pressure from the surrounding tissue and the hose
representing a pinched nerve that cannot carry enough nerve impulses to
the organs, muscles and tissues it supplies. More modern theory
suggests that in actuality, the pressure in the region of the nerve may
in the early stages aggravate it to send excessive nerve impulses to
the body rather than a lack of impulses. Some studies have demonstrated
that irritation to the nerves sets up a response of increased nerve
activity, which in turn triggers a reaction in the surrounding blood
vessels to contract. The decreased blood flow to the aggravated nerve
exacerbates (worsens) the problem even more.
In
either case of too much or not enough nerve stimulation, the important
measure is the effect on balance. When the nervous system is out of
balance in either direction, muscles, organs, and tissues suffer. The
principle of chiropractic adjustments (spinal manipulation) is to
restore this normal balance by restoring as much proper joint function
in the spine as possible. This takes the pressure off the nerve and
allows for repair and normal nerve activity to be reestablished. The
body then receives the correct messages to help heal any reparable
damage to the muscles, organs, or tissues.