The
careful manipulation of the spine is a traditional form of therapy that was
practiced in many cultures, including the Islamic world. The word
"chiropractic", however, was actually coined by Canadian-American
Daniel Palmer in the late19th century to identify the therapy, which
had been gaining recognition as a bona fide form of healing.
This
healing art form can be traced back to 2700 BC in the Chinese martial art kung
fu. It was practiced by the Greeks, Egyptians, and Syrians and is still
practiced in East Africa and by some Native American Indians. The Greek
physician Hippocrates offered a fair description of it when he said, "One
or more vertebra of the spine may or may not go out of place. They are likely to
produce serious complications and even death, if not properly adjusted…many
diseases are related to the spine" (Drury, p.46).
Chiropractic
healing had its "fifteen minutes of fame" in 1895 when Harvey Lillard
went to see his friend Daniel Palmer. Lillard had become deaf 17 years
previously when he stooped in a cramped position at work. During the examination
of his spine, Palmer found a prominent vertebra out of position. Lillard
confirmed that this spot had been a source of considerable pain when he lost his
hearing. Palmer manipulated and repositioned the vertebra after which Lillard’s
hearing immediately improved. After subsequent treatments, Palmer restored
Lillard’s hearing to its original, normal level. Still, the established
medical profession ridiculed Palmer and chiropractors are just now gaining
recognition as legitimate healers (Drury, p.46-47). Most insurance companies now
cover chiropractic treatments.
Recently,
there was a documented case of hearing restoration in the Danish journal Nordisk
Medicin in June 1993. It concerned a 54-year old man with lumbago and a
long-standing hearing defect. He showed marked improvement after a session of
spinal manipulation and his hearing had improved. It was found that the organ
of Corti in the ear had been impaired by the irritation of the nerves
leading from the upper spine (Drury, p.47). The ear and the spine may seem
far removed but they are actually closely related.
Looking
at the machinations of the spine, when viewed from the rear, it appears
vertically straight but is composed of a double crescent. The cervical and the
lumbar section of the spine form one crescent, and the thoracic and sacral
section forms the other, an inverted crescent. The angle of these crescents is
crucial to minimizing spinal biomechanical stresses (dcdoctor #1, p.1). Between
each vertebra there are openings, foramens, through which the bundle of spinal
nerves within the spinal column exit, extending to various parts of the body.
Free from the protection of the spine, make the nerves vulnerable to
misalignments, arthritic body growths, and inflammatory bio-chemicals from
nearby injured tissues that may irritate or impinge on the spinal nerve. This
irritation interferes with the messages, nerve impulses, affecting the signal
and the receiving cell, tissue or organ. Deprived of this information or
receiving distorted information, then starves the receiving organ or cells
dependent on the stimuli to facilitate the required tasks. This affects the
health of the organs or cells, which then become dysfunctional, degenerate or
diseased. (dcdoctor #2, p.1).
The
aim of the chiropractor is to realign the vertebrae in order to restore the
normal functioning of the nervous system. This allows the body to heal itself.
Misalignments can be caused by accidents, falls, stress, tensions and
overexertion. Misalignments of the spine have a tremendous impact on the rest of
the body. For example the nerves of the lumbar section affect
large and small muscles of the lower back, muscles of the thigh, legs, calf
muscle and feet. The longest nerve in the body, the sciatic nerve,
originates from the lumbar section and affects the hips, knees, ankles and the
feet. The large intestines, appendix, the male-female reproductive organs, the
bladder, and prostrate glands are some of the organs that are also affected by
the lumbar section. Misalignments, also known as subluxations, in this section
can result in numbness of the back and legs, sciatica, muscle weakness or
spasms, scoliosis (a side-ways curving of the spine), joint problems,
constipation, diarrhea, cramps, varicose veins, bladder problems, menstrual
problems and poor circulation for example (echiropratic, p.1).
Dr.
Neville Usher of the Santa Barbara Clinic in California reported in the Annals
of Internal Medicine that after 15 years of research and only using
chiropractic manipulation, he was able to cure a number of disorders like
occipital and facial neuralgia, bronchial asthma, circulatory problems, chronic
appendicitis and spasms.
Nevertheless,
chiropractic healing has continued to be challenged. T. Vondarhaar of the
Northern California College of Chiropractic once commented, "Chiropractic
has remained outside the mainstream of modern medicine because its major
premise, that the body has inherent capacities for health, has simply been out
of fashion in the U.S. and the Western world. The holistic view of health is
regarded with suspicion by the medical establishment because it does not rely on
technological intervention in the body – which can be measured and
controlled" (Drury, p.49).
Another
reason is the sense of competition. A strong belief among some physical
therapists is that manipulation of the cervical spine for those with neck pain,
muscle-tension headache and migraine contributes to stroke. Between 1925 and
1997, a documented 177 cases were reported with injuries from spinal
manipulation including arterial spasm, lesions of the brainstem, hearing loss,
balance deficits and nerve injury. In 18% of cases, death occurred. However,
through reassessment of these cases, it becomes less clear who the original
practitioners were. In some cases, the practitioner was a physical therapist or
a physician and not a trained chiropractor at all (Fabio, p.1-3).
Canadian
chiropractors have called for collaboration with the neurological profession
with accusations that neck manipulation causes stroke. Dr. Stan Gorchynski of
the Canada Chiropractic Association responds, "The rare possibility of
stroke associated with manipulation is well documented. It is not new
information. They [chiropractors] obtain informed consent from their clients
acknowledging the risks. The risk of fatal consequences is very remote at less
than three in ten million" (Healthworld, p.1).
Modern
chiropractors are trained to perform at the same standard as orthopedics and
neurologists. They also perform physical examinations and follow similar
procedures as in allopathic medicine (Healthnotes, p.1). Chiropractors of the
traditional school, however, work exclusively on spinal adjustments. Others mix
the traditional school with other methods such as acupressure, nutritional
counseling, ultrasound, and x-rays. Treatment is tailored according to a person’s
age, weight, build, overall condition and pain tolerance. The treatment is
painless with the occasional popping or cracking sound as in when one cracks
ones knuckles (Bruno p.1-2).
The
result is fewer drugs, less surgery and fewer hospital stays. Former Secretary
of Commerce in Pennsylvania Andrew Sordoni commented, "Based on my
experience, I firmly believe that chiropractic is the best method of coping with
certain health and accident problems I industry. Many insurance companies are
recognizing the benefits of chiropractic techniques and are paying for them.
This is most significant, as is the fact that the State Workmen’s Compensation
Acts are more and more recognizing the need for chiropractic services. These
bodies form their decisions and base their policies on statistics, not on
sentiment" (Drury p.49).
The
successes are reflected in President George W. Bush’s recent signing of
legislation that makes chiropractic healing a mandatory and permanent service in
the healthcare system of veterans. Called the Department of Veterans Affairs
Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 200/CH.R.3447, the law authorizes
the hiring of chiropractors. This includes medical centers to be established in
urban and rural areas with a variety of services for neuromuscoskeletal
conditions (Healthworld, p.1, 2).
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