During the course of receiving chiropractic treatment for symptomatic relief, such as neck or back pain, sometimes we lose sight of the core principle of chiropractic: to enhance the recuperative powers of the human body.
Realize that your body has a powerful immune system and a wondrous ability to heal/regenerate damaged tissue. No drugs can match what the body makes on its own. The challenge is to enable the body’s natural healing capacity to manifest to full potential. This differs from person to person, due to a host of factors, particularly:
1. lifestyle habits (diet, exercise, toxin ingestion; i.e. smoking and drinking, and work and recreational activities)
2. history of injuries/ trauma resulting in spinal problems
3. genetic diseases
As a chiropractor, I can address #1 and #2; allopathic medicine is best suited for #3.
Chiropractic was originally conceived around the principle that the nervous system is a major player in one’s health status, as it connects the brain to the organs and musculoskeletal system. Since the spinal cord resides inside the spine, deviations in the spinal column could impede the nervous system’s ability to function properly, creating an opening for pain and sickness.
So when you receive adjustments to the spine, it’s true that the purpose is to reduce pain and improve flexibility and posture– but the primary reason is so that your spine doesn’t interfere in any way with your nervous system. It’s just one of the pillars for achieving optimum health.
So if you haven’t been in awhile, consider coming in and getting checked– misaligned vertebrae don’t necessarily have to cause pain; they can manifest as poor posture, loss of some flexibility, and a general achey feeling.
Dan Perez, DC
