Chiropractic

Hello everybody. My first topic shall be on Chiropractic! Since I have already mentioned it in my previous post, I shall continue to share my experience and also what exactly is Chiropractic about.

Let me start off with my testimonial which I wrote some time back:

"I have scoliosis, uneven shoulders and hips, and Forward Head Posture (FHP) which led to many health challenges such as stiff neck and shoulders, frequent headaches, sleep disturbances, and constipation. Like many others, I learnt to live with it. I thought that everyone has their own health issues and it is normal. I have never heard of chiropractic until I decided to seek treatment for my scoliosis. I was upset with the ‘wait and see’ medical model as my condition has worsened over the years. 

Having started chiropractic care for only a month, I am already seeing improvements. In addition, I learnt a lot on how the body works, the importance of posture, the seriousness of subluxation, and how health challenges are common instead of normal. My FHP has improved slightly, my headaches are less frequent and my constipation is so much better now. It is also easier for me to fall asleep now as compared to how I used to flip and roll for an hour before I could sleep. I am so glad that my body is so responsive and is working really hard to heal. I will never forget my first chiropractic adjustment as it was such an unusual experience. The stiffness in my neck was gone, and I felt lighter and so energetic immediately after. I felt different emotions too. I was upset upon seeing my x-rays but I was happy and grateful upon receiving the adjustment.

Health is definitely a priority to me and I cannot describe how thankful I am to have learnt of chiropractic. I am looking forward to greater improvements in my health and posture. Lastly, I hope more people will get to know of chiropractic as it is truly an amazing and wonderful thing."

11 Jan 2013

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And so, I would like to share this amazing and wonderful, miracle-like thing with you. What is Chiropractic all about? It is not possible for me to explain it in just a few sentences or paragraphs. It may be a concept that is hard to grasp for some or it may immediately make sense to you. You may even need to experience it yourself. Whatever it is, I shall do my best to explain it simply. :)

Chiropractic was founded in the 1890s by D. D. Palmer who in 1895, restored the hearing of a man whom was deaf for 17 years through an adjustment.

Chiropractic is a natural, preventive, corrective and proactive approach to health and wellness. The concept of Chiropractic revolves around the Spine and the Central Nervous System. To understand how Chiropractic works, one has to first understand how the body works.

The basic function of our body makes up the philosophy of Chiropractic. First of all, we need to understand that our body is a self-healing organism, which means to say our body has an innate ability to heal itself under natural circumstances. For example, you fell and had a wound at your knee. All you need to do is to clean the wound and it will heal by itself. You need not apply or eat any medication. Whether is it just a cut, flu or a more serious illness, your body is constantly fighting bacteria, viruses, any foreign body or cancer cells and is constantly healing on its own.

Secondly, all bodily functions are controlled by the Central Nervous System which consists of the brain, spinal cord and nerves. Our brain sends messages to all different parts of our body and back through our nerves which travel down the spine. Our nervous system controls our senses, movement, heartbeat, immune system, digestive system, and basically everything. Therefore, proper nerve function is of utmost importance.

What is the correct alignment of our spine?
As you can see from the picture below, our spine should create a straight mid line from the back with level pelvis. From the side, the spine arcs forward in the Cervical region, curves backward in the Thoracic and forward again in the Lumbar area.

However, what happens when there is a misalignment in the spine?
The alignment of the spine greatly affects the function of the nerves. The nerves travel along our spine and exit out at each vertebra as shown below. When there is spinal misalignment, which is also known as Subluxation, it puts tremendous amounts of pressure and irritation on the delicate nerves and interrupts the nerve supply. Depending on which nerves are affected, different types of health breakdowns occur.

Below are some of the effects of Subluxation.

What can Chiropractic help with?
Many people come in to our office to seek treatment for symptoms and conditions like migraines, neck pain, shoulder tension, back pain, knee pain, slipped disc and scoliosis. However there is much more Chiropractic can help with. Besides improving those symptoms and conditions mentioned above, Chiropractic can help to improve eye sight, hearing, sense of smell and taste, breathing, digestive system, sleeping patterns, energy level, muscle strength and coordination, lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure, boost immune system, and even improve the condition of skin, hair and nails.

How does Chiropractic work?
Chiropractic works by removing pressure off the spine and nerves through spinal adjustments which thereafter allow the body to heal on its own as interference to the nervous system is reduced. Different types of exercises and traction are also prescribed to enhance the healing process. Chiropractors also educate the public on ways to improve lifestyle, posture, nutrition and overall health.

A balanced and proactive lifestyle is emphasized in Chiropractic care. Some of the causes of health breakdowns include poor posture, spinal misalignment, poor nutrition, deficiency in certain vitamins or minerals, lack of exercise and lack of sleep.  (I will touch on these subjects in subsequent posts.) Therefore, it is important to believe in your body's innate intelligence and fuel your body with proper nutrition to repair your body and fight off diseases rather than relying on medications whenever a problem comes up. Often times, when things come up, people may attribute it to bad luck or question if it is due to heredity or old age, but have they ever reflected on their lifestyle or their bad habits that may have been the cause of the problems they are facing now?

Why take a reactive approach towards health? Why not take good care of our health now and prevent things from happening by equipping ourselves with the right information and knowledge so as to live a good quality life in many years and decades to come? Instead of adding years to our life, we should be adding life to our years.

Some people may think they are healthy thus they do not require Chiropractic. Most people determine whether they are healthy or not through the presence or absence of symptoms and pain. However, that may not be a good indicator of health as only 10% of our nervous system perceives pain. Therefore, problems can be developing with or without your knowledge. Whether you have symptoms or not, Chiropractic can help you achieve and maintain your optimal health.

Some people may think they are too busy to think about their health. But if you do not take good care of your health now, when do you think you will be taking care of it? When you are sick and suffering? Some people may think of Chiropractic as costly. But is your health not worth your wealth? There are many people who have lost their health and are struggling to find it back by spending thousands of dollars on this medication or that treatment, therapy or surgery, but will they ever find true health back? You may have not cared about your health before, maybe you think you are young or maybe you did not know better because nobody told you, but now I am telling you, as long as you are still alive and kicking, it's never too late to start cherishing your health now. Do not wait till it's too late. Start educating yourself, start educating your loved ones, and educate the next generation.

To others, Chiropractic may be a treatment but to me, Chiropractic is a lifestyle. The importance of health can be explained to one, but it takes that individual to feel and experience for himself to be in sync with good health. I hope that you will be inspired to take that step towards great health today! :)



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