Basic Principles of Chiropractic

The founding principles of chiropractic in many ways reflect the mindset of D.D. Palmer, the practice’s founder. While chiropractic has clinical concepts that underlie its use, the field is also based upon some philosophical ideas about how the body works.

Philosophical Concepts

Your Body’s Own Intelligence

D.D. Palmer criticized mainstream medicine’s reliance on medication to treat the body, when he argued that the human body possesses it’s own innate intelligence. This innate intelligence comes from bodily systems that are naturally designed to self-regulate and heal, as long as they are in working order. This working order, also known as homeostasis, is a dynamic balance, a state where the body’s systems are continuously adjusting and correcting themselves, to maintain homeostasis and keep you in good health.

Clinical Concepts

The Nervous System Regulates Bodily Functions

According to chiropractic, the nervous system is the most important bodily system for maintaining homeostasis and optimum health. Since nerves run along the spine to the brain, realigning the spine can be key to ensuring that the nerves are not hindered and are working properly.

Since the back is an abused and overused part of the body, it’s not surprising that these nerves can become misaligned. When a spinal vertebrae is out of place, the surrounding tissues and organs become irritated, and muscles tighten in order to support the back. These strained muscles can pinch and put pressure on nerves, resulting in ailments in seemingly unrelated areas of the body, such as the ears and head. A chiropractor’s job is to use his or her hands to readjust and align the spine, to release the muscle tension and its related issues.

Structure and Function are Intimately Related

A more basic principle arises from the idea that spinal alignment is key to a healthy, normal body: A rbody’s structure and the functions it performs are deeply intertwined with one another. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist is the result of pinched nerves; these pinched nerves mean that one cannot bend the wrist fully or flex the fingers. While the relationship of function and structure is immediately apparent on a macro level, chiropractic contends that this relationship not only hold for organ systems, but also for tissues and individual cells.

Since chiropractic also relies on the principle that the body has an innate intelligence and the ability to regulate itself, the field uses noninvasive procedures to correct issues of structure and improve bodily function. While chiropractic adjustments address bodily structure issues on a large scale, chiropractors also consult with patients about their nutrition to address structural issues on the cellular level.

Source:

What are the Basic Concepts? (2011) University of Minnesota.

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