What is Chiropractic?

After a long hiatus, I am back blogging and will be discussing various aspects of chiropractic over the next few weeks. I have already posted a few times discussing chiropractic and complementary health topics, but I have decided to take a slightly different approach this time. This post will be about the general premise and theory behind chiropractic. I figured it was about time I put the horse back in FRONT of the cart! So you might ask, what exactly IS chiropractic? Well I am glad you asked!

Chiropractic is a form of natural health care that involves the bones of the back, which are called vertebra (plural: vertebrae), the nervous system, and the body! Chiropractors believe that the nervous system is the master controller of the body. Grays Anatomy, which is considered an authority in all things anatomy related, says that "it is the mechanism concerned with the correlation and integration of various bodily processes and the reactions and adjustments of the organism to its environment". Therefore, if the nervous system isn't functioning properly, then the body isn't functioning properly.

There are a lot of things that can cause the nervous system to not function properly, including a large number of neurological diseases like Parkinson's, Cerebral Palsy and strokes to name a few, but chiropractic theory states that another cause of nervous system mal-function is a subluxation.

A subluxation is a bone that is out of its proper position, and can occur anywhere in the body. Chiropractors are primarily concerned with subluxations of the spine, because when the bones of the spine are not in their proper position, it causes the tissues surrounding the joints of the spine can become inflamed, similar to when you sprain your ankle or get tennis elbow. Inflammation occurs when you have an injury and your body produces a variety of chemicals designed to address the injury and prevent injury. The nerves that supply every part of your body leave the protection of your spine through a hole formed between each bone of the back. These chemicals act upon the nervous system and the nerves exiting the spine and alter it's function which alters the overall function of the body.

A chiropractic adjustment is intended to restore the normal position of the subluxated bones of the back, and therefore help to return the nervous system to its normal function and affect the overall health and wellness of the patient through this restoration of nervous system function. This is the basic premise behind chiropractic philosophy and chiropractic wellness-care.

I want to point out that I used the word theory frequently. This is not because the chiropractic theory is not true, it is because the research to back the theory has not been completed. A great deal of research is under way to help us understand the theory, but research takes a large amount of time, money and multiple studies to research just one aspect of a theory. When Newton originally suggested gravity it was a theory, and one that was not well accepted at the time. But given enough time, more evidence was gained to support the theory, which is occurring in the chiropractic profession.

Now you have been exposed to the basic premise behind chiropractic and the chiropractic adjustment! Congratulations! Over the next few weeks I will be breaking this down more and discussing specific aspects of chiropractic care and the nervous system! Please feel free to ask any questions you have or any areas that you want explained in more detail.

The effect of manual therapy (chiropractic adjustment) and exercise on respiratory function

Summary

The article selected was a clinical trial that was conducted at Macquire University in Australia in the universities academic chiropractic clinic. According to the author, the occurrence of respiratory dysfunction in the healthy population is significantly higher than it is believed to be, and these can lead to more significant respiratory disorders later in life. The early diagnosis and treatment of the early stages of respiratory disorders may be useful in preventing more significant respiratory disorders later in life. The study was designed to study the effects of exercise and manual therapy on the treatment of early stages of respiratory disorders. The study utilized 20 healthy individuals, who were divided into 4 groups: an exercise only group, a manual therapy group, a manual therapy and exercise group and a control group. The three treatment groups had the Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and the Forced Expiratory Capacity in the first second (FEC₁) measured pre- and post-treatment for a course of 6 treatment sessions, while the control group had the same measurements taken at the same intervals. The results showed that the exercise only group saw a decrease in the FCV and FEC₁, the manual therapy only group saw a significant increase in FCV and FEC₁, the manual therapy and and exercise group saw an increase after manual therapy (which was the first treatment each session) and another mild increase after exercise (which was the second treatment each session), the control group saw no significant changes.

Critique

This article was very interesting as it clearly indicates the potential effects of manual therapy on respiratory function. Granted that this study was the first to look at the effect of manual therapy on respiratory function, and the group was perhaps smaller than ideal (although was large enough to prove to be statistically significant), it still showed the potential for manual therapy to be a good therapy for the treatment of the early stages of respiratory disorders. It is also important to note that the exercise post manual therapy group saw double increase in respiratory function, because statistically many of the active Chiropractors are providing their patients with exercise advice as well as performing manual therapies. The study indicates the need for further research into the matter to see if manual therapy is the ideal treatment for early stage respiratory dysfunction, as well as the potential impacts on pre-existing respiratory conditions.

Flu-be-gone

How would you like to shorten the duration of your next cold or flu? What if I told you it was possible with a natural product called Elderberry?

The cold and flu are caused by viruses, so contrary to popular belief, antibiotics will have no effect on these. You recover from these illnesses as your body responds to the presence of these viruses and creates an immune response that destroys them. Many research studies have found that Elderberry, an herb, can help you recover from the flu and cold viruses quicker.

Viruses function by penetrating the cells of your own body and replicating inside your cells. Viral genetic information is replicated so much inside your cells that the cell bursts, and then all of the viruses can go and infect other cells. This process repeats itself many times and the virus continues to grow inside your body.

The reason that antibiotics are ineffective against viruses is that viruses tend to live inside your cells, and therefore the antibiotics just can’t reach them. The way that antibiotics function is that they target the structure inside bacteria that provides energy for the bacteria, and this structure is different than human cells, so antibiotics are ineffective at truly dealing with the virus. However, when the virus is released from your ruptured cell, the antibodies produced by your body can neutralize the viral particles and prevent them from infecting other cells.

When you are ill (due to any cause, but in this example by a virus), the cells in your body release certain chemicals called cytokines that help to the body create an immune response to whatever foreign object is causing your illness. Elderberry helps your body to respond to the flu and cold viruses quicker by stimulating a quicker and enhanced release of these chemical signals. Elderberry specifically was found to stimulate interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Patients who took elderberry were also found to have a higher level of antibodies (produced by their own body) circulating in their body.

Studies have found that patients who take elderberry when infected with influenza say symptoms relieved an average of 4 days earlier than the control group, and also able to take much less medication to help them cover their symptoms. Elderberry has also been implicated to be useful for the immuno-compromised (such as AIDS and cancer patients) to help them develop a stronger immune response than they otherwise would be able to do.

So next time you get the flu and cold, don’t forget to go to your local health foods store, nutritional store, or even wal-mart and get Elderberry to help you get over it quicker!

Sources:

1) Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenze A nad B virus infections. J Int Med Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;32(2):132-40

2) The effect of herbal remedies on the production of human inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Isr Med Assoc J. 2002 Nov;4(11 suppl):919-22

3) Inhibition of several strains of influenza virus in vitro and reduction of symptoms by an elderberry extract (Sambucus nigra L.) during and outbreak of influenza B Panama. J Altern Complement Med. 195 Winter;1(4):361-9

4) Elderberry: cold and flu viral warrior. Alive: Canadian Journal of Health and Nutrition; Nov2003 Issue 253, p132, 2p, 3c

5) Sambucus nigra (elderberry). Alternative Medicine Review, Mar2005, Vol. 10 Issue 1, p51-55, 5p, 2c

The Tale of the Constipated Boy

I came across this article the other day in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics and thought it was very interesting. It is a case study of a young boy who came to a Chiropractic clinic complaining of constipation, and here is his tale.

The boy came to the clinic with his mother, who said that he had bowel movements at 7 to 10 day intervals, and sometimes even two weeks apart. She told the Chiropractor that he had been having this problem since he was born. His pediatrician referred him to a gastroenterologist, who diagnosed him with chronic constipation, and informed the boy’s mother that he would likely continue to have this problem.

His treatment at the time consisted of a diet that was high in fiber, high fluid intake and was also prescribed a laxative. He followed this recommendation moderately closely, and was still having very large, painful bowel movements, that would take as long as two hours. The mother noted that he had a bowel movement the day before the visit.

The boy had never had a spinal complaint or pain before, and upon Chiropractic examination was found to have a subluxation in his pelvis (specifically his sacrum was subluxated, which is the large bone at the bottom of the spine). The subluxation was adjusted, and the abdomen of the patient was also massaged along the course of the colon (which was based on anecdotal evidence that it may help the situation). The Chiropractor also recommended that the mother continue with the high fiber and fluid diet.

3 days later the mother and boy returned to the Chiropractic clinic to report that the boy had a bowel movement the day of the adjustment, and one 2 days after that, and she was excited because he had never had 3 bowel movements in 4 days before this point.

The mother reported that his bowel movements were much quicker, easier, and less painful, and the stool was much softer and smaller. Treatment was continued for a month, with a total of 8 visits, after which point care was discontinued because his bowel movements had normalized, and no more sacral subluxations were found. The patient never returned for more care, and a follow-up call 13 years later found that he was still experiencing normal bowel function.

Chiropractic care was able to relieve his 8 year long condition in just one month.

Sources:

1) Quist DM, Duray SM. Resolution of symptoms of chronic constipation in an 8-year-old male after chiropractic treatment, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2007 Jan; 30(1):65-8.

A Chiropractic Education

Unknown to many people is that a Chiropractic education is extremely thorough and in depth. The table below compares the education hours in various categories of a Chiropractic student versus a Medical student. These hours are for basic science education.

CHIROPRACTIC	COURSES	MEDICINE
520	Anatomy	508
420	Physiology	326
205	Pathology	401
300	Chemistry	325
130	Bacteriology	114
420	Diagnosis	324
320	Neurology	112
217	X-ray	148
65	Psychiatry	144
65	Obstetrics	148
225	Orthopedics	156
2,887	Total Hours	2,706

It has become the belief of some people that Chiropractors are less educated than their Medical counter-parts, but in actuality this is not the case. As the table above shows, Chiropractic students in fact receive more hours of basic science training than Medical students. Where most of the differences develop in the educational programs is at later stages. While Medical students begin to receive education in pharmacology and surgery, Chiropractic students receive training in adjusting techniques, nutrition, and physical therapy. Although many people think of Doctors of Chiropractic as back doctors, Chiropractors are actually capable to diagnosing and treating a great deal of conditions.

Chiropractic students are also required to satisfy requirements very similar to "residency" for Medical students, which involves about 600 hours of clinical practice in an internship that involves seeing patients, performing a patient work-up and evaluation, and performing an adjustment under the supervision of a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic. In addition Chiropractic students must pass several National Board exams, which are held by the Council for Chiropractic Education, in order to meet the demands of state licensure. The entire process is approximately a five year program that leads to a Doctorate degree. Once licensed, a Doctor of Chiropractic must attend continuing education classes in order to be aware of the advances and developments in the profession, as well as to meet the requirements set forth by state licensing boards, exactly like a Medical Doctor must do.

Although Chiropractors and Medical Doctors have different perspectives and beliefs, they are both well educated and well qualified as health-care professionals.

Sources:

1) Palmer College of Chiropractic, "How does one become a Doctor of Chiropractic and earn a D.C. degree?"
2) Shaw Chiropractic Group, "How well educated is a Chiropractor?"
3) National Health Federation Bulletin

Chiropractic Health Care: Wellness Care

Hello and welcome to my blog. This blog is meant to explain what Chiropractic health care can do for you and your family. I will present information as I progress through my education in a Doctor of Chiropractic program at Palmer College of Chiropractic. I feel it is fitting that the first post here be a broad topic over how Chiropractic works and the philosophy of a Chiropractic Lifestyle.

Chiropractic is an alternative approach from the medical model of health-care. The Marriam-Webster Medical Dictionary defines health as "freedom from physical disease and pain". However, Chiropractic philosophy strives for people to be more than simply free of disease; Chiropractic strives for wellness in people. Wellness can best be described as "an approach to health-care that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases" (dictionary.com). Chiropractors help patients to maintain their state of wellness through adjustments that are frequently, but not solely, to the spine, as well as through nutritional, dietary, and exercise advice.

The human body is a complex interrelated unit that is controlled by the nervous system which includes our brain, brainstem, and the nerves running throughout the body. All of the functions of the human body are regulated by the nervous system and unfortunately there are times when the nervous system can become compromised and less able to work effectively. Take for example when we are sick: when we catch a cold, many things start happening in our bodies, all of which lead to our immune system responding and killing the cold virus that has invaded our system. The nervous system plays a very important role in immune response, and if the nervous system somehow becomes compromised, and therefore less able to achieve its goals, then the body will not develop a very strong immune response and a person will be sick for longer. This type of situation is in all of our body processes and responses, and as a result the integrity of the nervous system is critical to the maintenance of wellness.

When you visit a Chiropractor, the purpose of an adjustment is to remove anything that may be compromising the nervous system. Take for example the spine which houses our spinal cord: if a bone has been moved out of its natural alignment, then it is possible that the nerves could be compromised, and it will not be as able to transmit its signals as well. However, once the compromise is removed by a Chiropractic adjustment, the nervous system is able to send signals at its strongest. After an adjustment the body is able to naturally maintain its optimum level of health and allow the person to lead a life of wellness.

These are the fundamentals of how Chiropractic works, and what Chiropractic philosophy is about: Wellness care.