History of chiropractic care
The practice of keeping the body healthy by maintaining a properly aligned spine may have its roots in ancient times, when the Greeks and Chinese wrote about manipulations of the spine to alleviate bodily pain. However, it was only after Daniel David Palmer of Iowa learned about spinal adjustments that today’s chiropractic care was born.
In 1895, DD Palmer made the first chiropractic adjustment on Harvey Lillard, who became partially deaf after a back “pop” while working in a confined space. Upon examination, Palmer found a sore lump that he thought was due to spinal misalignment that was responsible for Lillard’s reduced hearing. The misaligned vertebrae were corrected and Lillard said his hearing improved a couple of days later. Rev. Samuel Weed called Palmer’s treatment procedure “chiropractic” from the Greek words “cheiros” and “praktikos”, which means “handmade.” Two years later, Palmer opened the Palmer School of Chiropractic in the city of Davenport. His son BJ Palmer developed and expanded the practice in the early 1900s.
One of the most popular occupations in health care, chiropractic care is a non-invasive approach that primarily focuses on the neuromusculoskeletal system. Chiropractic specialists follow a practical approach to provide preventive care and treatment for health problems including the spine, nervous system joints, and pelvis. Examination of the patients showed that chiropractic care could improve the patient’s overall health once neuromusculoskeletal conditions are treated.
Chiropractic therapy is not dependent on medications, however it is dependent on the body’s ability to heal itself. A chiropractic doctor makes adjustments or manipulations of the spine. The positioning of the spine is believed to influence different regions of the body. Any type of subluxation or misalignment creates disease, pain, and restricted movement. In addition, it is used to cure neck pain, shoulder discomfort, joint pain and swelling, muscle spasms and much more.
Chiropractic treatments are normally safe when done carefully and correctly. Since it was first practiced, chiropractic treatments have been considered a dubious method of treating lower back and neck discomfort. Several doctors tried to eliminate chiropractic care and make people understand its possible dangers. Actually, manipulation of the spine has been linked to some mild to moderate adverse effects, with serious or severe complications in rare cases. However, studies and patient studies revealed that the health benefits far outweigh the risks of death from spinal adjustments and neck manipulations. That is why the practice of chiropractic care as an alternative health care method continues to this day.
