Chiropractic Neurology

Another Approach

Chiropractic care embodies many different approaches. There are over 50 recognized, distinct techniques that are vastly different yet aid in the success of healing. The common factors that link all of these techniques together may surprise you!

One of the difficulties is that chiropractors can’t agree amongst themselves as to why one technique works over another. Some techniques state that most problems are caused by a sprain/strain of the ligaments that hold the pelvis together and this causes the whole body to become unstable. Another technique holds that there are primary subluxations that are causing a pinching of the nerves, like stepping on a hose, so that the nervous impulses are restricted. A different technique claims that health issues arise out of a disc problem and that using specialized movements, a chiropractor can suck a disc back into place.

Doctor physiotherapist doing healing treatment on man's back.
Doctor consulting with patient about back problems.

Subluxation

The approach to chiropractic care wears many hats. There are multiple techniques that aim to benefit the patient! One technique uses orthopedic blocks to move the pelvis. Others have the patient sitting upright in a special chair or using a special drop table to perform maneuvers.

How do all these techniques work? To answer that question, we must look at what is actually happening at the cellular level when a patient gets adjusted by a chiropractor. Most would say that they treat something called a subluxation, or an area of debate among chiropractors.

For purposes of this discussion, let’s say that it’s where a joint gets stuck and doesn’t move as well as it could. All chiropractors can agree that their treatment focuses on the nervous system. They treat the patient so that the nervous system is affected in a positive manner.

The question is now – how does this happen?

Receptor Stimulation

When receiving chiropractic care, different receptors are impacted which signal the brain and enhance the stimulus in your body. The receptors that sense touch and movement are what chiropractors use to help heal people!

Woman having chiropractic back adjustment in rehabilitation clinic.
Chiropractor massage the female patient spine and back

Adjustment Benefits

Signals from the receptor are like exercises for the brain: The more signals, the more the brain gets a workout and the stronger the brain gets; whereas the less signals, the weaker it gets. The greatest number of receptors are in the upper neck.

People begin experiencing problems when their joints get stuck and don’t move as well as they could. What this does is cause receptors in the joint to not send the proper signals to the brain, which decrease the brain’s function.

An adjustment helps with this by:

FAQ

Why not get adjusted every day, all the time, to insure that everything moves the way it’s supposed to move?

The problem with this train of thought is an adjustment is very much like exercise. The proper amounts have the best results. Usually if something is done too much, the system becomes weaker not stronger.

How do you know if something is too much or not enough?

The best ways to know how much is enough and not too much is to do a complete physical and neurological examination, receive treatment, and recheck the findings to see if there is improvement.

Is pain a good indicator of health?

Unfortunately, no. Pain is usually the last thing to show up when there is a problem and one of the first things to go away. It is a very common experience that the pain gets worse while the patient is getting better. The nervous system comes back online, things start working better, so the patient perceives/feels more pain. At the same time the patient notices he or she can do more and function better. This is how you can tell that you are getting better, by what you can do not necessarily how you feel.

Need another question here

Unfortunately, no. Pain is usually the last thing to show up when there is a problem and one of the first things to go away. It is a very common experience that the pain gets worse while the patient is getting better. The nervous system comes back online, things start working better, so the patient perceives/feels more pain. At the same time the patient notices he or she can do more and function better. This is how you can tell that you are getting better, by what you can do not necessarily how you feel.

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