Any organism with a spinal cord can benefit from Chiropractic care. Our bodily functions are controlled by the brain, the spinal cord, and all the nerves of the body. "Chiropractic" comes from the Greek work Chiropraktikos, meaning "done by hand". The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the structure (primarily the spine) and the function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.
What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is an integrative therapy. The philosophy behind is that the body has an organizing and intelligent life energy. This energy allows for self-regulating and self-healing, and is also known as innate intelligence - it is what separates a living organism from a dead one, and is not restricted to the human body.
Subluxations
In Chiropractic, the dynamic movement of the joints of the spinal column is the key to overall health and vitality. The loss of dynamic spinal movement and physiological function creates a condition called "subluxation". Subluxations may occur from trauma, composition (how the body is built), transportation, birthing difficulties, lack of movement, performance, repetitive wear and tear on joints, and degeneration, to name a few. When a subluxation is present, it can cause malfunction of the tissue and organ function throughout the body. When the spine is free of subluxations, the body can function and perform to its optimum potential, improving communication, coordination, and control of the body as well as enabling the body's innate intelligence for self-healing.
Adjustments
Chiropractors examine the spine for subluxations and deliver a specific chiropractic adjustment. This is to restore normal spinal movements and to re-establish the function and activation of the nervous system. A chiropractic adjustment is a high-velocity, low-amplitude force applied to a subluxation in a precise direction. It acts as a reboot to the central nervous system in order to bring it back to base-level function. There are many ways to adjust the spine. Usually, the chiropractors' hands or a specifically designed instrument delivers a brief and accurate thrust. Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow, constant or indirect pressure.