How Chiropractic Adjustments Improve Body Function
This is an article written by Peter Kevorkian, D.C. This article appeared in Pathways to Family Wellness magazine, Issue #62. It is such a PERFECT, simple & clear explanation of how a chiropractic adjustment actually works and its effect on the body. If you want to understand why & how chiropractic works, please read!!
“Everything that takes place in the body is regulated by information contained in the brain and the nerve system. The brain is the control center of all bodily functions. The spinal cord and branching nerves send signals from the brain to control and coordinate the function of all the organs, tissues and systems. Nerves also send signals from the body back to the brain.
This relaying of electrical and chemical signals to and from the brain allows the body to function and adapt to everything that we do and experience. All organ systems and processes in the body connect to the brain, including the:
Heart and blood vessels
Digestive system
Production of hormones
Skin and sensory perception
Immune system
Muscular and skeletal systems
Detoxification and elimination of waste
Reproductive system
Respiratory system
Regulation of body chemistry
The brain controls all that we see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and feel. It is also the center for our thoughts, emotions, and behavioral responses, both conscious and subconscious.
The delicate brain and spinal cord are protected by bone. Pound for pound, bone is harder than cast iron or steel. In order for the body to be healthy, it must be able to adapt to internal and external forces.
The body can be subjected to experiences that may overwhelm its ability to fully adapt. These stressors impact the body and may create vertebral subluxations. Vertebral subluxations are disruptions in the motion and/or alignment of spinal bones with related irritation or obstruction of proper nerve function. Vertebral subluxations alter the ability of the brain and nerve system to properly control and coordinate the body, which results in decreased body function, adaptability, and vitality.
Vertebral subluxations are like static in a communication system. They prevent the brain from accurately perceiving what is happening in the body and from properly regulating bodily functions. Often subluxations are present without pain or symptoms. Left uncorrected, subluxations reduce the function of the body and may manifest in an increased aptitude for disorders, illnesses, disability, and disease. An unobstructed nerve system is essential for the body to be healthy and vital. Correcting vertebral subluxations with a specific spinal adjustment allows the body to function better. Free of subluxations, the brain and body function more harmoniously and adapt to stressors more successfully.”
There you have it! Clear & concise. Chiropractic is complex but not complicated. It is complex because each individual has their own dynamic stressors & patterns & ever-evolving adaptations that they are working with, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to chiropractic care. But it is simple in that the scientific principles and the overarching philosophy are basic, easy to understand concepts. That is just one of the reasons chiropractic is so powerful & unique!