Our June newsletter is here! This month features back pain tips. You can read this newsletter here, or click the picture below for the printable pdf.
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Our Ancestors Invented The Wheel, We Made It Better
A Look Back
It has been more than a century since Chiropractic was introduced to the world. D.D. Palmer (the founder of the first Chiropractic college, Palmer College of Chiropractic) performed the first adjustment on Harvey Lillard in 1895. As one account of the story goes, Lillard was partially deaf. Following an adjustment by Palmer, Lillard’s hearing was restored. This single story raised many questions about the vast possibilities of the human nervous system.
The Healing Nature of Your Body
The more research that is done, the more we learn how much untapped potential our bodies contain. A simple task such writing involves such complicated communication and coordination from our bodies, and yet we are able to do it so efficiently. Our initial thought of the movement to the movement itself takes a fraction of a second. Yet in that time, our body communicates with itself from multiple areas with all sorts of different chemicals, electrical transmissions, neurotransmitters, and cells that must be involved. This simple example alone shows how our bodies are more powerful than we could have ever imagined.
When we look at its ability to heal, it is just as complex. Let us look at something as simple as cutting your finger. In the initial stages, you get signs and symptoms such as bleeding, redness around the wound, swelling, and pain. Looking at this from the body’s point of view, it has released several chemicals such as histamine and prostaglandin to help mediate the inflammation of this wound. The purpose of this inflammation is to cause congestion in the area of the wound so that your body has a chance to fight off any infections that may set in. Meanwhile, this inflammation also irritates the tissues, causing pain. The purpose of this pain is so that you are conscious of the injury and you will resist putting yourself in situations that can cause further injury. As your body starts the healing processes, there is interaction from other chemicals such as fibrinogen and thromboplastin that begin to build a scar over your wound to stabilize and heal it. It works like a well orchestrated machine. All of this occurs without us even having to think about it.
Everyday life is very strenuous on our bodies. We face illnesses and injuries on a daily basis that we are able to overcome. However, we all reach a certain point in our lives when we face something that our bodies are unable to repair on their own. During these crises, we need outside intervention for our bodies to recover. When we look at a broken bone, your body would be able to heal this wound itself. But without seeing your doctor to set the bone, it will take much longer if it is to ever heal properly. We could even look at severe cases of infection in which the invaders overwhelm our bodies, and without the use of antibiotics or antivirals, we would not be able to recover.
The Role of Chiropractic’s Intervention
Through everyday stresses and injuries, the joints of our spine and body may become subluxated. This occurs when they become misaligned and compress surrounding tissues, which limit their ability to move. Often times, the body is able to correct itself. But many times, they reach a point where they are unable to correct themselves, thus interfering with your body’s natural healing capabilities. At that point, they need intervention from a Chiropractor.
A Chiropractor corrects these subluxations by providing an adjustment. The traditional method for providing this adjustment is to do it by hand, providing a quick shallow thrust to re-align the joints and thus increasing motion and function. The number of times the adjustment is needed will vary on the severity. As we know, injured tissues can take several weeks to heal. During that time, the joints can subluxate repeatedly due to the compromised tissues and may need to be corrected more than once. As these corrections are made to remove interference, your body is able to heal properly and quickly.
What’s All That Clicking?
Often times with the adjustment, there may be some “popping” or “cracking” sounds that arise from the joints. These noises are called cavitations, which are indications of gases being released from the joint capsules. These cavitations may ordinarily occur with an adjustment, but do not indicate the adjustment itself. The noise of the cavitation causes a local neuromuscular response that temporarily numbs pain, thus patients may report liking the cavitation with an adjustment. But do not get hung up on this idea, as the joints do not always cavitate. The real power in the adjustment is restoring the alignment and motion of that joint. With some time, the tissues of those areas are able to heal, thus making the injury better. This is also an important concept to remember because we are all guilty or at least know of someone who is guilty of “self-adjusting.” The cavitation can be caused in joints that are NOT subluxated. It requires years of training and skill to locate and correct subluxated joints. Twisting or turning your own neck or back to cause these cavitations is not recommended and is a very dangerous game of Russian roulette.
Since Chiropractic first started, it has been constantly evolving. One area in its evolution is the method in which the adjustment is provided. In the 1960-s, Activator Methods was created as a way to provide a Chiropractic adjustment by using an adjustment tool, which has many advantages. Using this method is very safe, gentle, and controlled. There is no twisting or bending at the neck or back. Patients remain in a relaxed neutral position when adjusted, thus there is little to no concern about muscles that tense up prior to the adjustment or the risk of stroke. For those who have a phobia of their neck “popping,” it is an added bonus.
The Activator was invented right here in Minnesota and remains the most widely studied and used adjusting tool. There have been other similar adjusting tools invented, but the Activator is the only adjusting tool approved by Medicare. Since it is so gentle and safe, many doctors use the Activator tool with infants and the elderly. However, it is very effective in people of all ages. Doctors who specialize in Activator Methods require training beyond school to become certified.
Dr. Bobendrier and Dr. Huynh remain annually certified as Mankato specialists in Activator Methods. To learn more about Activator or to find a specialist near you, visit http://www.activator.com.