Friday 30 January 2015

Re two previous posts

The information was found on MS UK website, they post about many interesting theories etc.

"ms" patients higher risk of cancer, again I could have told them that,

The study reported in the European Journal of Neurology claims that people suffering from multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease affecting nerves in brain and spinal cord, have a higher risk of developing cancer, especially breast cancer.

Studies conducted earlier claimed that people with autoimmune disease may suffer from a greater risk of developing cancer but most of the studies detected no association between multiple sclerosis (MS) and cancer. Since this latest finding contradicts the previous findings, researchers say that additional research is required to determine whether or not there is a link between the disease and cancer.

For the study, researchers evaluated the data retrieved from the National Health Insurance System of Taiwan. They assessed the information on 1292 people who were diagnosed with MS between 1997 and 2010. They further matched each MS patient with four healthy people who were not diagnosed with the condition.

MS that is not considered as a fatal disease is a chronic and unpredictable disease. It normally affects people between the ages of 20 and 50. This autoimmune disease causes extreme fatigue, blindness, paralysis, poor coordination and more. There are more than 2.5 million people around the world living with MS.

This investigation was led by Li-Min Sun, MD, of the Zuoying Branch of Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

"Our study was a nationwide population-based cohort study, and it revealed unexpected findings," said Dr. Sun

The researchers noticed that those with MS suffered 85 percent higher risk of developing cancer when compared to the control group. There was a twofold higher risk of developing breast cancer when compared to the control group.

This study suggests that those with MS should be monitored closely in order to ensure the early detection of cancer.

Unsure of why the results of this study differs from the previous studies, Dr. Sun notes says, "The underlying genetic and environmental factors in Taiwan, which differ from those of western countries, might play an undetermined role. Additional large-scale studies will help improve our understanding."

Candida, I could have told them that, a high percentage of those diagnosed with "ms" have experienced stress

Anxiety or anticipation can often lead to a feeling of ‘butterflies in the stomach’ – which usually dissipates along with the source of the consternation.

But scientists have discovered that the nerve pathways between the gut and the brain that cause this phenomenon may also be linked to degenerative illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as some mental health problems.

Dr Anton Emmanuel, consultant neuro-gastroenterologist at University College London and the National Hospital for Neurology, explained: ‘The gut and brain share the same nerve chemistry and have a dialogue.

'That’s why when you feel stress and other strong emotions, such as fear, it leads to gastrointestinal symptoms, like rushing to the loo.’

A new study suggests that brain disease can be caused by an unhealthy gut because these signals also travel in the opposite direction.

The study, which was published in the journal Movement Disorders, found that sufferers of Parkinson’s disease had a higher prevalence of a condition called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO.

In SIBO, normally harmless bacteria proliferate in large numbers in the small intestine.

Symptoms include excess gas, abdominal bloating, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Nobody is sure how many people have it, as it often goes undiagnosed or is confused with irritable bowel syndrome, but estimates are of up to 300,000 British sufferers.

And the researchers suggest that the bacteria may produce chemicals that affect the nerves in the gut, which pass on the damage to the brain – and result in Parkinson’s and MS. Dr Emmanuel said: ‘We now think that neurological diseases such as MS and Parkinson’s are linked to the gut being more leaky, permitting pathogens into the bloodstream and causing an antibody response. Either the pathogens, directly, or the immune response, indirectly, may damage nerve tissue.’

The damaged nerves then transmit these detrimental signals to the brain.

In Parkinson’s, a small part of the brain becomes progressively damaged over many years, something that affects mainly older people. MS is the most common neurological disease in young adults and occurs when the immune system attacks the nervous system.

The two diseases affect about 100,000 and 127,00 people in the UK respectively. Both have wide-ranging symptoms, affecting movement as well as causing tiredness, pain and depression. There are drugs that can ease symptoms, but no cure or even treatments that significantly slow down progression of the diseases.

Scientists hope that this discovery will pave the way for new treatments for both these disabling conditions.

They are now mapping the ‘bacterial genome’, which will identify the bacteria in an individual’s gut – something they hope will ultimately allow doctors to prescribe tailored treatments for leakiness of the gut, improving neurological symptoms in turn.

Until then, the doctors’ body United European Gastroenterology urges people to maintain a healthy diet, including foods that boost good bacteria and encourage efficient digestion. This may have an especially positive effect on mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

They recommend eating plenty of fibre and probiotics such as live yogurt, as well as limiting sugar, processed foods, animal fat and the use of antibiotics, antacids and anti-inflammatories, as these cause imbalances in the gut.

Does misalignment cause brittle bones???????????plus why newborns should be checked


First of all, this is a bit of a misleading title because the first step in analysis is to check newborns for a misalignment.  While the likelihood of a misalignment is very high after a newborn undergoes the delivery process, it remains possible that the newborn is aligned perfectly and would therefore not need to be adjusted.
Whether a baby is delivered vaginally or via C-section, there is a tremendous amount of torque placed on the infant’s head/neck area when entering the world from the womb.  When interventions used to assist delivery such as vacuum or forceps are needed, the likelihood of a misalignment increases even more.
Therefore, there is a very high likelihood that the head/neck area is misaligned in a newborn following delivery, and this misalignment can create many detrimental health problems.  Here are the benefits for detecting and correcting a misalignment as soon as possible:
1. Improves Brain & Nervous System function
The developing brain of the human being relies heavily on sensory input from the body via the spinal cord.  A misalignment at the ‘fuse box’ area can interfere with the brain-to-body communication, thus impeding the function of the nervous system and slowing brain development.
2. Helps Bones grow in alignment
The bones of a newborn are cartilaginous.  They do not fully ossify (turn into bone) until the teenage years.  If there is an undetected misalignment from delivery, the bones in the spine can grow asymmetrically and this can create imbalances throughout the entire body as it continues to form.  Just like building a house first requires a level foundation, a spine requires alignment from the beginning in order to grow and develop properly.
3. It decreases likelihood of Scoliosis & Torticollis
Scoliosis is a lateral curvature in the spine that often continues to progress in adolescence and can potentially compromise the function of various organs of the body.  A high percentage of scoliosis cases are caused as a compensation for misshaped vertebra in the spine.  Balance in the spinal vertebra can dramatically decrease the chance of developing scoliosis.
Torticollis is a spasm of the neck musculature on one side of the body.  This pulls the head/neck in one direction and creates pain and dysfunction in the newborn.  Proper alignment can set balance to the muscles and prevent or correct torticollis.
~Noah Kaplan, D.C.
References:
http://www.chirotips.com/infants_need_chiropractic_care.htm
http://welladjustedbabies.com/why-parents-take-children-to-chiropractors


Occipital Neuralgia Helped by Upper Cervical Care

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Occipital Neuralgia is one of the most common diseases that people frequently confuse with migraines and other types of severe headaches due to the fact that THE SYMPTOMS ARE VERY SIMILAR!  Occipital Neuralgia is a neurological disease that occurs due to the inflammation and irritation of the nerves exiting from the top of your spinal cord through the top of your neck, and back up through the scalp.
Occipital Neuralgia stated simply is nerve pain that originates from the back of the head also called the occiput that radiates out along the path of the nerves.
If you have been diagnosed with Occipital Neuralgia or are experiencing pain in the back of your head or upper neck area or even if you suffer from headaches, read on and maybe this will give you an idea of what might be causing your problem. 

Symptoms of Occipital Neuralgia?

Occipital Neuralgia can cause a really sharp stinging feeling which is accompanied by an intense sharp pain at the back of the head and the neck. Common symptoms for Occipital Neuralgia include:
- Pain when moving your neck
- An unusually tender scalp
- Pain behind either one of your eyes
- Heightened sensitivity to light
- Throbbing pain that gradually starts at the base of the head and radiates to the scalp
Please note:  doesn’t this sound an awful lot like a migraine headache? 

Injuries to The Neck and Occipital Neuralgia

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 An injury to the neck due to some sort of accident such as: a car wreck, sports injury (especially with concussion), a hard fall etc. is very likely to tear loose the connective tissues that hold your spine together allowing the upper neck to misalign.  To make a long story short, months or even years later you are likely to develop symptoms or even worse Occipital Neuralgia. The reason being that injuries to the neck very commonly result in the misalignment of one of the two top neck bones, commonly known as Atlas or Axis; this leads to irritation and pressure in and around the brain stem, and upper spinal cord, which is the connection between the brain and the body. 
The brain stem ends where the spinal cord begins, and the spinal cord is literally a bunch of nerves that tell the body what to do. Every signal is emitted from the brain stem as the master control center of the body and the spinal cord nerves are just used as a channel to convey the signals throughout the body.
A misalignment in the upper neck affects you in two ways. First, your brain is unable to communicate with the rest of your body adequately, and secondly, a misalignment in the upper neck alters your center of gravity. When your head goes off-center, your spine creates abnormal curvatures below to compensate, and this results in the loss of normal spinal curves over time. This relates to the spinal cord in that; if you lose your normal spinal curves, then you lose the extra slack in the spinal canal and your nerves exiting along the spine can end up being under tension in certain areas of the spine, much like tightening a guitar string.  Your unique spinal anatomy will dictate where that tension ends up. 
The 3 most common spinal compensation areas that come under high stress in the human spinal column are:
1.  The upper neck
2.  The lower neck, upper back and shoulder area
3.  The lower back and hip area
Over time these high stress areas will become inflamed, symptoms will develop, and the spine will start to degenerate.  Please note that what you may see in any anatomy textbook only occurs 30% of the time at best meaning 70% of the time spinal structures are highly variable, and especially cranial nerves and spinal nerves.  Spinal nerves can begin and end in many different variations. 
With Occipital Neuralgia there are 3 nerves we need to consider:
1.  The suboccipital nerve – originates between Atlas or C1 and the Occiput.
2.  The greater occipital nerve – originates between Atlas and Axis or C1 and C2.
3.  The lesser occipital nerve – originates between Axis or C2 and C3.
Is it possible that an old injury to the neck has resulted in spinal misalignment and over the months and years since then the chronic irritation to one or all of the occipital nerves has resulted in pain in the back of your head that now radiates?

Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care In Boise, Idaho

If you have been experiencing Occipital Neuralgia, it would be a good idea to look into Upper Cervical Chiropractic care and if you live in Boise, Idaho we offer a free consultation to determine if Upper Cervical Chiropractic care is right for you.
If you have already gone the medical route hopefully you have come to the conclusion that just covering up your symptoms with injections or medications will NEVER fix a spinal structural problem.  
Upper Cervical Chiropractic care is designed to reposition your head and neck in the proper alignment so that the stress on your joints and muscles is removed and as the spinal structures begin to heal themselves, symptoms will start to fade away.  Specialized x-rays are taken to determine the nature and quality of the misalignment.  Infrared thermography is used to document irritation and interference throughout the neck.  Then the spinal correction is given using a precision touch to correct it.  
If you are experiencing occipital neuralgia, don’t wait!  Call an Upper Cervical doctor for a Complimentary Consultation to discuss your health concerns and determine if Upper Cervical care is right for you.
~Dr. Grayson Blom

All About Stress

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The number one stress on your body is not traffic, family or your job. Most people don’t recognize this stress because it is constant, beginning with our first breath outside the womb.  Without this stress our bodies would be weak, our bones brittle. You probably have guessed that the stress that I am talking about is gravity.  Astronauts that return from space have a seven to ten day recovery period because of their time in zero gravity.  In just that short amount of time without gravity, astronauts lose calcium from their bones and mass from their muscles and equilibrium. All of this to say, without stress our bodies would be weak. Stress is not our enemy and in most cases stress even makes us stronger.
Let’s use running as an example.  The physical stress from running forces the heart to work harder.  Your body, through a process called anastomosis, responds by creating more blood vessels around the heart so that it can be supplied with more oxygen.  Without the stress from the cardiovascular workout there would be no need for a more complex network of blood vessels around the heart.  So which heart is healthier?  Is it the one with more oxygen supply or the one with fewer blood vessels?  When our body is functioning properly it can meet the demands placed upon it.
It would make sense then to focus on not stress itself but our body’s ability to adapt to stress.  What can we do to help our body adapt to stress?
  1. Get a good night’s rest. ( Allows your body to recharge)
  2. Eat nutritious foods. (Gives your body needed building blocks to recover from stress)
  3. Drink lots of water. (It is the key component in many of our bodily functions)
  4. Make sure your nervous system is functioning properly.
As an Upper Cervical Chiropractor, I focus on the relationship between the spine and the nervous system.  When there is an abnormal shift in the spine it can cause an obstruction to the nervous system. For your body to adapt to stress properly, the nervous system must be able to organize the body to respond properly to the demands put upon it.
By keeping the nervous system healthy, you don’t need to be stressed about stress.
~Dr. Kevin Lin
http://precisionchirofl.com

What If I’ve Had Surgery Already?

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When it comes to severe neck and back pain, many people are desperate to find a way to make the pain stop. Concerns about the severity of the pain, along with the potential thought that they can lose function in their arms and legs lead people down the path of having a spinal surgery.
Who can blame them? When you are dealing with a pain so bad, the comfort of your own bed is the only time you feel relief, then surgery really feels like the only option that you have. Many patients will get surgery on their neck and their back in hopes that they will have permanent resolution of their pain.
While some lucky patients may get full resolution of their pain, many people will find their pain returns within a few months or experience a new pain following a surgery like a spinal fusion. This is often classified as a condition called “failed back surgery syndrome”, which is a true code-able diagnosis. Following a surgery like this, patients who are still in pain often go down a road of pain management, and can become addicted to powerful narcotics like oxycontin and Percocet. Others will seek out more natural methods like acupuncture.
Many patients after a spinal fusion are reluctant to have a chiropractor touch their spine. After all, who would want someone twisting or popping a spine that has plates and screws attached to it?
Fortunately, for these types of patients there is a better option. One of the reasons that orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons refer patients to my office is because I practice a form of chiropractic that focuses on correction of the Atlas. While many chiropractors rely on manipulation of all of the spinal joints to help the patient get relief, my office uses a very gentle and precise correction procedure that eliminates any popping, twisting, or cracking of the spine.
The truth is, we can’t alter (nor want to alter) parts of the spine that are surgically fused.  However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t improve the lives of these patients. Many of the patients who continue to suffer after a surgery usually have a problem processing pain signals into the brain. Often times, the processing of pain is related to malpositioning of the head and neck. When the head and neck shift out of place, then signals from the spinal cord going into the brain get scrambled and misinterpreted. This usually results in the body being more sensitive to pain than it should.
When we correct the positioning of the head and neck, the brain is able to re-establish normal circulation and the tension on the spinal cord become reduced. This allows for more efficient processing and communication between the brain and the rest of the body. The truth is, when the brain is talking to the body better, the body is able to deal with the problematic tissues that are creating those chronic pain signals through plasticity and neurological re-wiring.
The best part of all, is that we don’t have to tinker with a part of the spine that is fused and locked in place. Unless the head has been surgically fused to the neck, there’s a good chance that the answer to your chronic pain may just be as simple as getting your head on straight again.

~Dr. Jonathan Chung, D.C.
Keystone Chiropractic
www.chiropractorwellington.com

Breaking Chronic Pain Cycle of Fibromyalgia

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Chronic pain takes many shapes and forms, but we know that it has a huge social and economic burden. The Institute of Medicine reports that roughly 116 million, or 30% of the population suffer from pain lasting a year or longer. Although chronic pain isn’t a life threatening issue, it’s certainly a problem that has a dramatic effect on the quality of someone’s life. After taking care of hundreds of people with conditions like fibromyalgia, I know that these people experience quite a toll both physically and emotionally.
Perhaps the worst part about fibromyalgia is that there is no known cause or cure. It’s basically invisible to any blood tests or MRI studies, and most of the drugs available are for pain control. People with fibromyalgia may often be depressed, have anxiety, and have a sense of isolation because they don’t feel that their friends and family understand their struggle. This often compounded by the fact that their doctors have told them that the pain is psychosomatic, or just in their minds because no tests can reveal an underlying disease process.
In recent years, fibromyalgia has become one of the most published topics in medical journals. As a result, we are starting to develop an understanding of the disease on a deeper level to know that it’s certainly NOT just in the patient’s mind. Research is pointing to problems within the central nervous system and tiny blood vessels in the skin as likely causes of the deep body-wide pain. But what does this mean in terms of treatment.
For most people, drugs that target the nervous system like Lyrica or Gabapentin are the first line of treatment and many have had success. However, some patients can be sensitive to drug reactions, or their bodies may develop a high tolerance for the dosages. In cases like these, many patients start to seek out alternative therapies like acupuncture, reiki, and homeopathy.
Traditional chiropractic has also been a source of relief for many people seeking help with chronic pain. However, many people with the chronic pain of fibromyalgia can feel apprehensive about seeing a Doctor of Chiropractic because manipulations can seem too rough for someone who can barely stand to be touched.
Not All Adjustments are Built the Same
In chiropractic, there are dozens of techniques and approaches to correcting the spine. Some are heavy handed and require a lot of force, but others are very gentle and rely more on precision. It’s not to say that one is better than the other, but some are just designed for specific patient populations in mind.
In my office, I attract many patients with fibromyalgia, trigeminal neuralgia, and TMJ problems that are Secondary to a Structrual problem in the neck called Atlas Subluxation Complex. Most of these people are afraid to be touched, and gravitate to a lighter approach. This type of condition requires a precision type of adjustment called an Atlas Correction. This type of adjustment is so light, that most people often wonder if I even touched them, and then they start to feel their body change. Currently, only about 1000 doctors in the country are trained in this type of care.
This approach is effective because of the spine’s influence on the central nervous system. When the top of the neck shifts abnormally and moves improperly, the nerves firing into the brainstem become distorted. In this way, the brain is like a computer that relies on spinal positioning to operate normally. When there are garbage signals going into the brain, then garbage signals come out in the form of pain. This phenomenon in fibromyalgia patients creates a condition called central sensitization. This is the reason why people with fibromyalgia can feel excruciating pain from a light touch. It’s not that there’s a physical injury, but the nervous system is getting scrambled signals and is primed to experience pain.
This is NOT designed to cure you. The cure lies in the fact that the body is capable of healing itself. When you remove interference to the body’s self-healing ability, I find that people can return to a level where life is livable again. By breaking the pain cycle through the nervous system, you can impact the way stress affects the body and the immune system. By no means is this a cure all, but it can be a great catalyst to being steered back on the path towards a normal life. I’ve seen numerous patients who’ve been able to go from disability to working or resuming exercise again in a matter of months.
One of the greatest joys of doing this type of work is giving people a glimmer of hope. So many people are convinced that they have to live in pain, or have been told that the problem they’re having is all in their head. In my office, I’ve helped hundreds of people recover from chronic pain with this gentle procedure. However, it’s not for everyone. Only people with a problem in their Atlas can receive this type of care, and that requires a detailed Upper Cervical Chiropractic Examination to identify the problem. Sometimes a little bit of hope is all a person needs to start healing again.
~Dr. Jon Chung
www.chiropractorwellington.com

Migraines: Treat with Drugs or Naturally?

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Got Migraines?
If you are prone to migraines, then you can probably feel one coming on, long before it actually arrives. These headaches can be debilitating and almost impossible to get over. You become nauseous and any type of light hurts not only your eyes, but splits your head wide open. In the past, the only thing you could do was drug yourself with some form of headache medicine and retreat to a cool dark room. You could only hope that no one would make a sound until the pain started to subside, even then you would be groggy for days after the headache was over, and in constant wonder as to when it would strike again. In recent years, many people have turned to Upper Cervical Chiropractors to find the cause that relieves the stress and tension associated with migraines and the pain that they bring.
Is The Modern Method of Drugging Yourself A Good Idea?  
Of course, the modern method of drugging yourself until the migraine passes were much better than the remedy used 3,000 years ago, when they drilled a hole in your head to relieve the pressure. However, it has now been discovered that Upper Cervical Chiropractic specialists have the magic touch that can help the millions of sufferers in the world today.

Where Do Migraines Come From?
Migraines come from neck injuries such as car accidents, sports injuries, or even a slip or fall. Migraine headaches most commonly come from a fluid imbalance in the brain. It is known that a spinal misalignment in the neck can interfere with how blood flows in and out of the brain thus causing migraine’s. Can a drug fix this?
There are plenty of drugs that combat migraines and plenty of doctors out there that will prescribe them for you to help get rid of the pain. There are plenty of studies, however, showing time and time again that Upper Cervical Chiropractic care is safe and highly effective treatment for migraine headaches, compared with traditional medicine which is based only on covering up your symptoms rather than finding the cause. To be completely frank medicine is designed only to keep them at bay.
How Do You Fix Migraine Headaches Naturally?
Upper Cervical Chiropractors have demonstrated that migraines start in the spine and likewise correction of the spinal problem (the cause) results in restoration of health.  A paper published in JVSR demonstrating over 100 cases getting well via Upper Cervical Chiropractic care.  Is it better to fix the cause of a problem or just cover up the symptoms?
Migraines have been around for centuries, long before there was any type of medicine around to cover up the symptoms. If you suffer from migraines and you have realized that traditional medicine just isn’t worth the risk, we would recommend you schedule a consultation with our office to see if Upper Cervical care can help you.  Wouldn’t you rather find and fix the cause of the problem?
Upper Cervical care is a specialty meaning there are very few Doctors trained and certified to do Upper Cervical work. Finding one can be difficult.
Dr. Grayson Blom
www.uppercervicalclinicsofidaho.com
 

Good vs. Bad Exercise

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Almost all of my practice members ask me what type of exercise they should be doing and what things they should avoid.  This is such important information because doing the correct things between visits can help support your body’s ideal position and retrain the muscles and ligaments surrounding the spine to move properly.  This leads to improved function and performance, and ultimately helps the body hold the correction for longer periods of time.  On the other hand, doing the incorrect exercises can throw the body out of alignment and/or perpetuate a misaligned spinal pattern that can lead to pain, inflammation, imbalance, and dysfunction.
Good Exercise
Functional movements that support normal biomechanical motion such as:
  • Walking
  • Running (30 minutes or less)
  • Yoga
  • Pilates
  • Functional Exercise classes such as Crossfit, Bar Method, etc.
  • Pull-ups
  • Push-ups
  • Lunges
  • Squats
  • Planks
  • Presses
  • Stretching properly
Bad Exercise
Abnormal movements that put improper pressure on the head, neck, and spine such as:
  • Headstands
  • Bridges (with weight on head)
  • Sit-ups/crunches
  • Weight machines
  • Excess cardiovascular workouts (over 30 minutes)
In my office, Upper Cervical Chiropractic care serves to restore spinal alignment.  As this process is taking place, it is critical to support the spine with good exercise in order to train the body to move and function in its’ ideal position.
~Noah Kaplan, D.C.

 

What is the Proper Headrest Position for your Car Seat?

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The truth is that there is a proper position for the headrest that can increase your safety when riding in a car. The problem is that most people (including car dealers) don’t know what this position is, and therefore people are not properly fitted to their headrests when purchasing a new car. Before I get into the recommendations, let’s understand what happens to the body in a car accident:
In the United States, 30% of 6 million police reported vehicle crashes are rear-end collisions1. The most common symptom of whiplash or whiplash associated disorders (WAD) is pain due to mild muscle strain or mild tearing of soft tissue. Other injuries include nerve damage or damage to the intervertebral disc(2).
There is evidence that the risk of injury in rear-end collisions is independent of vehicle damage. In fact, little or no crush damage to a vehicle can result in injury with or without immediate symptoms like neck pain, headaches, back pain, etc. It has also been shown that if there is little or no movement of the head relative to the torso in a collision, people may escape neck injury even in severe crashes(2).
In a rear end collision, the head rises above the head restraint and there is a temporary straightening of thoracic (upper back) and cervical (neck) curves upon impact (Figure 1)(1). Head restraints contribute in limiting the neck distortion that occurs before the head starts to follow the torso. Effective head restraints reduce rearward motion of an occupant’s head in a rear-end crash and decrease the likelihood of sustaining a whiplash injury.
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Figure 1. Effects of rear-end collision
Recommendations:
A head restraint should be positioned at < 6cm below the top of the head or at least level with the top of the ears. The distance from the back of the head to the restraint should be as small as possible or < 6 cm from the back of the head
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~Noah Kaplan, D.C.
via Jeffrey R. Scholten Professional Corp.
Practice of Upper Cervical Chiropractic
www.practiceofuppercervical.com
1. Taylor, JAM, et al. Car seat head restraint. J Can Chiropr Assoc. (2005). 49(1).
2. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety www.iihs.org

Posture: A Window to Health

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Posture is a window to spinal alignment and body balance. Our body functions at full capacity when we are in balance.  Therefore, structural integrity dictates how our body functions on every level.
Benefits of Good Posture:
  • Improves breathing capacity
  • Improves brain function
  • Improves blood circulation
  • Improves digestion
  • Decreases stress on spine
  • Decreases stress on other joints
  • Prevents back pain
  • Improves self-image
Posture Tips:
  • Move your spine every day – walking, yoga, pilates, etc.
  • Strengthen core muscles
  • When sitting:  Keep knees, hips, and elbows at 90 degrees and use a low back support.
  • When sleeping:  Use proper pillows to keep spine neutral
  • Take breaks (change positions)
  • Chest opening stretches
  • Foam rolling for mid-back extension (foam roller is perpendicular to spine)
  • Superman exercise (either on hands and knees or supine on ground)
  • Seated row exercise with light-moderate weight
Here is why posture is so important to how our body functions: our central nervous system is the ‘superhighway’ to how our brain and body communicate with each other.  This ‘superhighway’ is protected by the vertebra of our spine.  When we have postural distortions as a result of misalignments in the spine, the nervous system function is compromised and health can often deteriorate.   This can lead to structural problems like neck pain, back pain, hip/leg pain, arthritis, inflammation and spinal degeneration.  It can also lead to neurological problems like Migraines, tension headaches, fibromyalgia, jaw clicking/pain (TMD), tingling/numbness, ringing in ears, vertigo, etc.
For example, a common postural problem in our computer society today is Forward head posture.  This position dramatically increases stress on cervical spine and over time leads to degenerative discs, pain, & inflammation.  Rounded shoulders can decrease lung capacity.   Rotation or tilting of the head can decrease blood flow to the brain.
body-imbalance-1Postural distortions are often the result of a misalignment at the keystone level of the spine: the Upper Cervical area at the top of the neck.  If this keystone is misaligned, even by a millimeter, it can create a compensation pattern below it.
An Upper Cervical Chiropractor is the only one who can properly evaluate this and correct it.
~Noah Kaplan, D.C.

Pain in the Neck

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It’s no surprise that our culture of sitting in front of a computer increases our chances of suffering from neck pain.  Forward head posture and slumped/rounded shoulders create abnormal stress on the cervical spine and increase likelihood for symptoms of pain, headaches, and neurological problems (like tingling/numbness in the arms/hands).  However, the postural stress is not usually the cause of the problem itself.  The underlying issue is usually a misaligned cervical spine (neck) that is exacerbated by postural stress.  The good news is that in most cases this problems is fixable with Upper Cervical Chiropractic care. 
Some studies estimate that nearly 90% of people will eventually suffer from neck pain at some point in their life.  Interestingly, neck pain is more prevalent in urban environments, especially among office and computer workers.  It’s also more common in women and more prevalent in middle age (35-50)
The cause of neck pain is usually a combination between trauma and environmental factors.  Trauma can include childhood falls, sports injuries, whiplash, or even a torqueing of the neck from the delivery process at birth.  This trauma can cause the spine to misalign and lock into a stressed position.  Over time, gravity will cause the spine to degenerate quicker than usual because the weight of the head is not being held up equally by the vertebra of the cervical spine.  This degeneration can lead to problems with the joints, muscles, ligaments, and discs in the neck, which can cause pain and neurological symptoms with the shoulders, arms, hands, & head in addition to the neck.
Let’s take a look at the picture below.  The left picture shows a healthy reverse-C curve of the neck.  The head weighs about 10-12 lbs. and we live in a gravitational environment.  This reverse-C curvature allows the neck vertebra to distribute the gravitational forces equally and act as a shock absorber.  The picture on the right is an abnormal curve due to misalignments that have not been corrected.  Over time, this abnormal curvature will most likely lead to degeneration, pain, and potentially neurological symptoms.
cervicalcurve







Treatment
The first objective should be to correct the misalignment and restore a proper cervical curve.  Upper Cervical Chiropractic care seeks to very specifically realign the C1/C2 area at the top of the neck in order to restore this curve.  The Upper Cervical spine acts as a keystone to spinal alignment on a global level.  In other words, by realigning the top two bones in the neck, the entire spine should come back into balance over time.  As structure dictates function, the realigned spine will decrease stress on the discs, joints, and muscles of the neck, almost assuredly decreasing symptoms of neck pain.
The other part of the equation is ergonomics & posture.  Realigning the spine through Upper Cervical Chiropractic care is the foundation of the treatment for neck pain, but needs to be complemented with proper posture, especially when sitting at a desk in front of a computer.  See my blog on creating a healthy workplace for tips.
Neck pain and headaches are the most common conditions seen by an Upper Cervical Chiropractor.  The good news is that if alignment can be restored, there is an excellent chance that the symptoms of neck pain and/or headaches will resolve over time.

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MS does NOT exist, it's beause of money making co's that this mith even stands today, we are alll victims.

Google, expanding its foray into medical research, will join Biogen Idec, maker of MS drugs, to study environmental and biological contributors to the condition’s progression.

The collaboration is the second major pharmaceutical partnership for the life science division of Google X labs, which has produced Google Glass and self-driving cars. Google X sees itself as providing the technical and innovative fire power for a “moonshot” in the health care field, said head of the division Andrew Conrad.

“Our central thesis is to change health care from being reactive to proactive,” Mr Conrad said. “We’re trying to understand condition at its onset and see if we can intervene early.”

Using sensors, software and data analysis tools, the companies will collect and sift through data from people with MS. The goal is to explain why the disease progresses differently from patient to patient, said Rick Rudick, Biogen’s vice president of development sciences.

“We used to see patients at the beginning stages of MS — two women would come in with optic neuritis, they couldn’t see out of one eye, they’d have some spots on the MRI scan, and they looked very similar,” said Rudick, who was previously director of the Cleveland Clinic’s MS program. “But as we followed them along, 10 years later, one would be a championship tennis player still and one would be in a nursing home. I never understood that.”

Biogen leads the market with five MS drugs and is using new technology to gather round-the-clock data on patients. It has run a Fitbit study to see whether fitness bands could be reliable data-gathering tools, and is developing an iPad app with the Cleveland Clinic to help physicians better assess their patients’ MS progression.

While Rudick and Conrad declined to comment on the terms of the deal, Conrad said it would probably be a multi-year effort.

MS affects 2.3 million people worldwide, according to America’s National Multiple Sclerosis Society. It causes the immune system to attack myelin, a fatty substance that coats and protects nerve fibers. Patients can experience tingling, problems with walking and degrading vision. Their symptoms get worse as MS progresses.

There are no approved cures, only drugs that help suppress the immune system or manage symptoms. Patients typically see their doctors a few times a year, meaning their day-to-day experiences aren’t catalogued.

More data may help Biogen develop more-effective drugs, or better understand which drugs should go to which patients. The experience of patients could also help Biogen prove the value of its medicine to insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, which are cracking down on high-priced drugs. MS treatments typically have wholesale prices of $50,000 a year.

After Chief Executive Officer George Scangos ran into Conrad at a digital health conference, according to Conrad. Scangos saw the opportunity to combine the search giant’s technical savvy with Biogen’s knowledge about MS.

“They bring great expertise in data analytics and technology, they’re sophisticated in their approach, they understand biology,” Scangos said, listing reasons why Biogen turned to Google instead of an academic partner.

The collaboration also deepens Google’s commitment to the health industry. Google X ventured into health care in January 2014 with the announcement of a smart contact-lens project.

The lens, developed to measure glucose in diabetes patients’ tears, was licensed by Novartis AG in July. Google X also bought health-tech startup Lift Labs, which makes cutlery that could counteract tremors experienced by people with Parkinson’s.

Conrad has 150 scientists working for him, including astrophysicists, theoretical mathematicians, oncologists, immunologists, electrical engineers and computer scientists.

“What I think and hope we’re good at,” he said, “is trying to do this moonshot, innovative thinking, where it’s OK to fail, and

Repost - Misaligned Atlas and Vagus nerve

misaligned Atlas and Vagus nerve

Information

We want to provide our patients with as much information as possilble to help them understand their health.  We provide this section to give the basics of spinal health and the principles upon which we operate.

Where Do All the Nerves Go?

Your nervous system controls and coordinates every function of your body. It is your nervous system that allows you to adapt and live in your environment. Chiropractic is a holistic method of keeping your spine, nerves, and energies functioning without interference so you can live a healthy lifestyle.

SpineUpper Cervical Spine, Upper Neck, C1 - C2

Head, face, upper neck, inner & middle ear, sympathetic nerve system, sinuses, eyes, auditory nerves and more.

Cervical Spine, Mid and Lower Neck, C3 - C7

Neck, shoulders, thyroid, tonsils, teeth, outer ear, nose, mouth, vocal cords, and more.

Thoracic Spine, Mid Back, T1 - T12

Arms, hands, heart, coronary arteries, esophagus, trachea, lungs, bronchial tubes, gallbladder, liver, stomach, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, ureters, adrenal glands, small intestines, and more.

Lumbar Spine, Lower Back, L1 - L5

Large intestines, appendix, abdomen, bladder, reproductive organs, lower back, lower extremities, ankles, feet, and more.

Sacrum and Coccyx, Basebone or Tailbone

Hip bones, tail bone, buttocks, rectum, anus, and more.

Upper Cervical Spine

Atlas AxisThe Upper Cervical Spine consists of two bones, the Atlas, (C1) and the Axis, (C2) at the top of the neck. Much of your nervous system passes through this vital area. This area is also the most movable area of your spine. Because of this, subluxations in this crucial area are very common.
Since this area is in such close proximity to the brain, subluxations here can result in an alteration to a large variety of body functions. Much of the body's nervous system messages flow past this point. This means that very large areas of the body are supplied by the nerves that pass through or near here.
Some of the areas of nerve supply that can be affected by subluxations in the upper cervical spine include your brain, head, and face. Nervous system interference here could result in headaches, facial palsy, sinus trouble, allergies, fatigue, cross-eyes, or dizziness.
BrainIn addition, if a pair of large and important nerves, the "Vagus" nerves, are affected by a subluxation in the upper cervical spine the parasympathetic nervous system function can be altered. These nerves are responsible for visceral motor function (control) of many of your chest organs as well as such functions as swallowing and your vocal cords.
Other areas that could experience functional changes that are controlled by the vagus nerve include such major organs as the heart, lungs, esophagus, stomach, gallbladder, and small intestines. As you can see, a subluxation affecting the vagus nerve can have a very wide and profound impact on the function and health of a large portion of your body.

Cervical Spine

Cervical SpineThe cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae. Shown here are the third cervical, (C3) through the seventh cervical, (C7) vertebrae.
When the nerves that pass through this area are involved with subluxation areas such as the neck muscles, the shoulder, as well as the arms and hands are affected. In these situations, problems such as neck pain, arm pain, numbness, stiff neck, bursitis, as well as many other musculoskeletal problems are possible.
Neck MusclesIn addition to these areas, nerves originating in this area of the spine innervate the throat, sinuses, nose, thyroid gland, lymph nodes, diaphragm, and other organs and systems. When subluxation is involved in these areas a variety of functional problems can result.
It is imperative for the organs, systems, muscles, joints and all other tissues in these areas to receive proper nerve signals in order for them to function as they were intended. Subluxation reduces this function thus allowing the areas supplied by the nerves to be working at less than their optimal ability.
As with any portion of the spine, subluxations in this area can also have an effect on other segments of the spine and creating imbalances, postural problems, and functional problems elsewhere.

Thoracic Spine

Thoracic SpineThe Thoracic Spine, commonly referred to as your middle back, consists of 12 vertebrae, (T1 - T12). This is the longest portion of your back. Each of these vertebrae has a pair of ribs attached to them. The nerves that exit out between these vertebrae go to muscles and other surface tissues as well as internal organs.
Some of the surface areas these nerves go to include parts of the arms from the elbows down, the hands, and fingers. Also the muscles of the middle back, the chest muscles, and muscles of the rib cage are supplied by nerves that exit out from this area of the spine.
Pain or numbness and other musculoskeletal problems may be just some of the possible results from subluxations affecting these areas and tissues.
The internal organs supplied by nerves from the thoracic spine include much of the body parts supplied by the sympathetic nervous system. This portion of the nervous system innervates many of the organs in the chest and abdomen including, the heart, lungs, bronchial tubes, gallbladder, liver, stomach, pancreas, spleen, adrenal glands, kidneys, and small intestines. Subluxations affecting these organs can lead to a large list of functional and systemic problems including, asthma, certain heart problems, bronchitis, blood pressure problems, ulcers, allergies, kidney trouble, and digestive problems, to name only a few. Most subluxations affecting these areas go undetected for a long time before a health problem is ever noticed.

The Lower Back

Lumbar Spine
Lumbar Nerves Lumbar Muscles
Pelvic Organs
The Lumbar Spine is the part of your spine commonly referred to as your "lower back". It consists of five large vertebrae, (L1 - L5). Although this is an area of the spine that many people recognize when they think of pain, the nerves that exit this portion of the spine have responsibilities for vital body functions. This area of your spine has the largest and strongest vertebrae and some of the largest muscles supporting it.

The nerves that exit from these areas are large and control some very large muscles. These muscles include the large and small muscles of the lower back, the muscles of the thigh, legs, calf muscles, and feet. The sciatic nerve has its origin from the nerves that exit from the lumbar spine. In addition to the muscles, many joints in this area are also supplied by nerves from the lumbar spine including the hips, knees, ankles and feet.
Many organs and tissues also get their nerve supply from nerves that exit from the lumbar spine. These include the large intestines, appendix, male or female reproductive organs, the bladder, prostate gland, and others.
Subluxations in these areas can have a vast affect including pain in the lower back, legs, or sciatic pain. Numbness in the back and legs is also possible. Muscle spasm or weakness can also result. Scoliosis and joint problems are also possible.
If the organs supplied by these nerves are affected, the possible results include, constipation, diarrhea, cramps, varicose veins, bladder problems, menstrual problems, infertility problems, bed wetting, urination problems, and poor circulation, among others.

The Sacrum and Coccyx

Sacrum
Sacral Nerves Pelvic Organs
The sacrum and coccyx are commonly referred to as your "base bone" or "tail bone". As a child the sacrum consists of five individual bones and the coccyx is made up of three to five bones. In the adult, the sacral segments and the coccygeal segments fuse so that each of these two bones are solid singular bones. The sacrum forms joints with each of the hip bones and helps to stabilize the pelvis.

The nerves that exit the sacrum and coccyx go to the tissues and organs in that area. These include the muscles of the buttocks and hips as well as portions of the thigh and leg.
In addition, organs and tissues such as the rectum and portions of pelvic tissues are also innervated by these nerves. As a result, some of the problems that may occur as a result of subluxations here could be sacroiliac conditions, hemorrhoids, scoliosis, and pain when sitting.

Spinal Nerve Distribution

This chart shows all the nerves that go to all the muscles. What happens if we cut a nerve that goes to a muscle?  We lose control of that muscle right? But, what happens if we put pressure on that nerve?  The muscle won't work properly, maybe muscle spasm, pain, weakness.
Spinal Nerve Distribution
 

Vertebral Subluxation and Nerve Diagram

Vertebral Subuxation and Nerve Diagram

Subluxation

NervesWhat is a Subluxation and what does it do to me?

First, the simple explanation.
In simplest terms, a subluxation (a.k.a. Vertebral Subluxation) is when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves. Spinal nerves are the nerves that come out from between each of the bones in your spine. This pressure or irritation on the nerves then causes those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over those nerves.
How does this affect you? Your nervous system controls and coordinates all the functions of your body. If you interfere with the signals traveling over nerves, parts of your body will not get the proper nerve messages and will not be able to function at 100% of their innate abilities. In other words, some part of your body will not be working properly.
It is the responsibility of the Doctor of Chiropractic to locate subluxations, and reduce or correct them. This is done through a series of chiropractic adjustments specifically designed to correct the vertebral subluxations in your spine. Chiropractors are the only professionals who undergo years of training to be the experts at correcting subluxations.
Now, the detailed explanation.
Subluxations are really a combination of changes going on at the same time. These changes occur both in your spine and throughout your body. For this reason chiropractors often refer to vertebral subluxations as the "Vertebral Subluxation Complex", or "VSC" for short.
In the VSC, various things are happening inside your body simultaneously. These various changes, known as "components," are all part of the vertebral subluxation complex. Chiropractors commonly recognize five categories of components present in the VSC. These five are:
  1. VertebreThe Osseous (Bone) Component is where the vertebrae are either out of position, not moving properly, or are undergoing physical changes such as degeneration. This component is sometimes known as kinesiopathology.
  2. The Nerve Component is the malfunctioning of the nerve. Research has shown that only a small amount of pressure on spinal nerves can have a profound impact on the function of the nerves. This component is scientifically known as neuropathology.
  3. The Muscle Component is also involved. Since the muscles help hold the vertebrae in place, and since nerves control the muscles themselves, muscles are an integral part of any VSC. In fact, muscles both affect, and are affected by the VSC. This component is known as myopathology.
  4. The Soft Tissue Component is when you have misaligned vertebrae and pressure on nerves resulting in changes in the surrounding soft tissues. This means the tendons, ligaments, blood supply, and other tissues undergo changes. These changes can occur at the point of the VSC or far away at some end point of the affected nerves. This component is also known as histopathology.
  5. The Chemical Component is when all these components of the VSC are acting on your body, and therefore causing some degree of chemical changes. These chemical changes can be slight or massive depending on what parts of your body are affected by your subluxations. This component is often known as biochemical abnormalities.
Chiropractors have known about the dangers of subluxations for over one hundred years. Today, more scientific evidence is showing the dangers of subluxations and the health benefits of correcting them. To be truly healthy, it is vital that your nervous system be functioning free of interference from subluxations. Our goal is to allow your body to return itself to the highest level of health possible by correcting VSC. Chiropractors are the ONLY health professionals trained in the detection, location, and correction of the VSC.

Subluxation Degeneration

It is important to understand the ongoing process of subluxation, and the effect time plays on the subluxated spine.

SubluxationSubluxation

This is a representation of one type of subluxation. A subluxation, as defined by the Association of Chiropractic Colleges is: "A subluxation is a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health." When a subluxation occurs it causes nerve interference in some portion of the body affected by those nerves. The subluxation causes changes to the structure as well as the nerves. These changes get progressively worse as time is allowed to work on the subluxated area of the spine. These changes take the form of ongoing degeneration known as "subluxation degeneration". By understanding the type and amount of changes, it is possible to reasonably estimate the time subluxations have been present in a spine. Having this information is useful in understanding the time and effort needed for correction.

Near NormalNear Normal

This is a side x-ray view of the neck. As with all the pictures you will see on this page, the patient is looking to the right of the screen, so you are viewing the right side of their neck. We will call this picture a "near normal" spine. Compare this spine with the ones you will see below on this page. Notice the normal forward curve of the neck. This curve helps absorb shock. Notice how each of the disc spaces between C2 (second bone in neck) and C7 are thick and even, this again is normal. Also notice how the front portions (right on the x-ray) of each of the vertebrae (called the 'body' of the vertebrae) are fairly square with clear and well defined borders. This type of arrangement is normal in the neck. Normal vertebrae in other parts of the spine also have similar characteristics to what we see here. When subluxations occur and are left uncorrected, ongoing relentless changes occur that result in damage to the structure and function of the spine along with nerve damage and the resulting problems caused from improper nerve supply.

Phase OnePhase One Subluxation Degeneration

Phase One Subluxation Degeneration is seen in subluxations that have been present for up to twenty years. This phase is characterized with a loss or change in the normal curve in the spine. On this example you can see that the normal forward (lordotic) curve is lost. This spine even has developed a reverse curve in the neck. The disc spaces have also begun to exhibit a slight change in shape. One good point is that the bodies of each of the vertebrae (the square part in front) still exhibits clean clear borders. Segmental motion may be abnormal but overall motion is probably not affected. Chiropractic reconstructive care for a phase one can take from 6 to 18 months. More than 80% of people with Phase One Subluxation Degeneration have no pain. Therefore, if left uncorrected, phase one continues to progress with time until it eventually reaches the next phase.

Phase TwoPhase Two Subluxation Degeneration

Phase two subluxation degeneration is normally seen in subluxations that have been present between 20 and 40 years. This phase has some of the same characteristics of the previous phase including a loss of normal curvature and position as well as an alteration in segmental motion. In addition, spines with Phase Two Subluxation Degeneration many times show a reduction in the patient's range of motion in that area. X-rays of a phase two begin to show calcium changes or buildup at certain levels of the spine. These changes are sometimes called by many names including spurs and arthritis. Disc spaces between the affected vertebrae are noticeably narrower and may appear to be flattening out. Although most people with Phase Two Subluxation Degeneration may not exhibit any symptoms, some may start to feel stiff or achy. Chiropractic reconstructive care for patients in phase two ranges from 1.5 years to 2.5 years. Again, if Phase Two Subluxation Degeneration is left uncorrected it slowly advances to the next phase.

Phase ThreePhase Three Subluxation Degeneration

Phase Three Subluxation Degeneration is caused by subluxations that have been continuing on for between 40 and 65 years. This phase has all of the attributes of the previous phases, only worse. The curvatures are abnormal, the disc spaces are vastly decreased and changed. Calcium changes on the spine are abundant in this phase. Normally, people in phase three have a restricted range of motion and probably exhibit symptoms of some kind. In phase three the vertebrae show obvious changes and mutations in shape. Projections made of calcium, sometimes referred to as "spurs or lipping", can be readily seen on x-ray. Chiropractic reconstructive care for patients in phase three ranges from 2.5 years to 3.5 years. This does not mean that at the end of this time that any or all of the calcium changes will be gone. In many instances the body adapts to the presence of the calcium and positive changes can only be measured from a functional standpoint. As before, if Phase Three Subluxation Degeneration is left unchecked it slowly advances onward into the next phase.

Phase FourPhase Four Subluxation Degeneration

Phase four subluxation degeneration is seen with subluxations that have been raging on uncorrected or altered for over sixty five years. Phase four is a grave condition that will negatively affect the patients longevity and quality of life. The massive amount of neurological damage caused by years of subluxation that have lead to phase four are probably taking a serious toll on this person's health status. X-rays in phase four show serious severe structural changes. Vertebrae exhibit massive calcium changes, disc spaces appear blurred, and the bones themselves appear fused. In this scenario the patient will have a severe restriction of range of motion in addition to probably a number of other health issues. Reconstruction may not be possible in phase four, but care can be directed to some reduction in subluxation with the goal of improvement in the quality of life remaining. Patients in Phase Four Subluxation Degeneration have a serious situation both structurally and neurologically, but they are certainly not beyond hope. Many patients in phase four report significant improvements in symptoms, conditions, mobility and quality of life.
It should be noted that the above are common guidelines and not hard rules. Every person is dynamic and different. People degenerate at different rates and heal at different rates. The further along your spine may be with subluxation degeneration the more strenuous and time consuming your road to improvement will be. For this reason we always stress early care to stop and prevent the advancement of subluxation degeneration. Of course, if you're not under chiropractic care, the best time to start is NOW!

Subluxation Degeneration Phases

Subluxation Degeneration

History of Chiropractic

D.D. PalmerPrimitive forms of chiropractic were used as early as 17,500 B.C. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, talked of spinal misalignment problems, and Germany has had "bonesetters" for years. Chiropractic as we know it started about 100 years ago.
The first recorded chiropractic adjustment was performed on September 18,1895, by Dr. Daniel David Palmer, a Canadian-born teacher and heater.
D.D. Palmer was born in 1845 on the Ontario frontier. At age 11, a business failure forced his family to move to the U.S. He and his younger brother stayed behind and worked in a factory until 1865. Then they rejoined their family.
By the 1880s, Palmer's thirst for knowledge led him to learn magnetic healing. This therapy used the body's magnetism to heal others. Palmer opened his first magnetic healing practice in Burlington, Iowa. A year later, in 1887, Palmer moved to Davenport, Iowa, where he started another practice.
Dr. Palmer was studying the cause and effect of disease. In Palmer's building, was a janitorial service, owned by Harvey Lillard. Lillard, who had been deaf for 17 years. Palmer asked how he had become deaf. Lillard replied that one day, when he had strained his back, he heard something "pop" in his back. For over17 years Mr. Lillard complained of hearing problems.
Palmer examined Lillard's back and found a spinal vertebrae out of position. Reasoning this to be the cause of Lillard's deafness, Palmer pushed the vertebrae back into place. As he expected, Lillard's hearing improved. Palmer theorized that decreased nerve flow may be the cause of disease, and that misplaced spinal vertebrae may cause pressure on the nerves. He reasoned, if the spinal column were correctly positioned, the body would be healthy.
This dramatic beginning caused a great deal of excitement, and soon exaggerated claims surfaced from activists and zealots. At first Dr. Palmer thought that he had discovered a cure for deafness. Because chiropractic challenged the traditional medical concept of health, a campaign was begun to discredit and eliminate the profession. This campaign is less active today.
One of Dr. Palmer's patients, a minister, took the Greek words for "hand" (cheiros) and "done by" (pracktos) and put them together to spell chiropractic, meaning "done by the hand."
Palmer decided to open a chiropractic school in 1897. By 1902, 15 people had graduated from the Palmer Infirmary and Chiropractic Institute, which was renamed the Palmer School of Chiropractic (PSC) in 1907. One of these graduates was Palmer's son, Bartlett Joshua (B.J.) Palmer, DC, who would become as memorable a figure in chiropractic history as his father.
Daniel David Palmer began some travels to the West Coast, and little by little, His son, Bartlett, took over running the daily activities of the school. Chiropractors, just as early medical doctors, were not licensed by the government A Chiropractors simply opened a practices after graduating from chiropractic schools. By that time, however, medical doctors were required to have licenses. This discrepancy caused continual problems for chiropractors throughout the first half of the 20th century. In 1906, When Daniel Palmer returned to Davenport, he and hundreds of other chiropractors were convicted of practicing medicine without a license. He was released after serving 23 days of a 105-day sentence, and paying a $350 fine. A year later, one of Palmer's former students, Shegataro Morikubo, DC, was arrested in Wisconsin for practicing medicine, surgery and osteopathy without a license. In a landmark decision, the judge and jury agreed that Morikubo was not practicing medicine, surgery and osteopathy. Rather, he was practicing something different - chiropractic.
In 1910, B.J. Palmer introduced the use of X-rays. In 1924, he introduced the neurocalometer to reveal more scientifically the location of out-of-position spinal bones.
Through the end of World War II, chiropractic became controversial under B.J. Palmer, the son of the profession's founder. He administrated the largest chiropractic college at that time, owned radio and TV stations, traveled extensively, and even hosted three U.S. Presidents - Coolidge, Hoover and Truman - at his home. In 1924, B.J. had the first radio station west of the Mississippi , WOC (or, Wonders Of Chiropractic). In 1928 he purchased WHO (With Hands Only) in Des Moines. However history will judge B.J. Palmer, it can be certain that without B.J. Palmer, chiropractic would not have survived the early ruthless attempts to discredit its healing ability.
Starting in 1944, World War II veterans could get government benefits. Using the G.I. Bill , returning soldiers enrolled in chiropractic colleges by the thousands.
Chiropractic is now second only to medicine as the largest primary health care provider in the western world. Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, grew from 24 students in 1906 to 3,100 in 1923. Today, there are more than 23 chiropractic institutions throughout the world Current enrollment at chiropractic institutions now exceeds 10,000 dedicated students.
Since Dr. Palmer's first primitive chiropractic adjustment, the art and science of chiropractic has progressed significantly. Acceptance among other health care professionals has resulted from advanced diagnostic procedures, scientific research, and sophisticated equipment