Chiropractic Medicine
"Chiropractic (ki'ro-prak'tik) [chiro - Gr. prassein to do] a science of applied neurophysiologic diagnosis based on the theory that health and disease are life processes related to the function of the nervous system: irritation of the nervous system by mechanical, chemical, or psychic factors is the cause of disease; restoration and maintenance of health depend on normal function of the nervous system. Diagnosis is the identification of these noxious irritants and treatment is their removal by the most conservative method."
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Chiropractic is a branch of health care that is concerned
with the relationship between the nervous system and the function or
health of the human body.
Chiropractic focuses on diagnosis, treatment and
prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculo-skeletal system, with
special emphasis on the spine, under the hypothesis that these disorders
affect general health via the nervous system. Chiropractors emphasizes manual therapy
including spinal manipulation and other joint and soft-tissue
manipulation. Chiropractic treatments are often supported with physical
therapy modalities, exercises, nutritional supplementation, and
lifestyle counseling. Challenges to your nervous system will let Dr.
Kateri know specifically what you need to progress on your road to
better health.
A central premise of chiropractic is that vertebral mis-alignments or malfunctions occur in the spine and can produce interferences in the function of the nerve system which have remarkable and far-reaching effects by impairing the individual's health and performance. These mis-alignments are referred to in chiropractic as subluxations, and are corrected with spinal adjustments.
Your nerve 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. This is done through 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.
This chart illustrates the connection between
the spine, nerve system and all the organs of the body.
Optimal Alignment Equals Optimal Healing & Optimal Functioning of Your Body
Many people think that chiropractic is only for your back. This
misconception is easily understood. After all, chiropractors do work
primarily on your back. However, Chiropractic is about having an
healthy spine and nerve system, allowing your body to be as healthy as
possible.
Your body is controlled by three distinct nerve systems - the
central nerve system, peripheral nerve system and autonomic nerve system
(which is further divided into the parasympathetic and sympathetic
nerve system). All 3 parts of the nerve system must be balanced so that
they can operate in unity and create a truly healthy body.
Spinal joint fixation (subluxation) results in nerve irritation. This
nerve irritation (known as facilitation) leads to exaggerated activity
of the nerve, resulting in muscular tension, postural asymmetries, and
limited and painful motion. Other problems include chronic hyperactivity
of the sympathetic nerve system producing a variety of syndromes.
Chiropractic is great for low back pain, but it is also successfully remedies many other diseases and dysfunctions.
Please see Healing Therapies.