Chiropractic, the world’s foremost natural healthcare
science, is rooted in history as far back as the ancient Greeks. But most
significantly, in the late 1800s, the spine and nerve system were given
specialized, intense research and study. Daniel David (D.D.) Palmer, tutored in
his youth in the classics and health sciences and later a teacher himself, was
a man with an investigative nature whose intellect focused on the healing arts.
After years of studying human health and disease, he formed a hypothesis and
systematized the knowledge upon which the modern chiropractic science, art and
philosophy are based. Chiropractic concerns itself with the relationship
between structure (primarily the spine) and function (primarily coordinated by
the nervous system) of the human body and how that relationship affects the
restoration and preservation of health. Chiropractic employs neither drugs nor
surgery. It is concerned with the entire environment of the body and is based
on a properly functioning nervous system, which begins with the brain and
courses through the spinal cord encased within the spinal column. No part of
the body escapes the dominance of the nervous system. Spinal biomechanical
dysfunction—improper function of the spine due to slight misalignments called
subluxations—can cause a state of poor health in an area far removed from the
spine and spinal cord itself and can reduce the ability of the body to adapt to
an ever-changing environment. The slightest malfunction of the spine may alter
the regular transmission of nerve impulses, preventing that portion of the body
from responding with its full inherent capacity.A chiropractic spinal
adjustment (the application of a precise force to the specific part of the
spinal segment) corrects the vertebral subluxation, permitting normal nerve
transmission, innate recuperative capability and effective health and
adaptation of the person.The chiropractic student, during five rigorous
academic years of study normally completed in three-and-one-third calendar
years, is trained to know all structures and functions of the human body and to
recognize the interrelationship of all parts. Chiropractic education centers on
the concept of health, not disease. Chiropractors provide a highly appealing
primary health care approach because they do not perform surgery or prescribe
medicine. Chiropractic is sought increasingly as the public’s awareness of
their responsibility for health maintenance grows. If, however, a Doctor of
Chiropractic determines the patient requires attention from another branch of
the healthcare professions, that recommendation or referral is encouraged. Upon
receiving the Doctor of Chiropractic degree, most graduates enter private
practice. Others may elect to become an associate of an established
chiropractor, while some may decide to enter chiropractic education in a
teaching, research or administrative capacity. No matter the choice, the
individual is a participant in and contributor to the world’s healthcare
delivery system, providing a health service in harmony with natural laws. An
estimated 19.5 million people visit doctors of chiropractic in the United States
each year. Chiropractic is the care of choice, as the majority of people today
look for an alternative to medicine. We invite you to explore a profession
which focuses on lifetime health rather than short-term disease treatment.
Defintion
from palmer college of chiropractic web site.
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