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Why EVERY Person Needs a Chiropractor

It is amazing to me that in the year 2011 there is still so much mis-information about chiropractic. It is estimated that only 10% of people see a chiropractor. That statistic saddens me. I am confident that if people truly understood what chiropractors do, that number would be turned upside down. If you took a poll and asked people why would you see a chiropractor, no doubt the number one reason would be back pain, with neck pain as a close second. You might get a few people that mention headaches, better mobility etc. If you are lucky someone might give a great answer such as, to keep my nervous system functioning at its best! In addition, you would probably get some negative responses such as chiropractors are quacks and voodoo doctors. Yes, sadly some people still think this way.

Every person, young and old, has a spine. The spinal column is the bony protection of the spinal cord which is the lifeline of our body. The nervous system (made up of the brain, spinal cord and nerves) controls and coordinates EVERYTHING in our body. Chiropractors detect and correct spinal misalignments, or subluxations. I think it is easy for people to see the correlation to how chiropractic care can help back pain. People can understand that if a bone is out of place putting pressure on a nerve, that can cause pain. Likewise, it makes sense that if you correct that misalignment the pain should go away. But what if that nerve had a different function? What if that nerve controlled something more important like lung function? Or heart function? The nerves that come off the spinal cord carry important information from the brain to the body and from the body back to the brain. If something interrupts these signals (such as a subluxation) our body will not be functioning optimally. Over time the decreased nerve signals can have devastating effects.

Subluxations are caused by stress: physical, chemical and emotional. I do not know of one signal person that does not experience stress in their life. We are bombarded with it in our society. This makes chiropractic care essential to our health. I often hear people say, but my back feels fine, I don't need to see a chiropractor. It is very important to realize that many of the nerves in our body do not send pain signals. A person can have a subluxation and feel no pain. Many times pain is the last thing to manifest and when it does, it is a major warning sign. The best time to correct a subluxation is before it is causing pain. This is why regular chiropractic adjustments are so important.

The best time to begin chiropractic care is at birth! In most people, their very first subluxation occurs either while in utero or during the birth itself. The act of being born is a physical stress on the infant body. It is pushed and squeezed and often times pulled out of the birth canal. A gentle chiropractic evaluation for a newborn is the best way to make sure the spine develops properly and free from subluxation. Correcting spinal problems in children gives them the best opportunity to grow healthy and strong and can eliminate many of the chronic problems adults face today because it was not corrected when they were young. That being said, it is never too late to begin chiropractic care. I won't deny that the earlier you start the better, but I have seen first hand the benefits of chiropractic care in the elderly. I have had many patients begin care in their 80's and even 90's and experience a better life because of it.

The positive effects of chiropractic care are endless. Specific chiropractic adjustments can improve the function of your whole body by allowing the nervous system to do its job. That is a very powerful statement, but so true. Over the years I have been asked if chiropractic can "cure" many conditions, from allergies and asthma to ear infections and colic... the list could go on and on. It is extremely important to realize that chiropractic doesn't really "cure" anything. It improves the function of your nervous system and allows your body do the work. I can honestly say I never know how far reaching the effects of a chiropractic adjustment will be. I do know that it is making a positive change in the life of that person; that their body will function better as a result of it.

Cathy Boufford, DC