By Dr. Jim Starr
“The Doctor of the future will give no medicine but will instead interest his patients in care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease”. - Thomas Alva Edison- 1903
“Look well to the spine for the cause of disease” – Hippocrates. 2800 years ago
A Doctor of Chiropractic is well prepared to handle many of health conditions beyond just back pain. With more than four years of chiropractic college training including over 4000 hours of study in Anatomy, physiology, Differential Diagnostics, Radiology etc, the graduate with doctorate degree in chiropractic is capable of examination, diagnosis and treatment of many common illnesses. Many ex-pats, not just American residing in San Miguel can feel confident about receiving similar quality chiropractic care as they have in the country of their origin. Although the common misbelief is that a chiropractor is only for back pain because of the great relief that patients experience, a D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) probably should be recognized more as a nervous system specialist than a back doctor.
The truth is, as Thomas Edison and Hippocrates stated, one of the keys to health and wellness is proper maintenance of the spine through chiropractic manipulation and therapy. Every organ, muscle, tissue and cell in the body receives nervous impulses that originate in the brain and spinal column. Therefore, it is logical that a healthy spine and nervous system is essential in overall proper function and wellness.
Is spinal manipulation painful? Dangerous? A proper delivery of a spinal adjustment is usually painless when performed by a trained specialist. After careful history and examination, your chiropractor will minimize any possibilities of danger and occasionally will make the decision to NOT manipulate an area if any risk is possible.
Is there any other way to correct the spine without the cracking of manipulation? Absolutely. There are special cases where spinal manipulation may be counter-productive and the use of a special adjusting instrument known as ¨The Activator Method” is applied to the patient when needed. This technique is often referred to as “Non-Force” and can be as effective and sometimes more effective that traditional manipulation. The instrument moves with such precision and speed that it actually moves approximately 300 times faster than a human manual adjustment. By applying the Law of inverse proportion to speed/force (more speed, less force) the same amount of power can be generated thus using this adjusting instrument will cause nothing more than of a little tap on the skin.
Many chiropractors trained in applied kinesiology, reflexology and acupressure, will use these techniques in addition to spinal correction because the source of complaint usually involves the muscular system and surrounding tissues equally.
If you are seeking relief for any type of musculo-skeletal challenge or seeking general wellness care, don´t hesitate to try chiropractic care. It could add years to your life and life to your years!
Dr. Jim Starr is a practicing doctor of chiropractic for over 40 years and resides full time here in San Miguel. He is a published author and professional speaker. He can be reached at drjimstar@gmail.com or 415-151-0983
Comments