What Exactly is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is the philosophy, art, and science of all things natural, centered on adjusting the spine to enhance the body's innate healing ability. Instead of focusing solely on symptoms, chiropractors seek to find the root cause of disease by viewing the body as a whole, particularly the spine and its influence on the nervous system. While every chiropractor has a unique approach to their philosophy, art, and science, their common goal is to free the nervous system from interference, enabling patients to live without neurological disruption.
The concept of subluxation—when vertebrae lose proper alignment, causing interference with nerve impulses—is central to chiropractic care, with causes always linked to toxins, trauma, or thoughts (the 3 Ts), which can be either micro or macro in nature. Think BIG car crash (Big T) or lifting heavy packages all day with bad body mechanics (little t). Both Little t and Big T can have the same effect on the body. These factors are stored in the body and can lead to pathologies (problems) in the future.
When I started my Chiropractic journey, I had no idea how amazing the world of chiropractic can be. It is not just a form of treatment for back pain or doctors that crack your back; it is a mindset of looking at the body as a whole and seeing where the least invasive techniques (adjustments) can have the greatest effects on the patient's nervous system to assist in their healing journey.
I get so excited to learn more and more about chiropractic and to share this information with the world (via this website I just created). Chiropractic means so much to people, and I hope to be able to embody some of that passion by continuing to train, practice, and preach what chiropractic means to me.
Philosophy
Philosophy is traditionally divided into five key branches: metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, politics, and aesthetics. Metaphysics deals with the nature of reality, asking fundamental questions about existence and what is real. Epistemology, often associated with science, explores the nature of knowledge and how we come to understand the world. Ethics, particularly relevant in business, focuses on what is morally right and wrong in human actions. Politics examines the principles and systems of governance, while aesthetics concerns itself with the nature of beauty, art, and taste.
Art
The "art" is where chiropractic has been getting a lot of its attention. The "snap, crackle, and pop" sounds that you hear on social media, or horror stories that you hear from our friend's uncle who has 4 lumbar disc fusions. On the contrary, think of the art of chiropractic just as you would a musician or a painter; each artist gets to study, practice, and implement whatever technique they want (while also taking into consideration what patient appears in front of them or if they are bound by any legalities for insurance reasons or safety reasons). All art forms of chiropractic will look and feel different. Some practitioners will never attempt or study another technique. Some chiropractors will choose to learn and practice all different techniques while others will only focus on their style and sharpen their skills to a fine blade.
It is hard to imagine I could name all techniques and variations of techniques or possibly give tribute to them all since they are as unique to each practitioner as their fingerprints. Techniques that were offered as courses at my chiropractic school included (but probably not limited to) Diversified, Gonstead, Activator, Drop Table, Bio-Geometrical Integration (BGI), Upper Cervical, Toggle, Blair, NUCCA, knee-chest, and Network. (One day I will put links for all of these techniques)
There are even variations and techniques that are specialized for babies, infants, prenatal, postnatal, and the elderly, to name a few! All this being said, the art form is what you will often see in the media, but please keep an open mind and don't be afraid to experience them all!
Science
SCIENCE!! Does chiropractic work? What are we cracking? Do chiropractors only help with low back pain? All sorts of questions come up for the science of this incredible healing practice. How each practitioner wants to approach their science is just as varied as the Art and the Philosophy. In your practice, you can check for subluxations or vertebral misalignments in many ways: X-Rays, palpation (feeling), checking ranges of motion, performing neurological tests or orthopedic tests; there is no right or wrong way, just whatever helps each doctor come to a conclusion of how they can best help you through chiropractic.