We live in the age of great human advancement and improvements in technology, of which, are occurring at an exponential rate. Communication, travel, entertainment and endless other areas of life are continually improved upon. Yet, with all of the advancements in these areas, we also live in an age of decreased health and wellness. We literally stand a strong chance of becoming among the first generations of humans that have a lower life expectancy than those of the generations before us. Diseases and conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease have become common findings across our "modern" society. But enough with the hoe-hum, Debbie Downer, depressing news. Let's talk about the title of this blog post, and if I truly can offer you the "secret" to a longer and healthier life. Well, let me assure you that I can and the "secret" is something that has been around for over a century. So what's the secret, right? The "secret" really is no secret at all, it's Chiropractic care.
I am currently finishing up my Doctor of Chiropractic degree at Sherman College in SC. I am working with community members first hand as a Chiropractic Intern in our Health Center on campus and already witnessing the power of Chiropractic care when utilized on a regular basis. One thing continues to surprise me, and that is how little people, even those that have been under previous Chiropractic care, know about Chiropractic and why it is so much more than a means of addressing sore backs and aching necks. And this my friends is where we get into the good stuff!!! Remember the "secret" I promised?
So what exactly does Chiropractic do if it is not all about back and neck pain? Well, to understand this we have to think about the structure of the spine. Time for a quick anatomy lesson folks. There are multiple little bones that make up the bony structure of the spine. 24 of these guys are the "movable" vertebrae and guess what? They move. So these are the ones that I am most interested in as a Chiropractor to be. With this allowed movement comes a great deal of Range of Motion which is really important so that we can do all the cool and neat things that we need to do each and every day, like bend and rotate at our trunks and twist around all crazy when we cut a rug on the dance floor. So, you can see this movement is a good thing. Yet, with all this allowed movement also comes a possibility that one of these movable vertebrae moves a little too far to the point of getting stuck out of place. When this happens there is a strong likelihood that a pressure will be applied to one of the spinal nerve roots that directly exit off of the spinal cord through a small opening at the sides of each vertebra. Okay, so maybe that does not seem like a huge deal, but you have to trust me here, it is! With this pressure, there is an absolute interference that is occurring in the messages that the brain is trying to send out to the body through this spinal nerve root. (Think about what would happen to water flowing out of a garden hose if a gorilla were to stand on top of the garden hose). There is also a restricted flow of the messages going back to the brain from the body through this same affected spinal nerve root. Now pain could be a result, but it also may not be. Only 20% of all the nerves in the body are responsible for pain reception. That means that 80% of the millions and millions of nerves in the body have nothing to do with pain at all, and yet everything to do with function. That means that this 80% of our nerves are responsible for the function of every single cell, tissue, organ, and system in the body. Without these, we could not function at all. If there is an interference in the messages being sent through these nerves, there is a decrease in function. You could also say that the body is now in a state of dysfunction. And my friends, with nervous system dysfunction occurring over time, there is a strong likelihood that a state of dis-ease will follow.
Yeah I know, I know, that was a lot to absorb, but we have the technical stuff down now. So here is the important thing to take away from the above paragraph, bone on nerve is BAD. Now as a Chiropractic Intern, my job is to check your spine for these spinal misalignments that have caused an interference within the nervous system, which by the way has a name, Vertebral Subluxation. After I have located and analyzed the Vertebral Subluxation, I perform an adjustment. This is where I, either by hand or using an instrument, realign the vertebra back into its proper position and remove the pressure it has placed on the nerve root. Thereby, restoring nervous system communication at an optimal level, and that boys and girls is the "secret" to a longer and healthier life. When the nervous system is free of interference, the inborn intelligence and life force in each and every one of us can freely move throughout the body. The body is a powerful thing, and if given the opportunity to do so, can allow us to heal from many of the diseases and conditions affecting us today in the modern age of progression.
The fact that through my training, I have an opportunity to serve and love my community through the removal of Vertebral Subluxations, is nothing short of a dream come true. My goal is simple, to treat every person that I am privileged enough to share Chiropractic with, as I would my own family. Removing nervous system interference reconnects us to the Source. The very Source of life and our inborn healing ability. It is turning the light back on. And y'all, that is WHY I do what I do. So if you are not under Chiropractic care, please contact us by clicking the INSPIRE button on our homepage.
Namaste!
Dr. Chris
Prana Chiropractic and Wellness