Family Chiropractic Centre

The Principles of Chiropractic

Our Clinical Approach

The principle on which chiropractic is based is that the body has an inborn, or "innate" ability to heal and self regulate. That information which allows this innate ability to function is transmitted via the nervous system, the vast system of nerves that supply all the organs, tissues and cells of the body.

Interference to the nerves will either magnify, suppress, or scramble the varying messages to the body. This interference can lead to disease, pain, and other symptoms. A major source of interference to the nerves occurs at the spine. This nerve interference in the spine is referred to as a vertebral subluxation and is detected by the chiropractor as an abnormal motion, or a misalignment, of the spinal bones.

Correction of the subluxation via a chiropractic adjustment helps to remove the nerve interference, allowing the nerves to function properly. This, in turn, allows the body to heal and self-regulate.

What does this mean to a chiropractic patient?

A patient may seek chiropractic care for any number of particular reasons: pain (back, neck, headaches, arms, legs, etc.), numbness, tingling, or organic dysfunction (heartburn, menstrual cramps, colic, recurrent ear infections, asthma, bed-wetting, etc.).

Whatever the reason, the chiropractor's role is to determine if the patient's spine has subluxations (abnormal motion or position of spinal bones), and if these subluxations relate to the presenting condition. If subluxations are present, a treatment program to correct the subluxations should be recommended.

During the initial care, the treatments can be frequent (3-5 times per week). The duration of this phase depends on several factors: how severe are the subluxations, how long have the subluxations been present (regardless of the length of symptoms), and how well the body adapts to the adjustments that correct the subluxations. It is during this initial adjustment period that most symptoms subside.

It is after this initial adjustment period that the focus of treatment changes from the patient's symptoms to their spinal health.

• How healthy is their spine?
• Do they have subluxations even though they may have no obvious symptoms?
• Might these subluxations cause problems in the future?
• Have the subluxations been corrected as much as possible?
• Will their initial problem come back?
• How are the subluxations affecting their overall health?
• Should they continue care?

If subluxations persist, we recommend continuing care to stabilize the spine and correct any remaining subluxations as much as possible. Treatment frequency is reduced and adjustments are made over a longer period of time to stabilize the spine.

Continuing treatment helps minimize the chance of your initial problem returning, and more important, helps minimize the devastating effects of the vertebral subluxation.

Vertebral subluxations are devastating? What does this mean to the person's health?

Simply put, if a subluxation is present it can interfere with the nervous system, the master control system of your body. This interference results in a decrease in health potential, whether it is felt immediately or not.

It becomes devastating if it leads to disease, which may be irreversible, and may even be difficult to trace to the original cause (e.g., the spine).

A final stage of chiropractic care involves maintenance or wellness care. The goal of this stage is to keep the spine as subluxation free as possible, allowing the body's innate sense to regulate your body and keep it functioning to its maximum potential. Visit frequency is generally between once per week and once per month, depending on individual circumstances.