Guest Writer for Wake Up World
In 1895, something extraordinary happened. A man by the name of D.D. Palmer cured another man, Harvey Lillard, of his 18 year bout with deafness.
D.D. Palmer was a natural healer, and upon examination of Harvey he found a vertebra in his spine that was in an abnormal position. D.D. corrected the position of this vertebra several times (varied sources give varied counts of corrections), and Harvey could hear again. News spread all over the United States that someone had found the cure for deafness, and persons with deafness and their families started pouring themselves into D.D.’s city of Davenport, Iowa.
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I’m sure your instincts tell you the next part of this story; the other cases of deafness were not cured from correcting mal-positioned vertebrae, like Harvey. However, something else, just as seemingly extraordinary, did happen. Reports of other sicknesses and ailments disappeared or were severely reduced in those people who had received corrections of their vertebral misalignment. What D.D. stumbled upon was the relationship between interference to the innate intelligence of the body, the removal of this interference, and the exquisite results it produces.
Innate intelligence is the life of your body that regulates every reaction. It knows exactly what the body requires in order to function at its best. This is the foundation of chiropractic philosophy. This is the reason that vitalistic chiropractic care does not give one a diagnosis or give chiropractic adjustments to treat a specific diagnosis or condition. As a chiropractor, I cannot tell you how you will get better after a chiropractic adjustment, but I can tell you that you will.
In 1918, there was a severe flu epidemic that wreaked havoc not only in the United States but throughout the world. Patients of chiropractors had significantly lower death rates than patients of medical doctors. These results were absolutely startling.
The following statistics were published by the Texas Chiropractic Association and were forwarded to Planet Chiropractic in an attempt to share their knowledge about the following events:
- “In Davenport, Iowa, 50 medical doctors treated 4,953 cases, with 274 deaths. In the same city, 150 chiropractors including students and faculty of the Palmer School of Chiropractic, treated 1,635 cases with only one death.” [1]
- “In the state of Iowa, medical doctors treated 93,590 patients, with 6,116 deaths – a loss of one patient out of every 15. In the same state, excluding Davenport, 4,735 patients were treated by chiropractors with a loss of only 6 cases – a loss of one patient out of every 789.” [1]
- “In the same epidemic reports show that chiropractors in Oklahoma treated 3,490 cases of influenza with only 7 deaths. But the best part of this is, in Oklahoma there is a clear record showing that chiropractors were called in 233 cases where medical doctors had cared for the patients, and finally gave them up as lost. The chiropractors saved all these lost cases but 25.” [1]
Since the birth of chiropractic in 1895, the medical profession was (and still is) using its incredible power and influence to keep chiropractic out of mainstream healthcare. However, the results of chiropractic care during this epidemic could not be overlooked, and as a result, chiropractic became a licensed profession.
So what does this mean? It means that although many chiropractors and patients who go to chiropractors focus on their low back pain, chiropractic care is extremely powerful in boosting the function of the immune system.
How?
There are stresses in our environment that cause the vertebrae in our spine to twist and turn out of their normal position. The vertebrae have a function to protect the spinal cord, the spinal nerves, and therefore, the nervous system. This system controls every function in our bodies. However, when a vertebra is twisted, it has devastating effects on the body. Instead of allowing for the nerve to physically pass without interference from the spinal cord to the rest of our body and relay the appropriate messages accordingly, the vertebrae put pressure on the nerve rendering it unable to function optimally (i.e. regulate your immune system). Biochemical dis-ease ensues.
A chiropractor finds this misalignment of your vertebrae, called a subluxation, and corrects it. Chiropractors cannot, nor can anyone else, say exactly how that nerve and the rest of your body was being affected by the subluxation (just like D.D., in actuality, couldn’t say what an adjustment was going to heal for anyone he adjusted). However, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, the body always works better without subluxations. That is why it is important to liberate your innate intelligence, and allow it to regulate and heal your body optimally.
Of course, and unfortunately, there are consequences when you don’t.
There is a degenerative process that occurs when the vertebrae assume a position that the innate intelligence of the body did not give it. The discs between the vertebrae begin to degenerate and herniate. This places pressure to the side and behind the vertebrae, exactly where the spinal cord and nerves are, causing interferences within the nervous system. The vertebrae start to degenerate and begin to change their shape, allowing the damage to accumulate and exacerbate itself. After years, the damage may be permanent, such as fusions or severe herniations. This is why it is necessary for everyone to be checked at birth. Many have subluxations from the birth process itself and the sooner you correct the subluxation, the less damage that accumulates. Adding to the problem, since the nerve is malfunctioning, there may or may not be pain associated with a vertebral subluxation. The only way to find out if you have subluxations is to be checked by a chiropractor. And honestly, if you haven’t been checked in the last week, you probably do!
It is personally important for me to note that I recommend you see a chiropractor who understands your body’s potential to heal itself, and wants to see your whole body rise to the highest level of health possible. I have noted that there are chiropractors who love treating back pain and taking your insurance, but for me, it is important to see a chiropractor who knows the power of the adjustment he or she is giving. If your chiropractor hasn’t told you there is a flow of innate intelligence that is impeded by a subluxation and can be liberated by a chiropractic adjustment, he doesn’t know. Tell him… and move on to someone who does.
Lindsay Mack, D.C.
References:
[1] Rhodes WR: “The Official History of Chiropractic in Texas.” Texas Chiropractic Association, Austin TX 1978. Forwarded to and re-published by Planet Chiropractic, April 2009. planetc1.com/cgi-bin/n/v.cgi?c=1&id=1241106609
About the author:
Lindsay Mack is a Doctor of Chiropractic and has a deep passion for both natural healing and personal development. A graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, the world’s first chiropractic college, her aim is to help educate others about the human body’s ability to heal and self-regulate, and to inspire others to realize their potential. She currently practices in Columbus, OH, USA.
Before beginning chiropractic school, a severe anxiety disorder caused her to search for answers about her life. She began studying the philosophies of health, happiness, and success, and as a result, naturally healed herself of her anxiety disorder. These experiences lead her to fulfil her purpose through a combination of chiropractic and mentoring. She currently works with clients to help change limiting belief systems – in any area of life – into those that are empowering.
For more information, or to arrange a complimentary 15-minute consultation with Dr. Mack, please visit : newfoundationsmentoring.com
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WuW note: This article is the first in a series by Lindsay which will feature on Wake Up World in 2013.
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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Wake Up World or its staff.
