Chiropractic Tables

Chiropractic as it is known today made its first recorded appearance in the United States in September, 1895. According to Palmer College of Chiropractic this is when Daniel David (D.D.) Palmer—often referred to as the founder of chiropractic—first successfully applied this newly created treatment method. Additionally, Palmer’s very first patient was a man by the name of Harvey Lillard.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) reports that two of the most-used mind and body practices are chiropractic and massage. About 8.8 percent and 7 percent of the population, respectively, engage in these forms of complementary and alternative medicine. And rightfully so as each offers patients some distinct benefits. For instance, research has found that massage can help reduce pain associated with certain medical conditions, such as chronic low-back pain, osteoarthritis of the knee, and fibromyalgia. Massage therapy has also been connected with lower rates of various mental health conditions, some of which include depression, anxiety and stress.

One question many people have in regard to chiropractic as a modern health modality is whether or not it is safe. It’s also an issue that many chiropractic organizations have tried to adequately address. In fact, if you look at the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Frequently Asked Questions page, you can quickly see that this question has the longest and most thorough response. In it, the ACA explains how the risk of potential adverse effects of chiropractic care is “very small,” and that if a patient does experience any minor discomforts, these generally go away within 24 hours post treatment.

Have you ever had one of weeks when you come home on Friday, feeling as if you are the one who could do with a good chiropractic session after of taking care of your patients? Your wrists, hands, and fingers are almost numb, your shoulders and back are sore and stiff, and your knees and feet ache. While you might get a bit of time to relax over the weekend, you also will need to be ready to work on your patients that are booked for the upcoming week.

When it comes to back health, most directives are focused around the spinal column. “Lift with your legs rather than your back so you don’t rupture or otherwise hurt the discs in your spine.” “Walk with your head up and shoulders back, making it easier for your spinal column to carry your weight more evenly.” But one other very important directive for helping a patient achieve a higher level of back health isn’t focused so much on the back, but more toward the midsection as a whole. Why are they so important?