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FAQ: What is the basis for Chiropractic?

FAQ: What is the basis of chiropractic?

The nervous system affects all tissues of the body, directly or indirectly.

This is most evident when a nerve is pinched in the neck or lower back. Typically a person will feel numbness and/or a pins and needles sensation and/or pain along the course of the nerve. A little bit of irritation on the nerve can create a nuisance- it may bother the person but doesn't stop them from their daily activity. A lot of compression on the nerve can create disabling pain and over the long term lead to loss of reflexes and muscle function. Sciatica is a pain typical of a pinched nerve in the lower back.

Pinched nerves are commonly caused by the bones in the spine being out of proper alignment and/or arthritic deterioration of the spaces that the nerve passes through. The goal of chiropractic treatment is to relieve the pressure on the nerve where it is compressed, where it emerges from the spine. In less complicated cases, a simple adjustment of the joint's alignment can bring significant relief. More complicated cases may require further therapy.

That nerves can be pinched in the spine and create problems throughout the musculo-skeletal system is well recognized and correcting such problems is the core of most visits to the chiropractor.

It is also well recognized that nerves emerge from the spine to distribute to the other tissues of the body - that is - the organs and viscera. Chiropractors theorize that just as a pinched nerve in the neck can cause a problem in the fingers (muscle wasting and weakness), a pinched nerve in the spine can also cause impaired function in the lungs, liver, digestive system, endocrine system, etc. However, the influence of the nervous system directly on the viscera is less straight forward as compared to the musculo-skeletal system. Most responsible chiropractors do not attempt to treat organic problems directly. Rather, chiropractors will treat a person for the mechanical problems found in the spine, relieving nerve interference, and thereby promoting the body ability to regulate it's own functions.
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