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A Brief History Of Chiropractic The first recorded chiropractic adjustment was performed on September 18, 1895, by Dr. Daniel David Palmer, a Canadian-born teacher. Dr. Palmer was, at the time, studying the cause and effect of disease. His patient was Harvey Lillard, a janitor working in the same building as Dr. Palmer in Davenport, Iowa. Mr. Lillard, who had complained of hearing problems for over 17 years, allowed Dr. Palmer to examine his spine. Dr. Palmer discovered a "lump" on Mr. Lillard's back and suspected that a vertebra might be out of place, which he then repositioned the vertebra with a gentle thrust. After several such treatments, much of Mr. Lillard's hearing was restored. Since Dr. Palmer's first chiropractic adjustment, the art and science of chiropractic has progressed significantly. Today, advanced diagnostic procedures, sophisticated equipment, scientific research, and the growing acceptance among other health care professionals makes chiropractic a popular health care choice. Functional Medicine The Functional Medicine Approach to Healthcare Most of us have been conditioned to approach health problems in an isolated fashion, which might mean going to a rheumatologist for our painful joints, a gastroenterologist for our bowel symptoms, a dermatologist for the rash, or a psychiatrist for our lingering depression. Chances are that each one of those practitioners will arrive at a diagnosis and – according to his or her training – prescribe a medication that shows the best fit for a particular symptom. While this approach generally works well for acute problems (e.g., a cast for a broken arm, or an antibiotic for a kidney infection), it fails the patient with chronic problems in several key ways: • Relationships between multiple health problems are never detected. • The patient's individual uniqueness is rarely taken into account in developing the best treatment. • The influence of diet and environment is rarely considered in either evaluation or treatment. • Optimal wellness is rarely the goal, hence hardly ever achieved. • At best, chronic symptoms may be "managed" for awhile; at worst, the underlying causes of symptoms are not discovered, and disease moves deeper into the body, requiring, over time, stronger doses or additional medications in a patient's treatment program. Clearly, there are times when medication or surgery can be life-saving. However, it is important to keep in mind that conventional medicine was designed for acute rather than chronic health problems. Chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, chronic fatigue, arthritis, and fibromyalgia, are on the rise today. Clearly a better approach is needed. Functional medicine represents a dynamic and science-based approach to whole person health care that embraces optimal wellness as the goal. As the name implies, functional medicine is based on the awareness that many health problems are reflections of underlying imbalances in physiology and chemistry. Accordingly, a functional medicine practitioner helps to identify and correct those imbalances as the primary method of improving the patient's health. To do so requires consideration of the human body as a finely orchestrated network of interconnected systems, rather than viewing individual systems as autonomous. For example, imbalances within the intestine may precipitate the entry of toxins into the system, which, in predisposed individuals, can stimulate arthritis through an immune response in the joints. Chronic stress may imbalance the adrenal glands, resulting in blood sugar swings, easy fatigue, inflammation, and menstrual irregularities. This "web-like" approach includes a thorough evaluation of the patient's environment and lifestyle choices which may have an influence on health. Toxic exposures may precipitate neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, nutritional deficits may promote the development of atherosclerosis, social isolation may contribute to cancer by suppressing a person's immune system, physical trauma may result in structural imbalances that limit function in various organs. This is "patient-centered" medicine at its best, where "patient care" rather than "disease care" is the priority. As Sir William Osler once said, "It is more important to know what patient has the disease than to know what disease the patient has." Toward this end, the functional medicine practitioner evaluates a patient's health problems in light of the totality of interactions among his or her environment, lifestyle, and genetic predisposition. The goal of functional medicine treatment is dynamic balance – among the internal and external factors in a patient's body, mind, and spirit. Because "health" is regarded as a positive vitality, rather than merely the absence of disease, the person is assisted in care to a point of optimal wellness. There is no reason that we should settle for anything less. Widespread Use of Chiropractic Care The increasing interest in alternative forms of care has caught the attention of several health associations and government agencies. A 1993 study in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that "The estimated number of visits made in 1990 to providers of unconventional therapy was greater than the number of visits to all primary care medical nationwide," and chiropractic was among the most frequently used non-medical therapies. A followup report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 found that the use of non-medical treatments had increased significantly since the 1990 survey, with "overall prevalence of use increased by 25%, total visits by an estimated 47%, and expenditures on services provided by practitioners of alternative therapies by an estimated 45%." Of the survey respondents, one in nine (11%) had used chiropractic care within the previous year. Healthy Tips for a Healthy Spine The following tips can help you take better care of your spine: 1) Make sure you have a firm mattress that keeps the spine aligned and supports the spine's natural curve. The best sleeping positions are on your back or side. 2) When standing for extended periods, rest one foot on a small stool to maintain spinal curvature and relieve pressure. The knees should be bent when bending forward. Low-heeled shoes may help by maintaining spinal curvatures and cushioning your weight. 3) Use chairs that promote good posture and support your back. Placing a lumbar support in the lower portion of your back may help support your spine's natural curve. Readjust the seat of your car so that your knees are level with your hips. 4) When bending forward, bend at the knees and hips, but keep your back straight. This will help to keep your spine's curvature in proper alignment. When lifting, keep your spine straight while using your legs to do most of the work. Hold the objects being lifted close to your body to keep the weight on your spine to a minimum. The ABCs of Subluxations Vertebral subluxations are displacements of the spinal bones (vertebrae) that can cause stress to your spinal cord and nervous system. Subluxations may be caused by poor sleeping habits, poor posture, strenuous exercise, injuries, auto accidents, sports, slips or falls, and in some cases, the birthing process itself. Chiropractic adjustments are very helpful in correcting subluxations and restoring optimal health.