by Anwen Carter | Feb 23, 2016 | Chiropractic |
Chiropractic: How it all began!! This good looking chap is the genius who discovered Chiropractic. He theorised a spinal segment that was misaligned or fixated could irritate the corresponding nerve root, resulting in a dampened down nervous system, and pain. His name is Daniel David Palmer, and performed the first Chiropractic adjustment. DD Palmer had many jobs such as a bee-keeper, grocer and as a teacher – where he met Harvey Lillard, a partially deaf janitor. Harvey had felt something click in his back, 17 years previously, whilst bending over and then his hearing started to deteriorate. In 1895 DD Palmer, surmised that a joint in the spine had moved out of position and caused the deafness. He then performed the first ever chiropractic adjustment on that joint, in Davenport, Iowa, which he claimed regained Harvey’s hearing. DD founded the first chiropractic school in 1897. Everything was going well and Chiropractic was expanding, however it was still a new therapy and unrecognised by law. In 1907 Chiropractors in the US were arrested for practising medicine without a license. Many Chiropractors were jailed for their profession. DD Palmer was held for 17 days until he agreed to pay the fine. Finally, the chiropractors won their legal battle and achieved legal licensing for Chiropractic. After this DD Palmer sold his school to his son BJ Palmer, and went off to develop more around the country. This allegedly left a bitter taste between them. DD Palmer died in 1917 reportedly from typhoid fever, however due to the conflicting relationship between father and son, reports state that DD Palmer was struck by his son’s car during...
by Anwen Carter | Oct 5, 2015 | Chiropractic |
Can your arthritis be accelerated by the anti-inflammatory drugs you’re taking? A lot of the people who come and see us at The Chiropractic Centre: Bristol are struggling with the symptoms of arthritis, and are often taking one of many Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) for it. However research shows that this is the last thing you want to be taking, as these drugs have been proven to accelerate arthritis, the very problem you are trying to prevent! Cartilage is found between joints and is there to act as a shock absorber, to help the bones move freely in the joint, and to stop the bones grinding on one another. Osteoarthritis, otherwise known as ‘wear and tear’ is where the cartilage between joints begins to wear down and the movement in the joint decreases and you begin to develop stiffness and pain. NSAIDs are the most commonly prescribed drugs for symptoms of Osteoarthritis, however research suggests that these drugs quicken the break down of cartilage in the joint, in other words, quicken the process of arthritis! When our body is damaged, it starts an immune response to begin the healing process. When the bone and cartilage is affected, the body releases molecules called prostaglandins, along with many more! These prostaglandins contribute to the repair of cartilage (Otsuka, Aoyama, Furu, et al., 2009). NSAIDs stop this from happening by stopping an enzyme that produces these prostaglandins; which is not what you want when you have already damaged joints! Research shows that commonly used NSAID pain killers slow down the repair of cartilage and speed up the development of arthritis in your joints Many people know the common side...
by Charles Herbert | Sep 14, 2015 | Chiropractic |
The BIG Idea Written in 1944 as part of the Chiropractic Green Books, here is BJ Palmer’s Big Idea. The Green Books have acted at the foundations for Chiropractic Philosophy and are still relevant today. Here is BJ’s Big Idea: The BIG Idea A slip on the snowy sidewalk in winter is a SMALL thing. It happens to millions. A fall from a ladder in the summer is a SMALL thing. It also happens to millions. The slip or fall produces a subluxation. The subluxation is a SMALL thing. The subluxation produces pressure on a nerve. That pressure is a SMALL thing. That decreased flowing produces a dis-eased body and brain. That is a BIG thing to that man. Multiply that sick man by a thousand, and you control the physical and mental welfare of a city. Multiply that man by one hundred thirty million, and you forecast and can prophesy the physcial and mental status of a nation. So the slip or fall, the subluxation, pressure, flow of mental images and dis-ease are big enough to control the thoughts and actions of a nation. The pressure on a nerve is a SMALL thing. The released pressure restoring health is a BIG thing. Now comes a man. And one man is a SMALL thing. This man gives an adjustment. The adjustment is a SMALL thing. The adjustment replaces the subluxation. That is a SMALL thing. The adjusted subluxation releases pressure upon nerves. That is a SMALL thing. The released pressure restores health to a man. This is a BIG thing to that man. Multiply that well man by a thousand, and...
by Charles Herbert | Mar 3, 2015 | Chiropractic |
Chiropractic and High Blood Pressure According to Blood Pressure UK, approximately 16 million people in the UK have high blood pressure (hypertension). This is significant as high blood pressure is the main risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart attack and failure. So how do we maintain our blood pressure at a risk free level? The most commonly cited steps for helping lower high blood pressure are: Maintain an active lifestyle and regularly exercise Eat a natural, balanced diet with reduced levels of salt Reduce stress levels Maintain an ideal weight for your height and build Limit and avoid regular alcohol and caffeine consumption Stop smoking Medication These steps are well known and documented, however research is starting to suggest Chiropractic may help?! How can Chiropractic help high blood pressure A study conducted at The University of Chicago Hypertension Center has found a dramatic reduction in blood pressure following Chiropractic Adjustments. After 8 weeks of Chiropractic Adjustments to their Atlas (top of their neck) vertebrae, 25 patients with high blood pressure saw a significant and sustained reduction in their blood pressure compared to the 25 similar people who had a sham procedure. George Bakris M.D, the study leader stated “This procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood pressure medications given in combination”. 8 weeks after Chiropractic care the reduction in blood pressure was the same as taking two medications Another research group looked at the change in blood pressure after a similar Chiropractic Adjustment in the neck on young people who had normal blood pressure and found no change in their blood...
by Charles Herbert | Dec 10, 2014 | Chiropractic |
How to avoid winter colds by boosting your Immune System with Vitamin D and Chiropractic I went to my local GP surgery the other day and was shocked at the amount of adverts promoting the new flu shot. There were banners, flags, huge roller banners, leaflets etc. It appears the pharmaceutical company promoting/selling it has a bigger advertising budget than coca-cola! I’m not writing this blog to talk about the shaky benefit of this vaccination, or to express my opinions on the recommendation in the UK for every child aged 2-16 to have the nasal spray. I’m writing this blog to look at the alternatives to boosting your immune system to avoid the winter cold, influenza and more… There are many facets to a healthy immune system. I am going to write about 2, the function of your nervous system and vitamin D. The role your nervous system plays in immunity Chiropractic philosophy, which has been around since 1895, has long boasted that a better functioning nervous system equals a better functioning immune system. Anecdotally, its be know for years, however now research is catching up and proving that very thing. Recently, a hospital in Toronto1 found that the nervous system played a role much larger than previously ‘known’. They found that nerves send information from an area of infection to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) so it can co-ordinate the body’s response. The information is hypothesised to be more in-depth than previously thought. The nerves are thought to send danger warnings of not only where the infection is but also whether the infection is caused by...
