Chiropractic is a branch of the health care sciences and is the third largest primary health care profession in the western world after conventional medicine and dentistry. At present, there are some 60,000 Doctors of Chiropractic in the world and 3,500 in the United Kingdom.
United Chiropractic Association definition of Chiropractic (Adapted by the UCA from the Association of Chiropractic Colleges), “Chiropractic is a primary health care discipline, which emphasises the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery”.
The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. In addition, Doctors of Chiropractic recognise the value and responsibility of working in cooperation with other health care practitioners when in the best interest of the patient.
The United Chiropractic Association continues to foster a unique, distinct profession of Chiropractic that serves as a health care discipline for all and advocates a profession that generates, develops and utilises the highest level of evidence possible in the provision of effective, prudent and cost-conscious patient evaluation and care.
The basic concept of chiropractic relates to the fact that the nervous system controls all organs, tissues and cells of the body. When vital nerve communication pathways are interfered with, as can occur with a variety of structural and/or functional problems and/or pathological articular changes in the spine, compromise of neural integrity may result and influence organ system function and general health. Research both within and outside the chiropractic profession now provides support for this concept.
The Chiropractic profession is often poorly misunderstood. Chiropractic is founded on the scientific premise that the brain and nervous system can deliver its impulses and messages for the proper function of the body’s tissues, organs and systems.
“Everyday occurrences, slips and falls can cause the spinal bones to lose their usual motion or position. This misalignment of the vertebrae historically has been called a vertebral subluxation, which has been recognised by the World Health Orgainsation (WHO) since 1992. A subluxation is evaluated, diagnosed, and managed through the use of chiropractic procedures based on the best available rational and empirical evidence. Subluxation is a fundamental axiom of the Chiropractic profession. The World Federation of Chiropractors (WFC) policy statement reaffirms the use of the term vertebral subluxation and it is defined succinctly and accepted by the World Health Organisation (WHO)
However, since May 2010, the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) of the UK has advised all Chiropractors to refrain use of this word as it claims to have limited research to support. In preference to this a diagnosis of Biomechanical Lesion is preferred. Nevertheless, historically vertebral subluxation has always been used since the conception of Chiropractic in 1895 whereby the misalignment of the vertebrae can result in nerve interference (decreased nerve function) to the areas of the body that the nerves supply. Symptoms often include but are not limited to, tingling, pain, numbness, or no symptoms at all. This can set off a chain reaction affecting the vertebrae, nerves, muscles, soft tissues and results in degenerative changes throughout the body.”
“Like dentistry and regular check ups, Chiropractic involves regular check ups to identify biomechanical problems in the spine, comparative to the cavities in the mouth.”
“Chiropractors are the only doctors trained to detect and correct subluxations through safe, gentle and specific adjustments.”
“Over 2 million chiropractic adjustments are delivered to patients every day. Adjustments are far safer than muscle relaxers, back surgery or even a single aspirin. People under chiropractic care are among the healthiest in the world, enjoying less medication, hospitalisations and medical doctor visits.”