Science is a method by which we investigate certain principles and phenomena of the world. Science asks the question, “What shall we investigate, experiment and observe?” It does not entirely answer the question, “How do we investigate, experiment and observe?” More importantly, it does not answer the question, “Why do we investigate, experiment and observe?” To answer ‘how’, we need technical skill, or simply put, an art. To answer ‘why’, we need a framework of ideas, or put another way, a philosophy. Chiropractic is founded on a philosophy, science and art to answer “why, what and how.”
Some argue that Chiropractic is not scientific because it doesn’t follow the same science as medicine. This, though, is untrue. The science is the same. The philosophical lens through which Chiropractic views science differs from medicine. The technical art in how Chiropractic addresses science differs from medicine. While Chiropractic philosophy and art are unique to the profession, its science is universally accepted in many healthcare disciplines.
It is a scientific fact that your brain and Nerve System control and regulate every organ, gland and tissue of your body. Quoting the World Book Encyclopedia of Science: “All body systems would be immobilized without the nervous system. It controls and regulates every body activity down to the workings of the tiniest cell.”
Because of this, a properly functioning Nerve System is paramount for overall health and well-being. Quoting Dorland’s Medical Text: “An intact nervous system will lead to optimum functioning of the human body.” This is why the Nerve System is considered the ‘Master Control System’ of the body.
The primary way the Nerve System communicates is through mental or nerve impulses. These impulses are signals created by the brain and sent out to every organ, gland and tissue of the body. Quoting Scientific American: “No one could survive without precise signaling in cells. The body functions properly only because the cells constantly communicate with each other."
The spine has many functions, one of which is to surround and protect the spinal cord. The spine is vital in providing the conduit for the transmission of information between the brain and body. Quoting the University of Maryland Medical Center: “Without a spinal cord, you could not move any part of your body, and your organs could not function.”
When the segments of the spine are in alignment, impulses can travel without interference. Any interference with the transmission of these impulses effects how the Nerve System senses, perceives and behaves. The overall health of the body is compromised. Quoting Dr. Janson Edwards, MD, PhD: “The quality of healing is directly proportional to the functional capability of the central nervous system to send and receive nerve messages."
The bones of the spine can misalign and become fixated in aberrant movement patterns. This has the potential to impinge nerves and negatively effect their function. Impinged nerves can interfere with the transmission of nerve impulses. This is what we call in Chiropractic a vertebral subluxation.
Interference with your Nerve System at the spinal level alters the functioning of the body. Dr. Chang H. Suh, PhD, a spinal biomechanics Expert from the University of Colorado, researched the effects of a vertebral subluxation and came to this conclusion: “The vertebral subluxation is very real. We have documented it again and again. With this scientific documentation, no one can dispute the existence of vertebral subluxation...Vertebral Subluxation Complex changes the entire health of the body. This has been proven many times. The spine is not an isolated structure...We have proved that Vertebral Subluxation Complex causes not only structural dysfunction of the spine and adjacent tissues, but it also causes nerve dysfunction…The weight of a dime on a spinal nerve will reduce nerve transmission by as much as sixty percent.” If a nerve is impinged supplying any organ, gland or tissue, dysfunction can start to set in. Quoting Henry Winsor, MD: "Organs supplied by impinged nerves exhibit pathological changes and the more serious the impingement, the more serious the damage."
Specific adjustments are designed to correct or reduce subluxations. Chiropractors analyze the spine to locate vertebral subluxations. Once they are detected, an adjustment is made to the vertebral subluxation to correct the aberrant spinal structure. When an adjustment is made, mental nerve impulse transmission is optimized for better function. The Nerve System can sense, perceive and behave at a greater potential when a vertebral subluxation is reduced.
- Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP
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Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP is a pediatric, family wellness and upper cervical specific Chiropractor. He is an active member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Dr. Jarek has postgraduate certification in Pediatric Chiropractic through the ICPA. Dr. Jarek also has postgraduate certification in the HIO Specific Brain Stem technique through The TIC Institute. Dr. Jarek is happily married to his wife Regina. They live in Youngstown, Ohio with their daughter Ruby
