Health Magazine Does Feature on Chiropractic

Appearing in the August 9, 2006 issue of the publication "The Southern Health Magazine" is an overview article on chiropractic.  This article by Southern Health Contributor Joanna Gray was written for an audience in southern Illinois and presents an overview of chiropractic.  The focus of the article is toward those who have not experienced chiropractic in the past and provides a look at chiropractic for the beginner.

The article starts of by noting that common traumas to the spine can create damage that can then create misalignments and therefore affect the nervous system.  The author further explains that chiropractic is based on the philosophy that the body is a self-healing organism, and that spinal adjustments are the primary mode of care. 

The article quotes an Illinois chiropractor, Dr. Steven Barrett, who explained, "The joints in the spine are supposed to move in a certain way. If they're moving properly, then we're pretty certain that the nervous system is, too. But if the joints aren't working properly, they will start to degenerate and ultimately the person will have disc problems. And at the same time that puts pressure on the nervous system."

Dr. Barrett further explains that every cell in your body, which includes all organs and tissues are controlled and coordinated by your nervous system.  Therefore if pressure on nerves from misaligned spinal bones, known as "subluxations", occurs, then the part of the body that is being controlled by those nerves will not function properly.  He states, "Chiropractic promotes the removal of pressure from a nerve so it has the ability to function more normally."

The article also discussed chiropractic care for children and infants.  It was noted that colic is a problem that chiropractors have seen relieved with babies under chiropractic.  Dr. Brian Bird, another Illinois chiropractor also interviewed for the article described the process of chiropractic for infants, "Chiropractic for babies is the same as for adults, but with less force."  He further went on to explain how chiropractic can help babies with colic as he referred to a previous scientific study by saying, "(In the study) nerve interference expressed itself as colic. But once the interference was freed up, the incidences of colic stopped or were greatly reduced. There is a much greater understanding today of how chiropractic works in many other areas than just back pain or whiplash."