Manipulation of the spine a History in the making

Did you know that Manual manipulations of the spine and other joints of the body have been practiced for a long time?

Ancient Greek and Chinese writings dated between 2700 B.C. and 1500 B.C. mention manipulations of the spine and repositioning of the lower extremities to relieve pain in the lower back (lumbar).

In fact, Hippocrates, a famous Greek scientist who lived from 460 BC. to 357 BC, he published a text explaining the importance of manual manipulations. In one of his writings he says, "Knowledge of the spinal column increases, since this is the basis of many diseases". Evidence of manual manipulations of the body has been discovered in the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Babylon, Syria, Japan, the Incas, Mayas, and Native Americans.

Chiropractic's official beginning as a profession dates back to 1895 when Daniel David Palmer adjusted Harvey Lillard's second cervical vertebrae and restored his hearing . Two years later, in 1879, Dr. Palmer founded “The Palmer School of Chiropractic” in Davenport, Iowa. This school continues to teach chiropractic today.

It was really DD Palmer's son, BJ Palmer, who is responsible for discovering the most effective and efficient method of specifically adjusting the upper cervical spine, namely the first and second bones in your neck. In fact, D.D. Palmer is called the discoverer of chiropractic and B.J. Palmer is called the developer of chiropractic.

What B.J. Palmer discovered and devoted his research to was a specific upper cervical adjustment designed to rid the body of "dis-ease" - dis-harmony in the body which interfered with your innate ability to be well by compressing the nerve system at the brain stem. The brain stem is located under the skull, surrounded by the first cervical vertebrae {the Atlas} and the second cervical vertebrae {the Axis}.

When this condition exists in a person their body chemistry is out of balance because it affects 40 trillion cells and their ability to make specific chemicals. Needless to say as you age your body doesn't function as well as it should and you become ill - physically, mentally. emotionally. Everything you do on a daily basis is monitored by your nerve system. If you nerve system is not functioning as intended to function, you lose longevity and quality of life. Our bodies function from above down and from inside out. Chiropractic is based on this philosophy and the upper cervical approach is aligned with this philosophy in practice and in principle.

Throughout the 20th century, the chiropractic profession has gained worldwide recognition and scientific evidence. Unfortunately, B.J.'s work and research have not been adopted by the a majority of the profession. Most chiropractic approaches are still using manual manipulation techniques which are completely different from a specific upper cervical adjustment.

Scientific studies have shown the value of chiropractic care in decreasing the need for health care, improving speed of recovery, and increasing patient satisfaction. This is especially true with the Blair upper cervical adjustment which is designed to work with the body's inborn intelligence to be well. Needless to say you need very little adjusting and your body responds quickly when the nerve system functions properly.