Chiropractic is a fascinating and fantastic profession in many ways. It started with a wild formation and a strong foundation of principles. Since its inception, chiropractic has dealt with internal strife of multiple types and intense outside pressures.
There have been hurdles in gaining legitimacy in Western medicine and others. As a result, the chiropractic profession has survived, developed a personality, and spanned almost the entire globe for 129 years as of 2024. Today, the debates in chiropractic have changed from what they were throughout the 20th century. In ways, the profession has settled down. There is now more modern scientific backing, and one example is videofluoroscopy, a live motion x-ray that shows one way chiropractic can help (https://atlas.chiro.org/category/videofluoroscopy/). Since the beginning, chiropractic has been a science, art, and philosophy; as science evolves, so do we.
The Origins of Chiropractic
Learning about chiropractic's history and current state can be fun and help inform your decision-making process, knowledge, and context. On the other hand, there's a chance you may read this and decide to try a different profession or specialist first. If that is the case, and this article helps guide you to better health, I'm happy to have been a small part of it.
I am one of many excellent sources on the identity of chiropractic, but not the foremost. There are presidents of chiropractic colleges, chiropractic history teachers, and people who have been in chiropractic since the mid-20th century. There are also generational chiropractors whose families have been in the field since early times. Some chiropractors practicing today invented specific techniques, which have their own philosophy, specific analyses, and treatment protocols.
I am a first-generation chiropractor who has been adjusting for over 15 years, and I have learned from all varieties of the Greats at Life University(life.edu). I took my education seriously and am here to share the benefits.
How Chiropractic Became My Passion
I was first drawn to chiropractic after my first round at college, community college for the base classes, and also every philosophy class that was offered. I was between umpiring seasons, working one of my many part-time jobs, when I came across chiropractic, which had a significant pull on me. It struck me at many levels: the philosophy, science, and art of it all made sense to me. My origin story with chiropractic should be saved for another time, however.
The First Chiropractic Healer
Chiropractic began September 18, 1895, with a magnetic healer named DD Palmer and a janitor named Harvey Lillard, who could not hear the carts on the cobblestone streets or the tick of a pocket watch. Harvey said he was bending forward to reach a trash can one day, felt something go out in his back, and lost his hearing. DD theorized that if a misplaced vertebra caused Janitor Harvey’s hearing to go out, a replaced vertebra might bring it back. DD says he "racked" the vertebra back to position, and janitor Harvey’s hearing was restored. The chiropractic profession was born!
Shortly thereafter, the profession was named by Rev. Sam Weed, who coined the term chiropractic from chiro 'hand' + Greek praktikos 'practical' from prattein 'do.' This was just the beginning of a profession that benefits humankind.
Ancient Spinal Knowledge
Chiropractors were not the first to take an interest in the spine. Some say the ancient Egyptians did in the 3000 years ago range. The first written documentation is thought to be around 400 BCE.
“Get knowledge of the spine, for it is the requisite for many diseases.” – Hippocrates
Chiropractic, as we know it today, was founded and developed on a solid set of principles. The nervous system is the master control system, and the spine is a movable fortress to protect it. The nervous system sends and receives signals from the body to inform what’s happening and how to adapt or heal.
The nervous system can detect injury, upregulate the immune system, and constrict certain arteries to move more blood to a specific area. It’s amazing!
The Chiropractic Adjustment
In chiropractic, there's always been a way to detect interference in the nervous system and a way to improve it—the adjustment! There have been thousands of chiropractic techniques and adjustments developed since 1985, and they all, in one way or another, work to improve the function of the body and nervous system. The analysis of problems and the techniques used to address them vary greatly. Some techniques use specific traction-type stretching, others are gentle, instrument adjusting, and some use drop tables. Other techniques use different, all-safe, manual adjustments.
Choosing Your Chiropractor
There are a few factors to consider to help you make the best decision in choosing the right chiropractic office. I’d say the most critical factor is the treatment's effectiveness for you, which you will have to try in person.
There are a few more essential factors to consider:
The feel and flow of the office
The tableside manner of the provider
Scheduling convenience overlap
Ease of office access
Asking your friends, coworkers, and neighbors for a referral is always a good start. Reading reviews can sometimes help, too.
Most chiropractors can help with pregnancy-related low-back pain, but you could also find a practice that specializes in that. Some offices also have a doula. Many offices are more general- or family-oriented and serve people who work, play, and want to feel good or just want better posture.
There are practices for all levels of sports, from kids to the pros and everything in between. Some people can only make five minutes in their busy schedules and need a quick tune-up. Clinics exist that can help that person, too.
House of Health Chiropractic in Wheat Ridge
House of Health Chiropractic fills the place of very high-quality care with little extra expense and no modalities.
Different types of e-stim can be highly effective in many cases, and plenty of great offices offer that. In some cases, you need blood drawn and read, or you need to make specific changes to your diet to heal, and there are great offices for that, too.
When deciding if chiropractic is best for you, remember that it has been a safe option for various problems since 1895. There are many different types of chiropractors and chiropractic offices. There are many specialties, and if someone you know can make a recommendation, that is probably a good place to start.
If you're new to Wheat Ridge, Arvada, or Golden or want to try a different type of chiropractic, I am happy to help you. I practice a few techniques, but it’s not an exclusive list. Here are a few links if you want more information about the techniques or practices that do just that.
For very low force and no-pain procedures, I use Activator.
If you’re pregnant, the Webster technique is best for you.
Thompson is a middleweight technique that uses a drop table to adjust.
And when the conditions are correct, we use manual full-spine moves.
Safe and Effective Chiropractic Care in Wheat Ridge
If you’re interested or want to learn more, I invite you to try safe, effective care at House of Health Chiropractic.
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