More than just CRACKS
More often than not, the first thing that comes to mind when you think of chiropractic is the word Crack. This is in reference to the traditional healing method of chiropractic, which is the manipulation of the spine or other joints. Understandably, the idea of getting anything cracked does not sound all that appealing -- especially when considering modern day martial arts movies or video games where the end result is usually death! The truth is, although the ancient art of manipulation for the return to health is still a very important part of what I do as a chiropractor, the real story is that chiropractic is a much more encompassing system of health care with far reaching effects on overall health, when viewed from the right perspective.
Chiropractic starts with the understanding that life is balance and that when there is interference with that balance, dis-ease will soon follow. The nervous system is our gateway between our internal and external experience of mind and body. It also allows us to experience and adapt to life. When our structure and alignment are not right, our bodies ability to adapt is compromised and our ability to function as whole beings diminishes. Sound familiar? Many holistic systems (i.e. Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy, etc.) have a certain take on these same principles. That is because all of those systems are derived from a vitalistic perspective rather than a mechanistic one. In other words, the whole is more than just the sum of its parts, and an invisible aspect to life that cannot be described with the five senses is the orchestrator of life as we know it.
Phew! Pretty deep stuff doc, but what does that have to do with my backache you say? Well, from the latter perspective, EVERYTHING. You see, no two back pains are alike. Someone may come in with back pain from a car accident, slip and fall, too much sitting, too much standing, not enough exercise ... sounds pretty familiar. But someone else may come in with back pain from too much stress, a poor diet, depression, past traumas surfacing as somatic pains, or over active liver. If the whole person is not understood and listened to, we may miss the pearls of wisdom the body is trying to tell us.
See, the spine is also a diagnostic tool. The upper back may alert us to problems with the heart and lungs, feelings of anger/loneliness, or arm pains. The area of the spine between the shoulder blades may alert us to problems with the liver/spleen/stomach/pancreas, or feelings of self-worth. Yes, emotional stuff also shows up in our bodies, especially the spine. Often times, it is not until we clear the mental/emotional aspects of a car accident, do we start to clear the physical symptoms, as well.
Part of my clinical work is to empower our patients
to understand that the greatest healer you may ever have is already inside
you. By making a conscious choice to
include holistic chiropractic care as part of your wellness lifestyle, this
will allow you to express your body's potential for healing on many different
levels, not just the physical. I
encourage all families to make regular chiropractic check-ups part of their
health and wellness regimen.
Dr. Alexander R. Concepcion has been a practicing Doctor of
Chiropractic since 1997.
Contact Dr. Alex at
alex@back2healthcenter.com, or call 808-235-0729.
Back 2 Health Center