14 Principles of Chiropractic & Wellness

14 Foundational Premises for the scientific & philosophical validation of the chiropractic wellness paradigm

 By James Chestnut DC at http://thewellnesspractice.com/

1)   Chiropractic represents a distinct natural, holistic, vitalistic, conservative, and rational, health care paradigm that is both philosophically logical and scientifically valid.

2)   Segmental restrictions of movement and static and/or dynamic facet joint misalignments do commonly occur in the human spine and have been accurately and scientifically defined in the peer-reviewed literature as vertebral subluxation complex (VSC)

3)   Vertebral subluxation complex is the result of common physical, emotional, and/or chemical stressors and/or traumas (i.e. our modern industrialized lifestyle commonly presents stressors that lead to VSC epidemic)

4)   VSC always consists of kinesiological (biomechanical/structural ) and neurological components that cannot be physiologically separated (nor can their global effects on the bodymind)

5)   Chronic decreased range of motion associated with VSC results in pathological neuroplastic changes resulting in increased nociceptive and decreased proprioceptive (mechanoreceptive) afferent input into the CNS

6)   Chronic increased nociceptive input can result in central and peripheral sensitization and concomitant allodynia and sympathetically induced muscle spasm and vasoconstriction leading to chronic muscle and joint pathology (subluxation degeneration/osteoarthritis)

7)  Chronic increased afferent nociceptive input results in a chronic increased stress response and stress related dysfunction and disease susceptibility (increased allostatic load) in the host which often takes place in the absence of conscious pain or other symptoms.

8)  Chronic decreased afferent proprioceptive input results in less inhibition of nociception (less inhibition of stress response and sympathetically induced muscles spasm and vasoconstriction) and to decreased essential afferent input into the cerebellar-brainstem-cortical loops that have recently been shown to coordinate homeostatic cognition, affect (emotion), and visceral function (including immunity) as well as movement, muscle tone, and posture.

9)  The chiropractic Adjustment (regardless of technique) restores proper range of motion allowing proper static and/or dynamic alignment of facet joints, restores proper muscle and joint biomechanics and restores proper afferent neurological input by increasing/restoring proprioceptive (mechanoreceptive) input and decreasing nociceptive input.

10) The chiropractic adjustment restores healthy joint biomechanics by breaking up connective tissue adhesions (scar tissue) and restores/creates healthy neurological pathways (segmental and global) by stimulating proprioceptors (mechanoreceptors).These processes require substantial repetition through the physiological stages of healing and neuroplasticity if long term functional correction is to take place.

11) Normalized (decreased) nociceptive input results in decreased sensitization and allodynia, normalization of sympathetic tone (decreased muscle spasm and vasoconstriction) and normalization of the stress response and therefore immune response ( decrease in stress related dysfunction and disease susceptibility-decreased allostatic load)

12) Normalized proprioceptive (mechanoreceptive) input leads to homeostatic afferent somatosensory input into the cerebellar-brainstem-cortical loops that coordinate movement, muscle tone, and posture as well as cognition, affect (emotion) and visceral function.

13) Many fields of study including neuroscience, neuropsychology, endocrinology, pyschoneuroimmunology, and education have findings that support chiropractic as an important wellness and preventative intervention.The neuroanatomical substrates providing the link between proper proprioceptive (mechanoreceptive) afferent input into the cerebellar-brainstem-cortical loops of life and healthy brain and body development and function have now been identified.This input has been termed and essential nutrient for proper brain and nervous system function and chiropractic is by far the best equipped profession to restore and/or improve it.

14) Regardless of symptoms every human being from birth to death requires regular chiropractic spinal exams to ensure that this vital aspect of their bodymind system is the prevention of disease.The time has come to take our rightful positions atop the wellness and prevention ladder as the founders of chiropractic always envisioned. It is scientifically and philosophically inaccurate to portray ourselves as pain and injury therapists only and by doing this we lose our opportunity to provide the public a service that they are clearly in need and want of and clearly willing to pay for.We owe it to our profession, to ourselves, and to humanity to take on the roll of wellness leaders in our communities.If we do not take the opportunity to do this someone less qualified will take it from us