
Chiropractic is not an alternative to medicine. In fact, chiropractic is not the alternative to anything at all (save for poor health). Admittedly, I see many people from North Lakes, from Brisbane and from around Australia who seek Upper Cervical chiropractic care because they are seeking answers to some type of health struggle and they would much prefer not to go down the medical or surgical routes (or they already have but did not find the solutions they were seeking).
So what is the difference? It all starts with the purpose of medicine and the purpose of chiropractic. In general, the purpose of medicine (specifical pharmacology) is to address some type of symptom by providing some type of medication that changes the body’s physiology in such a way that the symptom changes.
In the case of high blood pressure, the medication aims to cause it to lower. In the case of pain, the medication aims to block the pain signals going to the brain. In contrast, the purpose of Upper Cervical chiropractic care is not to treat symptoms: it is to make sure that the physical body—namely the spine—is working as effectively and efficiently as possible.
If it is, then we expect a better expression on health. Does this mean that if a person is under chiropractic care and well adjusted that he/she will never suffer any health problems? The answer is absolute no. One of the central principles of Upper Cervical chiropractic care is that there are limits to the healing capacities of the body: namely time and limitations of matter.
For example, a person with 30 years of arthritis can’t expect that to disappear. Up to your final breath, your body is working to heal and sustain you as best as it can. However, given genetic limitations, overwhelming environmental stresses, etc, your body can only do so much.
Even the strongest Olympic swimmer can only swim against the ocean current for so long before he/she succumbs. So too is it with the Upper Cervical Chiropractic. We aim to address the body in one of the most non-invasive ways possible to best ensure that things are working as good as possible, but even then, for any number of reasons the body may require additional assistance in the form of medication and in the form of surgery.
Even in the media today, people make out that medicine and chiropractic are antagonists—mortal enemies. How little these people on both sides of the issue understand chiropractic! Chiropractic is not an alternative to medical care, but an approach that gives your body the best possible opportunity to be well--and when medical/surgical care is needed, that you may recover better and faster!
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