Narration: If you’re watching this video, you’re probably curious about chiropractic care and how it can help you and your family, so let’s explore what chiropractic is all about and how it works:
A Chiropractor is a health care professional who specializes in the health and function of the spine and nervous system, Because of this focus on the spine many people think that chiropractors can only help with problems such as back pain, neck pain and headaches and while it is true chiropractors can often help people with pain, there is so much more to chiropractic than just pain.
Chiropractic care is really about total health and well-being, it is about helping people to feel great and get the most out of life by functioning at their optimal potential.
To understand how this works it is important to consider the spines’ role in the body. The spine is there to protect the spinal cord, which is part of the central nervous system, the spine is like a set or armour made up of segments so it can bend and move naturally with the body.
A spinal segment consists of two vertebrae and the joints that connect them; there is a disc in between each vertebra that acts as a cushion.
Underneath that armour a whole lot is happening, messages travel from around the body, up the spinal cord and into the brain, the brain processes those messages and sends replies back down the spinal cord to tell the body how to respond.
The central nervous system is one big information highway and it carries vital messages to every part of your body. Sometimes the wear and tear of everyday life can impact the spine and cause spinal segments to move in a way that is different to normal, in a dysfunctional way. That wear and tear can happen gradually, such as from bad posture or it can happen suddenly, which is common with sports injuries, and because of the close relationship between the spine and the nervous system, everyday strains can actually impact the flow of communication and information, between the brain and the body, messages may not be delivered to the brain, or they may be inaccurate.
When that miscommunication occurs due to abnormal movement in the spine, chiropractors call this a vertebral subluxation, you might hear that term again from your chiropractor, so now you’ll know what it means. By making fast and gentle adjustments to the spine chiropractors restore its’ natural movement. If the central nervous system is like the engine of your body, a chiropractor acts like a mechanic, tuning the spine and central nervous system, so that your body can run like a race car.
Just keep in mind that as you’re adjusted, you may hear a popping sound that can seem a bit strange. In fact it is completely harmless; it’s just the release of gas from in between spinal segments and is no more significant, than any other release of gas from your body.
So are you ready to supercharge your engine?
Dr Heidi Haavik is a chiropractor and a neurophysiologist who has worked in the area of human neurophysiology for over 15 years. Heidi has a PhD in human neurophysiology from the University of Auckland.
Dr Haavik is also the founder of Haavik Research – a team dedicated to see a world full of people expressing their optimal potential. Haavik Research – helps Chiropractors understand and communicate the Science behind Chiropractic using digital products.
She was named Chiropractor of the year in 2007 by both the New Zealand Chiropractic Association and the New Zealand College of Chiropractic Alumni Association.
If you would like to learn more about Dr. Haavik and how you can use these types of videos to compliment your practice, please check out TheRealityCheck.com
