The Tribune

By BAHAMAS ASSOCIATION OF CHIROPRACTIC

AS A parent, you wonder if your child is as healthy as possible.

Many factors contribute to your child’s overall health. A major component is the communication between your child’s brain and body, a vital link controlling the growth, repair and function of every tissue and organ in the body.

Diet, exercise, rest, and emotional and spiritual support are other important factors. Chiropractic recognises the importance of each of these factors as they contribute to your child’s health.

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

Vertebrae (the bones in your back) fit together so that the LIFE (nerve supply) produced in your brain may filter down your spinal cord and out over your nerves. This LIFE is responsible for growth, repair, and healing in your entire body. When vertebrae are out of their natural alignment, nerves become stretched or twisted (commonly referred to as a nerve “pinch”) and this vital communication system in the body is disrupted.

This neurological disturbance is called a subluxation and it may result in the failure of one or more parts of the body, as well as health in general. Subluxations can also foster the onset of sickness and disease as the body weakens.

The Doctor of Chiropractic specialises in the detection and correction of subluxations. Instead of treating the symptoms of the disease, the chiropractor corrects the subluxation so that normal body functions may take place. This is done by laying hands on your back and gently lining up the vertebrae in their natural position.

This process may take weeks or months, depending on the amount of misalignment. LIFE may then be restored throughout the body and healing can take place. As your body heals, the symptoms begin to diminish.

By having subluxations corrected throughout childhood, your child will have a better opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

When should your child be checked for subluxations?

Newborn infants should be checked within hours of birth. The birth process, even under natural and controlled conditions, is potentially traumatic. During the pushing stage of labour, the spine - particularly the neck - may be injured as the baby is compressed and pushed down the birth canal.

The most frequent subluxation experienced by newborns results from the pulling, twisting and compression of the infant’s spine during birth.

Although birth subluxations may cause immediate symptoms, such as respiratory depression, there may be far-reaching effects that are manifested for years. The child’s ability to fight against disease, for example, may be lowered. Colds, ear infections, colic, and other illnesses may result.

Subluxations may also interfere with internal organ function, resulting in the inability to produce chemicals responsible for raising and lowering body temperature as needed. Research has also indicated that the body’s immune response in the production of anti-viral and anti-bacterial agents to fight infection is greatly compromised due to vertebral lesions (subluxations).

Chiropractic is safe and natural.

The chiropractic approach to health care is natural. It does not try to stimulate or inhibit normal body function. Instead, the chiropractor addresses the important relationship between the nervous system and disease.

The systemic effect of vertebral subluxations is complex. Many childhood illnesses may be manifested in the pediatric patient due to abnormal body function caused by subluxations. In light of this, your chiropractor may be the best doctor to help your child.

During pregnancy

Chiropractic care can be helpful during all stages of pregnancy. This period of rapid development, hormonal changes, the laxity of connective ligaments and shifting of weight-bearing structures may cause many pregnant women to experience low back pain.

Besides helping to relieve the discomfort many expectant mothers experience, chiropractic care helps normalise nervous system function. This is an important component of overall good health.

The benefits of chiropractic care may also be noticed during delivery. Many chiropractic patients report that their deliveries were faster and more comfortable than deliveries previous to chiropractic care.

Your Doctor of Chiropractic will take special precautions with you during your pregnancy. Modifications to the table or adjusting techniques are made during each stage of pregnancy. Pamper yourself and your baby with regular chiropractic checkups.

What are chiropractors and the benefits of treatment?

Chiropractors are primary health care providers who diagnose and treat patients focusing on the nervous, muscular and skeletal systems of the body. Treatment may include spinal and extremity adjusting, physiotherapies, nutrition, including supplementation and diet changes, physical rehabilitation and acupuncture.

The principal therapeutic procedure utilised is the chiropractic adjustment, which is a quick, gentle, hands-on motioning of a joint which may be misaligned and or lack proper movement.

Subluxations may cause irritation to nerves, muscles and surrounding connective tissue and may manifest as pain or other systemic condition. Restoring proper motion to subluxated joints may regulate the nervous system and allow the body to heal, muscles to relax and alleviate pain.

It is important to remember that when you are receiving chiropractic care, you need to be an active participant in your care, which may include postural changes, at home stretching and strengthening, alterations in diet, massage therapy and stress management.

Chiropractic care is available to men, women and children of all ages, including babies and pregnant women. Some of the benefits of receiving chiropractic care include improved muscle and joint mobility and stabilisation, regulation of the nervous system, improved biomechanics, decreased pain, quicker recovery after injury, re-injury prevention and optimisation of health, to name a few.