Chiropractic was first discovered and developed in 1895 by Dr. Daniel D. Palmer in Davenport, Iowa, USA. At the time, D. D. Palmer was a “magnetic healer” who used his hands to touch the patient and bring about relief of some pain conditions. This type of healing drained him, however, and he was constantly looking for a way to bring about more complete healing without affecting his health.
At closing time one day, the office building janitor – a man by the name of Harvey Lillard – came into Dr. Palmer’s office to clean. Harvey had been mostly deaf since childhood due to some kind of accident, and Dr. Palmer noticed a lump in his upper back and neck and offered to examine him. Harvey said yes to the examination and resulting treatment.
D. D. had heard about stories of certain “bone setters” that were sometimes popular at the time but wanted to find out if the spine itself could provide clues to both the symptoms that Lillard was experiencing, as well any causative factors that involve an impingement of the nerve roots. By examining Lillard’s neck and upper back, Dr. Palmer was able to assess both as being related and proceeded to perform the first “Chiropractic adjustment” based on these findings.
Dr. Palmer adjusted Harvey’s spine and their hearing was immediately improved. The doctor soon thereafter coined the term “Chiropractic” to describe his newly-discovered procedure that was “done by hand” based on the Greek word meaning the same.
The benefits of Chiropractic were immediately recognized by those who eventually sought treatment by Dr. Palmer, and his son B. J. Palmer, as well as those who were trained in the discipline by both. Symptoms like headaches, back pain, neck pain, shoulder and arm pain, low back and hip pain, leg, knee, and foot pain, sciatica, digestive problems, muscle problems, and more soon disappeared from the lives of thousands of country folks who traveled for days just to spend time at the “Chiropractic hospitals” set up for patients afflicted by those conditions.
The popularity of Chiropractic spread quickly until The Flexner Report was published in 1913, effectively promoting only the practice of medicine and branding all-natural healing methods – including Chiropractic, Osteopathy, Homeopathy, herbal medicine, and anything outside of Flexner’s narrow medical definitions as “quackery.” Shortly thereafter, all colleges that taught such disciplines were either shut down or converted to medical institutions. Nationwide, treatments were limited to medicine and surgery, so Chiropractors were often arrested for “practicing medicine without a license” and put in jail.
It was only because Chiropractic had made such a powerful impression in the minds of the public that allowed it to survive – first underground, but eventually by gaining more attention. Chiropractic soon became licensed in more and more US states since the “practice of medicine” was originally too broadly defined, and the politicians themselves looked to Chiropractors for help that they couldn’t get anywhere else.
It wasn’t until 1974, however, that the last state – Louisiana – granted the final legal protection for Chiropractors in the USA. Medical doctors and hospitals, however, continued their campaign to wipe out Chiropractic until – in 1987 – an American lawsuit won by Chiropractors finally allowed them full privileges as doctors, so long as they remained within their scope of practice.
Today, Chiropractic is spreading rapidly around the world and Chiropractors often work hand-in-hand with other healing professionals such as medical doctors and physiotherapists. They also work with and refer to traditional healers like Ayurvedic doctors, homeopaths, herbal healers, and acupuncturists.
The BEST use of Chiropractic care, however, is its suitability for long-term Wellness or Preventative Care. Within a few minutes of an office visit, your Chiropractor can assess a future health problem and take care to correct it before symptoms even appear!
For example, prenatal care for Moms can allow for more ease in the delivery process. Chiropractic adjustments are also encouraged for infants, toddlers, and children in order to facilitate a pain-free growth process, enhance immune function, and allow for the development of higher consciousness and greater intelligence at an earlier age.
