It appears that there is something of an inconsistency in the practical application of the chiropractic philosophy among many so-called straight chiropractors. We seem to espouse one thing but our actions bespeak something else. One of the prime concepts that we adhere to is the greatness of the human organism. We go to great lengths to extol the wonders of the human body and the innate intelligence which controls and coordinates its function. We constantly emphasize that the body has the ability to heal itself and to maintain itself in a state of health without outside help. We would have people believe that it is capable of doing just that if it did not have the greatest hindrance, the vertebral subluxation. By the very fact that we limit our attention to the vertebral subluxation we are saying “this is the greatest insult, perhaps the only insult to an otherwise perfectly functioning organism.” Here’s the inconsistency! We talk about how great the body is and then act like it does not have the capacity to withstand the physical, chemical and emotional traumas that “cause” vertebral subluxations. Let’s go back and look at a chiropractic principle. The above traumas do not cause vertebral subluxations. The cause (singular) is an external invasive force overcoming the internal resistive forces. The above are not causes of a subluxation but of an external invasive force. If we are blaming subluxations on external invasive forces are we any better than the medical doctor who blames on external factors? The primary factor in the cause of vertebral subluxation has to be a lack of internal resistive forces rather than overwhelming external invasive forces. Granted a fall from a five story building will probably cause an external invasive force that will overcome the internal resistive forces of the body and cause a vertebral subluxation (it likely will cause more than subluxations) but many straight chiropractors appear to be addressing themselves to every day experiences as potential overwhelming external invasive forces not just out of the ordinary (five story falls).
Perhaps some examples would help. You hear chiropractors talking about foods as an insult to the body “causing” vertebral subluxation. If this body is so great why can’t we give it credit for the ability to be selective in what it assimilates. A McDonald hamburger is food: the innate intelligence of a properly functioning body has the ability to selectively take what is of value and get rid of the rest. If it doesn’t accomplish that and instead results in a chemical insult to your body, perhaps it is because you are deficient in your complement of internal resistive forces rather than because a hamburger is an “overwhelming external invasive force.” Remember, millions of subluxated people live on them! Concerning yourself with external invasive forces as a cause of vertebral subluxation is as much an “outside-in” approach as concerning yourself with eradication of germs. It is not chiropractic and, what’s more, it does not make sense. Perhaps those of our number who are inordinately preoccupied with abstinence from junk food, candy bars, coffee, and alcohol, would also do well to look inside. Someone out there is sure to conclude that I’m advocating a steady diet of junk food, candy bars, coffee, and also getting drunk every night. What we advocate is innate living which is also called common sense. What we are talking about is less concern about outside factors and more concern with the lack of internal factor. If we are keeping ourselves and our patients clear, a full compliment of internal resistive forces are able to prevent subluxation “caused” by the above.
The popular “cause” today is “stress.” Stress causes subluxation, we are told. Baloney! The inability to handle stress causes subluxations. What causes the inability to handle stress? A body that is functioning in an incoordinated manner. What causes incoordination? Vertebral subluxation! We are told that we live in a stressful society. 20th century living has created stress. Yet 200 years ago our great great grandparents lived in a society where, if they went out hunting and got nothing, the family didn’t eat that night. If the crops failed they couldn’t go to the 711. They starved. The threat of Indian attack was constantly over their heads. We have the threat of “the bomb” and cancer. But they had the bubonic plague, epidemics, no miracle drugs, no welfare, no Medicare, no unemployment compensation. We live in a more complex society. There is no doubt about that, but that does not mean it is any more stressful. Stress is “mental.” How can it be a stressful society when the average American spends almost as many , ( hours a week in a totally mindless activity (watching television) as he/she does working for a living (which is supposed to be the major cause of stress)? The point is, we don’t live in any greater or less stressful society than did our ancestors and we need to stop using it as an excuse for vertebral subluxation. We have chiropractors, in the name of prevention of vertebral subluxation, recommending, advocating, or seeing the value in such measures as massage, relaxation therapy, flotation tanks, hypnosis, meditation, and who knows what else. We have other chiropractors advocating the above because they think the stress of life is greater than a subluxation free body can handle. A chiropractor who wouldn’t think of suggesting that a germ makes you sick accepts without question that stress causes disease or dis-ease. Both are external causes. If we as chiropractors are going to address ourselves to stress, we had better practice every outside-in approach in order to be consistent. These are straight chiropractors. What they are saying is “normal daily life presents more external invasive forces than the human body is capable of withstanding despite getting regular adjustments and therefore you must direct your attention toward reducing or eliminating the causes of the external invasive forces.” If that’s the situation, then we might as well pack it in as straight chiropractors because we’re only spinning our wheels. We might as well treat bad backs and stiff necks because we haven’t a hope in the world of having an impact on the health of society. I for one don’t believe that and neither do most straight chiropractors. This body is a fantastic thing. Given a good supply of internal resistive forces it has the ability to withstand every external invasive force associated with “average” 20th century living. If our patients don’t appear able to do that or we ourselves don’t, then let’s look first internally before we start to address the “external.” Are we making sure that we and our patients are free of subluxation and being kept free. If we are doing that then we don’t have to worry about the outside-in factors. V2n4
