A Spinal History

Chiropractic medicine has been around for years. It has taken on the form of many different types of science, all of which have been argued, shunned, re-interred and rearranged over the decades, even over the centuries. And I say centuries because there have been reports that a type of chiropractic medicine had been used in ancient Egypt.

By today’s standards, this medical field has evolved quite enormously and there are still those who say that this type of medicine is a farce; that any ailment can only be cured with some type of surgery or drug. But chiropractors, from day one of their studies, have it drilled into their heads that this type of medicine is a natural form of healing without any need for pills, needles (except maybe for acupuncture) or a scalpel.

Even though the ancient Egyptians used a form of this chiropractic medicine, the term wasn’t coined until the late nineteenth century. It consists of two main groups. First is the “straights” which is the less popular of the two. It places great emphasis on innate intelligence which is believed to be the driving force behind the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Unfortunately this is often ridiculed by most in the medical field, even though more and more people have taken to this holistic approach in medicine.

The second group of chiropractic medicine is known as the “mixers”. This is the more mainstream group and uses more traditional techniques such as massage, exercise and ice therapy. Between these two groups, there has always been controversy—the natural body versus science and there’s no clear-cut answer to which method is more beneficial. Every single body that comes under a chiropractor’s hands is different and will respond differently to whatever the technique the doctor offers.

But perhaps there is one thing that both sides can agree on and that’s the activator instrument. The activator instrument is a small, hand-held device that releases a small amount of energy into the vertebrae, helping to realign it without any surgery or drugs. It’s a non-invasive practice and gives an out-of-whack back a little extra push in the right direction.