Dr Merri's Blog

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of a case study on March 5, 2020, documenting the chiropractic resolution of a case of a mother who was unable to produce enough milk for her newborn twins.

The author of the study begins by noting the importance of the problem of milk production. "Unsuccessful breastfeeding is an issue that is affecting most of the world and is becoming more of a recognized problem by lactation consultants, pediatricians, midwives and alternative healthcare providers." The author reports that most of the studies related to chiropractic and lactation are related to the baby's inability to latch to the mother and suckle properly.

The positive effects of breastfeeding are well documented. The study reports, "The benefits of breastfeeding to the infant are not merely nutritional in value. When comparing breastfed to formula fed babies, studies also show a decrease in the risk of newborn diseases, such as ear infections, urinary tract infections, and diarrhea as well as many other long term conditions including obesity, diabetes, allergies, asthma and many other chronic illnesses."

In this case study, a 36-year-old woman who had delivered twins two weeks earlier sought chiropractic care because of her inability to produce enough milk during nursing. She also suffered from pain in her right upper back and neck into her right shoulder. The study noted that the woman was growing more depressed about the struggle to produce breast milk.

A chiropractic examination showed a reduction of spinal range of motion in the woman's neck along with multiple areas of muscle spasm. It was determined that subluxations were present in the woman's lower neck and upper back areas. Specific chiropractic adjustments were given to address the issues found.

The study recorded that immediately after her adjustment the mother felt more relaxed and had full range of motion in her neck, upper back and shoulder areas. She also commented that she felt an increased blood flow to her arm and hand.

Later after her first adjustment, the woman contacted the chiropractor's office to report that she was able to produce much more milk, doubling the amount she was previously able to produce. Follow-up evaluations showed continued improvement in her range of motions as well as continued success in breastfeeding. The woman also reported her stress levels were much lower and she was feeling happier and emotionally more stable.

In the study conclusion the author wrote, "An important and overlooked variable in successful nursing is the nursing mother's health and wellness. Removing subluxations in her nervous system has the potential to allow her body to respond properly to nursling and recover from the stress of labor and delivery. A healthy nervous system and a nursing relationship should be a priority to both the mother and the baby and also their healthcare provider."

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You and your family can take steps right now and become ‘Least Vulnerable People’. Here are 15 things you can stop doing and start doing that will make a difference.

Becoming A ‘Least Vulnerable Person’

There is growing concern about COVID-19, the flu, and other infectious diseases affecting the most vulnerable people. Who are these most vulnerable people and what choices can you make for yourself and your family to become a Least Vulnerable Person. Fortunately, most of these options are under your control!

Who Are The Most Vulnerable People

Seniors

Elderly people are the most at-risk population for infection and serious complications due to COVID-19 or any other virus. The reason is not just because of their age. In fact, there was a recent report of a 102-year-old woman who recovered from the COVID-19 virus. What makes them most vulnerable is that many of them are living lifestyles that include all of the additional factors listed below.

Underlying Health Conditions

People with underlying health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other conditions, are more vulnerable as well. Their immune systems are already stressed and challenged, which makes them less able to ward off other types of infections.

https://youtu.be/1EXplnxo0Wo

PolyPharmacy

Polypharmacy is a term used for people who take multiple medications. This can alter blood and brain chemistry causing immunosuppression, hindering the body’s innate ability to fight infections.

Marlo Sollitto, author of Polypharmacy in the Elderly, states that “Being on too many medications can lead to potentially dangerous drug interactions and exposure to many side effects at once. Keep in mind that this applies not to just prescriptions, but also over-the-counter medications… The average adult takes four or more prescription drugs each day.”

Obesity

According to the National Institute of Health, obesity, and overweight together are the second leading cause of preventable death in the US, close behind tobacco usage. An estimated 300,000 deaths per year are due to the obesity epidemic.

Poor Posture

Chiropractors have been labeled Essential Service Providers by the US Department of Homeland Security, which is why we are open, taking the proper precautions, and serving our community.

Poor posture can make you more vulnerable by increasing stress, reducing lung capacity, straining muscles, causing fatigue and contributing to many other factors that affect your immune system.  A recent Harvard study showed that people who sat with good posture showed a 25% decrease in Cortisol, the stress hormone.

Sedentary

On average, Americans sit for about 11 hours per day. Sedentary lifestyles are a contributing factor to every lifestyle disease and a risk factor including cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Erin Michos, the associate director of preventive cardiology at the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease explains “A large review of studies published in 2015 in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that even after adjusting for physical activity, sitting for long periods was associated with worse health outcomes including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Sedentary behavior can also increase your risk of dying, either from heart disease or other medical problems.”

Smokers

Smoking is known to compromise the immune system. This increases the risk for many immune and autoimmune disorders, conditions that occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy cells and tissues.

Becoming a ‘Least Vulnerable Person’

Here are some important lifestyle changes you can make to help you and your loved ones become ‘Less Vulnerable People’.

Positive Psychology

Positive psychology can improve your health and immune system function. According to Johns Hopkins expert, Lisa Yanek, people with a family history of heart disease who had a positive outlook were one-third less likely to have a heart attack or cardiovascular event within 5-25 years compared to those with a negative outlook.

Another study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology compared optimistic vs. pessimistic first-year law students regarding their performance in the upcoming school year. The study showed better functioning immune cells in the optimistic students versus the pessimistic students.

Physical Activity

Physical activity and movement is a keystone in maintaining optimal health. A study published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science illustrated the following:

• Acute exercise is an immune system adjuvant
• A clear inverse relationship was found between moderate exercise training and illness risk
• Habitual exercise improves immune regulation, delaying the onset of age-related dysfunction

Reduce Stress and Get Plenty of Sleep

Stress is not an outside thing, it’s an inside thing. You have the opportunity to choose how you react to any situation. It is true that chronic stress reduces the capabilities of your immune system and makes you more vulnerable to disease. According to Bruce Lipton, Ph.D and author of the Biology of Belief, your body cannot be in positive production mode and defense mode at the same time. He explains this concept in detail in this video.

Quality sleep is important. Minimize your stress so that you sleep well. This will certainly make you reduce your vulnerability.

Improve the Function of Your Nervous System

Your nervous system is your body’s main communication highway, relaying nerve signals to every single, cell, tissue and organ in the entire body, allowing the body to perform all vital functions in order to sustain life. It is ESSENTIAL to maintain the integrity of this communication highway in order to live a healthy lifestyle. More importantly, the nervous system supplies communication to the thymus, spleen, adrenal glands, and lymph glands, all of which play pivotal roles in the function of your immune system.

Chiropractic care improves posture which can improve the health of your nervous system In addition, correcting spinal imbalances can influence basic physiological processes affecting oxidative stress and DNA repair. Reducing oxidative stress is an important factor in immune function.

In a study by Ronald Pero Ph.D, subjects under chiropractic care demonstrated higher mean serum thiol levels than patients with active disease and produced some values that were higher than normal wellness values.

Social Interaction

Community equals immunity. The NCBI states that Social relationships-both quantity and quality- affect mental health, health behavior, physical health, and mortality risk…..Social isolation of otherwise healthy, well-functioning individuals eventually results in psychological and physical disintegration, and even death.

Good nutrition

Make good nutrition your new lifestyle by choosing QCs over ECs, quality calories over empty calories, every time you’re faced with a food choice. A proper nutritional regimen consisting of lean proteins, organic green leafy vegetables, whole grains, healthy sources of monounsaturated fats such as avocados, nuts and seeds are important to help provide your body what it needs to be healthy, and strong.

• Choose Quality Calories over Empty Calories
• Supplement Your Diet
• Avoid Processed Foods
• Avoid Canned Foods
• Avoid White Rice, Sugar, Flour and Pasta
• Avoid Regular and Diet Soda
• Minimize Caffeine and Alcohol

Technology

Limiting technology use can improve your health dramatically. Diagnoses of ADHD, autism, coordination disorder, developmental delays, unintelligible speech, learning difficulties, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders are associated with technology overuse, and are increasing at an alarming rate.”1

Raise a Least Vulnerable Family

Apply these principles to raising your family and everyone you love will be healthier for it, becoming less vulnerable to infections and experiencing better health now and for a lifetime.

On March 28, 2020, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) released a 26 page report titled, "Immune Function and Chiropractic, What Does the Evidence Provide?" This comprehensive report looks at how immunity works, its relationship to the nerve system, and how chiropractic can have a positive effect on immune function.

The report establishes that the immune system is influenced by the function of the nerve system. "Considerable evidence has mounted to support active communication between the nervous system and the immune system. The nervous system, including the brain and the peripheral divisions can either stimulate or inhibit various activities of both the innate and adaptive immune systems."

Dr Steven Welsh, president of the ICA, clarified the relationship between immune function and chiropractic by saying, "Although there are no clinical trials to substantiate a direct causal relationship between the chiropractic adjustment and increased protection from the COVID-19 virus, there is a growing body of evidence that there is a relationship between the nervous system and the immune system."

Chiropractic was founded in 1895 by D.D. Palmer, who asked the question 120 years ago as to the nature of infectious disease when he said, "One question was always uppermost in my mind in my search for the cause of disease. I desired to know why one person was ailing and his associate, eating at the same table working in the same shop, at the same bench, was not. Why? What difference was there in the two persons that caused one to have pneumonia, catarrh, typhoid or rheumatism, while his partner, similarly situated, escaped? Why?"

The report cites numerous other scientific studies and reports linking chiropractic to the effect on the nerve system, and in turn, the nerve system's affect on stress and immune function. The report notes, "As an essential health care provider, the chiropractor is in a unique position to assist their patients during this time of heightened stress. Although there are no clinical trials to substantiate a direct causal relationship between the chiropractic adjustment and increased protection from the COVID-19 virus, there is a growing body of evidence that there is a relationship between the nervous system and the immune system."

The reports conclusion states, "Chiropractic is a health care discipline which emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. It is founded upon the principle that the body’s innate recuperative power is affected by and integrated through the nervous system."

In the December 2019 issue of the Chiropractic Journal of Australia are the results of a study documenting that patients who were under continuous chiropractic care showed an improvement in Heart Rate Variability (HRV).

According to Marcelo Campos, MD, in his article in the Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publishing, "HRV is simply a measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat. This variation is controlled by a primitive part of the nervous system called the autonomic nervous system (ANS)." He points out that a high rate of HRV indicates a better ability to adapt and a healthier functioning nerve system. Conversely a lower HRV is associated with conditions such as cardiovascular disease, inflammation, diabetic neuropathy, depression, sleep disorders, and cancer.

As this study points out, vertebral subluxations create nerve system interference that can then affect HRV. The study states, "The primary objective of chiropractic care is to optimize health and wellbeing through the enhancement of nervous system function by reducing nerve interference caused by vertebral subluxations." They continue by noting that the Australian Spinal Research Foundation defines vertebral subluxation as "a diminished state of being, comprising of a state of reduced coherence, altered biomechanical function, altered neurological function and altered adaptability."

In explaining the rational for this study the researcher noted, "Research over the past 2 decades has shown that the chiropractic adjustment (also referred to as chiropractic spinal manipulation in the chiropractic research literature) results in changes in spinal biomechanics and structure, central nervous system function, motor output, and autonomic output. while under chiropractic care."

In this study, 6 patients between the ages of 25 and 55 started chiropractic care for correction of subluxations. The patients were specifically screened to assure that medications or stressful life events would not create any changes in their HRV during this study. The three men and three woman each had their HRV monitored before they started chiropractic, and then routinely every 12 visits to see if correction of subluxations would affect their HRV. These results were also compared to HRVs from control patients who did not receive any chiropractic adjustments.

The results of the study showed a consistent and sustained improvement in HRV in each of the patients who received chiropractic care. There was not only an improvement in their HRV as compared to before starting chiropractic. There was also a demonstratable improvement between the 6 patients receiving chiropractic and the control patients who did not.

In discussing the results of the study, the authors noted, "This case series chronicles HRV changes of 6 adult patients receiving chiropractic care using (specific) adjusting techniques for the correction of vertebral subluxation. The data described here are consistent with immediate and long-lasting neurophysiological changes effected by chiropractic case management."

In the conclusion the authors wrote, "The data presented demonstrate a sustained improvement in HRV over a course of chiropractic care that is consistent with improved health outcomes."

On March 28, 2020, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) released a 26 page report titled, "Immune Function and Chiropractic, What Does the Evidence Provide?" This comprehensive report looks at how immunity works, its relationship to the nerve system, and how chiropractic can have a positive effect on immune function.

The report establishes that the immune system is influenced by the function of the nerve system. "Considerable evidence has mounted to support active communication between the nervous system and the immune system. The nervous system, including the brain and the peripheral divisions can either stimulate or inhibit various activities of both the innate and adaptive immune systems."

Dr Steven Welsh, president of the ICA, clarified the relationship between immune function and chiropractic by saying, "Although there are no clinical trials to substantiate a direct causal relationship between the chiropractic adjustment and increased protection from the COVID-19 virus, there is a growing body of evidence that there is a relationship between the nervous system and the immune system."

Chiropractic was founded in 1895 by D.D. Palmer, who asked the question 120 years ago as to the nature of infectious disease when he said, "One question was always uppermost in my mind in my search for the cause of disease. I desired to know why one person was ailing and his associate, eating at the same table working in the same shop, at the same bench, was not. Why? What difference was there in the two persons that caused one to have pneumonia, catarrh, typhoid or rheumatism, while his partner, similarly situated, escaped? Why?"

The report cites numerous other scientific studies and reports linking chiropractic to the effect on the nerve system, and in turn, the nerve system's affect on stress and immune function. The report notes, "As an essential health care provider, the chiropractor is in a unique position to assist their patients during this time of heightened stress. Although there are no clinical trials to substantiate a direct causal relationship between the chiropractic adjustment and increased protection from the COVID-19 virus, there is a growing body of evidence that there is a relationship between the nervous system and the immune system."

The reports conclusion states, "Chiropractic is a health care discipline which emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. It is founded upon the principle that the body’s innate recuperative power is affected by and integrated through the nervous system."

A case study was published on August 1, 2019, in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, documenting the improvement of a pregnant woman who was helped by chiropractic care after an injury during her pregnancy.

The authors of the study begin by reporting that traumatic injuries complicate 6% to 8% of pregnancies. This results in approximately 30,000 pregnant women having to seek care for their injuries. The breakdown shows that 54.6% are from motor vehicle accidents, 22.3% from violent assaults, 21.8% from falls, and the remainder from a variety of other incidents.

Accidents and trauma during pregnancy can affect the mother and the unborn infant. Studies have shown that the infant survival rate after a serious trauma is reduced to 56% following the trauma with most of the fetal deaths occurring in the 2nd trimester. The study points out the serious consequences, "Among pregnant women who sustained severe injuries, there is 17-fold increased risk for placental abruption and a 30-fold increased risk for fetal death."

In this case, a 36-year-old woman who was in the 33rd week of her pregnancy presented herself for a chiropractic evaluation and possible care. Two weeks prior to her visit, she fell down a 15-step set of stairs. After the fall, she went into premature labor and was taken to the hospital. She was released two days later and told that she would probably have her baby early.

One week later, the woman developed pain in her hips, lower back and pelvis. She reported that it was becoming increasing difficult to lift her toddler son as well as perform her daily activities. She rated the pain as between 8 and 10 on a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being the worst.

A chiropractic examination showed several postural abnormalities including a forward position head and an increased curve on the lower back. Palpation of the woman’s spine showed multiple areas of sensitivity and tight musculature. Her spinal range of motion was both restricted and painful.

It was determined that subluxations were present and specific forms of chiropractic adjustments were given appropriate for her subluxations and being pregnant. It was recommended that she be adjusted 2-3 times per week for the remainder of her pregnancy.

The woman reported that within the first three chiropractic visits, she had a significant improvement in her pain and quality of life. After three visits, her pelvic pain had resolved as did her lower back pain after five visits. She delivered a baby girl just one day short of 38 weeks, which was longer than expected by her medical physicians and longer than for her first child.

In their discussion, the authors relate how common chiropractic care is becoming for pregnant women. "Since the inception of chiropractic, the care of the pregnant patient has taken place. In the modern era, the popularity of chiropractic for this patient population is justified in terms of chiropractic’s effectiveness in addressing pregnancy-related musculoskeletal complaints and improvements in quality of life."

A study published in the September 19, 2019, issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health showed that chiropractic care can help infants and babies who have misshapen heads known as plagiocephaly. When the deformation of a baby's head is not caused by a congenital anomaly, or it occurs during birth or after the infant is born due to positioning, it is referred to as positional plagiocephaly.

In describing this condition the authors of the study noted, "When the overall shape of the skull becomes asymmetrical as a result of direct pressure it can be termed deformational plagiocephaly. According to the International Society for Pediatric Neurology, 20% of infants at 2 months old have plagiocephaly and as many as 29.5% have it at 2 years old."

According to the study, the "Back to Sleep" program, which started in 1992, saw an increase of positional plagiocephaly as babies were made to sleep on their back earlier that was normal for them. The Back to Sleep program was an attempt to decrease the incidence of Sudden Infant Death syndrome, (SIDs).

Common medical treatment for positional plagiocephaly is having the baby wear a helmet for up to 23 hours each day for 2-6 months. This approach does carry some adverse effects including pressure sores, skin irritation, and infection.

In this case series, three babies were brought in for a chiropractic evaluation by their parents to see if chiropractic could help them. All three infants were 2.5 months old and were brought to the chiropractor by their parents who were concerned with the shape of their baby's head as well as the possible consequences of leaving their babies' untreated.

All three babies were given specific forms of chiropractic adjustments with the goal of reducing vertebral subluxation that were detected to be present. In all three cases, the authors of the study reported that the babies' heads showed improvement and were more symmetrical within several weeks of chiropractic care. They also reported that other symptoms and health issues were also improved, creating an improved quality of life for the infants.

In the conclusion of the study, the authors wrote, "The results of this case series show the improvement of plagiocephaly in three infants following subluxation-based chiropractic care. This suggests that chiropractic care may be underutilized as a conservative management for children with plagiocephaly."

A study published on September 27, 2019, in Oxford Academic's Pain Medicine showed that patients with spinal pain who utilized chiropractic were less likely to use opioids than those who did not receive chiropractic care.

The title of the study, "Association Between Chiropractic Use and Opioid Receipt Among Patients with Spinal Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis" had the stated objective, "To investigate the current evidence to determine if there is an association between chiropractic use and opioid receipt."

According to the National Institutes of Health's, National Institutes of Drug Abuse, "Every day, more than 130 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids." The problem has become so severe that numerous studies have been done to look at alternatives to opiod treatment for pain. In 2018, there were over 70,000 opioid drug overdose deaths in the U.S.

Chiropractic has long been the leading drugless approach for people suffering with pain. Recently a number of studies have specifically shown that chiropractic care reduces opioid usage in the general population. These studies have prompted health professionals and researchers both inside and outside of chiropractic to voice their support for the chiropractic non-drug approach.

Dr. Kelsey L. Corcoran, DC, VA Connecticut Health Care System and Yale Center for Medical Informatics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, who was a lead author on one such prior study commented in a recent Medline article, "Preventing opioid addiction and overdose continues to be a significant public health priority; and as part of a strategy to lessen opioid use, clinical guidelines now recommend many non-pharmacological options to be considered as front-line treatment ahead of any medication."

The study in pain medicine looked at 684 previous research articles and narrowed them down to the ones they felt were the most solid from a scientific basis. From looking at these studies, the researchers were able to show that people under chiropractic care with spine related pain had a 64% lower chance of receiving an opioid prescription.

In their conclusion, the authors of this study recognized the impact the results could have on the opioid epidemic we are now facing. They stated, "This review demonstrated an inverse association between chiropractic use and opioid receipt among patients with spinal pain. Further research is warranted to assess this association and the implications it may have for case management strategies to decrease opioid use."

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a chiropractic case study on May 9, 2018. The study documented the care of a young man being helped by chiropractic who was suffering with multiple issues including neck pain and stiffness, pins and needles into his left shoulder, low back pain, difficulty sleeping, and migraine headaches.

The Migraine Research Foundation shares a number of statistics concerning how common migraines are in the population. According to the foundation, migraines are the 3rd most prevalent illness in the world. They report that nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households includes someone with migraines, with nearly 12% of the population, including children, suffer from this condition. This condition affects 18% of American women, 6% of men, and 10% of children, and is most common between the ages of 18 and 44.

In this case, a 35-year-old man went to the chiropractor in hopes of getting help for his multiple conditions. At that time, he was suffering with neck pain and stiffness, pins and needles into his left shoulder, low back pain and difficulty sleeping. The man was also suffering with chronic, long-term migraine headaches, which was his primary reason for seeking chiropractic.

The current episode of severe neck pain he was suffering from began after he was drying his hair. He was using heat on his neck as well as taking over the counter pain medications, but neither of those reduced his pain. His neck pain was so severe that he reported he was unable to go to the gym or get out of bed without help. He felt this was having an adverse effect on the psychosocial aspects of his life.

The man reported some past trauma to his neck in the past from playing rugby in his teenage years, and football until about a year ago. He also reported that he was a victim of a physical assault approximately five years ago. The man also reported a significant injury five years prior in which he fractured his right clavicle.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included a postural analysis, spinal palpation, a spinal range of motion analysis and several orthopedic tests. In addition, specific spinal x-rays were taken to determine vertebral positioning and overall curvatures and biomechanics of the spine. It was noted that the man had a reversal of neck curve instead of the normal forward curvature.

As a result of the examination and x-rays, specific forms of chiropractic procedures were started. The patient was given regular update evaluations to determine the changes in his spine as well as his symptomatic improvement. On his first re-evaluation four weeks into his care, it was reported that the man had symptomatically improved about 80 percent from when he started care. His self-reported disability had also greatly improved with all of his pain issues.

In follow-up examinations and x-rays, the patient showed measurable changes in the objective findings. At the three month follow-up, the man reported a total resolution of all of his symptoms including not having any more migraine headaches.

On March 28, 2020, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) released a 26 page report titled, "Immune Function and Chiropractic, What Does the Evidence Provide?" This comprehensive report looks at how immunity works, its relationship to the nerve system, and how chiropractic can have a positive effect on immune function.

The report establishes that the immune system is influenced by the function of the nerve system. "Considerable evidence has mounted to support active communication between the nervous system and the immune system. The nervous system, including the brain and the peripheral divisions can either stimulate or inhibit various activities of both the innate and adaptive immune systems."

Dr Steven Welsh, president of the ICA, clarified the relationship between immune function and chiropractic by saying, "... there is a growing body of evidence that there is a relationship between the nervous system and the immune system."

Chiropractic was founded in 1895 by D.D. Palmer, who asked the question 125 years ago as to the nature of infectious disease when he said, "One question was always uppermost in my mind in my search for the cause of disease. I desired to know why one person was ailing and his associate, eating at the same table working in the same shop, at the same bench, was not. Why? What difference was there in the two persons that caused one to have pneumonia, catarrh, typhoid or rheumatism, while his partner, similarly situated, escaped? Why?"

The report cites numerous other scientific studies and reports linking chiropractic to the effect on the nerve system, and in turn, the nerve system's affect on stress and immune function. The report notes, "As an essential health care provider, the chiropractor is in a unique position to assist their patients during this time of heightened stress. Although there are no clinical trials to substantiate a direct causal relationship between the chiropractic adjustment and increased protection from the COVID-19 virus, there is a growing body of evidence that there is a relationship between the nervous system and the immune system."

The reports conclusion states, "Chiropractic is a health care discipline which emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. It is founded upon the principle that the body’s innate recuperative power is affected by and integrated through the nervous system."