You may have heard the phrase “My chiropractor saved my life” and thought to yourself, “Well that sounds a little dramatic” – but what if it wasn’t that far off from the truth?
When it comes to chiropractic work, there are so many different techniques, skill levels, and practitioners out there that it’s hard to know who and what to trust. There are many different schools of thought that chiropractors follow, and here at The Wellness Tribe, we follow the school of vitalistic chiropractic.
At its core, vitalistic chiropractic is a part of the Eastern medicine school of thought, which focuses on preventative medicine that “seeks to heal the entire body by allowing the nervous system to communicate without disruption by removing blockages.” Vitalistic chiropractic does this by adjusting the spinal vertebrae to allow the body to naturally heal and align itself.
In this article we’re going to go more in-depth into what vitalistic chiropractic is, how it can help heal your body in a natural way through alignment, and how this can translate into your overall well-being.
What is Vitalistic Chiropractic?
The official definition of vitalism is “the theory that the origin and phenomena of life are dependent on a force or principle distinct from purely chemical or physical forces.” This definition in and of itself is the reason why we practice vitalistic chiropractic. Like we mentioned above, vitalistic chiropractic work is rooted in the Eastern medicine tradition, which seeks to heal the entire body, rather than heal individual parts like in Western medicine, which is largely a mechanic mode of healing. The premise in which Western medicine relies on is that there are different parts of the body, such as the nervous system and the digestive system, and each system is healed by someone who specializes in that area. Western medicine is largely reactionary, which is sometimes needed in cases of injury or emergency surgery, such as an appendectomy.
How Vitalistic Chiropractic Can Heal Your Body Naturally
Eastern medicine and vitalistic chiropractic on the other hand is based in preventative care, which focuses on preventing health problems before they happen. Like we mentioned above, vitalistic chiropractic helps to heal the body by allowing the nervous system to communicate to the rest of your body without disruption. This is done by removing blockages throughout your body by adjusting each individual vertebrae in order for the body to align in a more natural way, which in turn allows the body to heal itself. When your body is out of alignment, specifically your spine, this is called subluxation, which reduces your nervous system’s capacity to heal itself and therefore reduces your overall health and well-being.
Vitalistic chiropractic is one of many philosophies in the chiropractic field, which in turn are shaping the future essence of this industry. According to Ankur Tayal, philosophy department chair and faculty member at Life Chiropractic College West, what lies at the center of each of these emerging philosophies is “removing tension from your nervous system so that your body can function better” specifically when we’re dealing with both inside and outside stressors and tension. Dr. Tayal also goes on to further explain the concept of subluxation, which refers to misalignments of the neck and spine, which can cause problems without necessarily causing pain or discomfort.
Why Alignment is Important for Your Overall Wellbeing
If we haven’t convinced you why you might benefit from vitalistic chiropractic yet, keep reading! According to Dr. Tayal, your body’s misalignment can have an effect on your nervous system and how well it functions, which in turn can have an effect on how well your overall body functions (aka your overall well-being). This is why putting in the work to ensure your body is always aligned is so important, which is where we come in! From our perspective, there are individual systems in our body that we need in order to survive, although it is only if they interact in just the right way that we are truly aligned, or in other words “healthy.”
Vitalistic chiropractors, like us, focus on healing through subluxation modalities, which allows the body to move past blockages and heal itself in a more natural way. Vitalistic chiropractic rests on the premise that our body is greater than the sum of its parts, which lends to the idea that the cause of pain or discomfort might not correlate to the exact location of the pain. This is why healing your nervous system is often the first step in a vitalistic chiropractic appointment.
About The Wellness Tribe | Prenatal, Pediatric Chiropractic & Vitalistic Chiropractor in Denver, CO
Dr. Maggie McInnes is a Colorado native and vitalistic chiropractor who has an immense passion for living life presently, wholeheartedly, and healthfully. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Integrative Physiology and then went on to obtain her Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine from Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward, California.
At The Tribe, we recognize your innate capacity to heal and we strive to be a pillar of support when it comes to your health and well-being. Click here to book your appointment today or head to the-wellness-tribe.com to learn more!
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