The idea that the spinal cord is connected to certain health issues is nothing new. Spinal manipulation has been used as a remedy for pains and illnesses since the time of Ancient Greece. However, modern chiropractic care did not come to be until the late 1800’s when a man by the name of Daniel David Palmer performed the first recorded chiropractic adjustment.
The First Adjustment
In 1880, David Daniel Palmer began practicing magnetic healing. A common practice during Palmer’s time, magnetic healing is the act of using static magnets to alleviate pain and other health issues.
In 1895, while working in his office, Palmer met the building’s janitor, Harvey Lillard. Lillard claimed that he had lost his hearing shortly after he felt a pop in his upper back when bending over 17 years prior. Since then, Lillard’s hearing had been impaired.
Palmer examined Lillard’s spine and determined that a vertebra in his upper back was out of place. This is when Palmer performed his first chiropractic adjustment. He aligned Lillard’s vertebrae back in place. Shortly after this, Lillard claimed to have regained his hearing.
Palmer theorized that all pains and illnesses could be treated with chiropractic adjustments. He added the term subluxations to the chiropractic vocabulary to describe slight misalignments of the vertebrae, which can cause a variety of health issues. Palmer soon came to the conclusion that he could use spinal manipulation to remedy all kinds of chiropractic subluxations
Resistance From the Medical Community
Palmer’s theories and practices were not well received by the medical community of that time. They claimed that he was a fraud who had no business practicing medicine. In fact, Palmer was actually indicted for practicing medicine without a license and spent time in jail.
Though medical professionals of the time denounced Palmer and his chiropractic practices, research shows that he was accurately knowledgeable about the most up to date medical practices at the turn of the 20th century. However, with new studies and findings done in the 21st century, some of his theories now seem uneducated.
Chiropractic Care in the 20th and 21st Centuries
The founding father of chiropractic care, in 1897, Palmer found the Palmer School of Chiropractic. It still exists to this day and is known as Palmer College of Chiropractic. He continued to study and promote chiropractic care into the 20th century. Without his initial efforts in the beginning, chiropractic would not be the respected medical profession that it is today. Here are a few important dates between the time Palmer first started practicing chiropractic care leading up to present day:
- 1900: Minora Paxson became the first woman to receive her doctorate of chiropractic at the Palmer School of Chiropractic.
- 1904: Daniel David Palmer’s son, Bartlett Joshua Palmer, took over the Palmer School of Chiropractic.
- 1906: The Universal Chiropractors’ Association (UCA) was formed.
- 1913: Kansas became the first state to recognize and license chiropractic health care.
- 1922: The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) was formed.
- 1930: The UCA and ACA were merged to create the National Chiropractic Association (NCA).
- 1963: The NCA was changed back to its original name, American Chiropractic Association.
- 1974: Louisiana became the last state to recognize and license chiropractic health care.
- 1988: The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) was formed.
- 1997: The WFC is recognized by the World Health Association.
- 2002: U.S. Congress brought chiropractic services into the U.S. military health system.
Chiropractors today, unlike Daniel David Palmer, are highly respected medical professionals. They are licensed all over the world with over 50,000 licensed chiropractors in the U.S. alone. The profession has progressed a great deal in the 100+ years of its existence and now people are turning to chiropractic care for symptoms that used to be treated with drugs or medical procedures.
Improve Your Life With Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care can help to improve your life in many ways. It can reduce pain and stress, improve your quality of sleep, and improve your overall well-being. The practice has come a long way and is now considered one of the most beneficial health practices.
Total Health Chiropractic Center has the experience and knowledge needed to care for any spinal cord related health issues. Let us help you get to the bottom of your back or neck pain. We’ll have you leaving our office with euphoric relief. Contact us today for more information or schedule an appointment.
