The Evolution of Chiropractic in the U.S.

 

Chiropractic has come a long way since it’s inception in the late 19th century. The profession has faced many attacks and challenges by chiropractors struggling to define the path of chiropractic as well as outsiders who desired to stop chiropractic’s contribution to American healthcare.

The Founding of Chiropractic

Chiropractic began in 1895 when its founder, Daniel David Palmer, claimed the cause of any and all disease could be removed by–and needing nothing more than–his hands. The name given to this new profession became its identity. After all, chiropractic means “done by hand.”

Chiropractic was not an unknown treatment in 1895, and Palmer never claimed to be the first to use chiropractic for the cure of disease. He did claim, however, to be the first to use specific contacts as short-leverage points for making more specific spinal “adjustments.” Harvey Lillard was the name of D.D. Palmer’s first patient, and an adjustment reportedly curing Lillard’s deafness is regarded as the seminal moment for the new profession.

D.D. Palmer established his science, art, and philosophy of chiropractic and started a school called the Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1905. Since then, Palmer has expanded it’s presence to three locations: Davenport, Iowa; Port Orange, Florida and San Jose, California.

SideNote: Dr. Will graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport in 1977 and his son, Dan McCray graduated from the Port Orange location in 2007.

The Beef Between Physician and Chiropractors

For most of its existence, chiropractic has been at odds with mainstream medicine and physicians.

Between 1873 and 1899, each state established statutes to practice medicine. But there were as yet no statutes to practice chiropractic. This put chiropractors at risk of arrest for practicing medicine without a license.

But despite opposition from allopathic medicine, states also began enacting chiropractic licensure statutes in 1905, largely due to the demands for care made by chiropractic patients.

This process of chiropractic licensure in all states was finally completed in 1974. But all the while, licensed or not, chiropractors continued to work as the public demanded. Many chiropractors practicing in states where chiropractic licensure laws were yet to be enacted defiantly opposed the medical statutes they regarded as an infringement of their rights and obligations to serve their patients. Until the 1950s and 1960s, it was not uncommon for chiropractors to be jailed and fined.

As late as 1966, The American Medical Association called chiropractic an “insufficient cult.” The AMA continued to boycott the profession until losing an antitrust case in 1987. The AMA now permits medical doctors to refer patients to doctors of chiropractic for treatment and/or therapy if the medical doctor believes it is in the best interest of the patient.

Chiropractic Today

Today, professional cooperation and mutual appreciation between chiropractic and conventional medicine lie in stark contrast to many years of discord. Cooperation and the collaborative care of patients are now quite common.

Interdisciplinary practices are now becoming more common in a variety of settings, with chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists and others working as partners in occupational health, sports medicine teams, and rehabilitation centers.

Contributing Resources: http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/chiropractic/where-does-it-come

At McCray Chiropractic and Health Restoration Clinic we care about the mental and physical well-being of each patient. Dr. Will McCray and Dr. Dan McCray offer a variety of services to help you and your family achieve optimal health with chiropractic care, massage, nutritional recommendations, and various therapies. We pride ourselves in making our patients feel welcome and comfortable so they enjoy coming in to visit one of our chiropractic offices. Feeling comfortable is a major component of the healing process and we hope you see that difference at our offices when you come in for your next visit. Visit our website to find out more on how we can help you achieve optimal health today: http://www.mccraychiropractic.com/

MCHRC Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

We are happy to report that we are making big strides at MCHRC.

A big THANK YOU to Martinsburg Mayor George Karos and everyone else who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony! Huge success!

Join in on the fun this weekend at our Grand Re-Opening Ceremony !

McCray Chiropractic and Health Restoration Clinic Grand Re-Opening

McCray Chiropractic and Health Restoration Clinic Grand Re-Opening

Date: Saturday, October 26, 2013

When: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Where: 400 Foxcroft Ave. Parking Lot

Martinsburg, WV 25401

Enjoy a Fun-Filled Afternoon!

FOOD    GAMES        FACE PAINTING

DJ       PRIZES     OFFICE TOURS 

DEMOS   VENDORS   MOON BOUNCE

Grand Opening Flyer (New)

Questions/Inquiries: CALL (304) 262-0700

Don’t Let the Government Shutdown Delay Your Fitness Routine! Here’s 5 Quick and Easy Tips to Keep Up Your Fitness

Healthy Life = Happy Life

Creating and achieving personal fitness goals can be especially difficult for those with busy work schedules and various personal obligations. Sometimes however, the smallest decisions we make on a daily basis can produce the biggest difference in the outcome of our entire well-being. Here are five quick and easy tips to for creating a healthier daily lifestyle:

1. Allocate a set amount of time each day for exercise. Plan how many days of the week you will exercise and for how long. Treat these appointments very seriously and be sure to re-schedule a session if you must skip one! Continue to set higher goals for yourself as the weeks progress.
2. Make Smart Small decisions. Take the stairs, walk in place between commercials, do leg raises and do some simple weight training exercises when sitting on the couch. There is always time to squeeze in a little stretching also. These little decisions can yield significant health benefits.
3. Surround Yourself with People who Support Your Efforts. Make friends who are going to motivate you mentally and physically. If your existing friends have no desire to join your fitness routine, try making new friends at your local fitness center, in online meet-up groups or even on your daily walking route.
4. Make Healthier Snack Choices. Pass on the vending machines snacks or break room treats. I think we all enjoy a free donut or two especially if we’ve skipped breakfast before work. So be sure to fill up with a well-portioned, healthy breakfast before leaving home for a long work day. Pack  plenty of fresh fruit and veggies to snack on throughout the day, guilt-free!
5. Remember to Reward Yourself. We can be a little hard on ourselves from time to time so it is important to recognize your achievements from time to time with a treat of some kind. Instead of rewarding your good health achievements with a calorie-filled pastry or other sugary snack, treat yourself to a spa treatment, a good movie or one of our relaxing massages. 

Whatever you do, do not give up on your fitness goals if you miss a workout or go on a night of binge eating. Give up on the workout-skipping blues and remember that persistence is key to getting what you want.

Treating Our Body Right: Treatment Vs. Preventative Treatment

Treatment of a disease, illness, or structural imbalance after it occurs is tricky and can take a lot more of a time, energy and financial investment than we may desire. Preventative treatment is often overlooked but is really needed in …

5 Common Causes for Back Pain and How You Can Fix Them

Everyday we engage in actions that may lead to or cause back strain, soreness or achiness. What most of us do not realize is how most of our mundane everyday practices eventually take a toll on our back muscles and joints. Since back pain is one of the most common ailments facing millions of people across the world, here are some of the most common causes for back pain as well as some everyday tips to have you feeling better fast. 

• Problem #1 Sitting Still – We all do it everyday. For most of us, it is inevitable to sit for an extended period of time at some point in the day, . Whether we are working at a desk job, sitting through a 4-hour plane flight, or even waiting in a doctor’s office (hopefully not that long in ours!), staying in one position for an extended period of time is taxing on the muscles of the body.
• Solution: Be sure to get up every hour or so and stretch out your muscles. Take a 2-3 minute break from sitting to stretch, stand and walk. Something as simple as this can increase blood flow to the muscles and allow you to maintain a relaxed, supportive posture throughout the day.

• Problem #2: Sleeping Wrong – Not getting a good nights rest can ruin your day. Not only can it make you irritable and drowsy the next day but it can also cause back pain and stiffness in your joints and muscles. Having a good mattress, sleeping in the right position and even the positioning your pillow correctly can have a tremendous effect on the outcome of your sleep. Sleeping on your belly can cause extra stress to your muscles and joints. Too much mattress flexibility will not keep your body in proper alignment, while too little flexibility does not allow support for the natural curves of your body. 
• Solution: A research study in The Lancet (2003;362:1599–604) suggests, “A mattress of medium firmness improves pain and disability among patients with chronic non-specific low-back pain.” Be sure the firmness of your mattress is not too stiff but also not too soft. Find yourself a happy medium! You need to allow your body to have a degree of limited flexibility while resting. Instead of sleeping on your back or stomach, try sleeping on your side. This position will allow your spine to remain elongated and neutral. Make sure your pillow provides enough neck support to keep your head in line with your spine. 

• Problem #3: Wearing High Heels – That’s right ladies! Toting around in those 4-inch stilettos and pumps are not doing much to help matters. High heels aggravate your lower back by forcing it into an abnormal posture and alignment. And it is definitely safe to say that they are downright destructive if you are already suffering from lower back pain.
• Solution: The use of all high heels may not always cause harm to everyone, however, you may want to do yourself a favor and avoid wearing those high-heeled shoes that cause or even worsen your back pain the day after wearing them. Switch up the wardrobe and go with some cute flats, swanky loafers or stylish combat boots instead!

• Problem #4: Technology Engagement – Computers, Smartphones and tablets, oh my! Let’s face it. We live in the Information Age (also referred to as The Digital or Computer Age). With the huge growth of social media and other online media consumption, many of us stay consumed with staying connected or engaged through the Internet. Whether we are using our Smartphone to check today’s weather and latest Facebook posts or sitting at our computer’s to do actually work, hunching over for hours on end with improper posture can end up taking a toll on our backs and necks and lead to spinal misalignment.
• Solution: Try bringing the device to eye-level instead of craning your neck, take breaks from engaging to stretch your neck and look away from the screen. Invest in a hands-free headset so you can avoid the risk of crooking your neck. Teach your kids these habits at an early age. If we are to continue to teach the next generation to embrace technology at such a young age and at such a fast pace, we must also teach them how to do so in a healthy and preventative manner. 

• Problem #5: Your Bra – Once again ladies, this one is for you! You gain weight; you lose weight, and doing so causes the bust area to fluctuate in size and width. There are just some facts of life we cannot avoid and this is one of them. Having a bra with the correct support will aid your maintaining good back health and prevent straining muscles.
• Solution: Great news! There is a very simple fix – just get measured! It takes no more than a minute or two for someone to do your measurements. Doing so will save not only you time and money on buying an accurate and supportive bra, but it will also save your back muscles from unwanted strain or tension.

At McCray Chiropractic and Restoration Clinic we have a variety of chiropractic messages to choose from. For more information on our services or tips on how to maintain good spinal health, feel free to contact us directly at (304)-262-0700 or email us at info@mccraychiropractic.com

Lower Back Pain – We All Face It but How Can We Help It?

Patti

Whether you are working on a computer at your desk job all day or repetitively lifting 30+ lbs at a backbreaking labor job, lower back pain or LBP has most likely plagued your body at some point or another. In fact, “LBP affects approximately 60-85% of adults during some point in their lives” (US National Library of Medicine). Currently, there is a dire need to build cultural awareness for the chiropractic profession since only 7% of LBP sufferers seek out chiropractic as a solution.

Also referred to as non-surgical spine specialists, chiropractors are professionally trained to stand as the primary care solution for spine pain and headaches. Many back-pain sufferers would likely choose chiropractic care over other conventional methods if they only knew more about how it can directly help them with their pain and benefit their overall well being. Muscle and joint pain affects any person who may be exposed to a tense, stressful or physically demanding environment. Unfortunately, I think most of us can agree that we are exposed to one or more of these settings at least a few times a week.

More of the population than ever works at a computer on a daily basis. What many people do not realize is the amount of physical strain that occurs from disproportionately positioning oneself at a computer desk. When we move the mouse from a distance, lean in to get a closer view of the computer screen or type over the keyboard, repetitively straining forward produces an array of problems in the head, neck, wrist, elbow, shoulder and back areas.

Here are some handy tips that will help to reduce unnecessary strain while working at a desk job:

• Avoid overreaching for the mouse: Relax your grip. Focus on using your elbows rather than the more delicate wrist muscles. Position your body in close proximity to the keyboard to avoid over reaching.
• Position the computer monitor at eye level. Position monitor so the top of the screen stands at eye level. Adjust the “View” on your menu to avoid squinting or eyestrain.
• Proper keyboard placement: This is vital to ensure an injury-free workplace. Make sure the keyboard is positioned right above the lap to ensure that you can type with your arms close to your body. Keep wrist at a neutral level, not angled down or up while typing. Using a wrist support pad can help.
• Use a headset instead of a phone: If you have the choice, go with using a headset instead of a telephone. This will help you resist the urge to cradle the phone between the ear and shoulder. If a telephone is necessary, use your hand to support the phone against your ear and alternate sides often.
• Sit Right: Lumbar support is extremely important to have if you are sitting for more than a few hours everyday. Unfortunately, the chair industry has not caught on to the idea for their products so we will have to do what we can with what we have. Adjust the height so that you are in a 90-90-90 position – with feet positioned flat on the floor or on a footrest, and your hips and knees also bent at a 90-degree angle. Keep the lower spine as straight as possible and positioned flat against the chair at all times.
• Try not to sit in one position for a long period of time: Remember to take periodic stretch breaks every 45 minutes. One quick and easy stretch is to stand on your tippy toes and raise both hands above your head.

The social need for chiropractic care is evident thanks to the advancement of technology and everyone wanting to stay connected, whether at work or home. The biggest obstacle is ourselves when it comes to healthy sitting. We must take initiative in making a daily conscious effort to produce our own personally constructive sitting habits.

If you would like more tips on how you can develop healthier sitting habits, Dr. Will or Dr. Dan at McCray Chiropractic and Health Restoration Clinic will be more than happy to assist you with free advice. Schedule your consultation with McCray Chiropractic today and be on your way to achieving optimal health care.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2697338

What Conditions do Chiropractors Treat?

What exactly do chiropractors have to offer me when it comes to my overall health? Many do not know the answer to this question, but the fact remains that chiropractic care has much more to offer than we may think. Chiropractors use a wide range of direct and indirect treatment techniques for the muscular, skeletal and nervous systems, all in one.

While chiropractic care primarily focuses on correcting the spine through spinal manipulation, they also look at the surrounding joints, muscles and nerves as possible sources of symptoms. Since all parts of our body interact, chiropractic care thoroughly examines the entirety of both the neurological and musculoskeletal systems to achieve full body wellness.

Chiropractic care is utilized to reduce or eliminate symptoms such as:

• low back and neck pain
• knee, foot and ankle pain
• high blood pressure
• headaches (including migraines)
• sports injuries (frozen shoulder, tennis elbow)
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• arthritis
• digestive problems
• menstrual and premenstrual pain
• asthma

Here at McCray Chiropractic and Health Restoration Clinic we focus on each individual’s general wellness through preventative and holistic healthcare techniques. Our non-invasive, whole body approach to complete healthcare focuses on healing the body from within.

“The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
-Thomas Edison

Be on your way to achieving optimal health! Call us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our healthcare professionals.