Healing in my Hometown

The plaque commemorating the location of the first Chiropractic adjustment.  Photo by J. Berta.

Greetings All:

Today, my wife, Dawn, attended homecoming at the Palmer College of Chiropractic.  Today was the completion of a three-day gathering of alums and Chiropractors.  Palmer is universally recognized as the home of Chiropractic.  As someone who grew up in Davenport, the home of "The Fountainhead," and is married to a Chiropractor, Doctor of Chiropractic, or "DC," I have a unique perspective on this important aspect of our health-care system.

I've got a few links below to the history of Palmer and Chiropractic.  The opening photo is where the first Chiropractic adjustment took place over a century ago.

As I mentioned, I grew up in Davenport, also the home of Chiropractic.  When Dawn and I were dating, one of her friends and fellow students, totally sincere, said to me, "It must have been wonderful to grow up in the shadow of The Fountainhead of Chiropractic," or words to that effect.

I believe I retorted, "Or as us locals refer to it, 'the crazy people up the hill.'  (The hill would be Brady Street.)  That was a mean statement.  It's true the Palmer family had its fair share of drama.  (Show a family that doesn't have at least a little.)  And history is full of folks who did great things at the profound sacrifice to their personal life.  When I made that quip two decades ago, I did not truly know the first thing about Chiropractic and the people who founded it.  So, for the record, to the Palmers, I apologize. 

As with any healthcare system, there will be critics and supporters.  And to the supporters, there will be different theories, techniques, and practices favored by some and declined by others.  Ideas outside of the box become mainstream and "gospel truths" are thrown on the scrape pile of history.  Such is progress and such is life.

I have been under Chiropractic care for most of my adult life and am convinced it is part of living a better life.  Aside from my wife, Dawn, I have many friends who are Chiropractors and I know they make a profound difference in their patients' lives.  

I am proud that the hometown I grew up in is the home to this amazing and necessary part of health care.  I'd also be remiss not to mention Palmer's Military Care program.  Through this program, military members and their families can receive complimentary Chiropractic care.  Per the website citation below, this program has rendered over 13,500 care visits.  This is a wonderful service to the community and shows Palmer's commitment to honor military service.

If you are a skeptic of Chiropractic, I'd encourage you to learn more about it.  If you're concerned about the "force" used in an adjustment, please know there are techniques that involve minimal pressure on the body.  If you feel, "I just don't have time to get adjusted" think about how much time you will lose later in life from suffering with back pain.  

I do not believe Chiropractic is a cure-all.  If I have a headache, I am taking Advil.  I believe in vaccinations.  Yet I also believe that Chiropractic can play a meaningful role in living a fuller, happier, pain-free life.  Chiropractic is form of healing.  I'm grateful that this form of healing was founded in my hometown.

Be well my friends (no pun intended).
Jeno

Sources:

https://www.acatoday.org/level3_css.cfm?T1ID=13&T2ID=61&T3ID=149

http://www.palmer.edu/about-us/history/palmer-family/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._J._Palmer 

http://www.palmer.edu/clinics/complimentary-care-for-military/