By Dr. Emily Smith, Smith & Prissel Chiropractic and Massage
With 21 years in practice, chiropractic has been a part of my life for so long that it just seems normal to choose an adjustment as the go-to first step when symptoms arise. But it only takes one peek at any Facebook “asking for a recommendation” post to realize that not everyone is aware of how safe and effective chiropractic care can be during pregnancy and beyond.
I didn’t grow up in a home where chiropractic care was the norm. My sister and I were sick all the time with recurrent ear and respiratory infections, and we took antibiotics on a consistent basis. We lived within driving distance of the original Mayo Clinic, where my mom worked her entire adult life. We were part of what I now see was “sick care,” a continual cycle of chasing down impending illnesses, rather than building the immune system and trusting the body to heal itself. We were not alone then, and this very well may be where you find yourself in this new year.
This concept of “your body is an amazing healer” may not be one that you’ve ever even considered. We are taught, through tricky marketing strategies, to treat every symptom with a medication, whether it be prescription or over the counter. We are taught that the “band aid” is what causes the healing, when it’s really the body that does the healing work! This concept is one I didn’t learn until I began my graduate studies to become a Doctor of Chiropractic.
Chiropractic education is intense: learning every detail about the anatomy and physiology of the body from the inside out. Chiropractic operates under the premise that there are Thots (thoughts), Traumas and Toxins that interfere with how the body functions, and removing these 3 T’s can allow the body to heal itself. As BJ Palmer, the developer of chiropractic, said over 100 years ago, “The power that made the body, HEALS THE BODY. It happens no other way.”
Though it sounds simplistic, my job as a chiropractor is to realign the bones of the spine and remove the interference to the nervous system so that the body can function as it was meant to. Notice that the definition of chiropractic doesn’t mention anything about symptoms. It’s not about covering up or masking what the body is telling you, but rather getting to the root cause of the symptoms.
I’m not suggesting that you quit all of your medications and completely give up on western medicine. That is not my goal and it certainly shouldn’t be yours. Instead, take a look at what you DO have control over. What habits could you change that would help you to move your body more? What could you change in your diet that would give you more energy and decrease your reliance on caffeine to make it through the day? What patterns have you allowed yourself to get into that you know will not serve you in the next one, five or 10 years?
These questions may not initially seem fitting to ask when talking about “chiropractic during pregnancy”, but realize that pregnancy is where we all started. At some point, these decisions were being made while we were in utero, without our input or control. As a mom of two, I’m not saying this to instill guilt for all of you moms out there! We do our best with the knowledge we have. My mom never took my sister and me to the chiropractor when we were kids. She just didn’t know the benefit it could have had on our health. She likely considered it normal to have sick kids, but what we consider “normal” can change!
My kids have known a different version of health care. They have been adjusted since birth and we have made it a focus to have a healthy diet, and to date they haven’t needed antibiotics or prescriptions even once. This complete shift in my perspective about health didn’t happen overnight, but it has only taken one generation to change this paradigm. Though I was the first chiropractor in my family, I am now one of 10 and I’m encouraging my younger son to follow in my footsteps!
These concepts may be completely foreign to you, as they once were for me. Chiropractic may not have been something you’ve ever considered as part of your family’s health journey, but I hope that you now will.
Dr. Emily Smith, DC, DICCP is a Chiropractic Pediatric Specialist, but revels in seeing patients of all ages at her main office in Eau Claire and satellite office in Menomonie, WI. Contact Smith & Prissel Chiropractic and Massage at 715-833-3505 or www.myECchiroandmassage.com to make chiropractic a part of your family's health journey!