A Brief History of Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic (from Greek cheir- “hand” and praktikos- “done by”) was first discovered by Daniel David Palmer (“D.D.”), a lay healer in Davenport, Iowa in 1895. A janitor in his building, Harvey Lillard, lost his hearing following a back injury eighteen years before. Harvey was in a stooped, cramped position when he heard something “pop” in his neck. He was deaf for the next 18 years. In his neck was a large visible bump.

When D.D. examined him, he reasoned that if the production of that bump produced deafness, then reduction should restore healing. He pushed on that bump (a vertebra that was “out of place”), three days in a row, and Harvey’s hearing was restored! 

This very first “chiropractic adjustment” was believed by D.D. to be a treatment for deafness! But, it soon became apparent that this “out of place” vertebrae (vertebral subluxation), and its putting pressure on sensitive nerves, could potentially alleviate a broad variety of ailments.

Taking the concept further, his son Bartlett Joshua Palmer (“B.J.”) discerned that freeing the body to heal and maintain itself naturally by removing vertebral subluxations, and thereby removing nerve Vertical Spinal Column interference would not only prevent disease but more importantly, would allow the body to function as close to 100% as possible. Chiropractic was the first and remains the only health professionals to adopt and preach the concept of “holism” by placing the responsibility for healing where it truly belongs- within the body of the person who is sick. That person’s body knows more about how to heal itself than any doctor will ever know and it only needs “no interference” to rebuild and repair itself.

While maintaining the basic premise that structural interference to the nerve system causes decreased function and “dis-ease” in the body, the Chiropractic profession, over its 100+ year history, has evolved into the largest, non-drug, non-surgical healing system in the world.

Doctors of Chiropractic

The Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) is licensed as a primary, portal-of-entry health care provider throughout the United States, Canada, and in most foreign countries. Chiropractic colleges receive their accreditation from the Council on Chiropractic Education which is a branch of the federal government’s Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Educational requirements leading to the D.C. degree are similar to that of any other physician including four years of undergraduate study with emphasis in natural sciences (biology, chemistry, etc.), followed by a minimum of four years of study in an accredited chiropractic college. The chiropractic curriculum includes core sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, etc.), clinical sciences (physical diagnosis, pathology, orthopedics, neurology, radiology, lab diagnosis, chiropractic analysis, chiropractic adjusting techniques, etc.), and an internship which is served at outpatient clinics that are owned and run by the chiropractic colleges.

Chiropractic Care

The art of chiropractic is the way in which chiropractors perform spinal adjustments. As such, there can be variations in treatment methods from one D.C. to another based on where and when they attended chiropractic college, their post-graduate training, and what the individual chiropractor has found through his or her personal experience works best for the patients under their care. There are over 350 techniques of chiropractic adjustments.

Dr. Forbess has found that a variety of techniques work effectively, but vary based on the need of the patient or condition. Dr. Forbess uses gentle manual techniques but also uses the most cutting edge techniques involving instrument adjusting and other techniques that use little or no thrust to achieve optimal results. It depends on the condition of the patient. Every patient is unique and has different needs. Over 32 years of experience and learning new, advanced techniques helps more people than ever before. He is also developing a new technique he calls TriggerTap, a unique combination of techniques, in combination to get even more dramatic results!

Chiropractic spinal adjustments are extremely safe and effective in the hands of a qualified Doctor of Chiropractic which is evidenced not only by a high rate of success and patient satisfaction but also by the fact that chiropractors pay the lowest malpractice premiums of any physician in the United States.

Post-Graduate Diplomates

Chiropractic physicians also have the opportunity to earn postdoctoral board certifications (Diplomate status) in areas such as orthopedics, neurology, sports medicine, radiology, nutrition, and occupational health. These are also considered post-graduate degrees. These board certifications require up to an additional three years of study, written and practical examinations, and may require publishing in a peer-reviewed journal.