Your hands just keep on healing me

Because homo sapiens has evolved brain and mental capacity distinct from other living things, he has the innate ability to heal the body himself. But many homo sapiens, especially in the 21st century, tend to inhibit the body from expressing its own healing capacity by how they carry their lifestyle or work.

Despite all the conveniences of automation, spine and bone misalignments are especially common whether one is working, playing, eating or sleeping.  From the man cutting grass on the lawn, to the woman carrying a baby on her waist or squatting while washing clothes, to an executive carrying a laptop bag or an employee sitting long hours on the computer, spinal or vertebral misalignment are as common as getting a cold, causing “dis-ease” on a person. Thus, health loss.

Those who are into exercise or sports are all susceptible to have their bones and spine misaligned.

The World Health Organization was quoted to have reported that 80 percent of the population suffer lower back pain. It is the second reason why people see doctors; second only to cardio vascular diseases.

What happens is that vertebral subluxations or misaligned vertebrae or spine cause interference in the nerve system. Interference means that the nerves get pinched or compressed, blocking the flow to vital organs like the brain, heart, lungs and kidneys. Instead of letting the body heal by itself, most people turn to prescription drugs or surgery for cure.  But when the cause is merely a blocked nerve or misaligned spine that drug or surgery may just not be necessary.

While chiropractic doctors Serry Alfonso Pizarro II of InterCare and James Pardis both say chiropractic medicine is well appreciated in Cebu and in Manila, health care insurance like PhilHealth and MedicCard don’t. These health care insurance companies would rather cover expenses for people who opt to go through the knife or take prescription drugs, rather than those who want it through chiropractic healing.

This discrimination by health insurance companies against natural healing is frustrating and disappointing, and actually makes health insurance more backward and unresponsive than the hilots.

Innate intelligence.

By its very name, chiropractice means to heal with the hands. This branch of medicine promises to be drug-free and surgery-free, compared to Western medicine. Chiropractice asserts that spinal or vertebral misalignments cause nerve compressions that block the nervous system above, down, inside and out to the organ to which it travels. It is because of these interferences and disruptions that the human body feels sick.

Calling the doctor very quickly just may not be the ultimate solution. Patients actually have the option of taking prescription drugs, going through surgery or letting the body heal by itself with a chiropractic doctor. Oftentimes, making that choice is not so quick.

Depending on the level awareness, most people opt for Western medicine first, like prescription drugs and surgery; then, the chiropractic medicine as a second option.

Chiropractice asserts that 95 percent of all health problems can be prevented or treated by adjusting the spine. During The Freeman’s visit to Dr. Pizarro’s InterCare Clinic along Molave Street, he said: “Man was created with innate intelligence to heal himself. Innate means we don’t need to tell our bodies to breath, to digest, to make our heart beat.” He said that the body has an innate ability to protect itself from pain. When something or some activity blocks the spine or vertebrae, which is the master control of movement, the body releases pain. It is pain that serves to warn a person that something is blocked somewhere.

“Listen to your body, your body knows you more than anybody else,” he said. And yes even more than the doctor.

Dr. Pardis, whose chiropractic clinic is inside Ayala Center Cebu said: “The body has an inherent recuperative power to express itself. The body or the vertebrae must be centered or balanced to function more.” Chiropractice is especially effective for low back, neck and shoulder pain, scoliosis, tendonitis and slipped disc.

Pizarro also made a distinction between “adjusting” the bones and “manipulating.” He said adjusting entails that bones or spine are aligned to unlock pinched nerves. The therapy involves integrating disciplines of chiropractice, myotherapy and physical therapy to enable the body to work optimally.

In comparison, “manipulating” entails that bones are torqued, producing a popping sound. Instead of eradicating the cause of pain, it becomes a new source for one.

New Testament testimonies.

While health care insurance companies may not appreciate it, chiropractic medicine actually has more Scriptural validity than surgery or prescription-based medicine. In the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote that Jesus the Christ healed the sick, lame, blind and those afflicted with palsy through “his precious healing hand.” While there are miraculous undertones to these, chiropractic medicine gives it a 21st century explanation.

Jesus and later his disciples may have healed by aligning bones or releasing blocked interference to vital organs of the body that actually healed thousands in Israel, Jerusalem and Syria. Back then, their lifestyles and work were not as complicated as 21st century man.

When Jesus gave his one-liner of “thy faith has made thee whole,” this faith might have been the innate intelligence of homo sapiens to express recuperative powers.

Chiropractic medicine is studied for eight years just like any medical degree but chiropractic doctors are modest about saying they can cure. Instead, they say they let the recuperative capabilities of the body express itself. Do Pizarro, who has been practicing chiropractic medicine for some five years, and Pardis for close to 30, believe they may have “healing hands.” Dr. Pizarro put it plainly, “We move the bones, the body responds and God does the rest.”