“Posture is the window to a healthy spine and good health”

I first heard this phrase from Christian Farthing at BodyWell in Canterbury. It explains so much – our spine carries and protects our spinal cord and – if we let it – ensures our central nervous system does its job of carrying vital communication between our brain and our body. If we can maintain good posture, our spine will function properly and help us to enjoy good health throughout our lives.

So with ‘normal function’, the central nervous system works without damage or interference – and we feel healthy.

When individual vertebrae become misaligned (known as a subluxation) – say through habitual poor posture or injury – the ‘abnormal’ position of the head, spine and individual vertebrae will begin to interfere with the central nervous system. Instead of housing and channelling our nerves, our spine starts to work against us, forming obstacles to the natural flow of our bodies’ vital communication system. We experience this abnormal position as being unhealthy as we begin to notice that one or more of our organs is not functioning or healing ‘normally’.

A GP might want to treat the symptoms of ill health. He or she could consider sending a patient for an Xray or a scan – but again, this is likely to focus on their symptoms and not the cause. Finally, the patient might be offered medication, injections or a to a specialist. Many patients spend years bouncing around between all these options – along with a little time ‘waiting and seeing’ (otherwise known as ‘nothing’).

An alternative choice, is to look for corrective chiropractic care. This means taking steps to restore a ‘normal’ position and make spinal adjustments to correct misaligned vertebrae. The goal is for a chiropractor to remove any interference with a patient’s central nervous system and allow their body to heal itself back to optimum health.

A wellness centre – like Christian Farthing’s in Canterbury – has invested in state of the art diagnostic tools such as Xrays and body chemistry testing. This enables spinal specialists and chiropractors to accurately diagnose the obstruction and assess the appropriate mix of corrective chiropractic care along with lifestyle advice on exercise, nutrition and achieving a positive state of mind. Pain itself is not the problem – it is the cause that needs to be addressed.

Patients don’t have to do this alone. Wellness doctors, spinal specialists and chiropractors provide integrated, comprehensive care that is bespoke to their specific health goals and will reflect the severity of their spinal condition. For some it can take weeks, months or even years, but it works – so patients should be warned – be ready to change your life, because it’s going to get better!