In medical school we became acquainted with the fact that electricalenergy was present and that the body was able to produce it. But itwas only important for use in diagnoses. The electroencephalogram,or brain wave test, was helpful in epilepsy, and some cases ofstroke or tumor in the brain. The electrocardiogram told us aboutthe electrical current that was stimulating the heart muscle tobeat in a specific way. It could pick up heart block and somearrhythmias. That was about the extent of our knowledge ofelectricity as part of body function. We knew that a blast ofelectrical energy to the brain could frighten the depression out ofsome involutional types (electro-shock therapy), but it was mainlyused for occult investigation.
Mainstream medicine knew something about the body electric, but itdid not know what to do with the information. The impetus for achange of attitude has come from outside the medical community.When it comes to new principles, medical doctors are usually the lastto find out about them -- and they got it from their patients orfrom Time magazine.
Understanding the body and its imbalances and disharmonies requiresa wholistic approach. Body, mind, and spirit are not separatedepartments; they interact in some well-documented ways. The psychecan wreck the immune system, and nutritional deficiencies can causeemotional upheavals. We are interconnected. Anger hurts the angry.Laughter heals the laugher.
It is not enough to feed the bag of chemicals called the body. Wemust pay attention to the interaction of the parts. We know thatelectricity is the driving force in every cell. Each cell acts as abattery with an electrical charge that is different on the inside ofthe cell. When a nerve cell is stimulated, a wave of depolarizationtravels down the nerve fiber. Potassium is released and sodiummoves into the cell. When that current passes, the cell wall mustre-establish the charge difference. A pump gets the potassium backinside the cell again. This battery sets up its own electromagneticcurrent about its cell, and the collection of all these electricalforces about the trillions of our cells constitutes our energysystem. By George, I have just described the soul!
It is this subtle electrical energy that produces life. Of course,the proper amounts of potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, fattyacids, and water must all be present to make this system operate.Good food, clean water and air help us maintain this balance. Butwe are more than this solid flesh. We are all connected to oneanother in this universe; our parts are interconnected and thenervous system and its electrical energy allow one part of us torelate to another.
Fatigue may be that the batteries have run down. The cells needglucose, but they need the minerals to act as cathode and anode sothat there is a voltage potential in each cell. The body is abioelectric organism.
The acupuncturist can demonstrate it, Kirlian photography indicatesit, chiropractic manipulation can release it if constricted, andbiokinesiology is based on its principles. There are healthyfrequencies for stress reduction, for diagnostic purposes mentionedabove, and even for healing as Dr. Royal Rife demonstrated fivedecades ago. Therapeutic wave generating machines are in widespreaduse.
I would love to hear from you chiropractors if you use theseelectromagnetic wave generating machines, and what good (or bad)experiences you have had with them.
Editor's Note: Dr. Smith offers a fascinating and often hilarious, information-packed monthly newsletter available via subscription for $8 US, $10 US(Can), $14 foreign (other). Just send your check payable to:
THE FACTS
Lendon H. Smith, M.D.
P.O. BOX 427
PORTLAND, OREGON 97207
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
