History of Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care has been around for over a century, but many do not know about the actual origins of this incredible science. Even people who go for spinal adjustments regularly do not often know the fascinating history. I personally have always believed that to fully understand something, you must know about its past. Science is one subject which this is extremely true, especially when it comes to medicine.
The term chiropractic actually comes from two Greek words, cheir which means hand and praktos which means done. This term was chosen by the creator of chiropractic care, Daniel David Palmer. He had studied many different forms of bone manipulation that had been around for centuries, perhaps millennia, however soon realized that no one had ever figured out exactly what it was that worked. There was no scientific method to this care and he set out to change this.
The first spinal adjustment was given by Palmer in September of 1895. He adjusted a man’s back who had become deaf 17 years before that date after complaining of feeling something give way in his back. This man, a janitor, became part of something that revolutionized spinal medicine by agreeing to receive the first crude adjustment. After Palmer pushed on what felt to be a displaced vertebrae, the man is said to have noticed that his hearing improved. This gave Palmer the confidence he needed to establish his own practice and begin to teach others his method of what was to become known around the world as chiropractic care.
After this, Palmer founded the Palmer School of Cure in 1897 in Davenport, Iowa. It is now known as the Palmer School of Chiropractic and is in fact still open today. Once news of this incredible art had spread, many people became interested in both receiving this healing and being taught how to provide it. This included Palmer’s son and many other people who had practiced older healing arts as well. The first state law which licensed chiropractors was passed in 1913 and less than 20 years later, 39 states recognized chiropractic care as legal and accepted.
Today, all 50 states plus the US territories recognize chiropractic care. Many other countries, including Japan, Australia, and more also have practicing chiropractors. There are more than 70,000 licensed chiropractors in the U.S. alone. We’re very happy that you happened to find ours.