What is Network Spinal Analysis?
NETWORK CHIROPRACTIC refers to a network of independent chiropractic
offices utilizing Network Spinal Analysis. N.S.A. utilizes a
profound sequence of spinal evaluations and adjusting techniques.
This systems approach to the spine and nervous system has gained
rapid popularity with people of all ages and backgrounds.
Research has documented that increased flexibility, increased
inner awareness, and an improved quality of life have been reported
by individuals in Network Chiropractic offices.
The relationship of the individual to his or her environment
is dependent upon a clear and flexible nervous system. The individual
who is clear of interference in his or her nervous system has
a more effective connection between his or her emotional, physical,
and spiritual aspects.
Chiropractic spinal adjustments remove interference to the nervous
system’s tension and function.
The brain and spinal cord are one connected unit. The spinal
cord, as it passes through the neck and back, is the main conduit
from the brain for energy relay and coordination. This soft,
vital spinal cord is protected by hard bones called vertebrae.
Between the vertebrae are shock absorbing cushions known as discs.
Vital spinal nerves emanate from the cord, pass through openings
between the vertebrae, and relay the life-force directed by your
innate intelligence.
Through an extensive nerve network, your innate intelligence
(inborn wisdom) coordinates all functions and regenerates and
animates all body parts.
Every cell of the body is stirred to life by its reception of
this vital life energy, and its reality is determined by the
quality and quantity of nerve impulses.
When individuals function with a clear and flexible nervous
system, they are better able to recover from life’s challenges.
They adapt to changes more easily and are better able to heal
and express their health capacities. Mispositioning the spinal
cord, nerves and vertebrae can create mechanical tension. This
may interfere with the flow of vital life force and the coordination
of all life processes. When these things occur, it is called
a vertebral subluxation. Chiropractors are concerned about the
presence of vertebral subluxations. They seek to detect and correct
these interferences to the flow of life through spinal adjustments.
NETWORK SPINAL ANALYSIS was developed by Dr. Donald Epstein,
who teaches chiropractors across the nation and throughout the
world.
Background and Theory of Network Spinal
Analysis
What is Network Care? A Brief Explanation...
Network is a clinical assessment of the spine utilizing traditional
chiropractic methods while employing concepts derived from a
variety of health professions and theoretical sciences.
Network is a rapidly growing and evolving system assessing and
contributing to spinal and neural integrity, health, and wellness.
What is Subluxation?
A vertebral (spinal) subluxation is a clinical condition affecting
the relationship and alignment of spinal bones and neurological
structures which impacts the overall function of the body’s
natural coordinating systems. The influence of the subluxation
on the body may be subtle and asymptomatic, or rather dramatic
and expressive. The effects of subluxations are cumulative and
global.
The Objective of Network...
...is to assess and correct two classes of vertebral subluxation
(facilitated and structural), using safe, ‘hands on,’ low
force adjustments to the spine.
Vertebral Subluxation. . .What is it?
"All subluxations are not created equal," states Dr.
Donald Epstein, developer of Network Spinal Analysis. Vertebral
subluxations may be caused by information overload. Different
types of stress may result in different types of subluxations.
The model of Network Spinal Analysis classifies subluxations
into two types:
1) Structural Subluxation: compression, or squeezing of the
nerve as it passes through the opening between the vertebrae.
It is commonly called a pinched nerve. This is the result of
a mechanical or physical stress from which the body can not recover.
2) Facilitated Subluxation: an elongation or twisting of the
spinal cord and associated nervous tissue. This is most likely
associated with emotional, mental, or chemical stress from which
the body-mind could not recover.
What causes it?
What causes vertebral subluxation? Any stress your body cannot
deal with may produce a vertebral subluxation.
Changes in your environment (physical, chemical, mental, or
emotional) create stress. Your brain must access the situation
and react to it. You have the capacity to respond to stress as
a part of normal, everyday life. However, when you exceed your
capacity, you must either change for the better and grow, or
express symptoms and disease.
Your brain and body can handle an enormous amount of stress.
Beyond a certain point, your system becomes overloaded. The combined
effect of a variety of stresses and the inability of the nervous
system to deal with them can produce vertebral subluxations.
These subluxations involve elongation, twisting, or compression
of the system resulting in a persistent misalignment of the spinal
vertebrae. The resulting interference disrupts the nervous system’s
natural ability to assemble and sort out neurological instructions.
Like a computer, if the input (messages to the system) is distorted,
then the output (messages from the nervous system to the body
cells) will also be distorted.
How do you know you have them?
Until you know how flexible, adaptable and peaceful your spine
and nervous system can be, you may never know you have a vertebral
subluxation. Symptoms may occur as soon as a vertebral subluxation
is present. In most instances however, a person may have vertebral
subluxations for many years before the cumulative effect on the
body or mind is sufficient to produce a symptom. Often we are
not aware that a subluxation is present unless a chiropractic
examination is conducted. Your chiropractor can show you what
your musculature feels like when you are subluxated.
When the nervous system is overloaded or "stressed out," it
will not be as able to function and adapt to challenges in the
environment. At some point, the body-mind may produce warning
signs in the form of symptoms. To focus attention on combating
the symptoms does nothing to increase the adaptability and functional
capacity of the body. Symptoms indicate change is necessary.
Improving the health and functioning of the spine and nervous
system assists the body in healing.
What can your chiropractor do about vertebral
subluxations?
According to the nature and location of vertebral subluxations
and the level of care you are experiencing, your practitioner
will use the method of adjustment to which you best respond.
The "adjustment" is created by the body’s response
to the chiropractor’s applied force. The force used to
reduce and correct the vertebral subluxation may be gentle or
firm, depending on what your body needs
How do you know the vertebral subluxation
has been reduced or corrected?
The interference from vertebral subluxation is like a rock obstructing
the natural flow of a mountain stream. Normally, that life force
would flow from above down, and like all generated life energy,
from the inside out. When there is interference to the fluid
flow of life’s energy, it creates a disharmonious relationship
of the physical, emotional, or mental aspects of oneself.
When the pressure of vertebral subluxation is alleviated, and
proper spinal alignment restored, that life force energy is released,
to resume its natural flow. You will get to know when you are
subluxation free and you will experience an increase in productivity,
efficiency, and ease.
In analyzing the most successful, dynamic and innovative corporations,
John Naisbitt, author of Reinventing the Corporation, defines
alignment: "When people work to their full capacity, when
they feel in sync with their co-workers, when everything comes
together on cue, though completely unplanned, alignment is present." Such
organizations "possess vision, mastery, and the ability
to integrate intuition and rationality, to see the company as
a whole, and create structures that further that whole."
Think globally, act locally.
Imagine you are stuck in traffic. There is congestion in the
flow of automobiles on the road. Suddenly the road clears in
front of you. There was no accident, no stalled car.
What caused the traffic? If you were to examine each of the
cars for physical trouble, you would no doubt find transmissions
that needed repair, oil that needed to be changed, faulty steering
and pollution control devices. However, did these physical deviations
from optimum cause the traffic? Would correction of these "problems" correct
the traffic situation? No! Traffic is a function of the relationship
between individual automobiles on the road. There is a relationship
between the local driving in each car to the global traffic situation.
The same is true with health of your body. Health is about how
the individual parts relate to one another. Does one part of
the body pick up the slack for the other part, which may be functioning
a little less? The flow of energy between the parts and the coordination
center (the brain and spinal cord) and the rest of you is what
determines your health.
The chiropractor using Network Spinal Analysis understands that
your spinal health is a function of the relationship of your
body’s parts. It is the role of the nervous system to coordinate
all body parts and functions, establishing and maintaining appropriate
relationships. It is a function of the movement of the individual
spinal bones, and their relationship to the muscles, connective
tissues, and vital nerves. As you move, are each of the vertebra
functioning in relationship to one another, or is there a structural,
energetic and communication traffic jam?
With each vertebra that is adjusted, both your doctor and you
will become aware of how the rest of the spine responds. Rather
than viewing a particular vertebra as an isolated problem, he
or she will adjust each vertebra in relationship to the rest
of your spine and its natural self-correcting capacities.
For example: You may have a swayed pelvis with tight muscles
in your lower back protecting the lower spinal nerves. Consequently,
your middle back may become slightly twisted, distorted and misaligned,
pressing, or twisting the nerves in the areas between the shoulder
blades. This effects the energy flow to the part coordinated
by these nerves. The chiropractor will think globally about your
spinal situation, and then locally address whatever subluxation
appeared to initiate the total picture.
Often a specific adjustment may involve a gentle touch at a
place far removed from the region of greatest distortion. In
the example above, a specific correction with barely a touch
to the upper neck may be the local action taken to create an
unwinding or release of spinal tension and interference patterns.
Within seconds, you may experience a release of tension in the
lower spine, and an "unkinking" of the middle back,
as your body "globally" responds to restore your natural
state of ease.
As you are evaluated and adjusted through each of four levels
of care, your doctor will consider a larger and larger circle
of relationships between your spinal segments.
Your chiropractor will regularly "check in" with you
through a series of quality of life inventories, which you will
be asked to complete. You can monitor the actual changes that
have occurred in your spine, nervous system, your health, and
quality of life, as your N.S.A. practitioner evaluates and adjusts
your spine.
Over time, your body may globally make its own corrections as
a result of specific local actions.
A local interference to the expression of your body’s
healing intelligence and forces can have a global effect on your
health and quality of life. As the health of individuals in any
locality improves, a more naturally peaceful state can evolve
in our global community.
The Vitalistic Philosophy . . .
The disappearing mechanistic viewpoint
The body is equal to the sum of its parts. When a body suffers
from pain, sickness or disease, health can be added to the body
from the outside-in (invasive); introducing medicine, vitamins,
food, exercise, surgery, etc.
There is basic distrust of the individual. People, therefore,
respond best to negative motivation such as: fear of pain, disease,
sickness, or punishment.
The universe and its inhabitants are intrinsically evil. There
is a very limited "supply" of good, for which we must
compete.
The individual cannot take care of himself. He does not possess
the adequate or proper intelligence. To best take care of himself
an external authority (doctor, leader, or ruler) should be in
control.
The patient surrenders responsibility for himself, assigning
it over to the care of the doctor. The doctor actively makes
the decisions and the patient passively follows orders
The highest developed living being of society is the ruler who,
through his competitive drive to control and manipulate the environment,
has risen above the rest to become a leader.
The growing vitalistic viewpoint
The body is greater than the sum of its parts. Our nervous system
expresses an innate or resident intelligence that animates, motivates,
heals, coordinates, and inspires living beings.
Health comes from the inside out. By removing interference in
the nervous system, our innate intelligence may better maintain
each of our body’s cells naturally.
There is a basic trust and respect for the individual. People
respond best to positive motivation, such as trust in the individual’s
ability to maintain his or her own well being and to reach his
or her fullest potential.
The universe and its inhabitants are intrinsically good. There
is an infinite "supply" of good since we can perpetually
create more, both individually and cooperatively.
The individual is fully capable of taking care of himself. A
nervous system free of interference can more fully express the
inborn intelligence of the body. To best take care of himself,
the individual might consult a chiropractor, mentor, or initiator
for guidance.
Practitioner and patient (or practice member) have a cooperative,
mutually responsible relationship. Both are committed to health
and well being. Both trust their innate ability to take care
of themselves.
The highest developed living being within society is the person
who, through his creative abilities, is reaching his or her fullest
potential and is helping others to do the same.
A philosophy who time has come . . .
Never before has there been a society so ripe, ready, and able
to receive, implement and perpetuate the vitalistic philosophy
of chiropractic. Today we live in the most highly educated, affluent
and technologically advanced society in the world. It seems that
nowhere else on earth does the individual enjoy such freedom
and opportunity to control his or her own life and destiny.
The greatest freedom and opportunity, however, exists within
us. Our innate intelligence expresses itself throughout the quadrillions
of cells in our body.
It coordinates, heals, controls, and maintains the functions
and growth of the body itself, while inspiring us spiritually,
emotionally, and intellectually.
We have recently emerged from the industrial age to enter the
computer age. The mechanistic viewpoint may have been appropriate
to a society involved with machines and manufacturing, with mass
production and assembly lines. It is vitalism that puts natural
wisdom and a sense of "divine order," trust, and hope
back into our world. Vitalism is the key to integrating our humanity
with our selves.
What is the philosophy at Network Wellness
Chiropractic Center?
We at Network Wellness Chiropractic Center approach each individual
from a vitalistic, humanistic, holistic, and integrated point
of view. The mechanistic viewpoint would treat and fight a disease;
the vitalistic view promotes nurturance of health, fitness, wholeness,
harmony, wellbeing, growth, and development. Your health depends
not on what others do for you, but on what you are willing to
do for yourselves. Personal responsibility, self value, awareness
and participation within our bodies are the primary determinants
of health.
We are more interested in the person who has the "disease," than
in the disease that has the person!
