In Phase I degeneration, the spine has lost its normal alignment. At this stage of degeneration, there is significant nervous system impingement, but no major bone and disc degeneration. As most Phase I spines have been out of alignment for many years, the average time to correct this spine is 12 months.

If left uncorrected in Phase I, the spine continues to degenerate into Phase II. In Phase II, there is noticeable bone and disc degeneration. Unfortunately, when a patient has a phase II spine, the nervous system (brain, brain stem, spinal cord, and nerves) has had more pressure and damage. A patient with a Phase II spine is a lot more likely to be taking one or more dangerous medications for such conditions as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and depression. As this patients spine is worse than a phase I, the average time to correct a Phase II spine is about 16-18 months.

If still left uncorrected in Phase II, the spine literally begins to “rot”. In Phase III degeneration, the bones and discs continue to degenerate further. Fusion of one or more levels of the spine is not uncommon in Phase III. Due to the significant brain, spinal cord, and nerve pressure and resultant loss of health and life, a Phase III spine is not nearly as common. This spine can take 24 months or longer to correct to its maximum healthy state still possible.

I have been to a pain relief Chiropractor off and on for years. Why do I still have my problem? Pain based Chiropractors are also known as medical chiropractors. These chiropractors don’t actually correct the problem. They adjust the spine enough so that the pain goes away temporarily, but because they do not actually correct the spine, the problem remains.

When the spine is out of normal alignment, it puts significant pressure on different parts of the nervous system, including the brain and brain stem, the spinal cord, and the nerves coming out from each side of the spine. This condition is known as vertebral subluxation, where the body is in a state of “dis-ease”. Unfortunately, pain or body symptoms are a poor indicator of this serious health condition. Scientists discovered in 1999 that only 6% of the entire nervous system can actually feel pain. This means that someone can have up to 94% impingement of their nervous system and not feel any pain. The most accurate way to be checked for vertebral subluxation is by x-rays, where the chiropractor can determine the exact alignment of the spine.

If the spine is kept in proper alignment, the nervous system is free of interference and the body functions the way God intends it to function. If the spine is out of normal alignment, it puts pressure on the nervous system, and the body parts can not receive the proper nerve supply or “power” in order to function correctly. When body parts do not function correctly, they break down, wear out, and become “dis-eased”.

The Medical Model is based on chemically altering the body in hopes of finding a non-diseased state, while the Chiropractic Model is based on removing the interference naturally through spinal correction. This increases the nerve flow or “power” to the parts and they can then function correctly. Because of this “common sense” approach, chiropractic succeeds in correcting the problem. Medicine fails because it treats symptoms and never addresses the underlying problem which is causing the symptoms.