It is obvious to even the most casual observer that the human body has its limitations. We cannot
jump out of a three-story building or be involved in  a head-on automobile collision without expecting
some damaging results to our bodies. Sometimes we do not even realize that an injury has surpassed
our body’s limitations and do not become aware of the damage until later.

People often come to a chiropractor expecting to get results with a particular condition or problem but because the matter that makes up the body has limitations, that does not occur. You see, it really does not matter whether the
damage is from falling off a ladder or from the ravages of some disease. Everyone’s body has a point
that if surpassed, will no longer have the capacity to heal. Fortunately, that point is extended if you have
a good nerve supply. That is the objective of chiropractic, to enable the body to function at a higher
level and have an increased ability to heal itself. Whether that can occur in any particular person will
depend upon each individual and no one knows the extent of that ability for any particular person. We
do know that every person has limitations of the matter and the fact that some people who are
thought “incurable” get well regardless of their treatment (or lack thereof) while others with seemingly
minor problems die attests to the variations in people’s ability to heal and in the limitations upon
each of our bodies.

There is another issue to be considered with regard to limitations of matter. That is the ability of
the body to first prevent vertebral subluxation and second to correct them when they occur. The ability
to prevent them is a function of the overall health and well-being of the body. Are your muscles
strong and healthy as a result of sufficient exercise and activity, are they well nourished with good food
and water? Are they rested enough by getting the proper sleep? Are they being subjected to too much
stress? While these are all important factors in determining your ability to prevent subluxations, the
most significant factor by far relates to your nerve supply. By having your spine checked regularly and
the subluxations corrected, your body will have a greater ability to withstand stresses that would ordinarily
cause a subluxation.

Regarding the correct of subluxation, often the body will correct itself either by natural movements
or at night when we are resting. In fact, the ody really corrects every subluxation. The chiropractor
merely gives it a slight force to help it along. Sort of like helping a car stuck in a snow bank. Like
the cars engine, it is the body supplying most of the energy needed. By having your spine checked regularly
and adjusted when needed, you will improve the ability of your body to correct many of its own
subluxations before they have a chance to cause damage. This will improve the body’s overall wellbeing
and extend the limitations of its matter.

There is one more consideration that emphasizes the need for chiropractic care on a regular basis.
If a vertebra has been subluxated for a long period of time it may cause permanent damage to
the nerves, the supporting muscles of the spine and may even cause a change in the structure of the
spine. These effects can limit the body’s ability to hold adjustments for a significant period of time.
That alone is reason enough to have regular spinal checkups and at as early an age as possible. The
earlier children start having their spines checked, the sooner they can realize and maximize the benefits.