Why do millions of parents bring their feverish children (as well as feverish adults) to the doctor of chiropractic to receive chiropractic spinal adjustments? Is chiropractic a cure for fever? No, it is not. And yet it is one of the best things you can do if you or your child has one. Why?
WHAT IS FEVER?
A fever is not something to be “cured.” It is not a disease. Instead it is one of your body’s most powerful defenses against infection. Your body usually raises its temperature on purpose. When body temperature raises above 102 degrees, interferon, a powerful natural antibiotic and antiviral agent, is produced.
When we lower a child’s temperature, we may be interfering with the body’s disease-fighting ability, causing the disease to linger longer or develop complications. Bernhardt Statman, M.D. reflects the opinion of a growing number of medical doctors when he states: “Fever in a child is not necessarily harmful – and can be helpful in developing immunity to the infection that is causing the fever.
THE CHIROPRACTIC APPROACH
Chiropractic is not a treatment for fevers and yet a chiropractic spinal adjustment is one of the best things you can do if you or your child has an elevated temperature.
The chiropractor’s job is to remove spinal and nerve stress caused by the vertebral subluxation complex so that the nervous system may function without (or with less) stress. A body without subluxations will work with greater efficiency than it did before its subluxations were corrected. After a spinal adjustment fevers may go down, remain unchanged or may even raise if that is what the body needs.