IN8 THOTS Green Book Series Section 5 of 8, The Science of Chiropractic

IN8 THOTS Green Book Series Section 5 of 8, The Science of Chiropractic The Science of Vertebral Subluxation

In Section 5 of the IN8 THOTS Green Book Series, Dr. Joe Sheppard explores one of the most defining principles of chiropractic philosophy—the science of vertebral subluxation. Building on the concepts of Universal Intelligence and Innate Intelligence, this episode examines why Dr. B.J. Palmer believed the nervous system is the body's master communication network and why efficient neurological communication is essential for health, healing, and adaptation.

Dr. Joe explains how Dr. B.J. Palmer's concept of vertebral subluxation differs from the traditional medical definition. Rather than describing a simple structural misalignment, Dr. B.J. viewed vertebral subluxation as a functional disturbance that may interfere with the body's ability to communicate and adapt. The episode emphasizes that chiropractic is fundamentally concerned with improving function—not simply treating symptoms.

Listeners are guided through Dr. B.J. Palmer's philosophy that the chiropractor's role is not to create healing, but to identify and reduce interference so the body's own innate intelligence can more effectively coordinate growth, repair, regulation, and adaptation. Dr. Joe discusses why communication throughout the nervous system is central to every aspect of human function and how modern neuroscience continues to reveal the remarkable complexity of this communication through concepts such as neuroplasticity, proprioception, and sensorimotor integration.

The episode also explores one of Dr. B.J. Palmer's greatest clinical contributions—his pursuit of specificity. Rather than believing more adjustments automatically produce better outcomes, Dr. B.J. concluded that success depended upon delivering the right adjustment, in the right place, at the right time, and then allowing the body the opportunity to adapt. This philosophy eventually led to the development of the Hole-In-One (HIO) upper cervical approach and continues to influence specific chiropractic care around the world.

Throughout the discussion, Dr. Joe encourages chiropractors and patients alike to appreciate the extraordinary intelligence already present within the human body. Rather than chasing symptoms alone, chiropractic seeks to restore efficient communication, improve function, and support the body's remarkable ability to express health.

Key Topics Covered

• Dr. B.J. Palmer's definition of vertebral subluxation
• Vertebral subluxation as a functional disturbance affecting neurological communication
• The nervous system as the body's master communication network
• Communication, coordination, and adaptation as foundations of health
• Structure versus function in chiropractic philosophy
• The chiropractor's role in reducing interference—not creating healing
• Modern perspectives on neuroplasticity, proprioception, and sensorimotor integration
• The importance of specificity in chiropractic adjustments
• Why Dr. B.J. Palmer emphasized "Find it. Fix it. Leave it Alone."
• The development of the Hole-In-One (HIO) upper cervical technique
• Supporting the body's innate ability to heal, regulate, and adapt

Transcript

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Hello, this is Innate Thoughts, the Green Book Series, The Science of Chiropractic, Section Five of Eight, The Science of the Vertebral Subluxation, Interference to the Expression of Life. Welcome back to Innate Thoughts, the podcast where we read the Green Books, discuss the philosophy, and highlight the timeless principles that continue to shape chiropractic today. I'm Dr. Joe Shepherd, and I'm grateful you've joined me as we continue our journey through Dr. BJ Palmer's The Science of Chiropractic. Over the last four sections, we've laid the foundation for chiropractic. We began by exploring why Dr. BJ Palmer believed chiropractic deserved its own science. We examined the major premise, discussed universal intelligence, and most recently explored innate intelligence, the remarkable intelligence expressed within every living organism that coordinates growth, healing, adaptation, and function. Today we arrive at one of the defining concepts that separates chiropractic from every other healthcare profession, the vertebral suffixation. For doctor BJ Palmer, vertebral suffixation was not simply a problem of bones. It was not merely a structural issue. It was a functional disturbance that could interfere with the body's ability to communicate, coordinate, and adapt. To understand chiropractic, we must understand why doctor BJ placed so much emphasis on this single concept. Let's begin with a simple question. What allows life to function? If you've listened to our previous episodes, you already know doctor BJ's answer. Life depends upon communication. Every moment of every day, billions of messages travel throughout your nervous system. Your brain continuously receives information from your eyes, your ears, your muscles, your joints, your skin, and your internal organs. At the same time, it sends instructions back to every tissue in the body. Without communication, there are could no longer be coordination. Without coordination, there would be no adaptation. And without adaptation, life itself becomes impossible. Communication is the foundation of function. Imagine your body as a magnificent symphony orchestra. Every musician has a specific role. The strings, the brass, the percussion, the woodwines, each section performs a different function. Yet together they create beautiful music because they all respond to the conductor. Now imagine static interrupting the conductor's instructions. Some musicians hear clearly, others receive incomplete information. Some begin too early, others too late. The musicians themselves haven't changed. Their talent remains intact. The problem lies in the communication. The performance suffers, not because the orchestra lacks ability, but because information is no longer flowing as efficiently as it should. doctor BJ Palmer believes something similar could occur within the human body. The intelligence is still present, the body still strives toward health, but interference may reduce the efficiency of communication. This idea became the foundation of the vertebral subluxation. One of the most important distinctions doctor BJ Palmer made was between structure and function. Medicine often focuses appropriately on diagnosing disease, fractures, infections, tumors, or an anatomical damage. Chiropractic asked a different question. How well is the nervous system functioning? Can the body coordinate efficiently? Can it adapt appropriately? Can communication occur with as little interference as possible? Rather than focusing exclusively on damaged tissues, chiropractic emphasized the quality of neurological communication. That perspective gave chiropractic its own identity. It's important to understand the word subluxation means different things depending on the profession you're using. In medicine, a subluxation typically refers to a partial dislocation that can be visualized on an imaging study. doctor BJ Palmer used the term differently. Within chiropractic philosophy, vertebral subluxation referred to a disturbance affecting neural normal neurological function. His focus was not merely whether a vertebra had moved, his concern was whether that change contributed to interference within the nervous system. That distinction has often led to confusion between medicine and chiropractic because the same word has been used to describe two different concepts. Understanding that historical difference helps explain many of the debates that continue today.

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BJ Palmer repeatedly reminded chiropractors that the nervous system is the master communication system of the body. Every heartbeat, every breath, every digestive process, every immune response, every muscle contraction, every hormonal signal, every conscious thought, every unconscious reflex all depend upon communication. Today, neuroscience continues revealing how incredibly complex this communication truly is. Billions of neurons exchange electrical and chemical signals every second. Sensory information constantly updates the brain about the body's internal and external environment. The brain interprets that information and responds through intricate neurological pathways that influence virtually every aspect of human function. The more science learns about the nervous system, the greater our appreciation becomes for its remarkable complexity. One concept doctor BJ Palmer emphasized repeatedly was adaptation. Life constantly changes, temperature changes, stress changes, nutrition changes, movement changes, injuries occur, healing occurs. Every day your body encounters new challenges. Your ability to adapt determines your ability to function. Think about walking from an air conditioned building into the summer heat. Within moments your body begins cooling itself. Blood vessels change, sweat glands activate, your heart rate adjusts, hormones respond. Thousands of coordinated processes occur automatically. You don't consciously direct any of them. Your nervous system coordinates those adaptations continuously.

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BJ believed that efficient communication was essential for successful adaptation. One of the reasons chiropractic philosophy resonates with so many people is because it recognizes that symptoms don't always tell the entire story. Pain is important. Symptoms do deserve attention, but symptoms are often the body's way of communicating that something deeper deserves evaluation. Dr. BJ encouraged chiropractors not simply to ask, where does it hurt? Instead he asked, why is this person unable to adapt as sufficiently as they should? That shift in thinking changed chiropractic forever. Instead of chasing symptoms, chiropractic sought to improve function. Instead of merely suppressing pain, chiropractic sought to improve communication. Instead of asking only what disease exists, chiropractic asks how well the body has expressed health. One observation from modern neuroscience beautifully complements this philosophy. Researchers now understand that the brain continuously updates itself based upon incoming sensory information. This process is known as neuroplasticity. The brain isn't fixed, it constantly changes. Every movement, every experience, every injury, every adjustment to the environment influence neurological processes. This dynamic ability to adapt reinforces one of doctor BJ Palmer's central observations. The nervous system is never static. It continually responds to life. While BJ did not have access to today's scientific terminology, his emphasis on adaptation anticipated ideas that modern neuroscience continues to investigate. As doctor BJ Palmer continued studying vertebral suffixation throughout his career, one conclusion became increasingly clear. Not all adjustments were equal. Not every pain in the spine required correction. Not every patient needed repeated adjusting. The more he observed patients, the more he appreciated the importance of specificity, finding the right place, delivering the right adjustment at the right time, and allowing the body to respond, that pursuit of specificity would eventually become one of the defining characteristics of his later work and profound influence the development of upper cervical chiropractic. Now, every heartbeat you've ever experienced, every breath you've ever taken, every step you've ever walked, every memory you've ever formed, every healing response you've ever had has depended upon a communication. That realization should fill us with humility. As chiropractors, we don't create life. We don't manufacture healing. We simply have the privilege of caring for one of the most extraordinary communication systems ever created. And our responsibility is to respect that, to study it, to protect it, and to continually seek greater understanding of it. As doctor BJ Palmer continued studying patients over decades, one observation became increasingly clear. He noticed that many chiropractors believed success depended upon adjusting patients frequently. The assumption was simple. If one adjustment helps, then more adjustments must be even better. But doctor BJ wasn't satisfied with assumptions. He watched, he studied, he questioned, and he carefully observed his patients, and the more convinced he became that chiropractic should never be measured by the number of adjustments delivered. Instead, it should be measured by the quality and specificity of the adjustment. That idea fundamentally changed chiropractic. One of doctor BJ Palmer's famous questions became did the adjustment hold? Notice what he wasn't asking. He wasn't asking whether the patient felt immediate pain relief. He wasn't asking how many cracks occurred in the spine. He wasn't asking whether the adjustment looked impressive. He wanted to know one thing. Did the body maintain the correction? To doctor BJ, that answer revealed far more than temporary relief and symptoms. He demonstrated whether the nervous system had the opportunity to adapt. Think about setting a broken bone. The orthopedic surgeon doesn't continually reset the fracture every few hours. The goal is to place it properly and then allow the body's remarkable healing processes to do their own work.

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BG believed chiropractic followed a similar principle. The chiropractor delivers a specific adjustment. Then the body begins adapting. Healing isn't performed by the chiropractor. Healing is expressed by the patient. This philosophy requires patience. It requires observation. And most importantly, it requires trust in the body's innate ability to organize itself. This became one of the greatest philosophical shifts in Dr. BJ Palmer's career. Early chiropractic office emphasized frequent adjustments, and his understanding evolved. Dr. BJ increasingly emphasized adjusting only when necessary. He frequently reminded chiropractors, find it, fix it, and leave it alone. Those four words continue to influence many specific chiropractic techniques today. They remind us that chiropractic isn't about doing more. Sometimes it's about knowing when not to adjust. That requires discipline. It requires humility, and it requires confidence in the body's own adaptive capacity. As Dr. BJ continued refining his work, his attention increasingly focused on the upper cervical spine. Why would you say? Because the atlas and axis occupy one of the most remarkable anatomical locations in the human body. They support the skull. They surround and protect the brainstem. They serve as a transition between the brain and the spinal cord. Nearly every neurological message traveling between the brain and body passes through this region. For Dr. BJ, this area deserved extraordinary attention. His pursuit of greater precision eventually led to what became known as whole N1, or HIO technique. Rather than adjusting every spinal segment routinely, HIO emphasized identifying the primary area of neurological interference and correcting it as specifically as possible. That pursuit of precision continues to influence upper cervical chiropractors throughout the world today. One of the greatest misconceptions about chiropractic is that it simply puts bones back in place. Dr. BJ believed chiropractic was much more profound than that. The adjustment wasn't merely about movement. It wasn't about producing an audible sound. It wasn't about forcing joints to move. The objective was always improving function. If function improved, adaptation could improve. If adaptation improved, the body could express greater health. That philosophical shift chiropractic away from treating symptoms alone and always supporting the body's overall ability to function better. Modern neuroscience offers fascinating insights that complement this perspective. Researchers continue studying proprioceptive, the body's awareness of position and movement. Specialized receptors located within the muscles, ligaments, fascia, and joints continually send information to the brain regarding posture, balance, movement, and stability. The brain depends upon accurate sensory input to coordinate efficient movement and maintain equilibrium. When sensory input changes, the brain adapts. This process known as sensory motor integration. It is the area of active scientific investigation. Likewise, research continue exploring neuroplasticity, the brain's remarkable ability to reorganize itself based upon experience and sensory information. While these concepts are described using contemporary scientific language, they reinforce one enduring truth. The nervous system is dynamic. It constantly responds to the information it receives. For chiropractors, that reinforces the importance of respecting the nervous system as a master coordinator of human function. Another lesson doctor BJ Palmer repeatedly emphasized was that chiropractors should never become symptom chasers. Pain has value, pain protects us. Pain tells us something deserves attention, but symptoms alone do not define health. We all known individuals with severe degeneration and very little, if any, pain. We've also seen people with significant pain despite mineral structural findings.

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BJ believed that function often tells a greater story than symptoms alone. That philosophy continues to encourage chiropractors to ask how well is this person adapting? How efficiently is the nervous system functioning? What barriers might be limiting their ability to express health? Those questions remain as meaningful today as they were nearly a century ago. Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons I've learned over the last three decades in practice is that healing requires patience. Patience often want immediate results, and certainly many experience rapid improvement, but adaptation is a process. Just as a child doesn't grow overnight, strength isn't built in one workout. Healing doesn't always occur instantly. The nervous system learns, the body adapts, tissues remodel, patterns change. Our role as chiropractors is not to rush that process. Our responsibility is to support it, encourage it, and educate our patients so they understand that lasting health is often built over time. One of the reasons I continue returning to the green books is that they remind me to remain humble. The more we learn about the nervous system, the more we realize how much remains to be discovered. Every year neuroscience advances. Every year researchers uncover new insights into brain function, sensory processing, autonomic regulation, inflammation, and human adaptation.

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BJ Palmer didn't have access to modern MRI scanners, functional imaging, or molecular neuroscience. Yet he never stopped asking questions. He never stopped observing. He never stopped refining his thinking. That spirit of curiosity is something every chiropractor should embrace. We honor the green books not by freezing chiropractic in time, but by continuing to study, question, and grow while remaining grounded in timeless principles. As we conclude today's episode, I'd like for you to reflect on one final thought. Every adjustment is an act of respect, respect for the nervous system, respect for the remarkable intelligence that sustains life, respect for the body's extraordinary ability to heal, adapt, and organize itself. The chiropractor is not the source of the of that intelligence. We are students of it, guardians of it, and servants of it. When we remember that, chiropractic becomes much more than a profession. It becomes a lifelong pursuit of understanding one of the creation's greatest masterpieces, the human body. In our next episode, we'll continue through the science of chiropractic as we explore section six of eight tone adaptation in the expression of life. We'll examine why doctor BJ Palmer believed life depends upon continual adaptation, what is meant by tone, and how the body's ability to respond to physical, chemical, emotional, environmental stress influences health throughout a lifetime. Thank you for joining me for another episode of Innate Thoughts. Until next time, continue reading, continue studying, continue observing, continue to ask questions, because great chiropractors are never finished learning. If today's discussions strengthen your understanding of chiropractic philosophy, please follow the podcast and share this episode with one chiropractor, student, or philosophy minded friend. Your recommendation is the greatest way we can preserve and share the principle with the next generation. Join me next week as we continue our journey through the green books and uncover another timeless principle that remains just as relevant today. Until then, I'm Dr. Joe Shepard, and this is Innate Thoughts, where we just don't read the green books. We preserve their wisdom, we live their principles, and we pass them on. Stay specific, stay connected, and keep thinking from above down and inside out.