For ovi:r 100 yi:ars, mi: conci-:pt of the physical subluxalion has been embraced by the chiropractic profession in general. And, through this belief, although somewhat dogmatic in its approach, we have established a wonderful healing regime, which lias served to empower our profession and affect literally millions of patients. Yet, the term subluxation remains somewhat of an enigma. Yes, a riddle wrapped in a mystery, which has been discussed for countless years but, to date, has no totally acceptable explanation. There are questions like, "Does it really exist, or is it just another indication of some kind of interference with the expression of total health?" Or. "Could it be just another symptom?" When I entered chiropractic college in 1962, subluxation was given top priority as the cause of disease. The subluxation was identified on X-ray, supported via physical examination, and documented as the "cause" of nerve interference. However, after a few years and hundreds of X-rays in my private practice, I made a clinical observation. I observed normal curves and normal vertebral spacing in the dorsal spine in patients who had heart and respiratory symptoms. I also noticed normal lumbar spines in patients with acute and chronic low back pain. The physical and X-ray findings weren't consistent with the symptoms of my patients. This led me to the conclusion that there was much more happening with my adjusting practices than even I realized. Apparently, the patients were responding to my adjusting in ways which 1 couldn't physically explain or document via my follow-up X-rays. Although they were responding to my adjusting with standard chiropractic techniques, their follow-up tests did not reflect what I expected to see. As a scientist first, 1 had to shift out of my comfort zone to accept these facts. And this shift would serve me well in my career. The shift in my thinking and my observations was helpful when I was deposed as President of Logan College in the Wilk's case.1 1 recall sitting at a table across from five attorneys hired by the medical establishment, and being asked this question, "Dr. Morter, do you really believe that by adjusting a vertebra to correct a subluxation, you could cure cancer?" My response was that, any time we adjust any vertebra, we send sensory information throughout the entire nervous system of the body, which influences every organ and muscle of the body. Little did I know, then, that these thoughts and ideas would change my career path forever and. quite possibly, influence the profession so near and dear to my heart. The next question was about headaches, and my response was the same. The next question was about diabetes, and my response was the same. Then they switched to my educational background, and I informed them of my master's degree prior to chiropractic college. This was apparently not what they expected and, after just two and a half hours, they took a break. 1 was never contacted again about the case. In reflection. 1 believe they were trying to pin me down on the physical aspects of the subluxation and its ramifications to the body. And, when I refused to be pigeonholed, they simply gave up. By expanding the concept of what we do as chiropractors to be much bigger than simply moving a bone to release nerve pressure on a specific nerve, to something affecting the entire body, 1 was able to see farther into our future as chiropractors. Within the first few years of practice, I knew there was more to the subluxation complex than 1 had learned in college. And now, it is not hard to find articles by people like J.C. Keating orC. Nelson, which describe the bone-out-of-place subluxation concept as being archaic. When we correct a subluxation by manual force, why does it return to the previous position more times than not (recurring subluxation)? And, even when it does, patients still feel better. Why? This reminds me of the patient who came to me in my first year of practice and handed me a card that he pulled out ofhis wallet. His request was that I move his Atlas according to the listing on the card. He said he got severe headaches if he did not get his Atlas adjusted every week. So, I adjusted his Atlas, and he was happy and moved on. The reason I mention this case history is because of the date on the card. It was dated 20 years previous. This got me thinking. Something must have been pulling his Atlas out of normal position, and that something had to be skeletal muscles. So into the books I went, only to discover that the total nervous system was involved in the muscle tone that controlled vertebral position. Guyton's textbook states. "When a muscle is suddenly stretched, a strong signal is transmitted to the spinal cord and this causes an instantaneous, very strong reflex contraction of the same muscle from which the signal originated. Thus, this reflex functions to oppose sudden change in muscle length." This gave me insight into the possible cause of recurring subluxation, and I began to realize the repositioning of an adjusted vertebra was a subconscious process—a subconscious pattern. On further study, I learned that the cerebellum is concerned with resting muscle tone, and the fastest way to communicate with the cerebellum is to touch the muscle that has inappropriate tone. The sensory information is sent to the cerebellum via the muscle spindle, Golgi tendon apparatus. This is how to communicate directly with the subconscious mind. And, the journey goes much deeper than the cerebellum. The answer to what makes the cerebellum activate lies deep within the limbic or emotional brain. My suspicions were confirmed when I read Daniel Goleman's book. Emotional Intelligence, and realized this could be an explanation of recurring subluxation. I believe brain patterns stored deep within the subconscious mind not only cause subluxation but serve to re-create the subluxation even while our body is at rest. In Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique (B.E.S.T.), we call this Subconscious Emotional Memory Override (SEMO). Armed with this knowledge, my life's journey has been to uncover the cause of the subluxation and to correct the problem. Only by understanding the bigger picture of high brain interference as the real cause of the subluxation have I been able to explain and justify the subluxation. Most importantly, in my opinion and based on the latest research on brain plasticity and neurogenesis released in publications like The Scientific American Brave New Brain, it is only by specifically identifying the interference pattern, which has been stored in the mid brain, and then developing techniques to accurately and specifically address and correct this problem, will we survive, as a viable and progressive profession. In my work. I continue to look for better ways to remove interference from the nervous system to remove subluxation, permanently. Dr. M.T. Morlev, Jr., is a past president of both Logan College of Chiropractic (1979-1980) and Parker College of Chiropractic (1982-1984). In his 45 vears as a practicing chiropractor and health care specialist. Dr. Morter has developed the revolutionary Morter HecilthSvslem, which is based on his Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique. Dr. Morler is the author of four nationally released hooks on nutrition and the mind/body connection, and was featured on the cover of The American Chiropractor magazine in September of 2006. He and his staff currently conduct programs for health and life improvement, weekend seminars to train health care providers, private life-changing sessions with select clients, national lectures, and his specially formulated supplement line. For more information visit www.morler.com. References: 1. U'ilk v. American Medical Association. <S95 F.2d 352 17th Cir. 1990), was a federal antitrust suit brought against the American Medical Association (AMA) and 10 co-defendants bv chiropractor Chester A. Wilk, DC. and four co-plaintiffs. It resulted in a ruling against the AMA. 2. Goleman D. Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam Dell; 1995 3. Guyton A. Textbook of Medical Physiology 7th Edition p. 610. WB Sanders; I9.S6 4. Horslman J. Scientific American Brave New Brain. San Francisco. CA: Jossey-Bass: 2010 5. Jensen AM. Sublu.xation: The Cause or Simply a Symptom'.' Chiropr Journ of Australia 2009: 39:4-117 6. Keating JC. Charlton KH. Grod JP. Perle SM. Sikorski D. Win-terstein .IF. Subluxation: dogma or science? Chiropr Osleopat 2005: 13:17-26 7. Nelson C. The Suhluxation Question. .1 Chiropr Humanities 1997: 7:46-55 EZS Apparently, the patients were responding to my adjusting in ways which I couldn't physically explain or document via my follow-up X-rays.
