The Hip Bone’s Connected to the Leg Bone
by Dr. Joseph F. Unger, Jr. DC., F.I.C.S.
As the lyrics of a famous old song go, the bones comprising our skeletal structure are connected. But that’s only part of the story. In fact, everything in our bodies is connected. It is truly difficult to comprehend or appreciate the extent and complexity of the myriad interconnections that make up the human body’s healing systems. Because the human body is such an integrated and interdependent collection of systems, anything can cause anything. There is actually a famous book on chiropractic medicine by that exact title.
The founder of the Sacro Occipital Technic (SOT) method of healing, Dr. Major Bertrand De Jarnette, recognized these connections and conducted many brilliant experiments in his quest to understand why people suffer. In one study he took a collection of volunteers and purposely subluxated (caused a misalignment to) the bottom vertebra of the spine known as the fifth lumbar. For each volunteer Dr. De Jarnette drew up a contract stating that he would do whatever it took to resolve any problems arising from this study.
Traditional thought would suggest that a subluxation at the bottom of the spine would lead to low back pain and sciatica (pain down the leg). To everyone’s surprise, this did not occur in Dr. De Jarnette’s study except in one person. Another individual became quite emotionally unstable. Another developed digestive problems and still another developed headaches from the misalignment. Yet another person became severely depressed and fatigued.
From this and many other experiments, Dr. De Jarnette concluded that symptoms are not reliable indicators of where the problem may lie. A headache may originate from the low back, and low back pain may be caused by the head or cranial bones. The healing systems in man are exquisitely complex and function interdependently with all of the other parts of the body.
Ultimately Dr. De Jarnette devoted his entire life to researching the interconnections within the human body. He wrote over 125 books and thousands of pages of research papers. He patented numerous inventions and developed the SOT system of diagnosis and treatment.
In the SOT methods of chiropractic and Chiropractic Craniopathy, Dr. De Jarnette identified seven major systems facilitating the body’s self-healing mechanisms. These systems involve the head, spine, extremities such as knees, shoulders and elbows as well as the organ systems. Even the organs have a direct connection to the spine and the bones of the spine (vertebrae). This is why an organ problem can produce pains elsewhere in the body. For example, everyone knows that heart issues can typically cause pains down the left arm. This is due to the spinal connection. This relationship also works in reverse. Spinal problems can cause organ issues. This is the reason why chiropractic can also help organ problems.
If you’re experiencing a persistent problem for which your doctor or therapist is having difficulty finding a solution, don’t be discouraged. As Dr. De Jarnette’s research and the old song both attest, the whole body is interconnected. We tend to assume that a doctor can calculate the most effective treatment plan based on the condition or symptoms presented, but this is generally not the case. The doctor or therapist must painstakingly investigate and often engage in a trial-and-error process to determine the exact solution to your specific problems.
They call it the practice of healthcare because it truly does require an enormous amount of practice. At Atrium Health Services, we have utilized the SOT methods of chiropractic and Chiropractic Craniopathy in our practice since 1979. Let us put our experience to work for you.
For more information contact Dr. Unger at Atrium Health Services, 2821 N. Ballas Rd., Suite 105, St. Louis, MO 63131, 314-872-9955.