Dear friends,
15-year-old year Habib serves as an interpreter for his Tamil speaking mother regularly. Last Sunday was yet another occasion but this time he found himself really interested in what he had to convey to his mother. He was accompanying his mother to meet a chiropractor, and he found Dr Brian Teo’s assessment and explanation of the procedure intriguing. His mother listened to him carefully as he assured her that when she hears a popping sound, it is not because her body is breaking but air is being released from her joints.
His mother has been complaining of pain in her neck and right arm for a long time and so he had been searching the internet for videos to see if he could help her. He also showed his mother the videos, but she reckoned that it was unaffordable and thought no more of it. So, when she learnt that a doctor would treat her free-of-charge, she was elated but apprehensive that the treatment would hurt.
Anyway, at the session her anxiety dissipated as her son interpreted for the doctor as he explained the importance of the brain body connection, and how alleviating stress to the nervous system improves communication, allowing the body to function optimally. To help his mother understand, Habib said that every movement the body makes requires the brain to “talk” to the muscles. The messages are relayed via the nervous system which are like phone lines to every part of the body and the main line is part of the backbone. Thus, her pain may be caused by a misalignment on her backbone which the doctor will adjust.
Habib found it satisfying being able to explain a medical concept and at that moment, resolved to stay focused in school in the hope that he may have a career in the medical sector. That resolve was further strengthened when his mother reported with a big smile that the pain in her neck and her arm was gone immediately after treatment.
Brian, our volunteer doctor graduated from Macquarie University as a chiropractor and his interest was sparked as a result of an injury that hindered his ability to swim competitively. He elaborated that most people do not recognise that attending to mild body discomfort is important for maintaining good health because when symptoms progressively get worse, the pain will be intense and recovery slower. Ideally, seeing a chiropractor early could pre-empt symptoms from developing and he wished that he did that before developing the injury that hindered his competitive swimming.
Brian is aware though that such treatment would be beyond the means of low-income communities and sadly, if people there could manage their pain better, they will be able to navigate their many responsibilities more effectively. Hence, he is volunteering his service with us once a fortnight and has chalked up a caseload of 15 patients since he began in August. There are several on the waiting list and Brian is trying to encourage other chiropractors to join him so that more can be helped.
We build communities from the inside-out with resources from the outside-in and this means that residents in low-income neighbourhoods are empowered to decide on the type of resources that benefit them. As these neighbourhoods have a higher prevalence of injuries, infectious diseases, and chronic medical conditions, we are glad that 1 neighbourhood has accorded Brian a hospitable welcome.
For peace, community, and hospitality,
Gerard
The preservation of health is easier than the cure of disease. – BJ Palmer, developer of Chiropractic
