I thought today I'd briefly go into some of the developments in chiropractic, and the amazing research that is being conducted at my alma mater, Palmer College of Chiropractic.  In the past, chiropractic was a very insular profession, believing that we had all the answers and the proof was in the pudding if you will.  We were getting amazing results with our patients, and that was all that mattered.  Adjusting the spine to affect changes in the body through the nervous system was the answer to all that ailed you.  Releasing the pressure on pinched nerves solved all of your problems.
Well, as in all professions, we have evolved.  Where it used to be thought that nerves were pinched, we now know that that is actually relatively rare.  Through research, we now know that there is nerve interference, but it is caused by chemical irritation due to malfunctioning spinal joints.  There are certainly instances where direct nerve pressure is involved, and we are taught to recognize those instances.  There has been conflict within the profession on the value of this research.  Ironically, many of the voices who are opposed to it are having their very procedures validated in the mainstream by it!  We have developed imaging technology to show us more than we were ever able to see in the past.  We are investigating why it is that chiropractic works, and examining conditions that chiropractic is effective in treating.
Palmer College of Chiropractic, the "fountainhead", where chiropractic was invented and developed, has in the past decade taken leadership in chiropractic research.  There is some AMAZING research being conducted.  Just today, I received an email stating that they are now recruiting patients for a study on how chiropractic effects blood pressure.  There has been anecdotal evidence on this, but this new project will take it to a new level.  Imagine if the results of this show that chiropractic care is effective in lowering blood pressure.  How many lives does that have the potential to change? 
Check out this link to see the grants and published articles coming out of Palmer; http://www.palmer.edu/research_content.aspx?id=436 . I have been following chiropractic research since my time in school, and even I was surprised at the amount of research Palmer has already conducted.  What a great time to be a chiropractor, or a chiropractic patient!