What Can We Learn From History’s Three Most Famous Chiropractic Patients?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always enjoyed learning about history. In grade school, history was consistently one of my favorite topics and one that I performed well in. History is, after all, one of life’s greatest teachers. Being able to see success and failures in those before us help us navigate our way through the maze called life. Some refer to this as experience or wisdom and most of us seek ways to become more experienced or wiser when we can.

So, what does history teach us about chiropractic? Let’s take a look by examining three of the most famous chiropractic patients.

1. Mr. Harvey Lillard – even though you’ve probably never heard of this gentleman, he is the most famous chiropractic patient. Mostly, because he was the first ever chiropractic patient. Harvey worked as a janitor in a doctor’s office and had been deaf in one ear for seventeen years. The doctor was a magnetic healer by the name of D.D. Palmer. Palmer once asked Lillard about his deafness and Lillard explained he heard a pop in his neck one day and lost his hearing immediately in one ear. Palmer was curious by nature and asked if he could examine Lillard’s spine. After the examination he adjusted Lillard’s cervical spine and his hearing was instantly restored. D.D Palmer then went on to establish the chiropractic profession and dedicate his life to advancing it.

2. Mahatma Ghandi – did you know Ghandi suffered from high blood pressure?? Of all the people, I would never have guessed Ghandi would be one to have blood pressure problems. He received his first chiropractic adjustment in 1942 and immediately noticed the benefits. So much so that he had his chiropractor come live with him for 90 days. During those 90 days, he was adjusted as needed which helped him overcome his blood pressure problems!

3. Napoleon Hill – one of the most well-known authors (wrote Think and Grow Rich). I sort of cheated on this one. Napoleon’s son was born deaf and without ears. After his son turned six he decided to give chiropractic a try. After a few weeks of adjustments his son had recovered 65% of his hearing! Napoleon credited chiropractic not only for his son’s miraculous healing but also his long life into that he lived into his 80’s. He spent much of his life bringing awareness to the power of chiropractic.

What is history teaching us in this case? It’s teaching us that chiropractic is MORE than just treating musculoskeletal aches and pains. These aren’t rare by any stretch of the imagination either. In our office alone, we have seen rheumatoid arthritis reversed, high blood pressure reduced, reflux vanish, numbness and tingling resolve, headaches disappear, and stress levels reduced! That is the true power of chiropractic.