May 2009

Barwell report examines causes of disease

Richard Barwell, DC, chiropractic researcher and president of the World Chiropractic Alliance, has authored a "white paper" on advances in brain function research and new discoveries into the causes of disease.

According to Dr. Barwell, the last 15 years has seen a major shift in the understanding of the relationship between health and disease.

"All health professions are now looking at the role of stress, meaning neurological response and recovery, as the foundation of illness and health," he notes.

The new theories are quickly supplanting the medical "germ theory" as well as the chiropractic theory of "vertebral subluxation," which represent the observation of signs and symptoms and do not address the true cause of illness.

"In the 1980s, medicine finally recognized that there was a direct connection between the immune system and the nervous system," Barwell explains. "Research has now established the connection between brain function and all disease, including cancer and autoimmune disorders as well as recovery ability. Much of the credit for the application of this knowledge must go to the neuro/biofeedback research done by psychologists.

Despite mounting evidence that the underlying cause of disease is stress, both medical and chiropractic doctors have been slow to adapt their practices to incorporate the new findings. "It is time for this new perspective to become the foundation for not only further research, but more importantly, patient care," Barwell says.

The complete report is available for free on the World Chiropractic Alliance website.