What is Thermography?

Thermography is used to detect heat changes in the human body. The highest body temperature is at the core and decreases progressively to the periphery. Maintaing a symmetrical temperature pattern is one sign of homeostasis. Homeostasis is “the ability or tendency of an organism or cell to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes”. A deviation from this normal pattern of temperature may indicate that a problem exists.

Thermography is used in chiropractic as an objective finding to study of temperature difference in the body. Chiropractic adopted thermographic exams and findings in the 1920’s using an instrument that detected an abnormally sharp temperature change along the spine. The temperature difference was theorized to be where a vertebra was misaligned, causing irritation and inflammation. Half a century later, these findings were confirmed and continue to be a relevant part of the chiropractic exam.

Paraspinal thermography is the thermographic study using a probe or dual probe instrument for comparing one side of the spine to the other. The change in temperature is thought to relate to blood vessel constriction controlled by sympathetic nerves. As the nerves are irritated, there is a decreased function to the blood vessels. Many times after a chiropractic correction, there is a change to the temperature pattern.

This association with the sympathetic nervous system and the vertebral column, demonstrates the global impact of misaligned or subluxated vertebra. The sympathetic nervous system has an effect on various function in the body including: blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, and various organ reflexes. Many patients see an improvement to functions governed by the sympathetic nervous system following chiropractic care.