cheiro-, cheir-, chiro-, chir-, -cheiria, -chiria +

(Greek: hand; pertaining to the hand or hands)

cheiropodology, chiropodology
A written presentation on corns, warts, bunions, and their causes and treatments of the hands and feet.
cheiropodous, chiropodous
Of or belonging to the Cheiropoda; having feet like hands.
cheiropody, chiropody
1. The branch of medicine concerned with the feet; usually referred to as podiatry.
2. Originally, it was the art of treating corns, warts, defective nails, etc. on the feet or hands.
cheiropompholyx, chiropompholyx
An ill defined, inflammatory, pruritic skin disease confined to the hands and feet, characterized by vesicles of blebs on the palms and sides of the fingers.

A bleb is a localized collection of fluid; such as, serum or blood, in the epidermis.

cheiropractic, chiropractic
1. A system of diagnosis and healing based on the concept that health and disease are related to nervous system functions and that disease is due to malfunctions of the nervous system due to noxious irritants, and health can be restored by their removal.
2. Someone who practices or is concerned with the curing of disease by manipulation of the structures of the human body; especially, those of the spinal column.

Concepts and Origins of Chiropractic Treatments

Chiropractic is grounded in the principal that the body can heal itself when the skeletal system is correctly aligned and the nervous system is functioning properly. To achieve this, the chiropractor uses his or her hands or an adjusting tool to perform specific manipulations of the vertebrae.

Chiropractic applications are now one of the most popular alternative therapies currently available. Some would say it now qualifies as "mainstream treatment" as opposed to complementary medical approaches.

Daniel D. Palmer is the founder of modern chiropractic theory, dating back to the 1890s. A grocer and magnetic healer, he applied his knowledge of the nervous system and manual therapies in an unusual situation. One renowned story concerns Harvey Lillard, a janitor in the office where Palmer worked. The man had been deaf for seventeen years, ever since he had sustained an injury to his upper spine. Palmer performed an adjustment on a painful vertebra in the region of the injury and Lillard's hearing was said to be restored.

Palmer theorized that all communication from the brain to the rest of the body passes through the spinal canal, and areas that are poorly aligned or under stress can cause physical symptoms both in the spine and in other areas of the body. So the body has the innate intelligence to heal itself when unencumbered by spinal irregularities causing nerve interference. After his success with Lillard, other patients began coming to him for care, and responded well to adjustments. This resulted in Palmer's further study of the relationship between an optimally functional spine and normal health.

Osteopathy is another related holistic discipline that utilizes spinal and musculoskeletal manipulation as a part of the physical treatment, but osteopathic training is more similar in scope to that of an M.D.

—Based on information from The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
cheiropractor, chiropractor
Someone who practices cheiropractic or chiropractic treatments. The practice in which a nonpharmaceutical, nonsurgical system of health care is based on the self-healing capacity of the body and the primary importance of the proper functions of the nervous system in the maintenance of health.

Therapy is aimed at removing irritants to the nervous system and restoring proper functions. The most common method of treatment is by spinal manipulation and is primarily done for musculoskeletal complaints; other methods include lifestyle modification, nutritional therapy, and physiotherapy.

"Straight chiropractic" is the practice of chiropractic in strict accordance with the principles of its founder, D.D. Palmer, without additions made by later practitioners. The original definition of subluxation as a vertebral displacement is adhered to, and chiropractic is considered to be non-therapeutic, its purpose being solely to contribute to health by the correction of vertebral subluxations.

cheiropraxis, chiropraxis (adjective)
The German equivalent of Chiropraktik (English, chiropractic): "The lady's sister, who lives in Germany, told her that she injured her back and had to go to a cheiropraxis clinic for treatment."
cheiropter, chiropter (s) (noun); cheiropters, chiropters (pl)
An order of placental mammals, including bats and flying foxes, with the forelimbs modified for flight or gliding: Female cheiropters have placentas which are temporary organs that join the mothers and their fetuses, or unborn babies, and which transfer oxygen and nutrients from the mother and even to provide for the release of carbon dioxide and waste products from the fetuses.

It is said that cheiropters are the only mammals that, with their large membranous wings, were able to achieve active or powered flight, thus making the atmosphere an additional habitat for them.

Cheiroptera, Chiroptera (pl) (noun)
An order of "Mammalia", distinguished by greatly elongated fingerbones supporting a membrane or "wing" attached to the posterior limbs and the side of the body, and adapted for flight; the bats: Most Cheiroptera or Chiroptera are insectivorous, however, some of them are fruit-eaters, nectar consumers, consumers of small vertebrates, and a few are even bloodsuckers.

Chiroptera usually sleep hanging upside down in caves during the day and fly out at night and, although they have small eyes, bats are able to emit and to hear extremely high-pitched sounds, the echoes of which enable them to avoid hitting objects and each other when flying.

cheiropteran, chiropteran (adjective) (not comparable)
A reference to a mammal that has forelimbs which have been modified by natural development as wings: Bats are the second most diverse group of chiropteran mammals which have real flying capabilities and they are also efficient night hunters.

Cheiropterygium, Chiropterygium (s) (noun); Cheiropterygia, Chiropterygia (pl)
The typically pentadactyloid, or hand-like limbs of the higher vertebrates: Cheiropterygia use their "hands" to actually fly instead of just gliding from one tree to another one.
cheiroscope, chiroscope
A haploscopic device that permits a detail seen by one eye to be traced under control of the other eye.

A haploscope is a device that presents a separate picture for each eye.

cheirosopher, chirosopher (s) (noun); cheirosophers, chirosophers (pl)
Someone who has extensive intellectuality regarding hands.
cheirosophist, chirosophist (s) (noun); cheirosophists, chirosophists (pl)
A person who practices sleight of hand.
cheirosophy, chirosophy (s) (noun), cheirosophies, chirosophies (pl)
1. The science or special understanding about hands.
2. A wise approach to using hands in unique artistic presentations: Go to this entertaining presentations of Hands as Objects of Art so you can enjoy the exhibit of artistically enhanced hands showing creative marvels.