Chiropractic

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Chiropractic, like osteopathy, developed in late last century and deals with problems of the spine by manipulation. While the treatment of both therapies is similar, the theory on which each is based, differs; the same therapist, however, may often combine both disciplines.

Osteopathy vs. Chiropractic

Osteopaths believe that faulty alignment of bone structure is the underlying cause of many disorders, even of apparently unrelated conditions like asthma. The body is examined as an integrated whole and treatment is through powerful manipulation of joints and massage of muscles.

Chiropractors on the other hand believe that disorders result from faulty working of the spine, which affects the normal function of the nervous system. They treat specific joint, muscle or bone areas rather than the body as a whole. Treatment involves even more forceful manipulation of the joints than in osteopathy. Less usual methods of chiropractic treatment include exercise and nutritional advice. Although most contemporary chiropractic practices have introduced other therapies, spinal manipulation remains the essence of chiropractic. Chiropractors handle nervous and stress-related conditions also.

History of Chiropractic

Daniel David Palmer founded chiropractic in 1895. Chiropractic, which loosely means “to treat by hand”, is basically a form of diagnosing and treating illnesses that affect the nerves, muscles, bones, and joints of the body. Palmer was a self-taught healer who was studying spinal structure and manipulative techniques when he cured a man of deafness and acute back pain by realigning a displaced vertebra in his back. This and other successes led Palmer to believe that most diseases were a result of abnormal nerve transmission caused by "vertebral subluxation" (that is, misalignment of the spine). Medical doctors use the word “subluxation” in a different way, denoting a bone that has nearly dislocated.

Basis of Chiropractic

As the discipline is based on the premise that function of the joints and muscles of the spine can have a profound effect upon health, it is believed that through a complex relationship with the nervous system, problems with vertebral (spinal) joints can result in local neck and back pain and even cause pain to be felt in the head, arms, and legs (also called referred pain). Chiropractors identify these problems in specific joints as chiropractic “subluxations” or “joint dysfunctions.” Instead of pain, patients may sometimes experience a feeling of numbness, a “pins and needles” sensation, dizziness, or a host of other unusual manifestations. Chiropractors also propose that symptoms usually associated with internal organs, such as stomach aches, digestive problems, infant colic, and asthma, may sometimes improve with manipulative care.

Chiropractors (also referred to as chiropractic physicians in some areas) are treated at par with medical doctors as far as an entry into the healthcare system is concerned. This implies that a patient may choose to see a chiropractor before seeing any other practitioner. Chiropractors are trained to perform the same standard orthopedic, neurologic, and physical examination procedures as those performed in traditional allopathic medicine. This facilitates them in screening their patients for fractures, cancers, and other serious diseases which may subsequently require medical treatment.

Chiropractors generally feel that medications and surgery should be saved as treatments of last resort for many conditions. They also usually blend nutritional and other alternative therapies as a natural approach to promoting health through lifestyle modification and exercise. For this, they receive additional training in physical rehabilitation and specific exercise therapy that can be useful when treating patients with whiplash injuries, shoulder or knee injuries, or stubborn low back pain. They may also incorporate nutritional analysis, botanical therapy, acupuncture, traction, supports and braces, and electrotherapies, such as ultrasound, muscle stimulation, and TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation).

Many doctors may refer patients to qualified chiropractors and osteopaths for the treatment of unexplained muscle and joint problems for which orthodox medicine would otherwise prescribe painkilling drugs. In some cases manipulative therapy can save a patient from undergoing surgery. Neither method uses injections or recommends active drugs, although both may advocate the use of herbal remedies.

Today, chiropractic is the third largest independent health profession in the Western world, and the United States alone is home to 53,000 licensed chiropractors who together see in excess of 23 million patients a year.

What does a Chiropractor do ?

The first visit to your chiropractor should usually last about an hour. Your chiropractor will take a complete health history, including information on past injuries and illnesses; current conditions and medications; lifestyle; diet; sleep habits; exercise; mental stresses; and use of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco. In addition, chiropractors do a further evaluation of the motion and positioning of spinal and extremity joints, the functions of muscles, and an overall evaluation of posture and movement. When necessary, a chiropractor may order x-rays, blood tests, or advanced studies, such as an MRI or CT scan, before deciding on a course of treatment or referral and also to rule out other conditions.

Chiropractors usually identify subluxations by carefully evaluating a number of factors. This approach may include assessing points of tenderness, subtle movements of individual joints, the amount of joint “springiness” in response to gentle pressure, altered muscle tone (such as a spasm), and any asymmetry in the feel of the bone or other tissue beneath their fingertips.

Treatment generally begins at either the first or second visit. Patients are typically asked to lie on a specially designed table, where the chiropractor performs the spinal manipulations. Chiropractic manipulation or adjustments seek to restore normal function to the spine and other joints. Typically, this entails the chiropractor applying a specific, highly-controlled treatment directly to a joint or muscle with his or her hands. When successful, this often reduces or eliminates both local and referred pain, allows muscle spasms to relax, and is thought to remove irritation from the nervous system, which may result in other health benefits. The most common maneuver is manual manipulation, which involves movement of the selected joint to the end of its range, followed by a low-force thrust. The chiropractor may, however, use other treatments including massage and soft-tissue therapies. Some people experience minor aches, stiffness, and tiredness for a few days after the manipulation while their body adjusts to the new alignment.

How many treatments will be required ?

More than one session is usually needed to correct a problem; a typical course of treatment lasts several weeks. The chiropractor may suggest two or three sessions a week (lasting only about 10 to 20 minutes), then reduce the frequency to weekly sessions once the condition being treated improves. Patient and chiropractor together evaluate the effectiveness of treatment based on the goals discussed in the first session.

What is chiropractic generally used for ?

Chiropractic is generally used for the following conditions:

Conditions in which chiropractic should be avoided

Bone fractures or tumors, bone or joint infections, acute arthritis or advanced osteoporosis are some conditions in which chiropractic therapy should be avoided. Although the screening process is designed to detect people at high risk, patients are still advised to voluntarily tell their chiropractor about any physical disabilities they have, or if they are experiencing symptoms of numbness, tingling, weakness, or other neurological problems.