Chiropractic is one of the most popular non-traditional types of healthcare today and yet it is probably one of the least well understood.
What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a scientific healthcare system that seeks to ensure proper nerve communication throughout the body. Nerves send signals via the spinal cord to the rest of the body. When nerve flow is reduced so signals cannot reach their destination, the body becomes less healthy over time. If uncorrected, this can contribute to symptoms and/or disease. Sometimes a person will notice symptoms right away but often there are no initial symptoms.
Chiropractic philosophy is simple - the human body has a much better chance of being healthy when every spinal bone is lined up centrally so there is no pressure on delicate spinal nerves or the spinal cord itself.
What Do Chiropractors Do?
Chiropractic doctors locate areas of the spine where nerve flow is reduced (called subluxations). Subluxations can result from physical stress (an accident, repetitive strain, exercising), emotional stress (deadlines at work, conflict with a spouse, busy schedule at home) and chemical stress (eating unhealthy foods, smoking, medication usage).
Some chiropractors specialize in working with athletes, children, pregnant women, family practice and more.
Chiropractors perform thorough examinations featuring orthopedic tests, range of motion tests and often x-rays to locate subluxations. If subluxations are found, chiropractors will suggest either treatment for the condition, referral to another specialist if indicated or both. Chiropractors are not licensed to prescribe drugs or perform any sort of invasive procedure such as surgery.
If a patient has subluxations, the chiropractor will recommend a series of spinal adjustments to remove pressure from nerves by gently moving a misaligned (twisted) spinal bone back into its central, healthy position. Adjustments may be given by a doctor's hands or with a small instrument and they should feel comfortable to the patient.
Chiropractors may also recommend home care (stretching, strengthening exercises, nutritional supplementation and/or ergonomic support). With additional training, they may also apply physical therapy to a patient in the office such as electrical muscle stimulation (sticky pads send a mild electrical current into spasmed muscles to fatigue them so they relax) and therapeutic ultrasound (an ultrasound wand covered with gel sends a sound wave into a joint to break down scar tissue and adhesions and stimulate healting).
Chiropractors suggest a series of visits because once muscles have become contracted into tight, tense positions, it often takes multiple adjustments to re-train the body to hold a healthy, correct posture so nerve pressure is eliminated. If a person visits a chiropractor for only one adjustment, chances are good that the tight muscles will very quickly pull that spinal bone back into its misaligned, unhealthy position.
Once a patient is symptom-free and the chiropractor has noticed lasting results, a wellness visit schedule (featuring less frequent visits for maintenance) may be discussed if preventative care is desired.
How Does Someone Know if He Needs a Chiropractor?
While chiropractors do not cure anything but rather simply ensure that the body has proper nerve flow for good health. Here are a few categories of people who should seek chiropractic care:
- People with painful symptoms (neck, mid-back, lower back, hips, headaches and more)
- People who don't feel healthy but who haven't found diagnosis with traditional care
- People concerned with good health and who have never received a baseline examination to determine if their nerves are healthy
In summary, chiropractic is a natural healthcare field concerned with proper nerve flow. Chiropractors examine and treat patients with nerve problems. Many groups of people can benefit from a chiropractic check-up.
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