What is Chiropractic?
According to the American Chiropractic Association, “Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches.”
Chiropractic physicians use a variety of methods to diagnose and treat their patients. Physical examination, postural analysis, x-rays, biomechanical evaluation all allow for a proper diagnosis which will determine a necessary treatment plan. Adjustments, soft tissue manipulation, physiotherapy, and rehabilitative exercises are used to restore the tissues of the body to a normal level of function.
Chiropractic methods have been proven by numerous studies which reveal that chiropractic is both safe and effective. Below is a list of studies which have been published in medical journals.
What Conditions do Chiropractors Treat
Chiropractors focus mainly on neuromusculoskeletal conditions. Low back pain, sciatica, neck pain, and headaches are among the top conditions chiropractors treat. Chiropractors are extremely effective at relieving these problems, but can treat a variety of other conditions. Carpal tunnel, athletic injuries, frozen shoulder, plantar fasciitis, to name a few, are all treated by chiropractors. Although these conditions seem very different they all hinge on the dysfunction of the neuromuscular system. Fixing the mechanics of the joints, muscles and nerves allows the body to function properly and relieves the debilitating symptoms associated with these conditions.
What is an Adjustment
The most common therapeutic procedure performed by doctors of chiropractic is known as “spinal manipulation,” also called “chiropractic adjustment.” The purpose of manipulation is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become hypomobile – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a tissue injury. Tissue injury can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for the sufferer. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, and allowing tissues to heal.
