Chiropractice

It is the third largest primary health care profession in North America after allopathic medicine and dentistry. Every year, millions of people around the world receive chiropractic care from over 75,000 Doctors of Chiropractic. In India, there are currently only four practicing licensed chiropractic doctors, registered with the Indian Association of Chiropractic Doctors (IACD).

Chiropractic is a healthcare discipline that emphasizes on the diagnosis and treatment of any nerve, muscle, bone, joint, or tissue disorder (Disorders of the neuro musculoskeletal system). The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.
The word Chiropractic comes from the Greek words cheir and praxis which means done by hand. The emphasis of chiropractic is on manual treatment such as chiropractic adjustments; however, many other adjunct techniques and therapies have been used. This is a non-invasive treatment without the use of drugs or surgery.

To understand the principle of chiropractic, first let's examine the general structure and functions of human body. When a human is in the fetal period, the spine is C-shaped, bending backward (kyphotic curvature). Since then, when he/she can control his/her neck around 3 or 4 months after birth, a curvature is added to the neck. When he/she starts to walk about 1 year after birth, the third curvature is formed in the low back. At last, the three C-shaped curvatures are being formed in the profile.

The spinal column consists of twenty-four vertebrae (spinal segments). It supports the head, while it is fixed in the sacral vertebra of the pelvis. Normal spinal curvature, the movements of the 24 segments and the movements of the sternum and extremity joints are deeply correlated with the condition of the central nervous system including brain. Regarding the growth process of human brain, as a spinal curvature changes into three spinal curvatures, the volume and functions of the brain increase and develop radically. When the backbone is progressively bent in the elderly days, the three spinal curvatures change into one curvature again. In this light, if the spinal curvatures fail to grow up normally, the general development of the central nervous system will also have a considerable trouble. Such correlation explains the principle of chiropractic. How does chiropractic diagnose a case? Together with general medical diagnosis, it determines the posture of the whole body from top to toe and the presence or absence of any disorder in the spinal segment motions. In many cases, the patient complains of pains, however their cause is not founded in blood testing or radiography. In these cases, the comprehensive diagnosis of chiropractic is helpful.

It is used to relieve pain by manipulation to correct any problem that are present in the joints and muscles, especially the spine. The word 'Chiropractic' originated from two Greek words 'Kheir' which means 'hands' and 'praktikos' which means 'practical'. A school of Chiropractic was established in about 1895 by a healer called Daniel Palmer(1845-1913).

Some times a slight displacement of the opposing articular surfaces may occur in the vertebrae. It is very probable that it will give rise to disease and illness in any part of the body. The most common external causes of vertebral lesion are occupation, habits, injuries, age and exhaustion.

Chiropractic treatment heals the abnormality in the spine. The theory evolved is that what when any part of the spine is dislocated, irrespective of the cause of the dislocation, the nerves leading from the backbone are trapped and prevented from transmitting the appropriate healthy signals from the brain to the organ involved and vice versa. As time passes, the trapped nerve causes an irritation, poisons, begin to accumulate and illness is the result. Subluxation of the vertebrae - spinal lesion may be discovered by palpation of the spinal column and may be corrected by manipulation.

Its first principle is that any interference with the nerve supply which has its source in the spinal cord and brain may effect any part of the body through the moving ramification of the nervous system. The interference comes in the form of lesion in the spine.

Chiropractic is used in cases of spinal disorders, head aches, neck problem etc. At birth, if the use of forceps is necessary, it may result in neck injury and it may cause headaches and neck problem as he or she grows to maturity. In the case of children, some slight accident that occurred in their early years may result in back pain in the later years. In all these cases Chiropractic is effective.

Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment

Following a chiropractic treatment, patients often report experiencing relief of pain, improved mobility and a general sense of well-being. Through Chiropractic adjustments many of the stressors (such as bad posture, motor vehicle accidents, traumas, or inappropriate sleeping positions) can be relieved.

Chiropractors can play a major role in preventative care. Through regular check ups, future pain and health problems can be avoided. There are many research studies showing the effectiveness of chiropractic care and the high degree of patient satisfaction with the benefits.

Spinal manipulation, which chiropractors call "spinal adjustment" or "chiropractic adjustment", is the most common treatment used in chiropractic care.Spinal manipulation is a passive manual maneuver during which a three-joint complex is taken past the normal range of movement, but not so far as to dislocate or damage the joint; its defining factor is a dynamic thrust, which is a sudden force that causes an audible release and attempts to increase a joint's range of motion. Neck manipulations are high-velocity, short-lever thrusts with rotation beyond the physiological range of motion. High-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation (HVLA-SM) thrusts have physiological effects that signal neural discharge from paraspinal muscle tissues, depending on duration and amplitude of the thrust are factors of the degree in paraspinal muscle spindles activation. Clinical skill in employing HVLA-SM thrusts depends on the ability of the practitioner to handle the duration and magnitude of the load More generally, spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) describes techniques where the hands are used to manipulate, massage, mobilize, adjust, stimulate, apply traction to, or otherwise influence the spine and related tissues. Conditions that are treated by Chiropractic Doctors include Low Back pain, Neck Pain, Mid Back pain, Sciatica, Slipped disc, numbness and tingling conditions, frozen shoulders, carpal tunnel syndrome, elbow pain, knee pain, hip pain, ankle pain, and many other conditions. Please consult an IACD registered chiropractic doctor to see if your condition is treatable.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center Web Site, some studies indicate that for Osteoarthritis (OA), Chiropractic treatment can:
* increase range of motion
* restore normal movement of the spine
* relax the muscles
* improve joint coordination
* reduce pain

It is expected that new alternative therapies like this will be accepted and widely spread all over the world so that more people can enjoy the benefits of better health care before long.

Chiropractic Care