According to The Association of Chiropractic Colleges, "chiropractic is a health care discipline which emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. 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."

Origins

The "founding father" of chiropractic, Dr. D.D. Palmer, developed a theory that spinal misalignment caused nerve pressure or irritation which in turn caused various ailments. He realized that the structure and condition of the body influenced how the body functioned and its ability to heal itself, without the use of drugs or surgery.

This simple philosophy has healed people and has prevented unwanted injury and illness for over a century! But to fully understand the chiropractic perspective, one must learn a bit about the nervous system, or how our bodies are "wired."

Nerve Wiring

The nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. The brain is divided into sections and stores and receives an incredible amount of information. But this information needs a way to get in and out. Nerves provide a pathway for this information to travel, and the spinal cord is made up of bundles of these nerves. The spine both houses and protects the spinal cord.

Nerve dysfunction can result from any number of factors, such as falls, accidents, stress, tension, mal-nourishment or over-use. These events can alter our "wiring" and create pain or discomfort in our bodies.

Getting to the source

Doctors of chiropractic are trained to locate the source of the pain or discomfort- it may actually be far from the actual location where the symptom is occurring- and then we correct or adjust the joints in the body and set it up to heal on its own.

Of course, the type of correction or adjustment employed by the chiropractor depends on the condition being treated, but you get the main idea. The important thing to remember is that chiropractic success occurs by addressing the source of the problem, not just masking the symptoms.

Holistic efficiency

Because helping the body heal itself involves many facets, chiropractors also provide lifestyle advice to help prevent illness and injury. Diet & nutrition, fitness, ergonomics, and other areas in your life contribute, or diminish, your overall health. By making the right choices, one can live a life full of wellness and vitality.

How does it Work?

Chiropractic doctors practice natural, drugless, non-invasive health care and rely on the body's ability to self-heal. Sounds ideal, but just how does it work?

We look at the whole picture

Like other health-care providers, we follow a standard routine to gain information about the patient. We consult, review the case history, conduct a physical examination, and we may request laboratory analyses and/or x-rays.

Unlike other health-care providers, however, chiropractic physicians also conduct a careful analysis of the patient's structure and pay particular attention to the spine. We also ask you about your life- Do you eat well? Exercise at all? How do you deal with stress? Do you have children? What do you do for work? And so on.

We seek the origin of the problem

Using this information, a diagnosis is made. Included in the diagnosis is the probable reason for your pain or discomfort. It is important to note that chiropractors seek the origin of the illness in order to eliminate it-we do not simply treat the symptoms.

If your roof is leaking, do you simply catch the drips in a bucket for years on end, or do you repair the roof to prevent it from leaking? Similarly, if the migraine headache you've had all week is being caused by misaligned vertebra and an irritated nerve, do you continue to take pain killers indefinitely, or do you realign the vertebra to prevent the pain? You get the picture.

Chiropractors have a term for misalignments: subluxations. A vertebral subluxation is a misalignment of the bones that protect the spinal cord. It's a leak in the roof. Or a kink in the wiring of your nervous system.

The severity of the subluxation can vary, and there are a number of potential contributing factors that can be physical, emotional, mental, or chemical. The subluxation can be caused by any number of incidents, from birth trauma to an auto accident to simple repetition or over-use.

Then we help you fix it

When a subluxation occurs, a chiropractor can correct the misaligned bone and allow it to return to its proper position. This procedure is appropriately called an adjustment, and the adjustment enables the body to heal. The leak is fixed. The wiring is fixed. Information is flowing again.

To keep the wiring fixed and the information flowing, several adjustments over a course of time may be necessary, in addition to massage, physical therapy, stretching exercises, or strengthening exercises. In the chiropractic world, keeping the problem fixed and preventing its reoccurrence is just as important as the initial remedy.

Another important aspect of chiropractic care is this: the patient's improvement is the responsibility of both the doctor and the patient. You will be active in your own care-this is essential in optimizing the care you receive.

Can Chiropractic Help ME?

People have been turning to chiropractic health care for over a century. They have sought treatment for a wide variety of ailments, from migraines to heel pain. The following is a brief summary of circumstances where chiropractic is an appropriate health-care choice.

You have been in an accident

Trauma can cause spinal misalignments in the body which can in turn distort your structure and irritate your nerves, bones, ligaments and discs. Any accident, no matter how minor, can create nerve-damaging misalignments. We can give you a spinal check-up to ensure that your spine is free from these health-compromising changes and to prevent any long-term damage.

You have a sports- or work-related injury

When a subluxation has been caused by repetitive stress or overuse at work or play, spinal nerves may be impeded. This may in turn negatively affect one's range of motion, strength, reflexes, endurance, and, ultimately, performance. Chiropractic can help your body restore normal nerve function and help you get back to your peak in both play and work.

You are simply in pain

Interruption of proper nerve flow, for whatever reason, can eventually lead to pain, disability, and an overall decrease in the quality of life. You don't need to live with it- we can help you get to the root of the problem, set your body up to heal, and restore your health.

You are pregnant

The additional weight and stress on the framework of the body during pregnancy can cause pain in almost any part of the body. Because pregnant women are often reluctant to take any over-the-counter and prescription pain relievers, they often turn to chiropractic care to help alleviate pains associated with pregnancy. In addition, we can also offer lifestyle (especially nutrition and exercise) advice specific to the expectant mother.

You have a "little one"

Babies and children grow quickly, and their muscles, ligaments, and bones develop rapidly. A jump, tumble, or fall can jar the body, affect the spine (and possibly the nervous system), and then go undetected for years. Even simple factors, such as a heavy backpack or an ill-fitting car seat, can have negative effects on a child's health.

With these things in mind, it's evident that babies and children have much to gain from chiropractic care. Regular spinal exams can provide corrective and preventive care for "little ones," as well as peace of mind for the parent.

Parents of small children also have much to gain. We can offer advice regarding how to pick up and carry a child and, for post-partum mothers, an assessment of any structural changes that may have occurred during pregnancy, labor, and/or delivery.

You have a "big one" (i.e., a teenager)

Teenagers' bodies are also growing at a rapid rate. This, combined with the fact that teenagers often think they are invincible, sets them up for a wide range of physical problems.

Imagine your teenager hearing from someone other than you the benefits of proper diet, exercise, posture, and other good lifestyle habits! With regular visits to your doctor of chiropractic, your "big one" will have a body that is structurally and functionally sound, and head start on a life of good health.

You are in your "Golden Years"

There are numerous physical problems associated with aging, and drugs and surgery are often prescribed to treat these problems. There is little, if any, attention paid to actually fixing these problems- and little or no emphasis on preventing them.

But you need not succumb. Chiropractors understand the effects of aging and have been helping folks deal with the aches and pains associated with aging for decades. As with other patients, we diagnose the ailment, determine what's causing it, and then choose from a variety of gentle therapeutic techniques to alleviate it.

We can also guide you through simple changes in your lifestyle (e.g., diet, exercise, stress management) that can greatly improve the quality of your life. Old habits are hard to break, but it's never too late to start healthy habits.

You feel fine

Even if you feel as though you're operating at 110% or better, chiropractic can help you maintain your desired level of health and fitness. You may currently have spinal irregularities that exhibit no symptoms whatsoever. However, problems may arise in the future.

Just as regular maintenance visits are recommended for your car, and regular dental cleanings and check-ups are recommended for your teeth, regular chiropractic check-ups can help detect and prevent spinal stress or joint disorders.

In short, chiropractic health care is a smart choice for most everyone, at any time-you'll stay healthier longer, and the time and energy (and money!) saved due to your preventive efforts can be spent on things that are fun to do. A better quality of life awaits you.

Chiropractic Treatment

The 3 Stages of Care:

Although patients come into the office for many reasons from posture deformity to acute trauma, most will seek care from a chiropractor because of pain. Pain being the motivating symptom, it is imperative that we address the underlying cause of the pain. Thus the first visit is dedicated to history and examination with tests specific to the needs of the patient. After a complete examination. A treatment plan will then be formulated. Chiropractic care is unique relative to those of other health-care disciplines. Because chiropractic addresses core physiological and biomechanical aspects of the body, the process to correct problems without drugs or surgery can take some time. Some conditions can be treated in a few visits, while others may take longer.

All cases are unique, but most conditions require a course of care that will take ypu through the following three major phases:

Relief Care- In relation to pain or other symptoms such as numbness, the first phase of care is to eliminate or reduce your discomfort and stabilize your condition in the shortest amount of time. During this phase, progress is usually rapid.

The number of times you visit a chiropractor during this phase of care varies and is dependent upon your specific condition. It's hard to say how long it will be until you see relief— it could be as short as 1 adjustment or up to a month of care. If you are not responding to chiropractic care during this phase, you may be referred to another health-care provider.

Rehabilitative Care- Once your symptoms are reducing, we can more fully enter the second phase of care where the objective is to correct any underlying injury or dysfunction that resulted or caused the chief complaint. Here we will strengthen the muscles, and improve neuromusculoskeletal function. The frequency of office visits is reduced over a period of two to six weeks. Care may be supplemented by rehabilitation exercises, nutrition, and modification of daily habits.

It is important to remember that many of the conditions for which people seek care have developed over many years; therefore, correcting these problems is a true rehabilitative process that takes time to correct. Many think that when the symptoms are gone, they are healed and therefore do not need more treatment. However, if you end your care before fully healing the muscles and soft tissues, you can invite a relapse. This is a mistake many people make, and it sets them up for recurring health issues. Some may then say “chiropractic did not help me.”

It's hard to believe that, after all the time, effort, energy, and money put into correcting a problem, a patient would choose to forgo this relatively easy phase of care! As much as we love to see our patients come in our office, we'd much rather they get to come in for preventative wellness than have to come in for pain relief.

Wellness Care- When your dysfunction is completely corrected(or until it is stabilized as good as we can get it), y ou then "graduate" to the wellness phase! This phase of care is the optimal to save time and money. It is the most affordable but is also elective by insurance and therefore is not always covered by plans. Wellness care is designed to maintain your improved health state, encourage normal spinal function, prevent the return of the original condition, and catch small problems before they become serious. A personal wellness care program will be designed specifically for you and your family. Children often fall in this category as parents invest in their childs health and longevity. We will continue to incorporate good nutrition and exercise habits into your everyday life, thereby promoting vitality, endurance, and the ability to enjoy life at its fullest.

A good way to look at chiropractic is to relate it to dentistry. We all know it takes a long time to develop tooth decay, but with regular maintenance and check-ups, the plaque doesn't have a chance. Similarly, it often takes a long time to develop a spinal misalignment. But with regular maintenance, the joints and muscles will not have a chance to become dysfunctional.

After investing in wellness care for a time, it is much easier to then see how better life is and how more successful you may become. You can then congratulate yourself on achieving your ultimate goal: optimal health!

The Effectiveness of Chiropractic Treatment

The Manga Report

The Manga Report was an outcomes-study funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and conducted by three health economists led by Professor Pran Manga . The Report supported the scientific validity, safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of chiropractic for low-back pain, and found that chiropractic care had higher patient satisfaction levels than conventional alternatives. The report states that "The literature clearly and consistently shows that the major savings from chiropractic management come from fewer and lower costs of auxiliary services, fewer hospitalizations, and a highly significant reduction in chronic problems, as well as in levels and duration of disability."

Workers' Compensation studies

In 1998, a study of 10,652 Florida workers' compensation cases was conducted by Steve Wolk. He concluded that "a claimant with a back-related injury, when initially treated by a chiropractor versus a medical doctor, is less likely to become temporarily disabled, or if disabled, remains disabled for a shorter period of time; and claimants treated by medical doctors were hospitalized at a much higher rate than claimants treated by chiropractors." [46] Similarly, a 1991 study of Oregon Workers' Compensation Claims examined 201 randomly selected workers' compensation cases that involved disabling low-back injuries: when individuals with similar injuries were compared, those who visited DCs generally missed fewer days of work than those who visited MDs.

A 1989 study analyzed data on Iowa state records from individuals who filed claims for back or neck injuries. The study compared benefits and the cost of care from MDs, DCs and DOs, focusing on individuals who had missed days of work and who had received compensation for their injuries. Individuals who visited DCs missed on average 2.3 fewer days than those who visited MDs, and 3.8 fewer days than those who saw DOs, and accordingly, less money was dispersed as employment compensation on average for individuals who visited DCs.

In 1989, a survey by Cherkin et al. concluded that patients receiving care from health maintenance organizations in the state of Washington were three times as likely to report satisfaction with care from DCs as they were with care from other physicians. The patients were also more likely to believe that their chiropractor was concerned about them.

Chiropractic Education and Credentials

A chiropractor has the initials DC after his or her name. This stands for Doctor of Chiropractic . The educational requirements for Doctors of Chiropractic are similar to that of Medical Doctors (MDs) and generally include 4 years of undergraduate study, (usually pre-med) and 4-5 additional years of advanced study in the following areas:

• Pharmacology
• Orthopaedics
• Basic sciences
• Radiology
• Gross anatomy
• Nutrition
• Physiology
• Diagnosis
• Neurology
• Internal medicine
• Biomechanics
• Chiropractic techniques
• Rehabilitation
• Internship

Currently, there are 15 Colleges of Chiropractic in the United States accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education, a national organization recognized by the Department of Education as the authority on the quality of training offered by chiropractic colleges.

The first 2 years of chiropractic and medical school study are very similar. In fact, many chiropractic colleges rotate interns through hospital rounds with medical students. The main differences occur in the third or fourth years of study when medical schools emphasize drugs and surgery while chiropractic study emphasizes biomechanics, radiology, adjustments, and natural medicine.

Licensure

Doctors of Chiropractic are licensed in all 50 states. State licensing boards regulate the practice of chiropractic and grants licenses to chiropractors who meet certain educational and examination requirements including:

• Completion of a 4- or 5-year chiropractic college course of study at an accredited program leading to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree.

• Satisfactory completion of the clinical competency examination of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) as well as separate state board exams.

• Yearly completion of continuing education courses or programs offered by chiropractic associations.

Reference: Wikipedia; Chiropractic.