An In-depth Understanding Into Chiropractic Treatments

By Adela Beasley


Chiropractic treatments are a form of alternative and complementary medicine. It specializes in the diagnosis, management and prevention those conditions that cause problems on the neurological as well as the muscular and skeletal systems. It involves use of manual manipulative techniques targeted on the spinal cord and vertebrae with an aim of correcting dysfunction and therefore restoring health. Initially this practice was predominantly located in North America, Europe and Australia but is now practice in over 100 nations.

It was discovered by an American called Mr. Palmer who practiced healing by through the use of magnetic fields. Since then, it faced a lot of resistance from the conventional methods of medicine because scientist did not find any substantial scientific basis of the basis of treatment method. From science it is not possible that the nervous system is the sole system responsible for causing disease when impaired in some way. The manipulation involved was considered as an advanced form of massage.

Many different ideas are held by different chiropractic-practitioners of on what exactly is the basis of their practice. Many of them agree that the spine and human health are closely related and that this relationship is linked through the nerves. They therefore study the biomechanics, function and structure of spine alongside the effects on the nervous and musculoskeletal system with an aim of establishing the role it has in disease processes.

There are three main principles that stand out in the practice of this treatment. Once is that of reductionism which tend to contradict the wide belief of other alternative therapies that belief in holism an that health is a factor of their surrounding. On the contrary the though here is the nervous stem originating from the spine is the factor of good health such that any dysfunction causes disease. There is also the believe that the body has the ability to heal itself also called homeostasis as an inborn capacity. Finally is that the conventional methods tend to be more invasive and thus the need of lesser invasive approaches, what is called conservatism.

The founder hypothesized that misalignment of vertebral joint which he referred to as subluxation interfered with how the body functioned and the inborn ability to heal itself. The misalignment put pressure on the nerves as they originated through inter-vertebral spaces interfering with their function and that of the organs they innervate.

The practice closely resembles other form of therapies already in practice like osteopathy and massage therapies. Slight differences however exist that specialists easily identify on how the processes are carried out. The target nerves tend to be deeper so chiropractics tend to have firmer grips on the point of contact on the body compared to other therapies.

Examples of conditions that are managed through this therapy include Low back pain which is the commonest condition manageable through this approach. It has also been used to manage migraine headaches. It is also used in many systemic diseases where there is an issue of nerves associated to the condition resulting in chronic pain.

The safety profile of chiropractic treatments is very high more so when conducted by well trained professionals. There are however few risks and complications that could result when not done by trained individual including worsening of disease. It is contraindicated on people with joint problems.




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