By Chiropractor Tim Errington BSc DC
Back and neck pain are two of the most common complaints, and at some time in our lives almost everyone experiences some form of these types of pain. As a result, more and more people are turning to chiropractic for help.
Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. Due to the fact that the central nervous system is encased within the spine, musculoskeletal and nervous system disorders can have effects on general health. This is of primary concern to chiropractors.
Chiropractic care is the fastest growing health care discipline in the world and used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, joint pain, and headaches. Because chiropractic care removes interference from the nervous system it has reported amazing results with many ailments, helping everything from bladder dysfunction to insomnia.
Doctors of Chiropractic are most often referred to as chiropractors. They practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counselling.
The most common therapeutic procedure performed by doctors of chiropractic is known as “spinal manipulation,” also called a “chiropractic adjustment.” The purpose of manipulation is to restore joint mobility and therefore normalize joint physiology by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become 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. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness and allowing tissues to heal.
Adjustments will usually be accompanied by stabilization exercises and stretching, and importantly gentle traction will be employed to restore the natural spinal curves.
Always remember when looking for a suitable practitioner to help you, a properly qualified Chiropractor will have a degree, a license to practice and membership of a National Chiropractic Association.