In the US, a half of its working population experiences having back pain each year. It is even considered as the leading cause of employees’ absence at work. Though there may be other ways to remedy the situation, many resort to chiropractic treatment. Chiropractic is a health care profession that deals with the disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems of the human body. The practitioners of this type of profession are called chiropractors or chiropractic physicians. They administer hands-on treatments to the patients who wish to consult their expertise.
This profession is considered as the second-largest primary health care profession and the fastest-growing. Four years of graduate level-instruction should be undergone together with extensive prerequisites to get a chiropractic degree. Now, it has about 600,000 practitioners spread about in the different states of the US with licensure in all 50 states. And in 1993, 30 million people made chiropractic part of their health care program. But the treatment does not only limit to back pains. Chiropractic treatment also includes neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms and legs and headaches.
Subluxation is the condition in which the individual’s range of motion becomes limited and the spinal nerves are compromised. It is this condition which the chiropractors need to treat. Sports, injuries can cause this but simple activities, like bending can also lead to subluxation. Other factors may be improper lifting of a heavy object, repetitive stresses or poor spinal posture for a long period. Some conditions can also lead to subluxation, or specifically back pain. Arthritis and obesity are some of these.
Before chiropractors administer the procedures to the patient, a thorough diagnosis will first be done. This is to determine if the treatment is appropriate for the individual. Though chiropractic treatment has been proven effective, some cases though of the disorders need to be supported by medical treatment and only use chiropractic as a complementary treatment. The diagnosis is done through clinical examinations, laboratory testing and diagnostic imaging.
The most common of procedure done in chiropractic treatment is spinal manipulation, also called chiropractic adjustment. This aims to restore the immovability of the joints that have become hypomobile or has become restricted in movement. This is usually caused by tissue injury. This method reduces pain and decreases the use of medication. This procedure rarely causes discomfort to the patient. Some may experience mild soreness but this will usually resolve within 12 to 48 hours. Usually, bed rest is prescribed after undergoing the treatment. According to the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, chiropractic is the “only safe and effective, drugless form of initial professional treatment for acute low back problems in adults.”
Many chiropractic clinics may now be available today. That is why we need to be more careful and make sure that the one we are consulting is a licensed practitioner. Make sure that you are in the right hands to avoid being in danger and to enjoy the painless, medication-free treatment of chiropractic.
