Mr. Paul, a father of two kids, just finished doing household chores when he suddenly felt excruciating pain on his back. He thought he was just tired, so he just rested it out, hoping it would go away. But in the following days, the pain got worse and worse. So, he went to the hospital for a checkup. He thought the doctor would recommend him a lot of pills for treatment. But the doctor only encouraged him to undergo chiropractic care sessions.
Recent studies have shown that most people experiencing back pain choose chiropractic care for relief alternatives and for Auto Accident Chiropractic Care. In the United States alone, more than 22 million people visit chiropractors annually. Around 35% of these are hoping for some relief from back pain from different causes, including accidents, sports injuries, and muscle strains.
In this article, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of chiropractic and discover whether it’s something that applies to you now or in the future.
What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a form of therapy that focuses on the body’s structure, primarily the spine. Chiropractors manipulate the alignment of the body to relieve pain and boost function. It also helps the body heal itself naturally. That is even without the use of surgery or medication. Manipulation allows the restoration of the mobility of joints restricted by tissue injury caused by injuries that result from traumatic events such as falling, or repetitive stress such as sitting without adequate back support.
By the way, the initials “DC” labels a chiropractor whose education consists of an undergraduate degree typically in addition to four years of chiropractic college.
While spinal manipulation has been the mainstay of chiropractic, chiropractic care also includes other systems of treatments such as manual or manipulative therapies, postural and exercise education, and ergonomic training. The latter refers to how to walk, sit, and stand to prevent or minimize back strain. Today, chiropractors work hand in hand with primary healthcare professionals, back experts, and surgeons to cure patients with pain.
One of the most positive discoveries on chiropractic therapy deals with spinal manipulation for low back pain. The American College of Physicians reports that low back pain guidelines suggest spinal manipulation as an alternative to pain-relieving drugs coupled with heat, massage, and acupuncture.
Applying chiropractic treatment may also aid people in overcoming musculoskeletal related pains. Though there have been incidents of serious complications such as stroke after spinal manipulation of the neck, these were rare.
Spinal manipulation is a general term applied for any therapeutic movement of the spine. Usually, it involves the integration of quick but firm pressure on a joint located between two vertebrae of the spine.
Aside from spinal manipulation, a chiropractor may recommend that you change your biomechanics and posture, and suggest other treatments and techniques. Ultimately, the goal of chiropractic is to help relieve pain and make patients better manage their situations at home.
Initially, a chiropractor takes a medical history, conducts a physical examination, and may utilize lab tests or diagnostic imaging to identify if treatment is viable for your back pain.
Typical treatment plans may involve one or more manual adjustments; wherein, the doctor manipulates the joints. That is, with the use of a controlled and sudden force to improve the range and quality of motion. Other chiropractors also consider including nutritional counseling and exercise rehabilitation into the treatment plan. After all, the primary goal of chiropractic care involves the restoration of function and prevention of injury, aside from back pain relief.
In the previous paragraphs, we mentioned some common advantages and objectives of chiropractic treatment. Now, here are some of the more specific health benefits.
1. An Effective Way to Get Rid of Pain. Imagine sitting or lying down all day as you try to relax. Then you suddenly feel a sharp pain in your lower back. This pain is recurring, and this makes you worried. You start to question yourself: what if it’s something serious? Would it need surgery? Now, you don’t always have to undergo conventional treatment methods to treat that. You can try chiropractic treatment. Studies show that it helps reduce pain better than many medications. It significantly helps relieve health and body issues such as sciatica, neck pain, ear infections, scoliosis, lower back pain, headaches, and frozen shoulder syndrome.
2. Treatment at the Source. Most pain relief medications only attack the symptoms and not the root cause of the problem. Chiropractic adjustment services, in contrast, helps reverse some of the origins of the pain. Pain receptors are connected to our nervous system. Take note that this system takes control of just about every role in the body. The nervous system itself controls matters such as the body’s reflexive responses, including breathing and the slightest movements we make. Since our nerves are connected to the spine and radiate throughout the body, then it is critical to ensure spine health.
3. No Need for Medications. Consuming medicines means that you can get relief or treatment from a health condition. However, it might also mean that you must deal with potential side effects, which are common when we talk of conventional healing methods and prescriptions. That is why alternatives such as chiropractic care are gaining popularity because they offer a drug-free approach and lead to a holistic form of treatment. Chiropractic treatment helps patients achieve a healthy body without fear of side effects.
4. Provides Options for Cancer Patients. Cancer is one of the most devastating illnesses befalling humankind. Sadly, even the most advanced medical pills and technologies fail to address it sustainably. Chemotherapy, for instance, has done more damage to cancer patients than good. Good thing chiropractic care and many other forms of alternatives are being introduced. Reports show that adding chiropractic treatment to cancer treatment can help boost the patient’s strength, flexibility, mobility, and function.
5. Helps Prevent Joint Dysfunction. While it’s given that the spine is one of the most critical parts of the body, we should not disregard the roles of our joints. If you’re finding it difficult to deal with your joints, then it would be harder for you to walk, stand up, sit down, grab a cup of coffee, or even hold a notebook. Chiropractic care helps address that by reducing joint dysfunction. Discomforts from the joints commonly lead back to the spine, and this is where chiropractor magic happens.
Back pain? Are you still having second thoughts about whether or not you should see a chiropractor? If you’re from around NC, you can always book an appointment to see one of the chiropractors from Demaine Chiropractic and Rehab Centers of Charlotte. With their amazing reputation for treating pain and any injuries, you are surely in safe hands at Demaine Chiropractic and Rehab Centers of Charlotte, NC. Call them now!
Dr. Demaine has been a chiropractor for over 25 years and established his practice in 2002. He is a leading chiropractor in North & South Carolina who has the most cutting edge technology to help adjust the patient’s spine to its proper function as well as a leading physician in the treatment of auto accident injuries.