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.

This practice was first discovered by a magnetic healer called Palmer in the united states but has faced many challenges in being adopted into convectional systems because of lack of scientific basis to support the mechanisms of the practice. Scientists disapprove the allegations that spinal dysfunction is the sole cause diseases, they however approve it for manual therapies for conditions of the lower back while discrediting it for cervical conditions where it could be dangerous.

Several chiropractic specialists have different believes on the mechanisms through which this therapy works. They however have a consensus on a few issues such as the existence of a relationship between health and the nervous system. The specialists are well vast with functions and structures of the spinal cord and nerves and how they relate to disease processes.

There are three main principles that act as the backbone of this practice. First is the principle of reductionism which believes that unlike holism where health is thought to be a factor of everything in the environment, chiropractics believe that all health issues are related to the single factor of vertebral dysfunction. Next is a principle of conservatism that invasive procedures like surgery and medications should be avoided in place for noninvasive ones and thus manipulative therapies. Finally the principle of homeostasis that the body has the ability to heal itself and only need to be supported.

Mr. Healer the father of chiropractic made a hypothesis that misalignment of the joints in the vertebra which is also called subluxation greatly reduced the ability of the body to heal itself and therefore resulting is diseases. Part of the pathologies was also because of the malfunctioning of organs that were supplied by the nerves whose pathway had been interfered with the subluxation.

There tends to be a small overlap of this approach of treatment and other forms of manipulative therapies like massage and osteopathy which also employ manual manipulation. Specialists can however distinguish them with the understanding the chiropractic therapy need more firm grips in order to reach the deep nerves.

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.

Chiropractic treatments are generally relatively safe especially when done by a skillful practitioner and in the appropriate manner. There is however few complications that could occur could arise and there are contraindications against which it cannot be delivered such as conditions that result in unstable joint like rheumatoid arthritis.




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