What does a chiropractor do?

Chiropractors receive recognized chiropractic degrees from specialized schools, and their services are generally covered by health insurance, in the state of Pennsylvania chiropractors are considered primary care physicians and in most cases do not require referrals. Nevertheless, chiropractors spend an inordinate amount of time defending their profession from critics in and out of the medical field. Much of this has to do with the fat that untill 1987 the American Medical Association called chiropractic an unscientific cult and boycotted it until losing an antitrust case in that same year.

Chiropractors receive an extensive education in human physiology and biology, but their main focus is the spinal column. Chiropractors believe that the vertebrae of the spine and neck are often pulled out of alignment or subluxated by everyday stressors, and these misalignments can be the root cause of a myriad of physical and mental ailments due to their impact on the central nervous system and the way that it affects the brains integration with the rest of the body. By physically manipulating individual vertebrae or readjusting the entire spine, chiropractors hope to relieve the pressure on the central nervous system caused by subluxations.

During these examinations, basic measurements are taken to reveal any imbalances in spinal alignment. One shoulder may be measurably higher than the other, or one arm may provide more resistance to stress than the other. Sometimes, clients of chiropractors will stand on two scales to determine a heavier side of the body. Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health, the key part here being neuro for nervous system. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Chiropractors have many attributes and training of primary care providers, as well as the attributes of a medical specialty like physical therapy, orthopedics, and podiatry.

The main chiropractic treatment technique involves manual therapy, including manipulation of the spine, other joints, and soft tissues; treatment also includes exercises and health and lifestyle counseling. Traditional chiropractor assumes that a vertebral subluxation interferes with the body’s innate intelligence. Inate intelligence is just a fancy way of saying that the body when not interfered upon often has the ability to correct and heal its own problems. By freeing the central nervous system to do its job, through the chiropractic adjustment, the body will often heal itself and recover from many injuries.

Many studies of treatments used by chiropractors have been conducted, often with differing results. Manual therapies commonly used by chiropractors are effective for the treatment of low back pain, the treatment of lumbar disc herniation with radiculopathy, neck pain, some forms of headache, and some extremity joint conditions. The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of maintenance chiropractic care are unknown, but just like having your teeth cleaned by the dentist a spine that move and functions correctly is less likely to develop problems down the road.

Is chiropractic care Safe?

Chiropractic care is generally safe when employed skillfully and appropriately. Spinal manipulation is frequently associated with mild to moderate adverse effects, with serious or fatal complications in rare cases. A systematic review found 26 recorded deaths from manipulations to the spine during the period 1934-2009 (a death rate less than 0.00002%), much lower than any medical procedure thus concluding that the risk of cervical chiropractic treatment does not outweighs the benefits (^ a b c d e f E Ernst (2010). “Deaths after chiropractic: a review of published cases”. Int J Clinical Practice 64 (8): 1162–1165. doi:10.1111/j.1742-1241.2010.02352.x. PMID 20642715.). One of the number one complaints about chiropractic found on the web is that it is unsafe but it is obvious from these statistics tha chiropractic care is a safe and effective treatment when applied by trained professionals, your friendly chiropractor.

By: Paul R. Mahler DC
Mahler Family Chiropractic Center
Kingston PA.
Proudly serving the greater Wilkes Barre Area

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