Chiropractic care is an alternative method of medicine for the diagnosis and condition of the vertebral column and neuromuscular system. A chiropractor is a licensed healthcare profession that helps your body to heal itself without surgery.
The treatment mainly focuses on manual therapy including spinal manipulation, exercise and diet. Spinal manipulation is the application of pressure between the vertebrae of the spine.
A person who practices chiropractic medicine is called a chiropractor. Chiropractors use different techniques depending on the patient’s needs.
Some of which include soft tissue therapy, hands-on technique, ultrasound and laser therapy, customised exercise program, self-management techniques like coping with pain and education about the pain.
Benefits Of Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic treatment helps to mitigate pain and be effective in daily life. It is similar to that of physiotherapy.
The motto of chiropractic care is to cure pain in the body with the help of a chiropractor, without surgery. They use a technique called hands-on manipulation where joints can be reformed with the help of a chiropractor.
A clinical trial performed on a group of people demonstrated that pain was reduced in the neuromuscular regions and injured parts.
There is no conclusive evidence for cases such as autism, asthma, fibromyalgia, and tunnel syndrome as they are heterogeneous in study design.
The benefits of chiropractic care are wide and some of which are listed below.
- Neck pain - A clinical trial performed on a group of people demonstrated that pain was reduced in the neuromuscular regions and injured parts. There is no conclusive evidence for cases such as autism, asthma, fibromyalgia, and tunnel syndrome as they are heterogeneous in study design.
- Back pain - Chiropractic treatment is a godsend gift for people with spine problems. A study conducted on a group of people proved that chiropractic treatment was more effective and help people cope with pain.
- Scoliosis - Scoliosis is common in teenage. It is the crabwise curvature of the spine and occurs just before puberty. Chiropractic treatment helped to correct the Cobb angle. Cobb angle is the measurement of deformity in the spine.
Chiropractic care provides powerful pain relief
Chiropractic treatment helps to relieve pain by manipulating the body’s alignment and helps the body to heal by itself. Chiropractors work closely with doctors and physiotherapists to ease pain in patients. The treatment for back pain includes spine manipulation, massage and acupuncture. Chiropractic care helps to ease pain in people with musculoskeletal problems.
Spine realignment improves nerve health
One of the modern-day problems includes spinal position. This is due to various reasons such as long-term mobile usage and also driving vehicles for a long distance.
Chiropractic treatment helps to correct the spinal alignment. Controlled pressure is applied to the spine region.
As a result, pain in the spine is relieved and improves spinal motion, which in turn improves your physical function.
Chiropractors treat the causes of pain, not the symptoms
We have to accept the fact that chiropractors cannot cure everything but they specifically get to the root of the problem.
They understand the pain and look specifically for the nervous system of the body since this system controls most of the reflux of the body. Chiropractors concentrate more on treatment than the symptoms.
Drug-free pain management
The mainstay of chiropractic care is drug-free pain management. This treatment attracts people who would like to go with a medication-free treatment.
The medical history of the patient is grasped first. The chiropractor will carry out a physical examination, lab test or imaging may require for some patients, depending on their complications.
The chiropractic care treatment focuses on function restoration, avoiding injury with added benefits of back pain solace.
Chiropractic complements other pain treatments
When you visit a chiropractor, you need not take any medication or precautions. In case, if you are taking any medication for your health problems, it is important for your chiropractor and your medical profession to be aware of it.
Chiropractic treatment not only gives you relief from physical pain but also increases your immunity and makes you healthy from within. It gives you a better posture and enhances your sleep cycle. People with sleep deprivation benefit a lot from this treatment.
Chiropractic care is low risk
Chiropractic care may appear intimidating but the fact is that they are not. This is because some people exaggerate the risks which is not true.
Chiropractic care involves a low risk of side effects. Spinal manipulation to treat lower back pain is considered to be safe and fruitful, especially when it is treated by trained professionals.
Minor events like muscle soreness and stiffness may happen for some patients. But it will resolve itself and be normal after 24-48 hours.
It is advisable to avoid chiropractic treatment for people with metabolic bone fragility, multiple myeloma, bone tumours and Paget’s disease or consult your doctor before taking such treatments as chiropractic treatment involves sudden pressure manipulation in pain areas.
Chiropractic care for back and neck pain works
One of the most effective treatments for back and neck pain is chiropractic treatment. They are drug-free and less side effect is observed.
The patient lies on their back. The chiropractor gently applies force starting from the neck area to moving sideways in rotation by using a technique called a manipulation.
The goal is to give a smooth, non-thrust stretch for areas where motion is restricted. The flexion and extension give a correct angle and effectively reduce stiffness.
The posture correction helps to relieve pain and also avoids further complications related to neck and back pain.
Cancer patients
Cancer is the second leading cause of death and treating cancer patients is somewhat emotional in alternative healthcare treatment.
There is no evidence that chiropractic treatment can cure cancer but can control pain and tension. This is highly subjective to the type of cancer.
A study report shows that the number of cancer patients approaching chiropractic treatment was no different from that of normal patients.
A set of panels experience with cancer patients revealed that they felt pain relief and better functioning was observed.
Spinal manipulation therapy was not used on all patients excluding the criteria of the location of tumour, presence of metastasis and concurrent osteoporosis.
A study reported by Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) whether stimulation therapy can be carried out on patients with bone tumour. Nine out of thirteen agreed while four out of thirteen in a panel disagreed.
Joint dysfunction
Chiropractic treatment is proven to be an effective and non-invasive method for people with joint dysfunction.
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is caused because of hypermobility. When there is too much movement in the sacroiliac joints, the ligaments that support the joints become lose resulting in dysfunction.
The chiropractic treatment is best tolerated by patients with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. The chiropractic treatment adopts different manipulations to treat dysfunction.
The goal of the treatment is to adapt a method that is best tolerated by the patient. Two manipulation methods are followed by the chiropractors. One is the traditional chiropractic adjustment also called spinal manipulation. In spinal manipulation high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust is applied.
The other method is spinal mobilization, where low-velocity, low-amplitude thrust is applied. Chiropractors may also employ adjunctive therapy to treat dysfunction.
Other conditions
Chiropractors can treat other conditions like neck pain, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, low back pain and disc pain.
Slip and fall accidents, traumatic brain injuries and bicycle accidents can be treated by chiropractic treatment.
Chiropractors can also treat chronic discomfort and structural misalignment.
Fertility issues
Fertility is a genderless issue but sadly often associated with women. A chapter of a research paper published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation revealed that positive results were observed in women regardless of age, years of infertility and previous medical conditions.
According to the Urology Care Foundation, one-third of the male population face this issue.
Chiropractic treatment offers a drug-free, effective method to treat infertility. When the spinal column becomes misaligned, vertebrae begin to press against the nerves which in turn causes pain and disruption in normal function. This is called subluxations.
Subluxations can also be caused by accidents, poor posture and also stress. Subluxations also affect the nerves that serves your reproductive system. As a result, there will be a disruption in sperm flow, that leads to infertility in males.
Chiropractors help to treat subluxations which correct the alignment of vertebrae and enhance the sperm flow.
Hormonal imbalance also leads to infertility. Hormones like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulates the testosterones.
Subluxations decreases the production of FSH and LH which results in low sperm count.
Chiropractic treatment helps to correct the subluxations which results in balanced hormonal production and sperm count.
Headaches or migraines
The chiropractors use spinal manipulation to treat headaches or migraines. The treatment involves soft tissue therapies, massages and kneading of muscles and joints.
The manipulation reduces stress and helps in posture correction. Myofascial massage focuses on membranes that support muscles tissues.
A study was conducted in America with twenty-six participants affected by chronic migraine. Massage therapy was effective and pain intensity was reduced to 71% when compared to the control.
There was another study conducted in New Zealand with forty-eight people affected by migraine. The mean duration of the pain was 47 hours. It revealed that massage therapy reduced the intensity of the attack.
The results revealed that sleep quality significantly increased in massage therapy. There was no difference between the medication use and chiropractic treatment but sleep quality was effective in chiropractic treatment.
For people who are allergic to drugs or prefer not to use drugs, chiropractic care may help them greatly.
Ear infection
Chiropractors claim that the treatment can cure or treat ear infections. But the fact is that there are no long-term studies conducted to prove the effectiveness of the treatment.
Menstrual disorders
One of the major problems faced by women is the irregularity of their periods. The irregularity affects women’s health and brings an imbalance in hormones and it might lead to fertility issues. Another problem of irregular menstrual cycle is, it may increase the cramps pain and bleeding may be heavy in some cases.
Dysmenorrhoea is the occurrence of painful menstrual cramps and it is seen as a common gynaecology condition. The treatment includes anti-inflammatory drugs and oral contraceptives.
Chiropractic treatment being a drug-free method can be effective for women. Randomised controlled trails (RCTs) were conducted. The trial included spinal manipulation therapy, a placebo and no treatment or other form of treatment.
It concluded that spinal manipulation was effective and pain relief was better than in other treatments.
Gastrointestinal syndromes
Gastrointestinal disorder is a common term used for various problems like constipation, gastro esophageal reflux disease (GRED) and inflammatory bowel disease.
Dyspepsia is a pain or discomfort that occurs in the upper abdomen due to indigestion.
A cohort study was conducted on a sample of 83 people affected by dyspepsia.
Spinal manipulation therapy and soft tissue modalities. The results revealed that the GRED symptoms were reduced without any adverse effects.
Accident injuries
Chiropractic treatment is more affordable for accident injuries than traditional methods.
A study conducted revealed that people were able to save a lot of money that involves injury. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) claims that the treatments are not only effective but also cost-effective.
Chiropractic treatment is recommended after an accident. It helps to realign the spine and also reduces pain.
The treatment gives long-term relief and is also cost-effective. Some of the benefits of chiropractic treatments are reduction in inflammation, minimal pain, restores motion and non-invasive treatment.
Inflammation occurs after a physical injury. Inflammation to some extent may be normal considering your body to heal itself. When there is too much inflammation, it might cause discomfort and may damage the tissues.
Chiropractors will use spine manipulation therapy that will help to realign the spinal cord. The body also responds to the chiropractors and cuts down the inflammatory cytokine production and reduces pain. When spinal manipulation is performed, your body produces pain-relieving hormones.
The University of Spain claimed that after the spinal manipulation treatment, the hormone levels of oxytocin, cortisol and neurotensin increased in the bloodstream.
Pregnant women use chiropractic for pain relief
Chiropractic treatment is considered safe and effective during the pregnancy period. It reduces pain and establishes pelvic balance.
The treatment also helps to create space for your baby during the period. However kindly consult with your treating gynaecologist before undertaking such treatment.
Chiropractic treatment is not suitable for women facing issues such as placenta abruption, vaginal bleeding and ectopic pregnancy.
Complementary therapies
Complementary therapies are those that are used alongside conventional treatment. Chiropractic treatment helps to relieve pain when used alongside conventional medicine.
Chiropractic treatment helps to improve their lifestyle and feel better for people with cancer. People suffering from back pain can benefit from chiropractic treatment. Posture correction is also an added benefit in chiropractic treatment.
Spinal manipulation therapy helps to realign the spine and relieve pain. Chiropractic care is one the best alternative for people searching for a non-invasive treatment.
Connect you with local recommendations
Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive method that attracts people. You can also seek the help of your doctor to get recommendations.
Non-invasive treatment option
Chiropractic care is a treatment that is dedicated to being a non-invasive method. Complications and disorders such as back pain and dyspepsia, with the help of chiropractic treatment, gives a long-term relief.
Chiropractic care helps in posture correction. Minor spinal surgeries can be avoided and can be cured with chiropractic care. It offers a wide range of treatment options.
Chiropractors use a spinal manipulation technique to realign your joints and it also activates a few hormones. Manual therapies give long-term relief for lower back pain.
Improve your posture
Chiropractors use a technique called spinal manipulation to adjust and realign the spinal position.
Chiropractors apply a gentle force that will induce some movement to the immovable joints that cause nerve interference. A slight popping sound is heard when the procedure is carried out indicating the release of gas between joints.
Chiropractic treatment is suitable for problems such as Scoliosis, forward head posture, damage to the curvature of the neck and kyphosis (hunchback).
Preventative care
Preventive care is a routine health check-up that helps to detect health issues or diseases that may become a major issue. Examples of preventive care are annual check-ups, flu shots, colonoscopy, vaccinations and mammogram.
Preventive care helps to keep your health in check and any major health problems or diseases can be diagnosed at an earlier stage. Chiropractic treatment is one of the best preventive care.
Chiropractic care helps to increase mobility, improves flexibility and functions of joints. These in turn reduce the risk of arthritis, joint inflammation and injuries.
Chiropractic care helps to tighten the loosened muscles and also relaxes the tightened muscles.
Boost your immune system
Spinal cord has a direct connection with your immune system. Regular treatment helps improves spinal health, restores joint functions and also supports the nervous system. As a result, it boosts immunity.
The immune system strengthening is carried out by manipulations, structural integration, decompression and massage therapy.
Chiropractic care cannot actively cure any disease or infection, but it can help strengthen the immune system. It also strengthens the body’s ability to heal itself from injuries and illness.
Improves mental health
There is a common assumption that chiropractic care is only used to treat physical pain or mobility issues. The truth is chiropractic care brings a balance between physical and mental health.
Chiropractors help to concentrate on all areas like diet, exercise, therapies, supplements and also manipulations.
In general, chiropractic treatment helps to release positive hormones. These hormones help a person to be mentally healthy and positive thoughts are encouraged. These manipulations help to reduce tension and anxiety.
The atmosphere of chiropractic care will help patients to be stress-free and less anxious. People are looking for alternative methods to reduce stress and improve mental health.
Chiropractic care does the job of being affordable and effective.
Reduce depression risk
Depression is a serious disorder that is faced by many people. A survey that was conducted in the year 2016 reported that 800,000 deaths occurred worldwide due to depression.
In 2018, 48,000 people died by suicide in the US. Depression, if not treated early might lead to serious consequences.
Chiropractic treatment specialises in musculoskeletal care. This treatment helps to soothe the muscles and reduces depression.
Relaxation
In this high-paced world, people are forced to keep up with the pace and keep working to live a lifestyle. For those who want to take a break and relax, chiropractic care is the best option to reduce stress.
The spinal cord serves as a switch for the nervous system. The messages from the brain are passed down through the spinal column.
So, chiropractors work in the spinal column to alleviate the common ailments correlated with stress. The movement and massages would help a person to calm down and relax.
Blood pressure
A study was performed in Chicago involving 50 participants with high blood pressure.
Specialised chiropractic treatment was carried out for the patients and the study concluded that blood pressure decreased significantly.
The decrease in blood pressure was like taking two blood pressure drugs at once. This treatment is adverse effect free.
Sleep
Anxiety, depression and sleep are interrelated. When a person is depressed or anxious it affects their sleep cycle. When sleep is deprived, they cannot be fully productive and in turn, the sleep cycle gets altered.
The other reason for sleep getting affected is pain. People who work for long hours and drive for long distances experience a lot of pain which will be unbearable.
Chiropractic treatment helps to reduce pain and a healthy sleep cycle is reformed. During the treatment, there are popping, snapping and crackling sounds. These are normal and help a person to sleep well.
Increase energy levels
Most of us struggle after lunch for energy or hit the cough when we reach home. This is because we lack energy. We have to increase our energy levels naturally.
Chiropractic treatment helps to do it effectively. The hidden reason behind energy being drained is pain. People with bad posture get affected by spinal problems. When the spinal column is adjusted and placed correctly, the pain can be reduced.
Chiropractic treatment focuses on subluxation and helps realign the spinal position. As a result, the pain is reduced and energy increases.
Athletic performance
Athletes face a lot of injury and tissue damage. Chiropractic treatment is beneficial to athletes as they are drug-free. The treatment enhances health and performance.
The major benefit of chiropractic treatment is reduced stiffness. When chiropractic treatment is regularly taken, the stiffness and muscle soreness reduce and the performance is enhanced. The stamina also increases when subluxations are removed.
Work for everyone
Chiropractic treatment is common for all and it helps to reduce pain. Pregnant women, people with arthritis and bone cancer can get approval from their doctor before going for the treatment.
Pros and Cons of Chiropractic Care
The pros of chiropractic care are reduced stress and anxiety, improves mobility, improves sleep cycle and increases energy, regulates mood swing, reduces inflammation, decreases the risk of illness and helps the body to heal itself.
One of the common misconceptions that people have about chiropractic treatment is they are not performed by trained doctors, which is not true.
Chiropractors know about your spine in and out. There is a myth that good chiropractic treatment will be painful which is not true.
Well, there will be some discomforts but they will be back to normal after 24-48 hours.
Conclusion
Chiropractic treatment helps you to relieve stress and pain by using spinal manipulation techniques. By using this technique, minor surgeries can be avoided and also relieves you from pain.
FAQ's
Why chiropractic care is bad?
No, chiropractic care is not bad. People have a misconception about the treatment. They are good for posture correction and helps to relieve spinal pain.
Why chiropractic care is important?
Chiropractic care is important as it helps to reduce stress and helps to maintain a healthy sleep cycle.
Benefits of chiropractic care for weight loss
Chiropractic care helps to maintain a healthy diet coupled with exercise, which aids in weight loss.
Do normal people need chiropractic care?
Chiropractic treatment works for everyone and it’s a non-invasive method of treatment. There are no adverse side effects reported.
What is the value of chiropractic therapy?
Chiropractic therapy helps to increase energy and reduces tension which helps the spinal nerves to work effectively.
Is chiropractic care safe for pregnant women?
Chiropractic treatment is considered safe and effective during the pregnancy period. Chiropractic treatment is not suitable for women facing issues such as placenta abruption, vaginal bleeding and ectopic pregnancy.
Is chiropractic care a science?
Chiropractic treatment is a science of healing without drugs.
Is it advisable to have chiropractic treatment for children?
Chiropractic treatment is safe for kids as it is a non-invasive and drug-free form of treatment. Before taking a treatment, it is advised to seek medical advice.
How does chiropractic care strengthen the nervous system?
Regular treatment helps improves spinal health, restores joint functions and also supports the nervous system.
Can chiropractic care help avoid knee replacement?
Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive method of treatment and it helps to avoid knee replacement.
Is chiropractic care addictive?
Chiropractic treatment can be addictive at times owing to its pain-relieving ability. Chiropractors claim that the treatment is not addictive.
