For over a century arthritic patients have benefited from chiropractic care. Chiropractic care has even reversed osteoarthritis–something previously considered impossible. And yet chiropractic is not an arthritis treatment. It is a system of healthcare that improves the function of your entire body by removing or releasing blockages from your spine and structural system called subluxations. Subluxations weaken your nervous and immune systems, thus weakening your entire body. This can set the stage for sicknesses and diseases of all kinds–arthritis included. Chiropractic helps turn on your inner healing ability. When your spine is free of subluxations your body functions better. That is why anyone with arthritis needs a spinal checkup to locate and remove their subluxations. As a general rule it is always wisest to search out the most natural, conservative methods before submitting to more invasive (drugs and medical) care.
People like chiropractors because they approach healthcare in a unique manner. Instead of diagnosing and treating disease, your chiropractor’s purpose is to enhance your health by analyzing your spine and eliminating your vertebral subluxations. Without subluxations your body and mind function better, heal better and you feel better. The medical approach of waiting for symptoms to appear before addressing one’s health is limited–by the time symptoms first appear you could have been deteriorating for years. The chiropractic approach is to get your body working well now! You could have subluxations in your spine for years, eating away at your health unawares. Chiropractors can analyze your spine and locate (and correct) your subluxations before symptoms appear.
The roots of chiropractic care can be traced all the way back to the beginning of recorded time. Writings from China and Greece written in 2700 B.C. and 1500 B.C. mention spinal manipulation and the maneuvering of the lower extremities to ease low back pain. Hippocrates, the Greek physician, who lived from 460 to 357 B.C., also published texts detailing the importance of chiropractic care. In one of his writings he declares, “Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases”. In the United States, the practice of spinal manipulation began gaining momentum in the late nineteenth century. In 1895, Daniel David Palmer founded the Chiropractic profession in Davenport, Iowa. Palmer was well read in medical journals of his time and had great knowledge of the developments that were occurring throughout the world regarding anatomy and physiology. In 1897, Daniel David Palmer went on to begin the Palmer School of Chiropractic, which has continued to be one of the most prominent chiropractic colleges in the nation. Throughout the twentieth century, doctors of chiropractic gained legal recognition in all fifty states. A continuing recognition and respect for the chiropractic profession in the United States has led to growing support for chiropractic care all over the world. The research that has emerged from ” around the world” has yielded incredibly influential results, which have changed, shaped and molded perceptions of chiropractic care. The report, Chiropractic in New Zealand published in 1979 strongly supported the efficacy of chiropractic care and elicited medical cooperation in conjunction with chiropractic care. The 1993 Manga study published in Canada investigated the cost effectiveness of chiropractic care. The results of this study concluded that chiropractic care would save hundreds of millions of dollars annually with regard to work disability payments and direct health care costs. Doctors of chiropractic have become pioneers in the field of non-invasive care promoting science-based approaches to a variety of ailments. A continuing dedication to chiropractic research could lead to even more discoveries in preventing and combating maladies in future years.
Excerpted from www.acatoday.org
The term “repetitive strain injury” (RSI) is used to describe a group of musculoskeletal problems involving tendons, muscles, nerves and joints commonly occurring in office and manual workers. It is frequently caused by continuous overuse of certain muscles or tendons. Office workers who use computers frequently are at risk from this type of condition, which often causes stiffness in the spinal joints of the neck and upper back. This can aggravate or even cause RSI in the hands and arms. Common symptoms of RSI are stiffness or pain in the hands, wrists , fingers, forearms or elbows. Other sensations may include pins and needles in the hands. You may wake up at night and feel the need to shake your hands to get rid of the pins and needles in your hands. You may also feel the need to massage your hands, wrists or arms to relieve these symptoms. Chiropractic care can successfully be used in the treatment and management of RSI as it aims to restore normal function to your joints and muscles, as well as your nervous system using gentle, specific adjustments to free stiff joints and relieve tension in your muscles.
Excerpted from www.essential-chiropractic.net
Plantar fasciitis is a common condition of the foot that usually causes pain in the underside of the arch and the heel. A number of health care professionals are qualified to diagnose and manage this disorder. Similarities exist in how these professionals may approach an examination for plantar fasciitis; however each professional brings a unique perspective and skill set to the table. As an expert in structural anatomy and biomechanics, the chiropractor may be an excellent resource for a comprehensive examination. Based on your examination findings, your chiropractor may determine that you could benefit from wearing orthotic inserts. A 2009 study published in “Annals of the Academy of Medicine” showed that certain types of orthotics can reduce or redistribute pressures on the foot. This can be beneficial for some individuals with plantar fasciitis. Your chiropractor may find that the joints of your ankles or feet are not moving properly. A chiropractor is typically skilled in manipulation and mobilization of these joints. A literature review in the January 2009 “Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics” reports that there is good evidence for the effectiveness of this approach in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Alignment and mobility issues of the spine, pelvis, hips and knees may also be addressed through manipulation, or through exercise.
Excerpted from www.livestrong.com
