What is it and how does it work?
Chiropractic is a natural, gentle,
drug-free healing art that recognises the body’s self healing
abilities.
Chiropractors specialise in diagnosing and treating
disorders of the spine, joints and muscles. The term chiropractic
is derived from the classical Greek words “chiero”- hand and “praktos”-
to use and means treatment by hand or manipulation.
What do chiropractors do?
Chiropractors specialise in the detection,
correction and prevention of muscle and joint problems, relieving
pain and improving health.
The central nervous system is the control system
of the body which coordinates and controls every organ, tissue,
gland and cell.
One of the main interests of the chiropractor
is a well functioning nervous system. The spinal cord and the
nerve roots that exist between and around each spinal bone are
the most easily damaged by stress or trauma.
Improper motion of spinal bones can cause nerve
irritation from stretching, rubbing, and pinching of the nerve’s
tissue. This is why chiropractors work primarily with the spine,
to remove interference that may be causing pain or impairing normal
health. |
Visiting a chiropractor
On a patient’s first visit, the chiropractor
will take a thorough case history and carry out a full case history
and carry out a full neurological and orthopaedic examination.
X-rays may also be taken to check for any abnormalities or conditions
which will show if another form of treatment would be more appropriate.
Once these examinations are complete, the chiropractor
carries out a detailed analysis of how the individual bones, joints
and muscle move, to identify the specific problem.
Treatment consists of gently unlocking the stiff
joints with skilled manipulation by hand, known as adjustment.
There are many chiropractic adjustments techniques.
Quick, comfortable adjustments are used with just the right amount
of pressure to restore proper function and mobility to joints.
The effectiveness of chiropractic
People
usually seek chiropractic treatment for pain caused by accident,
injuries at work, poor posture or sports injuries, but it is not
only back pain and leg pain that are eased with chiropractic care.
Headaches and pain that occurs in the neck, shoulder, arm, hip,
and knee, also respond well to treatment. |