Chiropractic Care for Relief of Pain
By Debra Rodzinak
The fundamental belief of the chiropractic community is that the spine and other supportive structures of the body affect the rest of the body. When your spine is in proper alignment, the rest of your body can function correctly. When your spine is out of alignment, you can notice pain in your back and other areas such as your legs, head, and arms.
Chiropractors work to correct your spinal alignment in order to relieve pain and improve overall function. The chiropractic community truly believes that the body’s ability to heal itself is the best form of care.
What Can Chiropractic Help Treat?
The primary treatment in chiropractic care is spinal manipulation, but chiropractors are also educated in other varieties of treatment for the body to maintain overall wellness such as:
- Manual therapies
- Exercise education
- Ergonomic training
- Nutritional benefits
There have been many studies on the benefits of spinal manipulation for back pain. However, more and more scientists are studying the benefits of chiropractic treatment for other problems such as headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and neck pain.
What is Spinal Manipulation?
In a general sense, spinal manipulation is any sort of therapeutic movement of the spine, normally between two vertebrae of the spine. When quick strong pressure is applied to the joints in between two vertebrae, a patient may hear a sharp cracking noise. That noise is the release of a bubble into the synovial fluid that encases the joints of the body. When that vacuum is broken, the clear, thick fluid moves quickly around the bubble causing the popping sound.
How Is the Spine Manipulated?
When a chiropractor applies pressure to the vertebrae of the spine, pressure is applied by pushing directly on the spine or twisting the neck or upper part of the body. Only one spinal joint at a time has this manipulation applied to it. It is not good practice to try to work on more than one joint at a time. Well-educated chiropractors know exactly how to manipulate the body so that only one joint is receiving the pressure.
How Long Does It Take to Find Relief?
Because every case is different, a chiropractor needs to evaluate a patient before deciding on the length of time needed for complete treatment. However, most spinal manipulation sessions take between 10 and 20 minutes. Many patients have found relief after a few weeks of treatments going three to four times per week, but each case is based on the severity of the pain and the beginning misalignment of the spine.
The ultimate goal of chiropractic is to help patients find pain relief and to better manage their condition once they leave the office. Poor posture, obesity, and other factors may lead to continued pain if not addressed. Chiropractic is one piece in the puzzle to overall wellness.