Standards of Chiropractic Care
Although chiropractic therapy has become increasingly visible in the mainstream as a viable form of health care, for some it still remains a mysterious practice. The first thing to understand about chiropractics is that the word “chiropractic” itself is composed of the Greek word for hand or “chiro” and the Greek word for practical, “praktikos.” Chiropractic therapy, therefore, simply refers to the practical use of the hands.
Chiropractors use their hands to achieve the same results that surgeons do with their scalpels, making chiropractic care a less invasive form of health care that doesn’t require heavy doses of mind altering anesthesia. A doctor of chiropractic’s job is to move the musculoskeletal system so that misalignments or distortions to the natural posture of the skeleton are corrected. Health problems that respond favorably to chiropractic treatment include:
- Back and neck pain
- Strains and sprains
- Headaches and migraines
- Repetitive strain injury (RSI)
- Work and sports-related injuries
- Limited range of motion in the back, neck, shoulders, and limbs
- Whiplash
- Arthritis
Routine chiropractic care, without having any serious disorder of the musculoskeletal system, can also keep the overall general health and well-being of a person in a positive state.
Specific methods of chiropractic treatment depend on the needs of a patient and what their specific health complaint is. It is the chiropractor’s job to develop an overall plan for treatment that addresses all the health problems of the patient. This requires a complete health history and accurate diagnosis of existing problems. The treatment plan developed by the chiropractor doesn’t have to be just about moving the musculoskeletal system, but can include dietary advice, lifestyle counseling, and suggestions for therapeutic physical exercises that can be done at home. That being said, the chiropractor’s hands remain the primary tool of their profession, however. Adjustments to the spine, pelvis, nervous system, and joints are all common techniques used by chiropractors to restore health to bodies in pain.
Chiropractic practice is regulated in the United States as health profession by the federal government, which insures that chiropractic health care meets a high standard of safety. Doctors of chiropractic go through intense training that amounts to years in school and thousands of hours of clinical training.
There was a time when chiropractic care wasn’t so well known and patients depended on more traditional forms of treatment that included surgery and the prescription of pain killers. As health care becomes more modernized, however, chiropractic is rising to the fore as safe and healthy alternative.
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