Chiropractic: Widely Accepted & Effective Care

"Large numbers of physicians are either referring to or practice some form of complementary and/or alternative medicine (CAM), such as chiropractic, and many physicians believe that these therapies are useful or efficacious". Arch Intern Med 1998 Nov 23;158(21):2303-10.

Chiropractic is a health discipline that emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.

Chiropractic doctors perform spinal manipulation - also called spinal manipulative therapy - using precise manual techniques to move vertebrae and restore proper joint function. The word "adjustment" is also used to describe spinal manipulation.

Although spinal manipulation involves a quick thrust with speed, it is over an extremely small range of movement - much like when someone cracks their knuckles. This cracking sound is termed "cavitation". This sound is made by the gas bubbles that escape the joint fluid because of the low pressure created by the mechanical forces imposed to the joints of the spine.

Through mechanical dysfunction in the musculoskeletal system, such as displaced vertebrae, reduced range of motion or tense muscles, the normal function of the nervous system may be disturbed. In other words, delicate nerve tissue that is choked or pinched by a displaced vertebrae - for example- may cause pain, numbness and tingling sensations as well as altered function. Therefore the purpose of spinal manipulation or adjustments, are not only to improve range of motion and to reduce pain but to restore the normal function of the nervous system and thereby improving the body's healing capabilities.

Chiropractors recognize the importance of treating the whole person and not only focusing on symptoms. The purpose of chiropractic therefore is not only to relieve pain and discomfort, but to address the cause of the patient's symptoms in order to optimize health and more importantly, prevent a relapse.

Chiropractic patients report high satisfaction rates with their experience, partly because Chiropractors understand their problems and how to prevent future pain and disability in the context of their whole lives.

In summary, the goals of chiropractic care are to relieve the patient's discomfort and pain by addressing the cause of the symptoms and to restore the proper function of the muscle and joints of the spine so that the nervous system can better regulate the various body systems and general health.