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What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a branch of the healing arts which is based upon the understanding that good health depends, in part,
upon a normally functioning nervous system (especially the spine, and the nerves extending from the spine to all parts of
the body). "Chiropractic" comes from the Greek word Chiropraktikos, meaning "effective treatment by hand."
Chiropractic stresses the idea that the cause of many disease processes begins with the body's inability to adapt to its environment.
It looks to address these diseases not by the use of drugs and chemicals, but by locating and adjusting a musculoskeletal
area of the body which is functioning improperly.
The conditions which doctors of chiropractic address are as
varied and as vast as the nervous system itself. All chiropractors use a standard procedure of examination to diagnose a patient's
condition and arrive at a course of treatment. Doctors of chiropractic use the same time-honored methods of consultation,
case history, physical examination, laboratory analysis and x-ray examination as any other doctor. In addition, they provide
a careful chiropractic structural examination, paying particular attention to the spine.
The examination of the
spine to evaluate structure and function is what makes chiropractic different from other health care procedures. Your spinal
column is a series of movable bones which begin at the base of your skull and end in the center of your hips. Thirty-one pairs
of spinal nerves extend down the spine from the brain and exit through a series of openings. The nerves leave the spine and
form a complicated network which influences every living tissue in your body.
Accidents, falls, stress, tension,
overexertion, and countless other factors can result in a displacements or derangements of the spinal column, causing irritation
to spinal nerve roots. These irritations are often what cause malfunctions in the human body. Chiropractic teaches that reducing
or eliminating this irritation to spinal nerves can cause your body to operate more efficiently and more comfortably.
Chiropractic also places an emphasis on nutritional and exercise programs, wellness and lifestyle modifications for
promoting physical and mental health. While chiropractors make no use of drugs or surgery, Doctors of chiropractic do refer
patients for medical care when those interventions are indicated. In fact, chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists
and other health care professionals now work as partners in occupational health, sports medicine, and a wide variety of other
rehabilitation practices.
How are doctors of chiropractic educated?
Like all primary health care providers,
doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive education and training before becoming licensed professionals. Students begin by
fulfilling undergraduate degree requirements, with a strong emphasis on the core sciences such as chemistry, anatomy, physiology,
and physics.
The professional program leading to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree is very demanding. Chiropractic
students continue their study of the sciences, including pathology and biochemistry, at a highly detailed level.
Their education continues into the advanced clinical sciences including orthopedics, neurology, examination procedures,
differential diagnosis, and X-ray interpretation. During this entire process, aspiring doctors of chiropractic gain knowledge
of the philosophy and practice of health care and chiropractic.
Doctors of chiropractic refine their technical
adjusting skills in technique classes. During clinical internships student doctors perfect these skills.
Finally,
all doctors of chiropractic must pass the rigorous national board exams and state exams before entering the field.
Considerable commonality exists between chiropractic and medical programs of education. Surprisingly, more time is spent
in basic and clinical sciences in chiropractic education. Not surprisingly, chiropractic education spends more time in nutrition,
while medical education spends more time in public health. In addition, little time in medical school is devoted to the study
of the neuromusculoskeletal system and related health problems; this is a major focus in chiropractic education.
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Some Things
You Should Know About Massage
Most Americans know that massage therapy can help relieve stress and pain,
reduce blood pressure and boost the immune system. And, more people than ever are trying massage for the first time.
Research Confirms Massage Therapy Enhances Health
What do back pain, stress and breast cancer have in common?
Recent research shows that massage therapy provides relief for people suffering from each of these conditions
and that it is an effective complement to medical care.
Consumers have long suspected that massage helps promote
a healthy and balanced lifestyle. As more research demonstrates the effectiveness of massage therapy for helping to treat
common ailments like low back pain, more consumers are seeking massage to improve their overall wellness and health.
Consumers aren’t the only people recognizing the benefits of massage. Physicians and other healthcare providers are
increasingly recommending massage therapy to their patients as a supplement to traditional health care. According to one national
survey, 54 percent of primary care physicians and family practitioners would encourage their patients to pursue massage therapy
as a treatment. Consumers surveyed over the last three years say that when they discuss therapeutic massage with their physicians,
more than 70% responded favorably.
Massage Therapy:
An Effective Treatment for Low Back Pain
A study conducted by Beth Israel-Deaconess Center for Alternative Medicine Research and Education and the Center for Health
Studies in Seattle concluded that therapeutic massage was an effective treatment for providing long-lasting benefits for patients
suffering from chronic low back pain. In fact, researchers hypothesize that massage might be an effective alternative to conventional
medical care for persistent low back pain. Researchers hope to continue their research to determine which components of the
massage therapy experience contribute to its effectiveness.
Helping Breast Cancer Survivors Cope Emotionally and
Physically
Research shows therapeutic massage is an effective complement to traditional medical care for women
suffering from the trauma of undergoing a lumpectomy, mastectomy or breast reconstruction. Pre-surgery, massage relaxes muscle
tissue and increases the flow of lymph. Post surgery, women who use specialized lymph drainage techniques from a well-trained
massage therapist as part of their treatment for lymphedema may experience less pain and swelling, as massage helps disperse
build-up of lymphatic fluid.
Although the physiological benefits are important, many women who’ve undergone
breast cancer treatment report that the emotional benefits of massage are paramount. Women report that massage helps them
reconnect with their bodies after this invasive surgery.
Easing Pain After Bypass Surgery
According
to a pilot study conducted at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, massage therapy reduces pain and muscle spasms in
patients who have undergone heart bypass surgery when patients are treated at the hospital after their surgery. Because of
its effectiveness, 60 percent of the massage group expressed a willingness to pay for massage therapy out-of-pocket.
Boosting Immune Function
During periods of stress, the effectiveness of the body’s immune system is reduced.
Research indicates that massage can increase the immune system’s cytotoxic capacity (the activity level of the body’s
natural "killer cells") and decrease the number of T-cells, which improves the body’s immune functioning overall.
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