How Does Chiropractic Work
Experience Chiropractic
Our culture has reached the point where we must take a second look at
certain established beliefs for the way we are being influenced in
regards to our health care and the health care of our children. It seems
as though the time has come to consider using conservative methods
instead of simply following the accepted norms, and time to look at
prevention in terms of nutrition, exercise, and
chiropractic care…all of which allow the body to heal itself naturally, just like it was designed to do!
How Does Chiropractic Work
Chiropractic health care is a branch of the healing arts which is
based on the scientific principle that our nervous system controls or
influences the function of all 11 trillion interconnected cells in our
body. The term “Chiropractic” comes from the Greek words “cheiro” and
“praktikos,” meaning “done by hand.”
The Chiropractic or wellness model of health is centered on the
philosophy that the human body will heal itself given the right
opportunity. In other words, the body heals from the inside out.
Interference to the nervous system, caused by a vertebral subluxation
complex (more commonly called a subluxation) will affect how the
nervous system relates to the cells which it influences.
Think of nerve irritation like a dimmer switch on you lights. If the
dimmer is turned down, the lights are still on, but the light is low. If
it is turned up too high, the bulb may burn out prematurely. Therefore
the muscle or organ still receives the nerve impulse, but it is altered.
This helps to explain why when nerve irritation exists in the middle
back region, an individual may experience indigestion or an upset
stomach.
Doctors of chiropractic (DC) essentially promote the healing process
by minimizing interference to the nervous system. By detecting and
correcting nerve interference, doctors of chiropractic facilitate the
healing process, but it is your body that does the healing!
Understanding Ear Infections
Over 110 million prescriptions for antibiotics were written last
year. Experts say that up to half were unnecessary or ineffective. That
means approximately 55 million prescriptions were taken, oftentimes by
our children to treat ear infections, which were unfortunately useless!
Acute otitis media (AOM) is defined as, “fluid in the middle ear
accompanied by signs or symptoms of ear infection.” Although uncertainty
exists among experts as to the best solution for treating AOM,
antibiotics continue to be a first line of defense for the medical
profession.
Recent research is beginning to reveal the ineffectiveness of antibiotics to treat this illness. In fact,
The New England Journal of Medicine reported,
“Only 1 in 8 children with ear infections benefit from antibiotics, and
researchers found that most subjects who received placebo recovered
just as quickly as subjects taking prescription antibiotics.” The study
continued, “Within one week 81% of placebo subjects had recuperated.”
Of most importance, however, was that the lead author of this study,
Dr. J. Owen Hendley, shared these same concerns about prescription side
effects and antibiotic resistance that chiropractors and other holistic
health-care professionals have worried about for decades. He advised
physicians to prescribe antibiotics for ear infections sparingly, and
suggested that practitioners wait 48 to 72 hours before administering
drugs as ear infections often mend on their own.
The
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
also found that “amoxicillin is not effective” and “concluded that
children who took the drug for ear infections were two to six times more
likely to have a recurrence of their fluid buildup.” Despite this
information, amoxicillin still remains the number one prescribed drug
for ear infections. JAMA also found that only 58% of all myrinotomies
(tubes in the ears) were necessary.
Many studies have shown the strong connection between
neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction of the Eustachian tube (a tube that
“drains” the ear) and middle ear infections. Nerve interference caused
by vertebral subluxations in the upper part of the neck can lead to
improper functioning of the Eustachian tube. Specific chiropractic
spinal adjustments reduce the nerve interference, improving the function
of the Eustachian tube, and allow the middle ear to heal naturally.
Understanding Your Neck Pain
Imagine trying to balance a bowling ball on a stick. To make it more
difficult, tilt the stick forward while trying to maintain balance of
the bowling ball. That’s what it’s like trying to support your head on
your neck if it loses its natural curve.
Your neck was created with a built-in shock absorber called a curve
or lordosis. This was formed by design because the curve acts like a
spring and absorbs the shock of your head resting on your neck. Think of
the same bowling ball now resting on a large spring…can you see and
feel the difference?
When your neck loses its curve, the ligaments supporting your neck
become stretched and lose their ability to maintain the curve. This can
occur from a motor vehicle accident, chronic poor posture or uncorrected
vertebral subluxation complexes.
Once your neck has lost its normal curve, your neck and shoulder
muscles attempt to hold your head in the proper position. Unfortunately
they were not created for this and they tire easily. Unless you decide
to let your head drop into your lap, your neck muscles will have to
continue holding up your head long after becoming fatigued. That’s
precisely when muscle spasms occur, and tightness begins in your neck
and shoulders.
A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine compared
three modes of treatment to determine which was the most effective in
improving mobility and reducing neck pain. One hundred eighty-three
patients between the ages of 18 and 70, who had reported neck pain for a
minimum two-week period, participated in the study.
Group one received continued routine care by a medical doctor and
were ordered to take pain medication and rest; group two received
chiropractic adjustments; and group three underwent physical therapy and
a supervised exercise regimen.
After several weeks of treatment, 68.3% of patients who received
adjustments reported that they were either “completely recovered,” or
had significantly improved as a result of treatment — compared with only
50.8% the physical therapy group and 35.9% of patients under a medical
physician’s care.
If you’re experiencing neck pain, ask your doctor of chiropractic to
assist you in restoring your neck’s normal curvature. This may include
stretches and exercises, cervical traction, and an orthotic pillow
created specifically for maintaining the proper curvature of your neck.
Understanding Your Spine
A short course in the basics of spinal anatomy is tremendously
helpful in understanding why the chiropractic profession is the number
one source of alternative care in the world. Hang in there — it will be
well worth it!
The central nervous system (the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord)
is connected to the peripheral nervous system (the spinal and peripheral
nerves) and controls the way we move and function. Our skull protects
our brain and most of our brain stem, and the spine provides protection
to our spinal cord and spinal nerves.
The spine is a column of small bones called “vertebrae” that supports
the entire upper body. The column is grouped into three sections: the
cervical spine (neck), the thoracic spine (middle back), and the lumbar
spine (lower back).
Vertebrae in the spinal column are separated from each other by small
“cushions” of cartilage known as inter (between) vertebral (spinal
bones) discs. The vertebrae and discs combine to create a space (called
the intervertebral foramina or IVF) for each spinal nerve to exit from
the spinal cord on its way to the body. Abnormal positioning of the
vertebrae (also known as the vertebral subluxation complex or nerve
impingement syndrome) can compromise the IVF or nerve space, and create
nerve irritation or nerve interference. The nerve will still influence
the muscle or organ it supplies, however the quality of the nerve
transmission will be affected.
Here’s one of the most important concepts to grasp: nerve
interference may occur without a trace of symptoms. Read that one more
time. Nerve interference may occur without the trace of any symptoms.
This point allows a sharper understanding of the wellness approach to
health. Just like brushing our teeth before we get cavities, uncovering
nerve interference before symptoms arise is a foundational principle of
chiropractic care.
Once detected, your doctor of chiropractic is uniquely trained to
apply spinal adjustments. In fact although other professionals utilize
spinal adjustments as part of their treatment, doctors of chiropractic
deliver 94% of all spinal adjustments.
Although each individual responds differently to chiropractic care,
research reveals that most are very satisfied with the care they
receive. In fact, a recent Gallup Poll of chiropractic patients
conducted for the
American Chiropractic Association (ACA) yielded some remarkable results about patients’ opinions of the care they received:
- 73% felt that most or all of their expectations were met.
- 80% were satisfied with the chiropractic services they received.
- 90% of chiropractic patients considered their chiropractic treatment to be effective.
Remember, although the wellness approach to health may take some
getting used to, especially if you are accustomed to a sickness model of
health, it is certainly well worth it!
Ageonics Medical Staffs the
Top NYC Chiropractors
