chiropractic kʌɪrə(ʊ)praktɪk 'Done by hand'

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a hands on approach to managing pain and injuries. The primary treatment method usually includes a very specific Chiropractic adjustment. Other manual therapies are often relied upon and used successfully, making Chiropractic a multi-modal choice of therapy. Chiropractors will always assess and examine the spine with the aim of locating the primary cause of the complaint.  

Chiropractic is a health profession specialising in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on the functioning of the nervous system and general health.

A chiropractor’s main concern is your spine and nervous system and how well both are functioning. The spine is made up of 24 individual moveable vertebrae. It starts just below the base of your skull and ends in the centre between the hips. Each consecutive vertebra is connected to the immediate vertebrae above and below it via joints. Consecutive vertebrae are connected by joint capsules, ligaments and muscles, which enable the entire spine to function as one dynamic unit. There are seven neck (cervical) vertebrae, 12 mid-back (thoracic) vertebrae and five lower back (lumbar) vertebrae, with a cartilaginous disc in-between each vertebra. This disc is there to help cushion and absorb shock, reduce friction between the vertebrae and to allow increased movement to occur within the spine. A pair of spinal nerves exits between each vertebra. Each one of the 31 pairs of nerves come from the spinal cord, which runs the length of the spine, and extends outward to form a complex network which ultimately supplies and influences every organ, tissue and cell in the body.

It’s a chiropractor’s task to evaluate the biomechanical structure of the spine, to ensure that each one of the individual vertebrae are moving freely and are not restricted or fixed in anyway. Any such displacement or restricted vertebra can cause the spinal nerve, that exits from the intervertebral foramen/opening, to become irritated either through direct pressure or through indirect stimulation/irritation. Therefore, any problem in any one of the vertebral joints can affect the related part of your nervous system, which in turn can lead to such symptoms as pain in the back or neck as well as many other spinal problems.

Why do I need Chiropractic?

An everyday action, such as a fall or an accident, lifting objects or even high stress levels, can cause any of the movable vertebrae to lose its normal motion. This causes the joint to become fixed or jammed, which in turn can lead to further irritation of both the joint and the nerve. Irritation of the joint may result in spasm of the surrounding muscle, which can lead to trigger point developing within the muscle.

Irritation of the nerve can lead to pain in the vicinity of the joint or it may cause a referral of pain elsewhere in the body. Alternatively the nerves functioning may be altered causing either an increase or decrease in nerve sensitivity.

 

How Often Is Chiropractic Needed for Pain?

While many patients do experience immediate relief after a single treatment, a more realistic approach to pain management may be the following:

For sudden severe low back pain, up to 6 or even 10 sessions over the course of 2 to 4 weeks is standard. These initial treatments emphasize the “passive” (non-exercise) approaches of manual therapy to relieve pain and improve function. As quickly as possible, more “active” (exercise) can be used to increase function and ultimately return a patient back to his or her daily life.

Mild to severe flare-ups of chronic pain may need 1 to 6 visits per episode, for up 2 to 4 weeks. Rarely, patients may need ongoing care of 1 to 4 visits per month.

Each patient is unique, and the treatment approach will be tailored to each situation.