Tuesday, August 4, 2009

What Does A Chiropractor Treat?

By Peter Benalla

The word "chiropractor" is a familiar one but not everyone understands what a Chiropractor does or how their treatments benefit others. Who are Chiropractors? How are they helpful to the people who seek their treatment? What kind of treatment do Chiropractors offer to their patients? Read this article to find out!

A Chiropractor is a medical professional who focuses on the treating and diagnosing of illnesses and injuries that could be related to the spinal system and a person's joints. Chiropractors treat people via a "hands on" therapeutic approach to help patients work through their injuries and reduce a person's pain. Chiropractors treat their patients by moving and manipulating a person's spinal column, joints and the muscles associated with them.

If you live in the United Kingdom and you want to be a Chiropractor, you must first get your degree in Chiropractics from one of the four accredited educational institutions in the country. Your coursework must either be a four year degree or take thirty six hours to complete. Once you have completed your coursework you will apply to the British Chiropractic Association and/or the McTimoney Chiropractic Association. Both associations require Chiropractors to complete an extra year of supervised field experience before their licenses are finalized and they are allowed to practice professionally.

Chiropractors use the standard method to diagnose a patient's illness or injury. A patient's first visit to the Chiropractor will result in the patient giving his full medical history and then being given a routine (and thorough) exam that involves a standard physical, x-rays and both neurological and orthopaedic exams.

Follow up visits to the Chiropractor will involve the patient's spine being realigned which is done through vertebrae manipulation (or "cracking"). Adjustment to the back is done via a method in which the Chiropractor forces a joint to move out of its usual range of motion and then places it back in its original position with a single, quick and controlled movement. The jolt from this movement forces the gases that have been building up around the joint to be released, which helps to relieve the pressure that has been placed on the joint as well as the rest of the spinal system.

Another favoured method of Chiropractic treatment involves the Chiropractor moving the patient into positions that might not feel natural but that force the patient's muscles to stretch and build strength. Chiropractors might also employ massage and electrical stimulation to treat injuries and illnesses.

In addition to the physical manipulation of a patient's body, a Chiropractor will also help his patients figure out how other areas of their lives might be affecting their injuries. Chiropractors can work with patients to improve their diet and exercise routines. Chiropractors do quite a lot to help people feel better! - 14130

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