Saturday, April 18, 2009

Massage Chairs Assist with Chiropractic Care

By James Knolan

Chiropractors are licensed and trained providers of health care to the spine. Unlike certified medical doctors, chiropractors only use natural remedies to treat the spine. They do not dispense drugs or issue prescriptions to help patients. Instead, they use a variety of methods to treat the spine. One very useful tool used by chiropractors is massage chairs. Massage chairs have multiple capabilities to delivery effective treatments helping the spinal health.

Spinal injury can be caused by numerous items both naturally from age or from injury. The spine is designed to take the weight of the body. For it to function properly, the weight must be distributed across the entire spine. Injuries happen when there is a concentration of force which is usually in the lower back. Chiropractors use the term pinched nerve or subluxation describing the misalignment of the spine. This misalignment causes added pressure and irritates the nerve.

If a shift or misalignment of the spine occurs, then it affects the soft tissues. These are sometimes stretched causing injuries or can result in a pinched nerve. The spinal cord is the main corridor of the central nervous system. This subluxation of the spinal column can impact the communication of the nerve impulses between the brain and the rest of the body.

The subluxation can be mild or severe depending on its extent and location. The concentration of force due to the misalignment of the spine shifts the cervical discs. This can intrude into the spinal cord. When the spinal cord is impacted, the severity of the pain can be sharply increased. Certain conditions, like if the conduction of the impulses sent by nerves is impacted, the pain can be debilitating.

A practitioner of chiropractic techniques uses natural ways to relieve and heal these sorts of conditions. The use of electrical stimulation devices has been shown to loosen tensed up muscles. Improving elasticity and flexibility is achieved with the use of massage therapy to target the tissue or muscles.

To deal with the variation of massage delivered by masseuses, massage chairs have been employed. Massage chairs provide a patient a consistent massage. The chiropractor will set the duration of the massage, set the area to target, and the type of massage therapy.

A massage chair provides traction functions. Chiropractors use traction or stretching of the soft tissues to restore elasticity. Massage chairs utilize rollers to pass over each spinal disc. The patient is seated and then reclined to the desired angle. The patient's weight is used to exert the required force to adjust each disc.

Kneading is another massage technique that is used in massage chairs. The kneading is a side to side motion used to loosen the back muscles. The kneading helps to reduce tightness and restore greater flexibility in the muscles and other soft tissues of the back.

Massage chairs continue to grow in sophistication. Chiropractors have options of stretching the lower body and even the arms and shoulders. The doctor can set the type of stretching for the patient. Massage therapy can also be delivered simultaneously.

Massage chair companies are integrating the most advanced technologies into these massage chairs. These massage chairs scan your back and locate your neck and shoulders. Some make a virtual map of your back and chart every acupressure point and adjust the massage to you.

Today chiropractic care is considered complementary or alternative medicine practice. Chiropractic medicine emphasizes manual therapy and spinal manipulation to improve the overall health of the individual. Chiropractors recognize the benefits of including exercises, lifestyle counseling and nutritional supplementation in addition to spinal manipulation. Like any medical therapy, you should consult your health care professional and find out if a massage chair would be right for you. - 14130

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