So what exactly is chiropractic care?
Simply put, it is the adjusting of the spine or joints to help alleviate pain, open up body movement, and reduce swelling. The most common goal of chiropractic care is a pain-free, well-performing spine, but people also seek chiropractic care for headaches, neck and shoulder issues, hip alignment, and drug-free pain maintenance.
According to the Mayo Clinic, chiropractic care is when adjustments are performed by chiropractors using their hands or instruments to achieve the improvement of spinal motion and the body’s physical function. They also mention that chiropractic adjustments are safe when performed by a licensed chiropractor.
Chiropractic adjustments
When the spine is out of alignment, which can be brought on by many factors such as accidents, sports injury, and chronic stress to name a few, chiropractic care is used to resolve the problem chiropractors call subluxations. Subluxation is the misaligned or altered positions of the vertebra. Chiropractic adjustments are made to try and keep the vertebra in their more natural position. To do this, it may take more than one or two adjustments over a period of time.
Effective for pain
Over the years studies have shown that chiropractic care can alleviate various back and neck pains. Various government agencies around the world who have researched the use of chiropractic adjustment and its affect on pain, have found it to be quite effective. The Agency for Health Research and Quality—a U.S. government agency—has stated that in one study the strength of evidence found that spinal manipulation was rated sufficiently highly as a pain relief intervention. In the study, they compared 27 types of pain intervention. Spinal manipulation ranked in the top two highest rated for having a positive effect.
Chiropractic manipulation and care has proven to be the safe and effective choice for relief from pain associated with the back, neck and other parts of the body. The next time you are searching for pain relief that is proven to be effective, be sure to check in with your chiropractor.
Kristy Donnelly, D.C. is not just a Chiropractic Physician, but also a certified nutrition coach, and personal trainer, thus providing a well-rounded approach to patient care. She taught Anatomy at Florida State College in Jacksonville, and fitness classes in college.