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• There is a great deal of sound, scientific research which support chiropractic principles and practice. But what often means even more to patients are the real-life stories of people who have been helped by chiropractic.
• These people received chiropractic subluxation-correction and enjoyed healthier, happier lives. While chiropractic does not claim to treat or cure any disease or condition
• These people received chiropractic subluxation-correction and enjoyed healthier, happier lives. While chiropractic does not claim to treat or cure ANY disease or condition (other than vertebral subluxation) millions of people have realized great health benefits from spinal adjustments. Here are a few actual "testimonials" from patients throughout the world:
• My problems began quite unexpectedly. I bent down one day but couldn't stand up straight again. At 57, I'm very active. I play a lot of tennis and my job as a mechanic at McDonnell-Douglas requires me to bend and twist in some awkward positions, especially when I have to squeeze through the small openings in some of the jets I work on.
• Five days after the problem began, I was still suffering agonizing low back pain. I wasn't able to do anything.
• I took the recommendations of several friends and went to see a doctor of chiropractic who took X-rays. I was told that the problem was in my spine; and the doctors explained the spine's direct relation to my general health.
• When I came to the chiropractor, I couldn't even reach my knees with my hands. Now, I can touch my toes without bending my knees, which I haven't been able to do for more years than I can remember. I can't thank my chiropractor enough.
-- Jonathan Falmans
• About thirty years ago, I had a football injury. Over the next several years, I began to have pain in my left knee, a constant dull ache in the lower back on the right side and sinus trouble. I went to my medical doctors for help and they said I would have to live with this the rest of my life. The diagnosis was a permanently damaged nerve. The physicians suggested corrective surgery.
• I became very depressed. I couldn't sleep at night and I was very difficult to live with. I was going through hell and so was my family. It was then that I was convinced to try chiropractic. After my first few visits to my chiropractor, I felt a great deal of relief. Now I feel like a new person. My back is greatly improved, without surgery, and it seems as if I never even had knee problems or sinus trouble. It changed my life. When you feel good, you look good and you develop a healthy attitude. I wasn't very long before everyone noticed the great improvement in me. My only regret is that I waited so long
-- Andrew Sanderson
• I first injured my back 20 years ago and I've been having back trouble off and on ever since. The last four years I'd been having muscle spasms in my back which became more frequent and progressively worse. I had constant headaches and was irritable, nervous, tired and depressed, and I had not had my period for the last four years. An orthopedic doctor I had been seeing recommended surgery but couldn't guarantee it would help.
• Because I'm a nurse, I rejected the idea of going to a chiropractor. Instead, I just suffered, spending several days in bed with pain killers, a taped-up back and a heating pad. Finally, I was in constant pain and couldn't take it any more. One day several friends told me of the help they'd received from their chiropractor so I made an appointment to see him that very day. That's when I had my miracle.
• After my first adjustment, I left the office and got in my car to leave. Without any warning I started my menstrual cycle. This may sound incredible but that's what happened. I no longer have any muscle spasms or back pain. I'm doing things I haven't done in years. I don't take pain killers or tranquilizers since I started my adjustments. I really enjoy living again! I hope someday chiropractors work as an integral part of the medical profession.
-- Eleanor Drusart
• In the early 1950s, Winifred Gardella was a poster child for the March of Dimes. Her picture was published in the newspapers to raise huge sums of money for the March of Dimes in San Francisco. Nationally, her image raised millions of dollars to help fight the dreaded crippler, polio. Her sad, innocent face and her tiny body supported on crutches and leg braces, made many Americans reach into their pockets to donate.
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Last Updated on Monday, 30 August 2010 14:38 |
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• Hip Pain
Hip pain is common problem, and it can be confusing because there are many causes. It is important to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be directed at the underlying problem.
- What are the best treatments for hip pain? Treatment depends entirely on the cause of the problem. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you understand the cause of your symptoms before embarking on a treatment program. If you are unsure of your diagnosis, or the severity of your condition, you should seek medical advice before beginning any treatment plan.
- Some common treatments for hip pain are listed here. Not all of these treatments are appropriate for every condition, but they may be helpful in your situation.
- Rest: The first treatment for most conditions that cause hip pain is to rest the joint, and allow the acute inflammation to subside. Often this is the only step needed to relieve hip pain. If the symptoms are severe, crutches or a cane may be helpful as well.
- Ice and Heat Application: Ice packs and heat pads are among the most commonly used treatments for inflammation.
- Stretching: Stretching the muscles and tendons that surround the joint can help with some causes of hip pain. A good routine should be established, and following some specific suggestions will help you on your way.
- Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is an important aspect of treatment of almost all orthopedic conditions. Physical therapists use different modalities to increase strength, regain mobility, and help return patients to their pre-injury level of activity.
Anti-Inflammatory Medication: Non steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, commonly referred to as NSAIDs, are some of the most frequently prescribed medications, especially for patients with hip pain caused by problems such as arthritis, bursitis, and tendonitis.
• Knee pain
Knee pain caused by arthritis.
Arthritis in the knee most often refers to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis in the knee, results from wear and tear on its parts. However, inflammation that occurs in certain rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can also damage the knee
The knees are the most easily injured part of the body. The largest and most complicated joint, the knee is used for everything from standing up, sitting, to walking, running, etc. It's a weight-bearing joint that straightens, bends, twists and rotates. All this motion increases your risk of acute or overuse knee injuries.
• Foot pain
Foot pain may be caused by many different things. Trauma, disease, or a combination of both is the most common causes of foot pain. Trauma is a result of forces outside of the body either directly impacting the body or forcing the body into a position where a single or combination of forces result in damage to the structures of the body. Poor biomechanical alignment may lead to foot pain.
Injuries such as ligament sprains, muscle strains, bruises, and fractures typically occur suddenly (acutely). Sprains, strains, bruises, and fractures may be the result of a single or combination of stresses to the foot. A sprain of the foot or ankle occurs when ligaments that hold the bones together are overstretched and the fibers tear. The looseness or tightness of ligaments in the joints of the foot may be a factor in foot pain.
When you first begin to notice discomfort or pain in the area, you can
treat yourself with rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).
Over-the counter medications may also be used to reduce discomfort and pain.
Rest will allow the tissues to heal by preventing any further stress to the affected area. Crutches should be used if you have difficulty putting weight on the foot. Appropriate use of commercially-available ankle and foot supports may provide rest, comfort, and support to the affected area.
Ice should be applied no longer than 20 minutes. The ice may be put in a plastic bag or wrapped in a towel. Commercial ice packs are not recommended because they are usually too cold. If extreme discomfort occurs, icing should discontinue immediately.
Compression and elevation will help prevent any swelling of the affected tissues.
• Leg Pain
Trauma
Trauma is the most obvious cause of leg pain. Falls, near falls, and twisting injuries can damage bones, muscles, and joints or a combination of all three. Pain from an injury to the back can inflame the sciatic nerve and cause sciatica, or pain that radiates down the leg. Overuse injuries also can cause pain and may be thought of as multiple minor traumatic injuries.
Treatment
The treatment of leg pain depends upon the diagnosis. Once the reason for the pain is established, treatment is focused on both pain control and controlling the underlying problem to prevent or lessen future occurrences. |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 31 August 2010 13:24 |
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• Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is the term for pain that lasts long after the initial injuryhas healed. It may be caused by a disease, such as arthritis, or it may be the result of an injury such as back strain. Chronic pain can affect anyone, regardless of age or background, and can occur in almost any part of the body.
Treatment of chronic gastritis can be directed to a specific etiologic agent, when it is known. In other situations in which gastritis represents gastric involvement of a systemic disease, treatment is targeted to the primary disease. The treatment approach for Pylori infection is described in detail in this article and elsewhere. Treatment for other diseases is detailed in specific disease articles.
• Neck pain
Pain located in the neck is a common medical condition.Neck pain can come from a number of disorders and diseases of any tissues in the neck, such as degenerative disc disease, neck strain, whiplash, a herniated disc, or a pinched nerve. Neck pain is also referred to as cervical pain.The treatment of neck pain depends on its precise cause. Treatment options include rest, heat/ice applications, traction, soft collar, traction, physical therapy (massage, manipulation), local injections of cortisone or anesthetics, topical anesthetic creams, topical pain patches, muscle relaxants, analgesics, and surgical procedures
• Wrist Pain
The human hand is an extremely complex and finely-balanced structure. There are more than 25 bones in the human hand and wrist. The wrist joint provides flexibility and strength for the hand to perform an infinite variety of tasks. The two major functions of the hand, shown at left, are (1) the pinch, which uses the thumb and index finger, and (2) the power grip, which usually involves closing the hand around an object. The wrist joint can extend upward or flex downward, and can move laterally from side to side
Although there are certainly a variety of causes of wrist pain, our approach to treatment always begins the same way. For proper hand function, pain relief is the essential primary objective. Mobility is secondary. Remember that as long as your wrist is stable and pain-free, the functions of your hand will not be significantly affected, and you will be able to lead a normal, healthy life.
• Elbow pain
The elbow is the joint where three long bones meet in the middle portion of the arm. The bone of the upper arm meets the inner bone of the forearm (ulna) and the outer bone of the forearm (radius) to form a hinge joint. The radius and ulna also meet in the elbow to allow for rotation of the forearm. The elbow functions to move the arm like a hinge (forward and backward) and in rotation (twisting outward and inward). The biceps muscle is the major muscle that flexes the elbow hinge. The triceps muscle is the major muscle that extends the elbow hinge. The outer bone of the elbow is referred to as the lateral epicondyle and is a part of the humerus bone. Tendons are attach to this area which can be injured, causing inflammation or tendinitis(lateral epicondylitis, or "tennis elbow"). The inner portion of the elbow is a bony prominence called the medial epicondyle. Additional tendons from the muscles attach here and can be injured, causing medial epicondylitis, "golfer's elbow." A fluid-filled sac (bursa), which serves to reduce friction, overlies the tip of the elbow (olecranon bursa). The elbow can be affected by inflammation of the tendons or the bursae (plural for bursa) or conditions that affect the bones and joints, such as fractures, arthritis, or nerve irritation.
• Back pain
The complaint of low back pain is among the most common medical problems. To begin on the positive side, patients must understand that most episodes of back pain resolve, and usually within a few weeks. Unfortunately, back pain can be among the most difficult and frustrating problems for patients and their doctors.
Understanding the cause of your back pain is the key to proper treatment. Because back pain is sometimes difficult to treat, a better understanding of the causes of this problem will assist patients in their recovery from back pain.
Self-Care at Home
General recommendations are to resume normal, or near normal, activity as soon as possible. However, stretching or activities that place additional strain on the back are discouraged.
Sleeping with a pillow between the knees while lying on one side may increase comfort. Some doctors recommend lying on your back with a pillow under your knees.
No specific back exercises were found that improved pain or increased functional ability in people with acute back pain. Exercise, however, may be useful for people with chronic back pain to help them return to normal activities and work.
Nonprescription medications may provide relief from pain
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Last Updated on Monday, 30 August 2010 14:30 |
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There is a wide variation of techniques used by different chiropractors. Chiropractors focus on dysfunctions that can result from irregularities spinal structure or movement. They rely heavily on hands-on procedures to determine structural and functional problems, and they use manipulation to promote normal bodily function correcting or preventing these structural deviations. The principal procedure used by many chiropractors is a form of manipulation known as adjustment that refers to a variety of manual mechanical interventions. There are about 55 adjustments in a chiropractor's repertoire. Some of them are:
- Manipulation is movement of short amplitude and high velocity that moves the joint beyond where patient's muscles could move the joint by themselves but short of ligament rupture.
- Mobilization is movement administered by the clinician within physiologic joint space in order to increase overall range of motion
- There are hundreds of ways or techniques to adjust the spine. Each Chiropractic becomes highly skilled in a variety of adjustment procedures that are most suitable for your age, body type and condition. Some of the most common chiropractic techniques used today are:
- Go stead Technique – detailed analysis of spinal X-rays is used to determine correct adjustments to be administered
- Activator – detects and corrects dysfunction using a small tool which delivers a light and measured force to correct misalignments. It is used to gently and painlessly move the vertebrate
- Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique - A non- force technique using subtle, yet precise pressure applied by hand to remove blocked nerve energy, eliminate physiological interference and balance sensory signals to the central nervous system.
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Last Updated on Monday, 30 August 2010 14:43 |
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Adventages
The advantages with chiropractic care are that the relief can be instant. People with joint pains testify to get relief instantly once they go to a chiropractor because when the joint is aligned at a new position, then the pain associated with it also vanishes and that is why the relief is instant. Chiropractic care has remedies for several Irritating problems like backache, indigestion and neck pain. As a holistic type of this treatment, chiropractic care is generally safer than other treatments because patients do not have to undergo surgery to get results. As an alternative type of treatment, most doctors suggest that patients try the methods first before resorting to surgery or long-term medicine use.
Pregnancy benefits by Chiropractic
- Helps to maintain a healthier pregnancy
- Helps in controlling symptoms of nausea
- Increases the likelihood of full-term delivery
- Can reduce the time of labor and delivery
- Helps relieve back, neck or joint pain
- Can prevent a potential cesarean section
Disadvantages
Some of the disadvantages with chiropractic care are that the chiropractor who is treating you should be very good and have a lot of experience. While manipulating the joints chances are high that can something might go wrong and it may result in unwanted fractures. This can happen with an inexperienced chiropractor. Make sure you make a background check first, on who will be rendering service by reviewing the professional license, asking for patient referrals and determining if the individual truly is registered in your state. |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 31 August 2010 11:11 |
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