Chiropractic care continues to become popular nowadays because of the many benefits it can bring. It is also a non-invasive and drug-free approach to treat various kinds of health conditions. It is known to be a holistic way of treatment that focuses on promoting overall health and wellness. Some people may deem chiropractic care as a treatment that is related only to back and neck issues. However, there are other benefits that chiropractic care can do to your health. It not only helps alleviate pain, but it also improves the quality of your daily lifestyle.
What is Chiropractic Care?
WebMD has a comprehensive description of chiropractic care, as follows:
"Chiropractic treatment is primarily used as a pain relief alternative for muscles, joints, bones, and connective tissue, such as cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. It is sometimes used in conjunction with conventional medical treatment."
Chiropractic care is also proven to aid people with several other musculoskeletal related pains.
Who are Chiropractors?
A chiropractor refers to a health care professional who works on diagnosing and treating neuromuscular problems, focusing on manipulation or manual adjustment of the spine. Chiropractors aim to reduce the pain and enhance the functionality of their patients. They also inform them how to take care of their health by doing exercises, using other back pain therapies, and applying ergonomics.
Ontario Chiropractic Association(OCA) defines chiropractors as medical experts who specialize in areas including rehabilitation, clinical science, pediatric, diagnostic imaging, spinal stenosis, animal chiropractic care, and sports sciences.
"Doctors of chiropractic, called 'chiropractors' are spine, muscle, joint and nervous system experts. Every chiropractor receives at least six to seven years of post-secondary academic and clinical education. They are trained in how to evaluate, diagnose, recommend and deliver a treatment plan that manages issues within these systems, according to your preferences. A chiropractor's education also includes courses in radiology, pain management, prescribed exercise and rehabilitation, among others."
OCA also added that chiropractic care could be administered to a lot of medical conditions, particularly to back pain.
"Chiropractic care is the primary method of treatment for many medical conditions, such as low back pain. For other conditions, such as pain associated with arthritis, diabetes or osteoporosis, chiropractors and other health professionals recommend an interprofessional approach. So in these situations, your chiropractor will coordinate with other health care professionals in your circle of care to support your overall treatment with chiropractic care to relieve your spine, muscle or joint pain."
The initials "DC" is used to identify a chiropractor, referring to the education, including a four-year course and an undergraduate degree of chiropractic course.
Chiropractors utilize the most effective clinical expertise and available evidence to diagnose problems that impact the body's movement. What makes chiropractic treatment stand out from other health solutions is that it is done without surgery and prevents recurring issues.
10 Benefits of Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is safe and effective, as long as an expert does it. The following are the main benefits of chiropractic care:
#1 It helps with lower back pain and neck pain
A lot of people often experience back pain and neck pain due to the nature of their work and daily lifestyles. There are surgeries and medications that can be options for different types of pain; however, some of these can be expensive, ineffective, and dangerous.
Chiropractic care can greatly reduce your neck pain and back pain using non-invasive techniques. It is also cheaper to get chiropractic treatment for pain management compared to other medical methods. With chiropractic care, you can avoid mild to chronic pain without the need to spend massive amounts of medical costs.
#2 It alleviates the effects of sciatica
Sciatica is the pain that radiates, starting from the lower back towards the legs. It can be due to a pressured or damaged sciatica nerve.
Sciatica pain can also result in chronic pain and overmedication. Chiropractic care and treatment aid in relieving the pressure on the affected nerve that causes sciatica. Patients who undergo chiropractic adjustments claim that they experience lesser pains, as well as the severity of the pain itself.
#3 It helps people with scoliosis
Scoliosis is described as a condition where an abnormal curvature of the spine is present. This can lead to pain, reduced range of motion, difficulty in breathing, and abnormal posture.
People with scoliosis have several treatment options. The good thing is that chiropractic care has demonstrated great results in treating scoliosis patients.
With physical therapy, chiropractic treatment can help treat and avoid the worsening and progression of scoliosis.
#4 It can serve as a headache relief
Migraine and tension headaches can lead to spinal issues and back pain. This is the reason why we should try our best to protect our back from injuries and other factors that may cause misalignments and pain.
Amazingly, chiropractors can also help treat various types of headaches. By making adjustments in some areas of your body that contribute to having any kind of headache, you can find the relief you are looking for.
#5 It helps reduce inflammation
Inflammation is said to be one of the main contributors to tension, pain, and joint problems. Chronic inflammation is related to various diseases such as chronic pain, heart diseases, and cancer.
With the help of chiropractic care, inflammation is reduced and can lead to several benefits, such as relief of joint pain, chronic lower back pain relief, and lessened muscle tension. Also, it also reduces the risk of acquiring health issues related to inflammation.
#6 It helps enhance athletic performance
Chiropractic care plays a significant role in sports rehabilitation. It helps reduce the pain, inflammation, and other similar issues caused by sports injuries and accidents. Various sports coaches and athletes actually hire chiropractors. They help make adjustments to lessen the tension and pain due to training and other sports activities. Not only that, but chiropractic care also boosts an athlete's performance.
#7 It helps with ear infections and acid reflux
Nerves in the brain and gut are sensitive. When they fail to function properly, it can lead to health problems such as ear infections and acid reflux.
Chiropractic care can aid in improving the gut-brain connection. This can significantly work on alleviating ear infections and acid reflux. Not only that, but it can also help boost the immune system, thus, preventing infection in the body.
#8 Chiropractic care provides health benefits to children
When it comes to pediatric care, chiropractors can also help. They can significantly improve some health conditions that may affect children. Some of these conditions where a chiropractor makes an include ear infections, colic, and acid reflux.
#9 It helps in improving the symptoms of colic
Colic is a health condition that makes children uncomfortable. This can lead them to fussiness and constant crying due to abdominal discomfort and gas. Unfortunately, this can be challenging to treat. However, adjustments by chiropractic care are proven to help treat infantile colic symptoms.
#10 It aids in improving the symptoms of neurological conditions
Chiropractic care has been demonstrated to aid in increasing the blood flow to the brain. It increases blood flow to the cerebral spinal fluid, too. It can greatly aid people who are having neurological conditions, such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. However, studies continue to find out more about it. Its potential therapeutic benefits reveal an interesting possibility of treating patients with neurological problems.
Final Thoughts
With today's innovations and medical breakthroughs in the field of medicine, chiropractic care is one of the best so far. It is safe, proven effective and does not require a complex way of surgery. Chiropractors are also advised to apply proper work ergonomics and a healthy lifestyle to avoid issues such as back pain and neck pain.
