Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Chiropractor - A Controversial Medical Profession


Chiropractic is a science and a medical profession that had officially existed for more than 100 years, but its techniques were practiced since ancient times. Described by many as holistic medicine, chiropractic considers not only your physical well-being, but also your psychical health. Chiropractic provides for a medical care system with proven results and it's a more natural approach to treating disorders of the musculo-skeletal system and nervous system, including back pain, neck pain, headaches and much more.

Chiropractic Is a Natural, Non-Invasive Approach to Health Care

Doctors of chiropractic practice a non-invasive, drug-free medical profession. Although chiropractors might provide nutritional counseling, it is always recommended to ask a certified nutritionist for advice concerning drastic diets. Chiropractors might also recommend, where necessary, other non-invasive therapies such as medical gymnastics or physiotherapy. Do remember: chiropractors do not prescribe drugs. Period.

Now what's so special about chiropractic and why is this profession becoming more and more popular these days? Well, simply because it offers a better alternative than drugs to health problems and disorders related to the spine, pelvis and the extremities. The main technique used by chiropractors to treat several disorders is called spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) and the uniqueness of this profession stays in the idea that SMT influences positively the nerve flow.

If you suffer of back or neck pain, you probably need to pay a visit to a chiropractor. There is already enough evidence that SMT does relieve back pain and the advantage is that it works faster than physiotherapy, being less invasive than drugs or chirurgical interventions. Well, there are situations when chirurgical intervention is compulsory, but for normal disorders or for recovery after a surgery, chiropractic is the best alternative. Chiropractic is not synonym with SMT as many people believe. Other doctors of medicine, including orthopedists, physiatrist and sports medicine practitioners, also use this technique. What Is a Chiropractor?

A very important thing you should know is that chiropractic cannot treat just any health disorder and that chiropractors, although they do have a very solid medical background, are not doctors of medicine (MD) but doctors of chiropractic (DC). This means that they will recognize symptoms of a certain disease, but will not treat it without the "referral" from your medical doctor. You should also understand that a chiropractor is not a healer. Once again: chiropractors have medical background, they go through a rigorous professional education, equivalent to the education of the doctors of medicine. They are trained in using medical equipment required for performing their profession accurately (X-rays, investigative equipment, etc). Chiropractors are not homeopaths either, but there are plenty of homeopaths that claim that they have chiropractic knowledge. Don't let yourself fooled by such claims. There might be chiropractors with homeopathic knowledge, but there is no such a thing as a homeopath with chiropractic knowledge, unless he or she has a doctor of chiropractic diploma.

So, chiropractors are not healers but they are holistic practitioners - treating the whole person rather than just the symptoms of a disease. You can be sure that a chiropractor will treat you differently than a normal medical doctor. He will listen to your questions, answer and counsel you, within the limits of his line of work. Chiropractors consider that a patient's health is influenced by many factors including heredity, diet and lifestyle and so on so they will concentrate to heal the disease and enhance the wellness of a patient. The term wellness in chiropractic doesn't refer to a spa or a hot tub, but to a general state of health, free from disease: stress, headaches, carpal tunnel, sciatica, fibromylagia, fatigue, knee pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, allergies to enumerate just a few.

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