Paying Your Chiropractor a Visit Plus Other Interesting Takes to Take Note Of

Despite the growing use and popularity of chiropractic care nationwide, there still has only been limited research conducted to study the professional relationships among chiropractors and established, trained primary care practitioners (PCPs).

Dr. Richard F. Alpert, a professor at the University of Minnesota’s College of Dentistry, concluded that although chiropractors are not the mainstay of primary care doctors, they do provide a valuable service in providing care for patients with neuromusculoskeletal disorders and related problems.

Below are seven reasons for the rising popularity of chiropractic care as a primary care alternative. A study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that chiropractic doctors were less likely to recommend drug treatments for common conditions such as back pain, migraine headaches, and neck pain than were family physicians.

The study was based upon data from a sample of about 400 chiropractors located in four states. Of those surveyed, nearly half had either formal or informal education regarding chiropractic treatments and techniques.

Most (nearly 80%) of the chiropractors surveyed had received some form of certification from an organization specializing in chiropractic care. This evidence supports the view that chiropractors have respectable training and are skilled in the application of chiropractic principles.

Another medical doctor, examining a patient who had her arm or hand hurting, often asked, “Is this a back problem? Or is this a wrist problem?” The patient’s answer, understandably, indicated that she was seeing a chiropractor.

It is almost impossible to think that a chiropractor would diagnose and treat a condition known as back pain without referring the patient to another medical doctor to rule out other causes, such as arthritis or a herniated disk. One of the chief reasons behind the increasing popularity of chiropractic care is the consistent success rate achieved by its practitioners.

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine illustrated that chiropractic patients achieved pain relief more often than did patients going to their regular medical doctors or physicians of another type.

Further, the effectiveness of chiropractic treatments extended beyond pain relief, when patients improved their range of motion, improved range of touch, relieve muscle tension, improved sleep quality, and enhanced their immune response.

In addition, the Annals study published in the Annals also showed that the majority of participants who used chiropractic treatments were not re-visited by their primary care physician following treatment. It is important for consumers to know that there are limitations to chiropractic care.

First, it should be understood that pain relievers and chiropractic treatments are not intended to replace standard medical treatments. Rather, they are complementary forms of medical treatments, intended to enhance the health and well-being of the patient.

For example, a pregnant woman should not use chiropractic treatments to relieve pain during childbirth. Similarly, a child younger than 18 years of age who has musculoskeletal problems should not receive chiropractic treatment for balance issues.

Chiropractors do not use spinal manipulation or other manipulations (subluxations) in their treatments. Instead, chiropractic treatments are designed to improve alignment and movement throughout the body, and they are administered by trained professionals using appropriate techniques and equipment.

Spinal manipulation and subluxations can be quite dangerous and should only be administered by a trained professional. Furthermore, spinal manipulation and subluxations can result in corrective spinal surgery, which should only be performed by a licensed physician.

A second reason for the increase in the popularity of chiropractic care is that its use has significantly reduced the number and severity of injuries and illnesses that have been received by patients in recent years.

In fact, there is now a growing body of evidence indicating that chiropractic may be beneficial in both preventing and reducing the number and severity of sports-related injuries and illnesses.

A study published in the Journal of American Medical Association comparing football players before and after they received chiropractic treatment showed a significant decrease in the incidence of lower back pain, cervical spine disorders, and hip fractures. Clinics like chiropractor Tempe can fully vouch for this.

In addition, the athletes showed improvement in their running times and in their agility, as well as a significant reduction in the frequency of injury. The third reason for the growth in the popularity of chiropractic care is that many family practice physicians are now offering it as part of their health care service offerings.

As a result, more people are now making use of this alternative to traditional medicine. One advantage to working as a family practice chiropractor is that chiropractors are able to combine the healing powers of spinal manipulation and other proven methods of treating ailments with natural substances found in the home.

For this reason, many patients are now receiving chiropractic treatments on a regular basis rather than once or twice a year.