Get Healthy - Chiropractic
take a second to sign up for my monthly SpiritZine.
Chiropractic is a complex body of knowledge concerning the manipulation of the spine and skeletal system to restore optimal nerve and tissue function and to help you get healthy. Doctors of chiropractic are primarily concerned with the spine and the nervous system, as it affects all the bodily functions, and are experts in treating disorders of the spine and nervous system. Chiropractic adjustments have been found to be beneficial in the treatment of sprains, strains, bursitis, arthritis, tension and migraine headaches as well as degenerative diseases, sports injuries and pinched nerves as well as in the general effort to get healthy. A misaligned vertebra in your spine can cause symptoms, such as numbness, headaches and pain. By correcting the misaligned vertebra, a chiropractor can help the patient function and perform pain free and at optimum health. Misaligned vertebrae can also affect the transmission of energy from the nerves in the spinal cord to other vital organs in the body, adversely affecting their function. For a person suffering from asthma or low back pain, a doctor of chiropractic will look at very specific areas of the spinal cord and the nervous system for the cause of the problem rather than just treat the symptoms of the disorder. Other doctors of chiropractic treat the root cause of a particular symptom by first addressing misalignments in the spine and then delving deeper into different body systems. This holistic approach takes into consideration the whole of a person: body, mind and spirit in the quest to get healthy. Many chiropractors are family doctors, since they treat both children and adults for symptoms such as allergies or hormonal imbalances which do not seem to have an obvious correlation to the spine. For example, some chiropractors do soft tissue work in the areas where the spine is misaligned, thereby preventing muscles from pulling the spine out of place again. When the musculoskeletal system is correctly aligned, the doctor then determines if a particular condition, such as poor digestion or fatigue, may actually stem from an improperly functioning organ system. The following categories constitute acceptable avenues for patient care when in accordance with the chiropractic clinical judgment:
Most chiropractors are firm believers in the philosophy that the power which made the body ill can make the body well again. The recognition that the human body has inherent healing powers is common throughout history. These principles are ancient in origin; what is new today is chiropractic's re-emphasis of such doctrines. Just as life is defined as the ability to respond to a stimulus, health in humans must be considered the ability to compensate for internal and external stress. Chiropractic education includes several hundred hours of study in basic sciences including: anatomy, physiology, pathology and neurology. Additional studies include x-ray analysis, physical examination and diagnosis. Chiropractic students are educated in treatment which uses natural methods such as manipulation, physical therapy, exercise and nutrition. Doctors of Chiropractic receive as much training as medical doctors and pass similar national board examinations. The nature and emphasis of the training is different, however. Chiropractors are especially trained in the biomechanics and the anatomy of the human body. And, in fact, students working towards their doctor of chiropractic degree undergo MORE hours of study concerning the skeletal and nervous system function than do medical students. The same statement applies also to their study of nutrition. Their training requires a minimum of two years undergraduate work with a minimum four years of education from an accredited chiropractic college, six months of in-depth nutritional training and satisfactory completion of a one and one-half year chiropractic internship. They are also required to pass three national board examinations and a rigorous state examination. Chiropractic treatment today is recognized by most insurance companies, and more recently, by many HMOs and PPOs as a legitimate way to get healthy.
Return to Spirituality and The Many Faces of God 
|
