Chiropractic Treatment - What You Should Know

From Ancient Beginnings

Chiropractic is a form of manual therapy; one that has withstood the test of time. Cultures from all corners of the globe, past and present claim some form of manual therapy as their own, from the ancient Egyptians to the Gaelic people of the British Isles. These ancient practices went by the name "bone setting." Basically, the practice involved moving, or "manipulating" joints in the body with the belief that it would help the body work better.

A Simple, Straight-Forward Definition

Chiropractic is a healing art that emphasizes care of the human frame and recognizes a direct relationship between spinal mobility and health. Treatment is centered around the chiropractic adjustment-- a hand or instrument-delivered force applied to one or more vertebrae for the purpose of improving joint movement and alignment. A flexible, aligned spinal column promotes good posture, better breathing, and a more responsive neuromusculoskeletal system, all of which contribute to good health.

Ok, So When Should I See a Chiropractor?

If you are experiencing back and/or neck pain that is musculoskeletal in origin, go see a chiropractor.

If you can't turn your neck or bend your back fully, see a chiropractor.

If you experience ongoing tension headaches, see a chiropractor.

If you suffered a sports injury that doesn't require surgery, see a chiropractor.

If you find that you have poor posture, see a chiropractor.

For more information on this topic, visit my San Francisco Chiropractic website.

A Brief History of Chiropractic

In North America, chiropractic was "discovered" by a Canadian named D.D. Palmer in 1895. It is important to note that during this time, there was a broad interest among academics, scientists, and "pioneers of discovery" to find answers to the maladies that plagued society of that day. This included spinal deformities and varous infectious diseases. Accoring to chiropractic historical accounts, Palmer examined a janitor in his building who complained of hearing loss. Noticing a deviation in his spine, Palmer attempted to manipulate, or move it into alignment. A pop was heard and the janitor reported that his hearing returned for the first time in many years, so the story goes. Palmer consulted a colleague, who gave a name to this procedure--chiropractic. Chiro comes from the Greek word meaning "hand," practic coming from the Greek word meaning "done by", or "practiced by." Palmer, considered the founder of chiropractic devoted the rest of his life to researching the connection between the spine and health. His son, B.J. Palmer, considered the developer of chiropractic brought it to national attention, building it into an institution with its first college and curriculum.

In the following decades, the chiropractic profession would be subject to severe challenges to its very existence; mostly from allopathic medicine. Some of it was politically motivated; some of it was legitimate. There was a period when chiropractors were actually jailed for practicing medicine without a license. The persecution and professional ostracism continued on and off in the years following.

By the mid-70's, chiropractic gained political support on its own merit. A significant percentage of the population was seeing chiropractors, with good results and the country's powerbrokers took notice. Practices flourished throughout the U.S., and word got around that chiropractors were the doctors to see for back problems. As a result, Congress included chiropractic services as a covered MediCare benefit. Major health insurers followed suit, and consumers enjoyed medical health coverage for chiropractic services for the first time. Prior to this, patients had to pay out of pocket.

Chiropractic in the 21st Century

Chiropractic continues to face challenges in the healthcare arena, due to changes in the political climate and economy. Not much has improved in the professional collaboration between MDs and chiropractors. The differences in the two disciplines run too deep for such broad cooperation to occur.

We are living in an Information Age, where patients are much more informed about medical care than ever before thanks to the internet and websites like WebMD and Mercola.com. Opinions are formed and attitudes are shaped. Medicine continues to take a beating, as it seems that each month a different drug, once heralded in the media is found to be dangerous and risky. Such news has the effect of driving more people to alternative healing arts like chiropractic. However, chiropractic has its own share of negative press, with some doctors running into problems with questionable claims and practices.

The end-result of this Information Age is a more transparent healthcare system. It's a good thing, for it creates an environment that leaves the best practitoners still standing. Chiropractors who have a reputation of being highly skilled and professionally competent will continue to thrive.

What You Need to Know Today

Chiropractors basically fall into one of two categories, which is dictated by the chiropractor's approach. The first is known as "straight" chiropractors, a self-chosen label. Straights will tell their patients that spinal misalignments will directly lead to disease such as cancer and diabetes. Be aware that there are no major studies that support this claim, but there are scattered, anecdotal cases that suggest a connection between spinal adjustments and the improvement of some organic conditions such as gastrointestinal issues and hearing and vision problems. As such, straight chiropractors will tell their patients that manipulating areas of the spine will remove nerve interference, enabling the body to function optimally, making it difficult for disease processes to manifest. The straight chiroprator will usually recommend lifetime chiropractic visits; corrective care in the beginning followed by less frequent "maintenance" care, indefinitely.

The second category is referred to as "mixers." (I don't really care for this term). These chiropractors are more interested in a practice limited to treating non-emergent musculoskeletal pain using spinal adjustments and a variety of modalities. Modalities are adjunctive procedures such as ice, heat, ultrasound, laser therapy, traction, and massage. These chiropractors will tell their patients that the primary goal is symptomatic relief, followed by rehabilitation to strengthen weakened areas in order to prevent relapse. They may suggest periodic maintenance visits as well, but will typically put the choice in the patient's hands.

How to Find a Good Chiropractor

The best way to find a good chiropractor is to ask people you know for a referral. Ask friends, co-workers, family members and other acquaintances-- you are likely to get several recommendations, as an estimated 15% of the adult population has visited a chiropractor at least once. Choose one, and get a feel for how the practice is run. Each office has its own procedures. The good ones will show a genuine concern and will be patient with you, especially if you have any questions. Questions you should ask are:

-how long has the doctor been in practice?
-how long is a typical office visit?
-how much face-to-face time can I expect with the doctor?
-what are the fees (if you don't have insurance)?

It wouldn't hurt to check the local State Board of Chiropractic Examiners to see if the doctor's license is in good standing.

If you are interested in seeing a chiropractor, but still have reservations due to some long-standing, negative beliefs:

The main concern a person has about chiropractic is fear that it will hurt, or even cause injury. This is a legitimate concern. However, keep in mind that a highly skilled chiropractor, especially one who has been practicing for over 10 years without incident is highly unlikely to cause injury or an adverse condition. Chiropractic has a very good safety record among health care disciplines, which is reflected in low malpractice insurance premiums. Chiropractors are trained to recognize situations where spinal adjustments are contra-indicated. Bottom line-- make sure you get a good referral.

Some patients may wonder why chiropractic is still "under the radar"; i.e. not visible in the major media outlets. They wonder why chiropractors have to advertise so much, even at obscure places like a county fair. There is a simple reason for this. Chiropractic as a profession does not enjoy the backing of the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry; something that allopathic medicine (medical physicians-MDs) enjoys. Chiropractors are not licensed to prescribe medications-- a good thing in my opinion. As a consequence, it is an industry that is self-reliant. It is not under the protective umbrella of the medical establishment. There is no major funding for media, large clinical trials, and public relations campaigns. Although there are some corporate sponsorships from industries that supply the chiropractic profession, it a a tiny fraction of the billions of dollars spent by Big Pharma to win peoples' trust. Like political campaigning, those with the most money will be able to put their message out and dominate peoples' attention. This is why we see at least five drug commercials for each hour of television.

The lesson here is that even though allopathic medicine dominates the healthcare market, there are less visible but just as legitimate alternatives available to you, like chiropractic.

If you are in San Francisco and happen to be looking for a San Francisco chiropractor, you can visit my clinic and I'd be happy to meet you.