There are several medical conditions that are suitable for chiropractic treatment, not just back pain and slipped or herniated discs. In fact, some, such as allergies, would not normally be associated with chiropractics, yet many conditions that involve neural pathways are treatable using chiropractic therapy. Here is a range of conditions that can be treated using non-invasive manipulative therapy
There are several medical conditions that are suitable for chiropractic treatment,
not just back pain and slipped or herniated discs. In fact, some, such as allergies, would not normally be associated with chiropractics, yet many conditions that involve neural pathways are treatable using chiropractic therapy. Here is a range of conditions that can be treated using non-invasive manipulative therapy.
Neck and Back Pain
The treatment of back pain, and other problems associated with the spine, is a classic application of chiropractics. Many spinal problems can be resolved using manipulative therapy much more effectively that by surgery. A classic case is that of the bulging or herniated disc in the lumbar or cervical vertebrae. Often referred to as a slipped disc, the disc has not slipped because it is firmly attached to the vertebrae, but has actually ruptured.
A vertebral disc consists of a spongy shock-absorbent gel, the nucleus pulposus, surrounded by a tough annular sheath. Occasionally the gel will lose its strength, often through age or stresses on the spine, and rupture through the sheath creating a condition known as a herniated disc. If the gel simply presses against the inside of the annulus and creates a lump, it is known as a bulging disc. The hernia or bulge can press against a nerve and cause extreme pain.
This can occur in the cervical vertebrae of the neck or the lumbar vertebrae of the lower back, and although surgery can be used to cut out the disc and then fuse the vertebrae together, chiropractics can offer a far better solution in IDD Therapy (intervertebral differential dynamic therapy). This non-invasive technique gently creates a pressure differential between the vertebrae that causes the disc to expand like a bellows and suck in nutrients and water to enable the rupture to heal with an average 86% success rate.
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
CTS is caused by a pinched nerve in the tunnel of bones formed by the carpals in the wrist. Chiropractic care involves manipulation of the upper spine, elbow and wrist and also ultrasound therapy. There have been two studies carried out involving 25 and 91 individuals that have reported significant improvements in the condition after chiropractic treatment.
The second, involving 91 people, came to the conclusion that chiropractics was at least as effective as conventional treatment involving drugs and wrist supports. The condition can be caused by a misalignment in the spine, hence the manipulation of the upper spine and neck being part of the treatment.
Joint Problems
There are a number of causes of joint dysfunction, including osteoarthritis, degradation due to misaligned joints, disc problems and a few more. Chiropractic treatment can realign joints very effectively, and also resolve disc problems as discussed above. A lack of flexibility due to osteoarthritis can also be improved by manipulation with accompanying pain relief.
Whiplash Injuries
Whiplash symptoms include neck pain and stiffness, shoulder and arm pain, visual disturbances and headache. Physical chiropractic therapy can be used in conjunction with strengthening exercise to treat the damage caused, and the neck and spine can be adjusted to get you on the road to recovery.
Allergies
Allergic reactions are caused by the immune system reacting to a trigger that it detects as being pathogenic. The processes that initiate the allergic reaction are passed through the neural system, down the spinal cord to the areas concerned. Chiropractics can sometimes be used to help moderate the allergic reaction by working on the neuro-musculoskeletal system.
Pain
Pain, such as headaches and other neurological conditions, has many causes. Sometimes chiropractic care can be used to moderate pain or eliminate it altogether, depending on its source. Common sources of pain that are treatable using chiropractics include trapped nerves, inflamed nerve roots and pressure being exerted on a nerve by, for example, a herniated disc or misaligned bones. Each of these can be resolved by means of manipulative therapy, where traditional medicine would normally offer you a painkiller or some other drug.
Accidents
If you have been involved in an accident that could have resulted in misalignment of the bones in your spine or damage to your neural system then chiropractic treatment could help. Realignment of bones or gentle manipulation of areas of the spine could reduce nerve inflammation and debilitating pain.
There are many other conditions suitable for chiropractic treatment, not all medical. In fact, even if you feel fully fit a chiropractic check-up can often detect irregularities in your spine and joints that might not be causing you problems now, but will at some time in the future. It is not uncommon for spinal disorders to be detected and rectified long before they have been able to impact on the patient’s health.
The upshot is that chiropractic care can be used to treat a variety of conditions, some with no immediately obvious connection with the area being treated. That is because the neurological system operates in such a way that pain can be felt in a part of your body some distance away from the source of the problem. That is one reason why conventional medicine can sometimes miss the problem altogether, and treat a symptom rather than the cause. Not so with chiropractic treatment.
