What is chiropractic and can it hurt

What is chiropractic

Chiropractic isChiropractic / NHS a type of alternative medicine in which diseases of the back and the whole body are treated with manipulation of the spine. This trend was created by the American healer Daniel Palmer at the end of the 19th century.

A chiropractor can stretch and move muscles and joints, press on them, and set the vertebrae. The procedure is usually painless, but may cause slight discomfort in some people.

Impact is sometimes appliedErnst E. Chiropractic: a critical evaluation / Journal of Pain and Symptom Management heat, cold, electricity, and some specialists advise patients on supplementation, lifestyle, weight loss or techniques relaxation.

Chiropractors are officially legal in about half the world. In Russia and some other countries, it is not regulated in any way. In some states, for example in Japan, this type of medicine is prohibited.

What chiropractors believe in

It depends on which camp they belong to: "direct" or "mixed".

Direct chiropractors

Representatives of this trend remain faithful to the ideas of the founder - Daniel Palmer. Following him, they believe that the spine is a conductor of vitality and most diseases arise from its subluxation. Some direct chiropractors rely on personal experience to find them, but X-rays are more commonly used.

Such healers believe that a variety of ailments, including asthma and impotence, can be treated by repositioning subluxations.

Palmer defined his method as "the science of healing without drugs." In his concept, he combined the methods of folk chiropractors, ideas about life energy (vitalism) and animals magnetism. Also, the creator of chiropractic believed that there is an innate and universal (divine) mind, and healing comes at the will of higher powers.

In many ways, therefore, direct chiropractors deny scientific discoveries, urge not to be vaccinated and not to take medications. Some of these specialists do not believe, for example, that there is a sympathetic nervous system and that microbes can cause infections to spread.

Mixed chiropractors

Disappointed with Palmer's mystical views, chiropractors are calledErnst E. Chiropractic: a critical evaluation / Journal of Pain and Symptom Management mixed. They do not try to heal their patients from everything in the world and deal mainly with diseases of the spine. Mixed chiropractors try to be part of evidence-based medicine, so many of them abandoned the concept of subluxation altogether.

There are more representatives of the mixed camp today, but direct chiropractors have not disappeared anywhere. This division exists even at the organizational level. The former are mainly members of the American Association, while the latter are in the International.

Why evidence-based medicine is ambiguous about chiropractic

Mainly criticized direct chiropractors for a variety of reasonsErnst E. Chiropractic: a critical evaluation. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. This is a lack of evidence base, and mystical concepts that form the approach, and demonstrative science, and especially the desire to treat the widest range of diseases.

Independent research 1. Fernandez ‑ de ‑ Las ‑ Penas C., Alonso ‑ Blanco C., Cuadrado M.L. et al. Are manual therapies effective in reducing pain from tension ‑ type headache?: a systematic review / The Clinical Journal of Pain
2. Ernst E. Chiropractic spinal manipulation for neck pain: a systematic review / The Journal of Pain
3. Balon J.W., Mior S.A. Chiropractic care in asthma and allergy / Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Official Publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology
4. Reid S.A., Rivett D.A. Manual therapy treatment of cervicogenic dizziness: a systematic review / Manual Therapy did not confirm any of the theories about the effect of subluxation on the development of other health problems.

How chiropractic care actually works and why it can hurt

Chiropractic canChiropractic / NHS help relieve back discomfort. However, it is possibleErnst E. Chiropractic: a critical evaluation / Journal of Pain and Symptom Managementthat the effect will work placebo.

In this case, the side effects of such therapy areChiropractic / NHS different. If the specialist is trained and does not try to cure all diseases through the spine, the patient may experience aching muscle and headache, joint stiffness, feeling fatigue. These symptoms usually go away after a few days.

However, even simple manipulations with the spine canWHO guidelines on basic training and safety in chiropractic / World Health Organization harm if the chiropractor is sloppy or there are serious contraindications:

• bone abnormalities;
• dislocations;
• hernia;
• acute fractures;
• infections and tumors of the musculoskeletal system;
• arthritis;
• disorders of the cardiovascular system;
• blood diseases.

Another danger is not getting help in time, relying on a miraculous specialist.

Also, most chiropractors often use x-ray-diagnostics, although it is known that it should be used as rarely as possible due to harmful radiation.

Things to remember before going to a chiropractor

If you want to see a chiropractor, weigh the pros and cons first. Here are some guidelines to help you get it right:

1. ConsultChiropractic / NHS with a therapist and neurologist. Perhaps you need to undergo additional testing, you have contraindications, or your problem can be solved with the help of another treatment. It is also advisable to be observed by these specialists during the sessions.
2. Do not go to a chiropractor who promises to cure all diseases. Chiropractic is just as effectiveAssendelft W.J.J., Morton S.C., Yu Emily I. et al. Spinal manipulative therapy for low-backpain / The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, like standard treatment, only in the fight against back pain. It is also worth finding out what kind of education a specialist has and whether he can confirm it.
3. Don't be limited to one type of treatment. Remember that chiropractic is alternative medicine.