Do you know someone who seeks help from a chiropractor with back pain? Chiropractic or chiropractic is not black magic at all. It really helps! You just need to choose a specialist in manual therapy.

Althoughmanual therapy , i.e.chiropracticor chiropractic, is becoming more and more common - it still raises a lot of controversy, mainly due to the fact that sometimes it is de alt with by people without proper preparation. Meanwhile, a properly and professionally performed procedure can not only relieve the painof the spine , joints or roots, but even save them from surgery. Chiropractic is most often used to treat dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system. It involves manually manipulating the area of ​​the spine to position the vertebrae so that they do not pinch the nerves going away from the spinal cord. Manual therapy also allows you to restore the mobility of joints and ligaments, it is an effective alternative to painkillers

The impact of diseases of the spine on the whole body

Manual therapy is based on the theory (confirmed by traditional medicine) that some diseases are caused by dysfunction of the spine, from which the nerve fibers that connect with all parts of the body depart. Spinal nerves located in different parts of the spine affect the entire body, incl. on the eyes, ears, mouth, head, but also on internal organs such as the diaphragm, stomach, liver, spleen, intestines and kidneys. Pressure on nerve fibers from misaligned vertebrae can cause a wide variety of ailments and contribute to disease. The problems are closely related to the location and degree of damage to the skeletal system. Thus, injuries in the cervical spine can cause headaches, dizziness, buzzing, ringing in the ears, tremors, and a lack of strength in the hands; in turn, injuries in the thoracic region are manifested by chest pain, shortness of breath, shallow breathing, leg pain.

Important

Why do young and old get sick

Unfortunately, over the years our motor apparatus degenerates: ligaments and muscles stiffen, degeneration of the spine appears, the discs of which become flattened. But the ailments are not always age-related. Doctors are sounding the alarm - nowadays, problems with the skeletal systemthey also have very young people. We ourselves, and more specifically our lifestyle, are to blame for this. Spine pain and ailments are most often caused by factors such as obesity (excessive load on the spine, knee and hip joints), sitting work (maintaining an incorrect sitting position for many hours), practicing sports without preparation, especially without proper warm-up, hard physical work, lifting heavy items. The panacea for all problems is movement - thanks to it, there will be no extra pounds, and the joints will be fit for years.

Basic techniques in chiropractic

Manual therapy consists of four basic healing techniques called grips. They are intended to restore normal mobility in blocked segments of the spine or joints in the extremities. For this purpose, the following are used: massage - it should be remembered, however, that this is not a typical classic massage, but a specially developed therapeutic massage; traction method - it consists in stretching the spine on a specialized table, this method releases the nerves pressed by the displaced vertebrae; mobilization - that is, the repetition of specialized movements in any segment of the spine or joints, aimed at improving their mobility, thus eliminating disorders in this section; manipulation - these are actions aimed at releasing a pinched disc or nerves, which allows you to quickly get rid of the pain. During the procedure, this technique is sometimes accompanied by a characteristic "click" or crunch in the joint, it is caused by the sudden separation of the adjacent articular surfaces.

Choosing the right manual therapy specialist

Finding a good chiropractor is still a challenge. When choosing, use common sense, avoiding the so-called. "Folk" chiropractors, who are usually self-taught. Irresponsible manipulation in the area of ​​the spine, instead of helping, can be harmful, so before putting yourself in the hands of a therapist, you should check if he has diplomas and certificates of completion of specialized training. As experts emphasize, manual therapy differs from "folk chiropractic" in that a professional will perform a physical examination - orthopedic or neurological - before performing any surgery. examination carried out with a computer tomograph. While an experienced therapist has a high probability of finding an illness based solely on symptoms and physical examination performed, professional research is always very effective.helpful. Physical examinations include on the assessment of body posture by checking the position of the shoulder blades and the position of the pelvis (this helps, for example, in the diagnosis of scoliosis), checking the length of the lower limbs (the difference in the length of the legs may be physiologically conditioned, but it may also be the result of an oblique pelvis).

Manual therapy can be used regardless of the patient's age

There are no age restrictions in manual therapy. Most often, the therapist has people with lumbar spine pain, where the prolapse of the disc at the L4-L5 level sometimes causes pressure on the sciatic nerve that runs from the spine to the leg. The therapy can be used in cases of abnormalities in the spine, in the onset of discopathy, with any symptoms of overloading specific sections of the muscles, contractures, improper movement and breathing habits, posture defects, and all kinds of spinal pains. The therapist, depending on the disease, manipulates the vertebrae in the area of ​​the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, and also performs mobilization on the pelvic bones, legs or hands. Due to its nature, the procedure can sometimes be painful, especially when the muscles are tightly tense. Pain can be caused by the masseur's first movements or stretching of the spine. After the manual therapy procedure, the patient may feel sore for a few more days due to the interference with the muscles.

According to an expertPaweł Białek, a physiotherapist dealing with pains in the spine and joints

You have to move

An experienced therapist does not use physical force during the procedure, but achieves the effects by massaging and stretching individual muscles and joints. The force-based method can do more harm than good, and it can prove that the therapist using it is ignorant or unsure of what he is doing. Manual therapy should be a combination of traditional medicine and special manual techniques, as well as exercises performed by the patient himself and constant care for the spine. Only then will it be an effective method of treating many chronic diseases in the area of ​​the spine and joints. A visit to a chiropractor, even if it brings excellent results, should not exempt us from practicing sports - swimming and rehabilitation gymnastics, as well as maintaining a he althy body weight, are particularly beneficial for the spine.

Cases not for the chiropractor

Remember that chiropractic is not a panacea for all diseases! Sometimes the lesions are so significant that a surgical operation is necessary (this is what happens in the case of, for example, a hernia of the spineor with neurological complications). Contraindications for manual therapy also include neoplastic and inflammatory conditions of the spine, fractures, postoperative conditions and advanced osteoporosis. In some situations, it is possible for the therapist to cooperate with a traditional doctor.

Duration of manual therapy

The therapeutic treatment with the examination lasts 20-30 minutes. The time and number of therapeutic sessions depend on the patient's condition, but most often a chiropractor requires about 5 treatments to restore full fitness or complete pain relief. Then, as a preventive measure, you should show up at check-ups approximately once every 2 months.

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