Chiropractic medicine is a form of alternative medicine that focuses on diagnosing and treating problems of the spine, nervous system and musculoskeletal system. Chiropractors are specialists in holistic medicine and use natural therapies to help their patients to restore health to their backs. Chiropractors use a variety of treatments such as massage therapy to restore health to the back. Massage chairs are becoming increasingly prevalent in many chiropractor offices across the country.
Chiropractors are in high demand as they specialize in areas like pediatrics, sports injuries, neurology and orthopedics. The origin of chiropractic medicine dates back to the times of ancient Egypt. The origin of the word chiropractic comes from the Greeks. It uses the Greek words cheir and praxis which combined mean a treatment done by hand. Hands-on therapy is central to chiropractic care.
People often seek chiropractic care primarily for pain conditions such as back pain, neck pain and headaches. Chiropractors practice holistic, natural medicine. Chiropractors do not prescribe drugs for pain relief. This must be done by a medical doctor or M.D. Chiropractors must earn a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree from a college accredited by the Council on chiropractic education.
Chiropractic medicine has enjoyed a surge of growth in the United States. In fact, many health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and private health care plans now cover chiropractic treatments. Many state workers compensation systems also cover chiropractic treatments. Chiropractors are also able to bill Medicare and many states cover of chiropractic treatment under Medicaid.
Chiropractors work with patients to determine the root cause of conditions related to the back, neck and shoulders. Most of these conditions are related to the spinal column. This also includes the soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments that connect the bones of the spinal column.
Chiropractors are known for making manual adjustments to the spinal column. They use the force from their hands to exert pressure on the bones of the spine to align them. Most people are familiar with the cracking or popping sounds of getting an adjustment to their spine.
Chiropractors use massage therapy to warm up the muscles and soft tissue areas around the spine prior to making an adjustment to a patient. Massage chairs are increasingly used to perform massage therapy for chiropractic patients. A massage chair helps to loosen tight muscles, ligaments and tendons. This helps the spine to adjust more freely.
Typically pressure on the spine is concentrated on a few of the vertebrae which puts undue pressure on the muscles, tendons and ligaments which hold the spine together. This concentrated force causes stiffness in these soft tissue areas. This can be caused by incorrect posture, improper lifting techniques or by an injury.
The chiropractor seeks to alleviate the concentrated pressure off of these areas. A doctor helps the patient to identify how they can better distribute the stress put on their spine. Patients may need to make changes to their posture or lifting to help the spine to recover and prevent future injury.
Massage chairs provide an effective means to help the soft tissues to become more flexible and elastic. They help to elongate the muscles with soothing massage techniques. As the muscles relax, then elasticity is restored allowing a greater range of motion. Regular massage chair therapy helps to reduce built up tension and stiffness in these critical areas. Massage chairs are available for home use as well as professional health care use. Massage chairs may be the perfect complement to your back care.
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