How Does Chiropractic Work?
Chiropractic is a healing art that does not use drugs or surgery, and is used by over 20 million Americans annually. Chiropractic is so widely accepted that it is now a part of the sports-medicine program of the US Olympic committee.
As Doctors of Chiropractic, we are trained to locate and treat misalignments in the spine known as subluxations. A subluxation can occur any time the body meet stress - that stress may be physical, like a car accident; emotional, like going through a divorce or chemical, like eating too much sugar or smoking cigarettes. These misalignments (subluxations) in the spine cause muscles to tighten resulting in pain or stiffness; reduce movement in the joint capsule, causing destruction and degeneration of the joint over time and impair nervous system function which, in turn, affects overall body function.
Numerous studies conducted over the last 2 decades validate the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of chiropractic for the treatment of low-back pain. Findings by the U.S. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Manga Report funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health, RAND, and the New Zealand Commission of Inquiry all support the fact that chiropractic provides relief to patients through spinal manipulation.
For many, Chiropractic is the method of choice for preventing and treating conditions such as low back pain, neck pain, headaches, and other musculo-skeletal conditions (the Manga report cited above found higher patient satisfaction levels were associated with chiropractic care than with medical treatment alternatives). Chiropractic is the largest non-medical healing art in the world, attracting millions of people each year who are in search of a natural form of health care. Without using drugs, chiropractic can correct imbalances in the human frame, concentrating on the spine and central nervous system. And you'll find that at First Chiropractic, we are concerned with you as a person and view your health from a holistic point of view. We believe that our dedicated, caring approach and the tranquil, positive environment we provide can contribute to your healing.
Finally, chiropractic is extremely cost effective. The literature clearly and consistently shows that chiropractic savings come from fewer and lower costs of auxiliary services, fewer hospitalizations, and a highly significant reduction in chronic problems in terms of both levels and duration of disability. A workers' compensation study conducted in Utah and reported in the August 1991 Journal of Occupational Medicine indicated that costs were significantly higher for medical claims than for chiropractic claims and that the number of work days lost was nearly ten times higher for those who received medical care instead of chiropractic care.