Chiropractic treatments have been around for over 3000 years. Roughly 22 million Americans see a chiropractor each year. About 7.7 million of these individuals are seeking relief from back pain which may result from accidents, sports, muscle strains, or work-related incidents. Other issues include pain in the neck, legs, arms, and headaches. Chiropractic treatment can help with many of these issues, helping to relieve the pain and allow a person to function as normal.
Chiropractic treatment manipulates the spine to make sure it is back in alignment, lessening the pain one feels. Most often with back pain treatment, it will take time for the muscles to relax again meaning one can still feel pain after being adjusted; however, as long as one does non-strenuous exercises to help the back remain in alignment the pain will lessen over the next few days.
The most common technique used today is a diversified one in which the extremities such as the legs are pulled as a means of adjusting the hips and leg length since the muscles can shorten one leg or another and put the hips out of place. This technique would also include adjusting the back by having the person lay face down and checking specific areas of the spine which may be tight or out of place. When back pain is an issue the chiropractor may first use heat and a stimulating device to work the muscles so they relax before the adjustments are made.
The neck is usually another area that is cracked by turning the head to an angle and adjusting it, then repeating the process on the other side. In this way, the entire spine is back in alignment. Some will use their hands and bodies to help adjust the spine, while others use a tool to push on the spine. The tool is a gentler method, which may not work as well for some. The aim of the past is still the aim of today with chiropractic treatment as a means to lessen back pain and other pain one feels.
