After deciding to take a holistic approach to your health care, the next step is to adopt a holistic health discipline that works best for you. It can be challenging with so many different natural health professions (chiropractic, massage therapy, naturopathy, acupuncture etc.) to choose from. In this health tip, we thought it would be helpful for you to understand some of the basics about holistic chiropractic care.
Q: How Does Chiropractic Work?
At its root, chiropractic care includes removing interferences causing a person’s natural state of health to weaken. In particular, chiropractors focus on maintaining the overall wellbeing of the nervous system which aids in controlling all the tissues, cells, organs and systems of the body. Correct nerve communication to the tissues, cells, organs and systems of the body is vital to the body’s ability to manage disease and combat illness. Common nervous system obstructions can occur in the 24 movable bones in the spinal column. Spinal motion that is limited or improper positioning of these bones can aggravate or weaken the function of the nervous system causing subluxations. A chiropractor’s job is to identify subluxation patterns and eliminate them allowing the body’s nervous system to operate properly. Performing a comprehensive examination allows the chiropractor to expose the areas of the spine that are causing the nervous system to go wrong. Further information from a patient’s health history allows the chiropractor to determine the path for their patients.
Q: What type of education do Chiropractic doctors go through?
In this day and age doctors of chiropractic are well educated and go through a concentrated training program. Much like other medical professionals, Chiropractors also receive training in areas like physiology, anatomy, X-ray analysis and pathology. Because of chiropractic’s emphasis is on a natural and more holistic approach to health, training also includes subjects in the area of lifestyle management like: exercise physiology nutrition, and biomechanics rather than focusing on pharmacology. Chiropractors are also required to pass a demanding national board exam, take postgraduate instruction for license renewal and stay current on the latest scientific research.
Q: Is Chiropractic care safe?
Chiropractic care overall has an excellent safety record. This is attributed to the results of chiropractor’s careful approach to health that does not include addictive drugs and invasive procedures. Chiropractors actually pay a lower rate for malpractice insurance than their medical colleagues, proving that it is safer.
Making informed choices about your health can be one of the most empowering decisions in your life. Tune in next week as we explore more in depth questions to help you determine if chiropractic is a good fit for you.