At some point in their lives, approximately 75% of Americans have to find a way to deal with neck pain. Everyone who checks out the options will easily discover that alternative medicine is far more effective than physiotherapy or prescription medication. To be even more specific, neck vertebrae or cervical spine manipulation in the U. S. is virtually the exclusive domain of chiropractors.
The cervical spine is composed of seven tiny vertebrae. It begins at the base of the skull and carries the full weight of the head. Amazing anatomical technology enables this delicate arrangement to not only bear what is on average a 12-pound head, but also allows for its movement in all directions.
When this biomechanical wonder that is such a critical part of the body is abuse or misused, there's bound to be all kinds of problems. Anything from accidents and whiplash to slip and falls, extended stress and a strong blow to the head can cause damage to the vertebrae. Age and repetitive movements inevitably cause malfunctions of the cervical spine. The wrong posture can be just as dangerous, since leaning the head forward two inches is the same as adding the weight of two bowling balls on the neck.
Chiropractors don't have crystal balls to find out what's wrong. Their diagnostic methods and tools are essentially the same as any doctor. They will ask the right questions about symptoms and find out how and when the patient began to feel the pain. They perform a hands-on examination to detect any abnormalities, and may require the patient to get a CAT scan or MRI done. They may even suggest an EMG to confirm suspicions of nerve damage.
The next step is a procedure called neck adjustment or cervical spine manipulation. Chiropractors are skilled at using their hands to manipulate the vertebrae into their original position. This is done incrementally over many sessions. The result is that the cervical spine is restored to normalcy in short order, and allows the patient to move the head normally without pain.
It seems quite easy in theory, but it reality takes a chiropractor with a tremendous amount of skill and experience to do it right. Needless to say, it is up to the patient to find a provider who is reputed and qualified enough. In general, though, the statistics about chiropractic are clear enough since consumers give it the highest patient satisfaction rating among all the different kinds of providers.
Annals of Internal Medicine recently published a study group analysis in which 57% of patients under chiropractic care said they experienced a 75% reduction in pain levels after just 12 weeks. In the same period, only 33% of the prescription medication group reported the same relief levels. After a year, the chiropractic group reported lasting effects with the pain still down 75%.
The British Medical Journal also published a similar 52-week study of neck pain patients. Each member was randomly assigned to different groups being treated by a GP, chiropractor and physiotherapist. The conclusion was very clear - Patients under chiropractic care recovered faster and paid only a third of the expenses incurred by others who were in the care of the GP and physiotherapist.
The cervical spine is composed of seven tiny vertebrae. It begins at the base of the skull and carries the full weight of the head. Amazing anatomical technology enables this delicate arrangement to not only bear what is on average a 12-pound head, but also allows for its movement in all directions.
When this biomechanical wonder that is such a critical part of the body is abuse or misused, there's bound to be all kinds of problems. Anything from accidents and whiplash to slip and falls, extended stress and a strong blow to the head can cause damage to the vertebrae. Age and repetitive movements inevitably cause malfunctions of the cervical spine. The wrong posture can be just as dangerous, since leaning the head forward two inches is the same as adding the weight of two bowling balls on the neck.
Chiropractors don't have crystal balls to find out what's wrong. Their diagnostic methods and tools are essentially the same as any doctor. They will ask the right questions about symptoms and find out how and when the patient began to feel the pain. They perform a hands-on examination to detect any abnormalities, and may require the patient to get a CAT scan or MRI done. They may even suggest an EMG to confirm suspicions of nerve damage.
The next step is a procedure called neck adjustment or cervical spine manipulation. Chiropractors are skilled at using their hands to manipulate the vertebrae into their original position. This is done incrementally over many sessions. The result is that the cervical spine is restored to normalcy in short order, and allows the patient to move the head normally without pain.
It seems quite easy in theory, but it reality takes a chiropractor with a tremendous amount of skill and experience to do it right. Needless to say, it is up to the patient to find a provider who is reputed and qualified enough. In general, though, the statistics about chiropractic are clear enough since consumers give it the highest patient satisfaction rating among all the different kinds of providers.
Annals of Internal Medicine recently published a study group analysis in which 57% of patients under chiropractic care said they experienced a 75% reduction in pain levels after just 12 weeks. In the same period, only 33% of the prescription medication group reported the same relief levels. After a year, the chiropractic group reported lasting effects with the pain still down 75%.
The British Medical Journal also published a similar 52-week study of neck pain patients. Each member was randomly assigned to different groups being treated by a GP, chiropractor and physiotherapist. The conclusion was very clear - Patients under chiropractic care recovered faster and paid only a third of the expenses incurred by others who were in the care of the GP and physiotherapist.
About the Author:
Ed Rob Munro is an author writing about how to be healthy. Are you looking for Pittsburgh North Hills chiropractic? Get more information about chiropractic Pittsburgh North Hills.
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