Why More People Are Choosing Chiropractic Over Drugs and Surgery for Back Pain?

Conventional medicine is built on treating illnesses with two tools and only two tools: drugs and surgery. You can visualize a conventional doctor as a workman who carries only a hammer and a screw driver. To be fair, they're the absolute best hammer and screw driver that science can build, and the workman is very, very good with those particular tools; if you need a nail or screw driven, this is the guy you want to hire.

But back pain isn't all just nails to be hammered and screws to be driven. Back pain can be caused by multiple factors, and each cause can require a different kind of treatment.Would it make sense to fix everything with only two tools even though that the problem may require other tools? Would it be better to patch the road or fix it at its root?

For example, if drugs are used to treat a spinal misalignment, will that correct that misalignment that is causing the pain? Or will that just temporary inhibit the pain without treating the cause? Ultimately, medications are there to just block the pain, and although this eases the anguish associated with back pain, it does not restore the functional biomechanics. Even worse, while prescription drugs can be effective at treating pain, in most cases they can't do anything to fix the underlying problem causing that pain. This means that if you want that pain to stay away, you have to keep taking those drugs until the cause of the pain somehow fixes itself. That's a life sentence of sky-high medical bills and side effects!

Pain is a sign that something is seriously wrong with the body, and blocking that mechanism will only cause more damage in the long run. Wouldn't it be better to treat the underlying problem and restore its proper function?

And surgery, while generally more effective at treating the root cause of a problem, can be even more dangerous. Iatrogenic disease-that is, illnesses caused by doctors-is currently the number three cause of death for Americans, behind only cancer and heart disease. Every time a patient goes under the knife, no matter how necessary, they are taking their life in their hands. Again, there are certainly conditions where surgery is the best option, but why put up with the risks of surgery when there are alternative treatments that can deal with a problem before it gets bad enough for surgery to be the only option?

In short, when it comes to back pain, conventional medicine comes at the problem with nothing but that hammer and screw driver, and whatever the cause of the pain may be, those are the tools you get. Given the alternative, wouldn't you rather be treated by someone with a complete toolbox, a medical practitioner who approaches each problem by its own standards instead of using the same approach to every malady?

Considering how inadequate the drugs-and-surgery method is at effectively treating back pain, is it any surprise that millions of Americans are seeing Doctors of Chiropractic? Chiropractic medicine, unlike conventional medicine, isn't about treating symptoms, but about treating people. Doctors of Chiropractic make use of a wide range of methods and equipment to treat a variety of problems. After all, chronic disorders such as back pain result in almost 80% of health care expenditures in the United States, and chronic disease can't generally be fixed with drugs or surgery. Chiropractor helps patients look at their lifestyle and medical history as a whole so they can treat the root cause of chronic pain-and "treat" doesn't mean "make it go away by taking a pill."

Let's examine why more and more people are looking to chiropractor to treat their back pain:

Chiropractic is Safe and All Natural

Compared to the dangers of surgery as described above, chiropractic is incredibly safe, with injury to patients during spinal manipulation reported in fewer than one in three million adjustments. Doctors of chiropractic make use of all natural remedies instead of relying on prescription drugs, which lead to millions of hospitalizations annually. The safety of chiropractic explains why malpractice insurance is one of the lowest of any medical practitioner.

Chiropractic is Effective for Back Pain

The effectiveness of chiropractic in treating back pain has been proven countless times. In fact, chiropractic is so effective that the Ontario Ministry of Health recommended that chiropractic should be the preferred treatment for lower back pain, with traditional medicine not even in the running. Chiropractic patients have reported being happier with chiropractic treatment than traditional medicine in startling numbers, citing the communicativeness of chiropractor, the low cost of treatment compared to traditional medicine, and most importantly, the effectiveness at reducing pain compared to drugs and surgery.

Chiropractic Has Shown to Reduce Hospital Admissions and Healthcare Costs

Doctors of Chiropractic don't just keep their patients safe when treating back pain; they actually reduce hospital admissions as a result of their treatment. According to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, patients who saw chiropractor as their primary care physician experienced 43% fewer hospitalizations and had more than 50% reduction of their pharmaceutical costs. Considering how many hospital visits result in iatrogenic disease, it's not only better financially to avoid hospitalization, it's a lot safer, too!

Chiropractic is the not answer to every health ailment. However, for musculoskeletal issues such as back and neck pain, headaches, and other related disorders, it is a safer and more effective treatment than drugs and surgery.

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Can Chiropractic Help Headaches?

There are few things that can be more debilitating than a severe headache. Researchers estimate that nine out of ten people have headaches at some point, and many of them are chronic. Headaches sufferers often present to their medical doctor, chiropractor or other provider describing their pain as anything from dull and throbbing to stabbing and shooting.

The various classifications of headaches generally include migraines, tension, sinus and cluster headaches.

The question then becomes for headache sufferers... 'Is chiropractic a good option for relieving my headache pain?' The answer is it depends on what is causing your headache in the first place.

Some headaches may be caused by an underlying medical condition, but researchers have found that most headaches can be traced to other causes. A significant number have been found to be related to irritation or inflammation of the nerves in the upper part of the spine. If this nerve inflammation is coming from an underlying condition such as misalignment of spinal bones in the neck or overly tight muscles then chiropractic may be just the answer you are searching for.

The most common question I get is 'what caused the tight muscles or spinal bones to get out of proper alignment in the first place?' Often time these issues can be linked to sports or automobile injuries, falls, poor posture, or from something as simple as sleeping in an awkward position or staying in a fixed position (such as using a computer or driving) for a long period of time.

Over time, if left untreated, even a slight injury or impairment in the neck area can actually become worse just through the process of normal daily activities and result in inflammation of the nerves in the upper neck which may lead to not only neck pain but also chronic headaches.

Since headaches affect hundreds of millions of people, a great number of medications have been developed over the years to try to alleviate the pain and suffering they cause, but medications only offer a limited and temporary relief since they most often do not address the root cause of the problem. It's for this reason that a number of people are turning to chiropractors as a possible solution for headache pain relief.

A chiropractor has extensive knowledge of the spinal column, including the cervical (neck) vertebrae, and has a very specific skill that includes detecting spinal bones that are out of alignment. If a problem exists the chiropractor can perform adjustments to the area to restore proper alignment, mobility and functionality. By restoring proper alignment it relieves pressure on the nerves and reduces muscle tension which can be a contributing factor.

Chiropractic care may not be the solution for all headaches, but in many cases, depending on the cause of the headaches, it may be the best headache remedy.

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Does Chiropractic Work? Experts Give Answers.

Yes, chiropractic is effective. Countless studies document the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of chiropractic.

Can School-Age Children Benefit? | Chiropractic Care

Learn about chiropractic for school age children from Dr. Karen Erickson in this Howcast video.

Chiropractic Care And Nutrition - A Healthy You!

Why Nutritional Counseling Is Important With Chiropractic Care

Have you ever wondered how nutrition is linked with chiropractic care? Well, the answer is simple- the goal of chiropractic therapies is to help patients achieve total health and this is definitely not possible without providing the body proper nutrition.

This is the reason that chiropractors also help patients with nutritional counseling. We do this to guide you on what nutritional supplements and diet patterns you should follow to make the most of chiropractic care. Do you want to achieve optimal health? Then you should know the food choices that can help you achieve your goal, and chiropractors have the right knowledge to guide you on this subject. They can suggest to you the right combination of diet and supplements according to your health and body requirements.

Why Is It Important?

Unlike another therapy, chiropractic is related with spinal manipulation for relieving stress and other pains originated due to a stressed spine. All our vital functions are controlled by our brain, and stress on our vertebral column can lead to severe health issues. To recover from spinal issues, we need proper and balanced nutrition, along with chiropractic care. As experts in the field, chiropractors can tell the patient the food supplements and nutrients that will boost the process of rehabilitation.

Another reason why nutritional counseling is important is that our lifestyle and the food we eat today are not healthy. A general nutritionist can give us a diet plan, but it is not balanced because the nutritional value of the food is surprisingly low. We need additional supplements to overcome these deficiencies and to help patients recover from their health issues.

Usually, doctors don't recommend health supplements to patients - but providing the body with the right dosage of nutrients is the key to quick and complete recovery. Chiropractic treatments, does not give our immune system any external aid to heal from the damage. This is the reason why chiropractors consider a balanced nutritional diet vital for healing.

Chiropractors Understand You

A service provider, who does not understand you, can never understand your health requirements. What distinguishes a chiropractor from other service providers is that they value their patients. Every patient is given special attention and care. The nutritional counseling services usually offered include:

• Complete physical assessment of the patient

• Informative counseling on why nutrition important with chiropractic care

• Identification of individual needs of patients

• Providing a nutritional program to every patient

We are what we eat- it reflects in our health. If you want to live healthy, you will have to eat healthy and to acquire optimal health benefits from our diet- we need supplements.

A definite and well-structured nutrition plan and chiropractic care is just the right combination to bring out the best in you. So don't wait anymore- visit the best chiropractor in your town now that provides nutritional counseling.

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What You Need to Know about Handbags | Chiropractic Care

As a spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association, I have done so many interviews. Wall Street Journal, New York Times, O Magazine, on heavy handbags. Why? It's a really big issue particularly for women, and kids too.

Why are people using these giant heavy handbags? Most of us leave our house at the crack of dawn, and we carry our entire life in these handbags. Gym shoes, gym clothes, water, books, that accumulate a little bit more each day as the week goes on, so before we know it we're carrying this really heavy bag.

The American Chiropractic Association recommends that even in a backpack, which is carried on both sides, you should never carry more than 10 percent of your body weight. But I bet that if most of you weighed your handbags they weigh much more than you think they do.

There are some really some specific recommendations that I can make to help people trim down their bags and also carry them in a way that's not going to be such a burden to their body.

The first thing I recommend people do is, everyday on a regular basis, empty out your bag. Almost dump it completely out and then put stuff back in that you really need. Particularly things like water and coins shouldn't be carried in handbags. They're just too heavy and they add a lot of weight. It creeps up on you.

The other thing I recommend is that people keep additional sets of commonly used items either in their car or at their office so they don't have to carry heavy things in their handbags. This would include things like make-up kits, shoes, water, hair brushes, and make-up kits.

So now let's talk about how to carry your heavy handbag. The first thing I recommend is that you purchase a handbag that's not so heavy by itself. A lot of the handbags that are out there are made with leather. Some of them have metal chains and they're heavy even with nothing in them. So pick a bag that's lightweight to begin with.

The other thing is to pick a bag that has a strap that's not too long or not too short. We really want the handbag to snuggle in your side, above your hip, and under your armpit. If it's too high on your armpit, you can't swing your arms, and if the bag is too low it will interfere with how your leg swings when you walk. You really want to maintain a very balanced perfect gait when you walk, and getting the handbag to fit your body and hit the sweet spot really makes a big difference.

The other thing I'd recommend is that you change the handbag from one side to the other every few blocks. It makes a really big difference. Most of us get into the habit of carrying a shoulder bag on one shoulder for years and years and we never switch, and that makes the muscles on that side overdevelop. So it's really important to switch the side of the handbag.

Finally, if you have the option of using a roller bag or a backpack, it's a really good idea, especially if you have to carry something very heavy. If you do decide to go the backpack route, and I recommend backpacks a lot, make sure you get a backpack that has well padded shoulder straps and adjust those straps so that it really fits your body. The backpacks should not sit on your low back or your sacrum. It should be up higher so the weight is properly distributed.

The other thing is to make sure that you actually wear the backpack the way it's meant to be worn with two straps on your shoulders. So many people just take the backpack and put it on one shoulder and that puts a lot of stress on your neck and shoulders.

It's important if you can everyday, to put your heavy handbag or backpack down and just go take a walk with nothing on your shoulders at all. It really helps balance your body, having a normal gait where your shoulders and your hips get to swing in the opposite motion with your hands just gently swinging at your side.

Happy Thanksgiving!

An attitude of gratitude brings great things. 

-Yogi Bhajan