Chiropractic enables the body to heal itself by supporting the nervous system.
Nerve impulses flow from your brain and down your spinal cord. Pairs of nerve roots branch off from between each spinal joint. These nerves link your brain with every cell and tissue of your body.
Poor motion or positioning of the bones in your spine can impede nerve function. Chiropractors call this a vertebral subluxation.
If the bones of the spine don’t move correctly, they can irritate the delicate nerves in the spinal cord.
If a joint moves too much, vertebrae can press against adjacent nerve tissue. This interferes with the function of the nervous system, the communication between the brain and your body.
Muscles too can become too tight or too weak. Discs, ligaments and other connective tissue can become inflamed. Bone spurs and arthritic degeneration can result and poor nervous system function can cause all kinds of health problems beyond headaches and backaches.
Chiropractic care will locate these areas and reduce their effect with a spinal adjustment. Health often returns with better nervous system function.
Your chiropractor will deliver a spinal adjustment to the offending spinal segment. This is a specific, precise, corrective force which then allows for normal nerve transmission. While we use the word force, this is usually very gentle and never painful.
There are various techniques used to deliver the adjustment. Your chiropractor will choose the techniques most suited to your condition. Some adjustments are quick while others require slow constant pressure.
Some patients depend on chiropractic care when they have episodes of pain. Others choose chiropractic as part of their ongoing health care.
Within a week or so, most patients are able to experience encouraging relief from symptoms. Long standing problems which have often led to muscle weakness, soft tissue damage and degenerative changes can take longer to be corrected. Different people will respond at different rates.
Chiropractors undertake 5 years of intensive study to obtain their qualifications. Their studies are more focused on the nervous system and how to ensure it functions optimally than those of general medical professionals. They are indeed the experts in their field.
Like many professionals, chiropractors are required to undertake continuing professional development activities throughout their careers.
Chiropractors are now regulated by the Chiropractic Board of Australia. This board ensures their qualifications, practicing procedures and ongoing professional development are of the highest standard. Go to http://www.chiropracticboard.gov.au/ to check registration information for your chiropractor.
Chiropractic is the second largest licensed health care profession.