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 begins at the base of the skull and is made up of seven rather tiny vertebrae. It's a marvel of anatomy that enables this delicate arrangement to support the full weight of a head that weighs 12 pounds on average. It's even more of a wonder that the cervical spine can move the head in any direction.
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 do not read tea leaves to find out what is wrong with a patient. They use the same diagnostic methods as any good doctor, asking questions about symptoms to find out when and how the pain began. They will examine the patient to detect abnormalities or external signs. They may order an MRI or CAT scan, or even an EMG if there is a possibility 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 needs a highly skilled chiropractor with a whole lot of experience to do it properly. No doubt the onus is on the patient to locate someone with a good reputation and the requisite amount of talent. Generally speaking, chiropractors have a good record with higher ratings for patient satisfaction as compared to any other category of provider.
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%.
Another report in the British Medical Journal outlined the results of a 52-week study of a group of patients with neck pain. They were randomly assigned and distributed among chiropractors, physiotherapists and GPs. The results were unequivocal - patients allocated to the chiropractor recovered faster and paid only one-third of the cost as compared to other groups.
The cervical spine begins at the base of the skull and is made up of seven rather tiny vertebrae. It's a marvel of anatomy that enables this delicate arrangement to support the full weight of a head that weighs 12 pounds on average. It's even more of a wonder that the cervical spine can move the head in any direction.
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 do not read tea leaves to find out what is wrong with a patient. They use the same diagnostic methods as any good doctor, asking questions about symptoms to find out when and how the pain began. They will examine the patient to detect abnormalities or external signs. They may order an MRI or CAT scan, or even an EMG if there is a possibility 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 needs a highly skilled chiropractor with a whole lot of experience to do it properly. No doubt the onus is on the patient to locate someone with a good reputation and the requisite amount of talent. Generally speaking, chiropractors have a good record with higher ratings for patient satisfaction as compared to any other category of provider.
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%.
Another report in the British Medical Journal outlined the results of a 52-week study of a group of patients with neck pain. They were randomly assigned and distributed among chiropractors, physiotherapists and GPs. The results were unequivocal - patients allocated to the chiropractor recovered faster and paid only one-third of the cost as compared to other groups.
About the Author:
Ed Rob Munro is an author writing about health related topics. Are you looking for a Pittsburgh North Hills chiropractor? Get more information about this chiropractor Pittsburgh North Hills.
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