Chiropractic, what is it and how does it work?
Chiropractic is a health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system (joints, bones and muscles) and the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health.
It is based on the scientific fact that your nervous system controls the function of every cell, tissue, organ, and system of your body. Your nervous system consists of your brain, spinal cord, and millions of nerves. Your brain is protected by the skull and your spinal cord by the 24 moving bones of the spine. Many everyday activities can cause these spinal bones to lose their normal position or motion. This can result in nervous system dysfunction and ultimately ill health.
Chiropractic is a primary health-care profession, so you do not need to be referred by your GP. A chiropractor is trained to diagnose your problem and will refer you to other health-care practitioner if necessary.
People of all ages and from all walks of life can benefit from chiropractic treatment, from babies and children, through adulthood and into later years and including pregnant women.
Spinal dysfunction and misalignment can be brought on by a number of factors associated with modern day living. These include accidents, mental stress, bad posture, poor diet, lack of exercise and repetitive movements.
Loss of normal function of the spinal bones can cause irritation and interference to the nervous system.
By working on all the joints of the body, concentrating particularly on the spine, chiropractors use their hands to make often gentle, specific adjustments (the chiropractic word for manipulation) to restore the efficiency of the nervous system and release the body’s natural healing ability.
Chiropractic works by identifying the underlying cause of pain or health problem and then correcting it. No surgery or drugs are involved. It is an all-natural, non-invasive, safe and effective way of reaching your optimal health.
In fact, one of the first aims is to get patient away from using pain killers. Pain killers only numb the pain but do not work to solve the underlying cause of it.
Chiropractic adjustments are done to free up joints in the spine or other areas of the body that are not moving properly. Most often, this requires a short, quick thrust to the joint that can result in an audible ‘crack’, and may bring relief of symptoms as well as an increased feeling of well-being. The ‘crack’ sometimes heard is simply the sound of bubbles of gas popping in the fluid of the joint as the pressure is released - much like opening a bottle of champagne. The sound is not significant and does not hurt.
The skilled adjustment is very specific, directed at individual joints in order to reduce strains and improve mobility in one area without disturbing another.
There are many way to adjust the spine. The method selected will be the best suited to your age, size and condition.
The title of chiropractor is protected by law and only practitioners who are registered by the GCC can call themselves chiropractors. The General Chiropractic Council (GCC) has set standards of education and all chiropractors must have graduated from an accredited institution before being accepted onto the register. For more details go to: www.gcc-uk.org.
The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) is the largest association for chiropractors in the UK and only accepts graduates who have undertaken a minimum four-year full-time internationally-accredited course. Graduates who are members of the BCA undertake an additional year of supervised training as a requirement of membership, and there are many opportunities for chiropractors to study for postgraduate specialist qualifications. For more information on BCA go to: www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk
