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, which begins at the skull's base, is composed of seven small vertebrae. It's an amazing system that takes up the full weight of a human head weighing 12 pounds on average. It's nothing short of a miracle that enables this delicate mechanism to move the head in all directions.
This biomechanical marvel that has such a critical role in the human anatomy is often abused and misused, leading to crippling problems. Things that can damage the vertebrae include whiplash and accidents, strong blows to the head, or even extended stress. Repetitive movements and age may both end up causing more serious neck problems, as can a wrong posture that tilts the head forward by a couple of inches and adds the weight of two to three bowling balls on the cervical spine.
A chiropractor doesn't read tea leaves to find out what's wrong with a patient. They use techniques similar to what any doctor follows, asking about symptoms and finding out when the pain began and why. They will do a physical examination to detect abnormalities, and order a CAT scan or MRI if needed. An EMG may be called for in case there is a chance 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 simple enough in theory, but takes a heck of a lot of talent and experience in practice, when somebody's neck is literally and figuratively in a chiropractor's hands. Obviously, it is incumbent on the patient to find someone qualified and reputed. In general terms, the statistics are clear enough about the relative performance of chiropractic vs. traditional medicine. Consumers give chiropractic care the highest patient satisfaction rating among all 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 similarly published a 52-week study group analysis of neck pain patients. They were randomly assigned and divided among GPs, physiotherapists and chiropractors. The results could not have been any clearer - the group under chiropractic care recovered much faster, and their expenses were only one-third of the amounts spent by patients in the other groups.
The cervical spine, which begins at the skull's base, is composed of seven small vertebrae. It's an amazing system that takes up the full weight of a human head weighing 12 pounds on average. It's nothing short of a miracle that enables this delicate mechanism to move the head in all directions.
This biomechanical marvel that has such a critical role in the human anatomy is often abused and misused, leading to crippling problems. Things that can damage the vertebrae include whiplash and accidents, strong blows to the head, or even extended stress. Repetitive movements and age may both end up causing more serious neck problems, as can a wrong posture that tilts the head forward by a couple of inches and adds the weight of two to three bowling balls on the cervical spine.
A chiropractor doesn't read tea leaves to find out what's wrong with a patient. They use techniques similar to what any doctor follows, asking about symptoms and finding out when the pain began and why. They will do a physical examination to detect abnormalities, and order a CAT scan or MRI if needed. An EMG may be called for in case there is a chance 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 simple enough in theory, but takes a heck of a lot of talent and experience in practice, when somebody's neck is literally and figuratively in a chiropractor's hands. Obviously, it is incumbent on the patient to find someone qualified and reputed. In general terms, the statistics are clear enough about the relative performance of chiropractic vs. traditional medicine. Consumers give chiropractic care the highest patient satisfaction rating among all 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 similarly published a 52-week study group analysis of neck pain patients. They were randomly assigned and divided among GPs, physiotherapists and chiropractors. The results could not have been any clearer - the group under chiropractic care recovered much faster, and their expenses were only one-third of the amounts spent by patients in the other groups.
About the Author:
Ed Rob Munro is an author writing about health related topics. Are you looking for Pittsburgh North chiropractic? Get more information about chiropractic Pittsburgh North.
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