Five Conditions That Chiropractic Treatments Can Relieve

A chiropractor is a medical professional who primarily treats musculoskeletal and nervous system disorders. They treat conditions by moving and pushing bones inside of the joints and spine. Most people see chiropractors for back problems. However, many people do not know that chiropractors can treat a variety of other conditions. Below are some of the conditions that respond well to chiropractic care:

 

Headaches

Headaches are something that most of us suffer from occasionally. They are not always an indication of a serious medical problem, but they can be a nuisance. In many cases, headaches are triggered or worsened by misaligned vertebrae in the spine. A chiropractor will help move the vertebrae into their proper position, which can alleviate headaches.

 

Asthma

Asthma is a condition that causes inflammation of the airways. It has increased by 60 percent since the 1980s. Medications are currently the standard treatment for asthma, but alternative treatments are currently being studied. Chiropractic treatment is one of the alternative treatments that has shown to be effective for treating asthma. Chiropractor care can help alleviate asthma symptoms by improving respiratory muscles and muscle coordination.

 

Infertility

Infertility is a problem that affects around 12 percent of the population. Many patients are encouraged to seek chiropractic care before they opt for more invasive infertility treatments. Infertility can sometimes be caused by a problem with the nervous system or improperly aligned spine. A chiropractor can perform an adjustment that will help align the spine and allow the nervous system to function properly.

 

Stress

Stress affects almost everyone at some point in time. Although stress is generally harmless, it can cause raises in blood pressure or heart rate in people with other medical conditions. Stress can also lead to other medical problems like trouble sleeping. When someone is overly stressed, it’s a good idea to seek treatment. According to a professional from Alberta Back & Neck Rehab, chiropractic massage therapy can help reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure and improve circulation.

 

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is an illness that causes widespread muscle pain. It can also cause other symptoms, such as fatigue and joint stiffness. Studies have shown that chiropractic care can help alleviate fibromyalgia. The adjustments that a chiropractor performs can improve joint motion. In many cases, improving joint motion greatly improves or completely eliminates the pain.

 

Temporomandibular joint disorder

Tempomandibular joint disorder is a condition that causes pain in the joints and muscles that control chewing. Chiropractic care is effective for treating temporomandibular joint disorder because it can adjust the joints, re-position the jaw and relax the muscles. Chiropractic care not only helps alleviate pain, but it can also prevent TMJ from reoccurring.

 

Even though chiropractors are primarily known for treating back pain, it is important to note that they are medical professionals who can treat a variety of conditions. Chiropractic treatments can often be a great option for people who prefer not to have other invasive medical treatments.

Categories: alternative treatments, blood pressure, chiropractic, chiropractic care, chiropractic treatments, conditions, Heart Rate, joint disorder, joint motion, temporomandibular joint

Should You Take Your Pet in for Chiropractic Care?

You may think complementary wellness is just for people, but cat owner Mary Arabe has found that alternative therapies can work wonders for a pet’s wellbeing. Last August, Ms. Arabe’s nine-year-old grey and black tiger cat, Leo, came home, clearly in pain, with a severe limp and an elbow swollen three times its normal size. Ms. Arabe details, ‘He kind of lay around the barn that day; you could tell he was hurting. He was in so much agony I thought, “If someone can’t remove this animal’s pain I have to put him down.”’ When the vet told her there was nothing he could do for Leo, Ms. Arabe took the cat to chiropractor Rick Tsai, who manipulated Leo’s joints after an x-ray revealed a large amount of swelling and fluid retention. Ms. Arabe notes, ‘We brought the cat home, and the next day he was walking fine. Two thirds of the swelling in the arm was gone. Whatever Dr. Tsai adjusted, it worked. He healed him.’

 

Ms. Arabe is just one of a growing number of pet owners who swear by their chiropractors for relieving arthritis, sprains, joint pain and other ailments in their furry little friends. In 1987 – 92 years after human and animal chiropractic first began – animal chiropractic began to gain wide appeal when the late Sharon Willoughby-Blake, a veterinarian and chiropractor, started Options for Animals. This practice taught vets and chiropractors how to adjust animals and, two years later, the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association, a professional membership group and the main certifying agency in North America, was formed. According to Robbie Hroza, vice president of operations for Options for Animals, 2,000 students have now gone through their programme.

 

Nonetheless, chiropractic remains a controversial practise, in both people and pets. It’s true that research shows chiropractic care can be more effective than medications for people with problems like neck pain, but other studies have linked forceful neck manipulation to strokes, and even claimed that unfavourable chiropractic outcomes are under-reported in medical trials. And that’s just in people. When it comes to animal care, there are only a few scientific studies about chiropractic’s efficacy, and tensions exist both within and between the chiropractic and veterinary communities. Depending on the US state, a chiropractor may or may not be allowed to touch an animal without either a veterinarian’s referral or direct veterinary supervision.

 

In its pain management guidelines for dogs and cats, the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners warn that ‘chiropractic methods potentially can cause injury through the use of inappropriate technique or excessive force…There is currently insufficient published evidence of efficacy in dogs and cats to make specific recommendations about the use of chiropractic intervention.’ In fact, the American Chiropractic Association’s position is that the term “veterinary chiropractic” is a misnomer and should ‘not be used to refer to the application of manipulative techniques to animals.’ So, then, was Ms. Arabe making a mistake in taking Leo to Dr. Tsai?

 

‘A person should be allowed to take their animal anywhere they want if they think it benefits them,’ Dr. Tsai asserts. He points out that while he has worked in tandem with many veterinarians over the years, a lot of them don’t like his field because it takes away their business.  Gene Giggleman, a veterinarian, animal chiropractor and a professor of anatomy at Parker University College of Chiropractic, in Dallas, adds. ‘My philosophy as a vet is “chiropractic first, drugs and surgery second,” but a lot of vets don’t understand or know about animal chiropractic, and so they don’t refer people.’

Categories: animal, animal chiropractic, arabe, Cats, chiropractic, chiropractic association, chiropractic care, Debate, dr tsai, ms arabe, veterinary chiropractic

Could Chiropractic Care be Suitable for Your Pet?

Chiropractors are trained to help alleviate pain and treat a range of conditions, including the nervous system. But did you realise that there are people trained to provide chiropractic care to your pets? If your pet is suffering with certain conditions, this form of care could be just the thing they need to get back to fit health again.

Chiropractic care focuses on the nervous system – dysfunction in this area can lead to a variety of illnesses and health conditions, and this form of care can restore the nerve flow to the body. The difference between chiropractic care and other forms of treatment is that this gets to the root of the problem, rather than simply treating the symptoms. When a joint is misaligned, it can lose motion and its position, for example. Chiropractors can restore the function and subluxation, so that it works efficiently again. The most common conditions treated with this form of treatment include ear infections, seizures, arthritis, hot spots, neurological conditions, sudden back leg paralysis, abnormal gait and injuries which have occurred as a result of a fall or trauma. It can also be used to treat pets who have undergone a variety of tests, all of which are normal even though the pet is clearly still unwell.

Some animal chiropractors can provide wellness care, which is for healthy pets whose owners wish to prevent conditions from developing. For example, getting your pets spine checked a couple of times a year can greatly reduce the risk of a condition that is often disregarded as ‘old age’. In a typical chiropractic appointment, your pet’s history would be discussed and any imaging or treatment records may also be looked at. This will almost certainly take place if your pet has a current condition for which they’ve had specific tests.
Neurological tests may be performed, as well as stance and gait analysis, after which your pet will be adjusted. Most animals enjoy this, although on their first visit they may be a little nervous. However, once they realise that it isn’t painful and that they feel better afterwards, most relax and enjoy the treatment. It’s important that you seek out a chiropractor who is trained to perform adjustments on animals, as a normal trained chiropractor will not be equipped to do so. Pets are naturally very different to humans and their spine and biomechanics work differently. It’s not just dogs who can receive this treatment, either – cats, rabbits and even birds are all suitable.

This form of treatment can be very effective for dogs, for example, who compete in shows and competitions. It is a fantastic form of therapy for improving agility and flexibility in animals, and can be very effective in pets who suffer from joint problems, such as arthritis.

There have been a number of success stories for animals who have suffered injuries who serious conditions who have benefited greatly from this therapy, being restored to full health after a course of chiropractic treatments. Depending on where you live, you may need a referral from your vet in order to see an animal chiropractor – this is something you will need to discuss with your pet’s vet. It’s worth noting that chiropractors don’t replace regular medication for your animal. They can be useful in complementing the medication though, and provided that your animal is up to date with their annual exams, they could benefit enormously from this treatment.

Categories: care, chiropractic, chiropractic care, conditions, Neurological tests, pet, pets, treatment