Welcome to Chiropractors in .
A Chiropractor, according to the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, “focuses on the relationship between the body’s main structures ” the skeleton, the muscles and the nerves ” and the patient’s health. Chiropractors believe that health can be improved and preserved by making adjustments to these structures, particularly to the spinal column. They do not prescribe drugs or perform surgical procedures, although they do refer patients for these services if they are medically indicated.”
Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine that emphasizes diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine, under the hypothesis that these disorders affect general health via the nervous system. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), a characterization that many chiropractors reject. Although chiropractors have many attributes of primary care providers, chiropractic has more of the attributes of a medical specialty like dentistry or podiatry. The main chiropractic treatment technique involves manual therapy, including manipulation of the spine, other joints, and soft tissues; treatment also includes exercises and health and lifestyle counseling. Traditional chiropractic assumes that a vertebral subluxation interferes with the body’s innate intelligence, a vitalistic notion that brings ridicule from mainstream health care. A large number of chiropractors want to separate themselves from the traditional vitalistic concept of innate intelligence.
Chiropractic philosophy includes the following perspectives:
1) Holism assumes that health is affected by everything in an individual’s environment; some sources also include a spiritual or existential dimension. In contrast, reductionism in chiropractic reduces causes and cures of health problems to a single factor, vertebral subluxation.
2) Conservatism considers the risks of clinical interventions when balancing them against their benefits. It emphasizes noninvasive treatment to minimize risk, and avoids surgery and medication.
3) Homeostasis emphasizes the body’s inherent self-healing abilities. Chiropractic’s early notion of innate intelligence can be thought of as a metaphor for homeostasis.
The practice of chiropractic medicine involves a range of diagnostic methods including skeletal imaging, observational and tactile assessments, and orthopedic and neurological evaluation. A chiropractor may also refer a patient to an appropriate specialist, or co-manage with another health care provider. Common patient management involves spinal manipulation and other manual therapies to the joints and soft tissues, rehabilitative exercises, health promotion, electrical modalities, complementary procedures, and lifestyle counseling.
Chiropractors in are not licensed to write medical prescriptions or perform major surgery in the United States but that recently changed when New Mexico became the first state to allow “advanced practice” trained chiropractors the ability to prescribe certain medications.
In the United Staets – most states require insurers to cover chiropractic care, and most Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) cover these services.