According to the American Chiropractic Association, the use of hands-on manipulation of the joints to ease back pain has been found in writings as far back as 2700 B.C. Chiropractic philosophy and schooling did not start in the U.S. until 1895. Chiropractics is a health profession that focuses on the muscles, nerves, and joints of the body and how they all interact together. Chiropractors have broad and expansive training to provide not only hands-on non-pharmaceutical care, but to also provide information on exercise, nutrition, wellness, and natural interventions for things like high blood pressure and headaches.
Neurology
The goal of the spinal adjustment is to restore normal movement and function to the joint and surrounding muscles. The nerves nearby can also be positively affected, helping with pain down the leg or even helping improve focus and cognitive function. In October of 2009 the "Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapy" published a study done on children aged 6 to 13 years old all with some type of developmental delay syndromes from attention deficit disorder to dyslexia. Each child was treated with hands-on chiropractic care. Measurements of 20 different cognitive functions showed a global improvement on a cognitive function test taken before and after chiropractic treatment. While this was one small study that was published, it does show that chiropractic treatment positively affects the nervous system of the body.
Decreased Pain
When the joint is adjusted or realigned into its proper position, the joint and muscle move and function better, much like the ride of a car is smoother when the alignment is straight and the tires are rotated and balanced. The improved function of the joint causes a decrease in pain. Pain is usually not the main problem in the body, but rather a signal to the body that something is wrong. If the pain is caused by the joint misalignment or a compressed nerve, relieving the joint or nerve should relieve the pain. A review study of all the latest neck pain studies was done by the "Cochrane Database System Review" in January 2010. The Cochrane System reviewed 27 studies on chiropractics and neck pain. The review found that overall, mobilization of the neck and upper back provides almost immediate relief of pain and relief of pain in the short term. None of the studies looked at long-term effects.
Improved Posture and Range of Motion
When the joints are adjusted it will hurt less to sit up straight and the bones will also be in their proper positions. After a chiropractic adjustment the joints in the spine or extremities can move more freely and in a larger or more normal range of motion. People who have pain do not move in a full range of motion, so decreasing the pain will also help to increase the range of motion.
A study published in the "Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapy" looked at the effects of one single neck adjustment on pain and range of motion in those with neck pain. The study had a control group that received gentle mobilization or movement of the neck while the other group received a typical high velocity low amplitude (HVLA) adjustment, or quick thrust. The quick thrust adjustment group had higher decreases in pain at rest and with movement as well as greater ranges of motion than the mobilization group. While the mobilized group of patients did have decreases in pain and improvements in range of motion, it was not as large as the HVLA group.
References
- "Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapy"; Cuthbert S.C.,and Barras M.; October 2009
- "Cochrane Database System Review;" Manipulation or Mobilisation for Neck Pain; Gross A, et. al.; Jan. 20, 2010
- "Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapy"; Martinez-Segura R, et. al.; September 2006
