Health for Veterans

The skilled hands of a professional chiropractor can bring immense relief to anyone who suffers from back pain. However, this is not the sole function that chiropractic care serves. Many licensed Doctors of Chiropractic (or DCs) offer preventative care that not only keeps back pain at bay, but also helps to promote overall health.

While drugs alleviate the symptom of the problem (pain), chiropractors focus on treating the problem to give drug free pain relief. Highly trained in methods thought to aid both structural and neurological aspects of the body, DCs perform spinal adjustments that are comfortable for the patient, safe, and also quite effective. Many people who suffer from pain in the back, neck or hips as well as fibromyalgia and even tension headaches have greatly benefitted from the natural treatment and preventative care that chiropractic practitioners provide.

The best chiropractors focus on diagnosing joint dysfunction early on. This can prevent more severe injury and pain from occurring down the road. A misaligned spine is known to cause everything from fatigue to extreme pain. Almost everyone experiences a misaligned spine at some point. Often, it is some time after the initial misalignment before people will begin to experience pain. For this reason, many DCs encourage patients to have regular preventative appointments for detection and treatment of spinal problems before they develop into more serious conditions.

Lifestyle advice and coaching to help patients improve their wellness and health is another service often provided by DCs. To prevent old injuries from recurring or becoming aggravated, DCs will frequently suggest avoiding or changing certain activities. Office workers, for instance, may have pain related to sitting at the computer too much. A chiropractor who is treating such problems may recommend specific exercises to counteract the effects of computer work. They may also show the patient a different way to position themselves or adjust the chair to improve the support provided. Many DCs will offer additional preventative suggestions to improve health, such as exercise, diet and nutritional supplements.

Those who receive the Doctor of Chiropractic degree are extensively trained, having undergone a four year doctoral program (and usually a four-year bachelor’s degree as well). Topics of study include anatomy, physiology, rehabilitation, nutrition, pathology, and public health. To obtain a license, most chiropractic schools also require 4200 hours of combined lab, classroom, and clinical experience. The result is a practitioner who is highly qualified to treat many musculoskeletal problems and also provide preventative care.

The field of chiropractic has been around since 1895, but today it is still gaining in popularity. In a world where natural healing is becoming more and more prevalent, it’s not surprising that people who want a drug-free approach to both treatment of pain and preventative care are turning to chiropractors for a variety of health care needs.

Filed under:
Health by Stephen Daniels