Chiropractor jobs and the future outlook for chiropractic students appears to be good. The number of practicing chiropractic physicians within the United States is growing and is estimated to increase 20% from 2008 to 2018, according to the www.bls.gov website. This rapid increase over the course of a decade is the result of more patients seeking conservative and preventative care, avoiding more aggressive treatment options such as surgery and the prolonged use of medications. The success rate for a chiropractic clinic seems to be higher when that practice is included within a multi-disciplinary group of several other professions. When a chiropractic physician is working along with a medical doctor, physical therapist or other health care providers, the running of their practice is more cost-effective and their patients are able to receive many forms of care within the same office group, reducing appointment wait times and allowing services to be more available to the patients. Most chiropractic clinics are open for business Monday through Saturday, generally offering morning and afternoon/evening hours. Some clinics see patients on Saturday as appointment-only while others are open for walk-ins on Saturdays. It is not uncommon for a chiropractic clinic to offer office hours later in the evening on weekdays, seeing patients until 7pm or later. This allows patients who work during the day a chance to keep their appointments on schedule.  

Board or State Examinations

In order for a chiropractor to practice, all 50 states require state licensure and the successful completion of board exams. Each state has different requirements for education, examination, scope of practice and licensure however in some instances certain states have agreements with other states to recognize their requirements. This recognition between states is called reciprocity and it enables a chiropractic physician with the opportunity to work in a different state without having to take more board or state examinations. A chiropractic physician may receive additional schooling and obtain diplomates in pediatrics, radiology, family practice, sports injuries, internal medicine, orthopedics or neurology. Many chiropractors offer their patients complimentary modalities such as heat and ice therapy, massage therapy, traction, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, nutritional counseling and physical therapy rehab along with chiropractic manipulation. Many chiropractic physicians have diagnostic imaging capabilities within their practice as well. The role of a chiropractor is to diagnose and treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system. They can work with other healthcare providers when necessary to help the patient achieve optimal results for their health issues.

References Cited in this Article

www.bls.gov

www.careeroverview.com

A chiropractor doctor is a medical professional who deals with disorder and dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system. Because the profession has doctors practicing with many different styles of treatment and differing opinions on patient care, confusion remains among the general public and potential patients as to what they can expect at a chiropractic visit. Chiropractic is a conservative form of health treatment that translates into “done by hand”. The profession began back in 1895, founded by a D.D. Palmer in Davenport, Iowa. For the past 115 years, there have been many advances in research of the benefits of chiropractic care. There have also been splits between physicians within the field of chiropractic, many still embracing the original teachings and many who have become more entwined with mainstream medicine. Since the beginnings of the profession, the intentions of a chiropractic physician have been to treat illness without the aid of medication. However, recently in New Mexico, a new bill has now been passed to allow chiropractors a small scope of medication prescription rights. This new additional treatment tool may, in the future, be extended to other states as well. Because of the separation of chiropractic beliefs between chiropractic physicians, some oppose this bill, not agreeing with the addition of certain medication rights, while others welcome the change and acknowledgement of being more closely tied to mainstream medicine.

Health Professionals

A chiropractic doctor may practice in many different locations. Many are self-employed, working in and running their own clinic within a community. Other chiropractic physicians work as associates within a clinic, treating patients along with the chiropractor who owns the clinic. Some chiropractors work in multi-disciplinary settings, working along with physical therapists, medical doctors and other health professionals. Many hospitals throughout the country now employ chiropractic physicians and a number of military hospitals offer chiropractic employment as well. There are even chiropractic physicians among the medical staff for olympic athletes. Aside from chiropractic manipulation, many chiropractors offer diagnostic imaging in their clinics, modalities such as massage therapy, traction, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, nutritional counseling, heat and ice therapy, physical therapy rehab and decompression treatments. Many can offer their patients orthopedic and neurologic testing for a more accurate diagnosis when necessary. Many medical doctors will refer their patients to a chiropractic physician when conservative care is warranted. This referral system is important for the chiropractic profession as it creates relationships and stronger connections between providers while also benefiting and improving patient care.

References Cited in this Article

www.nih.gov

www.acatoday.org

There are several online chiropractor directory websites that are helpful for people who are trying to locate or research chiropractic physicians in their areas. These directories list current chiropractors state by state and their purpose is to create an easy to find database for current and prospective chiropractic patients. Chiropractic associations, such as the ACA, have websites that not only provide a directory of chiropractic physicians but also provide current chiropractic health information for both practitioners as well as for patients. A person can search these directories by entering a specific doctor, clinic, location, city, state or zip code. Some directories may also provide detailed maps and directions to the chiropractic clinics as well. A chiropractic directory can also include a detailed list of chiropractic associations, past and current chiropractic articles, alternative health care news, blogs by various chiropractic physicians and past and current research news and updates. Patients may also view chiropractic physician reviews through a directory, giving them a better idea as to the kind of experience and care other patients have received from certain doctors. Some directory websites may also provide information about specific health conditions and disorders that chiropractic physicians can possibly help to treat in their clinics. These listings can help by allowing a search for specific treatment options such as acupuncture, massage therapy, sports therapy, decompression treatment, nutritional counseling and traction.

Chiropractic Physicians and Chiropractic Students

Chiropractic physicians can use chiropractic directories to advertise their clinics. These directories help them to get the public more aware of their services and specialties. Both chiropractic physicians and chiropractic students can search directories for continuing education courses, employment postings, available equipment listings, reviews for chiropractic products, professional practices that are for sale and lists of chiropractic schools. Chiropractic directories are useful for both physicians and patients as they connect one to the other. They can help prospective patients learn more about the profession, read about specific doctors, what to expect at a visit and how to choose a chiropractor that fits well with their individual health care needs. Health insurance companies also provide a directory of chiropractic physicians that are networked with their company. These directories are useful in helping a patient to find what chiropractic offices will accept their health insurance plan. Because of these online search tools, no matter where a patient lives, they will be able to search and locate a chiropractic physician that is able to meet their health care needs.

References Cited in this Article

www.chirodirectory.com

www.chiropractor-pages.com

www.chiropracticdirectories.org                    www.chirohub.com

Chiropractors are physicians that specialize in treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system. They are referred to as chiropractors, doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic physicians. Depending on which educational institution they graduated from, the style in which they practice will vary. There is a distinctive ideology divide within the profession that stems from different teachings about the role of chiropractic within the medical community. Some chiropractors believe that chiropractic manipulations are the only necessary treatment for the improvement of all bodily ailments. They attribute all forms of dysfunction as the end result of subluxations of the spine. They believe that when a subluxation has been corrected with spinal manipulation, the specific health issues will resolve. This form of chiropractic is based upon the belief that subluxations in the spine lead to dysfunction of the nervous system which in turn will cause health problems. The other type of chiropractic physician practices as an evidence-based physician. They will refer to other specialties when necessary and offer services such as physical therapy exercises, rehabilitative programs and nutritional counseling. This type of chiropractor generally works within a group of other physicians or other providers. Depending on what type of  chiropractor you feel most comfortable with, it is important to research the chiropractic physicians in your area to find out who you feel will be the best able to help with your specific health care needs.

Initial Chiropractic Consultation

An initial chiropractic consultation will begin with filling out an intake form, detailing your past and current medical history. A discussion with the chiropractor about any health issues will better enable them to create a treatment plan if it is decided that chiropractic care is indicated and appropriate. Following the discussion of the health history, a physical examination will be performed to help reach an accurate diagnosis. Diagnostic imaging may be necessary for some patients. After the health history and physical exam are completed, the following care you receive will vary at this point depending on what type of chiropractor you have chosen. It is generally advised to avoid a chiropractor that recommends a high number of visits and requires a patient to sign forms agreeing to the high amount of visits and possibly requiring payment in advance for treatment. As with any health care practitioner, if treatment is providing no improvement or if symptoms are worsening, speak to the doctor to discuss other forms of treatment that may be more beneficial.

References Cited in this Article

www.bls.gov

Are you pregnant and experiencing agonizing and unrelenting back pain?  You’re not alone; Pregnancy and Back Pain almost always go hand-in-hand.  The reasons why this happens is due to the following: you’re gaining weight, you’re walking in a different way, and your hormones are relaxing the muscles and ligaments in your body. 

How to ease back pain at home

There’s absolutely no reason to do nothing about the back pain while pregnant.  Here is a list of some common things to perform at home to reduce the effects: sleep on your side holding a body pillow between your legs and arms, sit and stand appropriately, always practice good posture by tucking the buttocks under bringing the chin and head to anatomical position, when lifting lift with your legs and also only objects that aren’t too heavy, wear proper fit shoes with a good arch support, exercise regularly but not strenuously, perform pelvic tilt exercises, and try heat or cold compresses at home. 

How to ease back pain outside of the home

While performing at home regimens is necessary, sometimes it’s just not enough to ease the pain and discomfort of back pain.  Some women choose to seek out the care of Chiropractors, Massage therapists, and Acupuncturists.  Some Chiropractors are skilled in the Webster technique, a technique which stabilizes the women’s pelvis by adjusting the sacrum and performing soft tissue techniques to the ligaments of the pelvis like the round, broad, and the sacro-tuberous ligaments.  Massage therapists may receive additional training in the art of pregnancy massage.  In these classes, the massage therapists are trained in proper bolstering of pillows, proper draping, and techniques to not only reduce the patient’s back pain but also the therapist who is performing the massage session.  It is always important to obtain clearance from the OBGYN before administering massage therapy, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy.  Skeptics claim that it could possibly cause a spontaneous abortion and must be contraindicated.  However, this has not been proven recently.  In addition, Acupuncture may provide the pregnant patient with reduced back pain and a sense of calm as well.  Acupuncturists will help to balance the patient’s chakras and meridians.  In the third trimester upon the delivery date, they will be able to induce delivery by applying pressure to specific points on the hands and feet.  These points may also reduce the pain that the pregnant women feels while laboring.   

It’s time to take control!  Some common conditions about Arthritis include but are not limited to the following:  What is Arthritis, who is at risk, What are the types of Arthritis, What are my treatment options, What can I do?  Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body.  The word “arthro” means joint and the suffix “itis” literally means inflammation.  46 million Americans of 1 in 5 people are affected with some kind of Arthritis.  Over the age of 65 years old, 2/3 of Americans are affected.  This is the most common cause of disability in the United States.  Medical costs for this condition top $81 billion annually and accounts for $47 billion in lost wages annually.  There are 750,000 hospitalizations per year due to Arthritis and 36 million out-patients cases annually.  The percent of adults with Arthritis is expected to increase in 48 states between 2005 and 2030. 

Types of Arthritis

There are two types of Arthritis primary and secondary.  Primary Arthritis includes the following subtypes: Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gout, AS, and Septic Arthritis.  Secondary Arthritis includes: Psoriatic, SLE, Reactive, and autoimmune disorders. 

Signs and Treatment of Osteoarthritis (DJD)

DJD can cause joint pain, stiffness, crepitus, loss of motion, and eventual weakness.  What are my treatment options for Arthritis?  Go see a doctor now, determine your current status, discuss your course of action, and direct you mind and focus to getting better.  Treatment goals should be reducing pain, promoting healing, restoring function, regaining strength and stability, changing your habits, and maintaining homeostasis or balance within your body.  Your diet should include the following: lean protein, complex carbohydrates, good fats, multi-vitamins, flaxseed oil, Glucosamine Sulfate, and at least 6-8 hours of rest per night. 

Alternative Treatment

The Archives of Internal Medicine said the number of people seeking alternative healthcare is on the rise.  Recent studies have shown that people are seeking natural healthcare providers that offer a drug-free approach to pain relief rather than a traditional medical approach.  Thomas Edison once said, “The doctor of the future will give his patients no medicine, but will interest his or her patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”  Furthermore, Mark Twain stated, “Be careful about reading health books.  You may die of a misprint.”  Chiropractic care, physical therapy, massage therapy, and acupuncture are all great adjuncts in helping to treat and manage the signs and symptoms of Arthritis.    

Health is functioning at 100% of your full potential.  In 1999 Golf Magazine Tiger Woods stated, “We are playing for a lot of money out here and most guys realize how important it is to take care of your body and stay in shape.  That’s the equipment you really take care of-your body!”  Where exactly do you stand?  Is your golf game better than it was five years ago?  Will your golf game be better five years from now than it is today?  Proper mechanics can prevent pain and injury.  The most common injuries occur in the soft tissue such as: muscles, ligaments, tendons, and the joints of the body more commonly seen in the lower back, elbow, shoulder, and wrist.  Professional golfers have more overuse injuries than weekend players due to repetition.  However, the amateurs are much more likely to get injured because they aren’t conditioned enough.  What are the causes of golf injuries?  They are overuse, not stretching prior to playing, poor mechanics, hitting the ground when you swing, overuse, over-swinging, twisting the spine while swinging, and an incorrect grip on the club.  There are 30 million golfers in the United States alone!  There are several factors which are involved in a basic golf game and they include: basic introduction, shot- making skills, physical conditioning, equipment fitting, course instruction, and mental alertness.  There are many physical factors that can determine a golfer’s physical capabilities.  80% of all golfers play with a golf injury at some point in their life.  Why would you want to be in that statistic?  Be one of the 20% that resolves the golf injury.  Age brings about reduced muscle mass, less endurance and flexibility, and poor balance.  The highest proportion of injury is located in the wrists, elbows, and shoulders. 

Golfer’s Elbow

Medial Epicondylitis is also known as Golfer’s Elbow; this particular condition is seen very frequently in golfer’s.  This is caused from overuse –period.  Other activities that can cause this include: typing, splitting wood and hammering nails.  Initial treatment includes rest followed by restricting the activity that caused it in the first place.  Ice the elbow several times a day and have it evaluated by a physician.  Prevention tips include: larger club grips, soft neutral grips, irons with less vibration components, graphite shafts, selecting proper club length, and strengthening your forearm muscles will all help with Golf Injury Prevention.

Sleep refreshes unlike anything else.  Sleep is almost always refreshing but more importantly it is absolutely necessary for our survival.  On average, most Americans will spend a third of their lives asleep.  Most of us are unaware of how important this is until were unable to perform this simple task.  For millions of people, poor sleep leads to higher stress, difficulty concentrating, and ultimately health problems.  So just how many of us are losing sleep?  Over one-third of Americans are losing sleep at least one night per week, 65% report that they regularly lose sleep due to stress, and a staggering only 3% say they never lose sleep. 

Too busy to sleep

The question remains, are Americans becoming too busy to sleep?  In 1910, Americans averaged about 9 hours of sleep per night compared to 6.5 in 2011.  Sleep is imperative for our nervous system to function properly.  During sleep our brains are extremely active.  This activity is described as neuron function.  Individuals that suffer from sleep loss deplete their neurons with energy and allow their brain to be polluted with byproducts of normal cellular activity. 

Five stages

There are five stages of sleep.  During the first stage, muscle activity slows down and there is occasional muscle twitching being performed.  The second stage is the largest of all five stages and causes breathing to become shallower and the heart rate to decrease slightly.  The third stage is the deep sleep stage and delta waves become evident.  The fourth stage is even deeper yet generating more delta waves and rhythmic breathing.  Dreaming occurs in the fifth stage and rapid eye movement is present. 

Sleep pattern

So how much sleep do we actually need?  The Harvard Women’s Health Watch states there are six reasons to get enough sleep and include: mood, memory, cardiovascular health, sickness, disease, and safety.  It is crucial to maintain a specific sleeping cycle.  This may be especially challenging to individuals who work in emergency services such as firemen, policemen, military personnel, and medical personnel.  Their sleep schedules are constantly being interrupted by swing shifts and emergency situations.  Our sleep cycle is regulated by circadian patterns located in our brain.  A regular waking time in the morning strengthens the circadian function and can help initiate sleep onset at night.  Establishing a set time for sleep and a pattern is key whether this be reading or watching television before bedtime.  It’s important to create a sleeping environment that is tranquil and calm to prepare your mind and body for Power of Sleep. 

Sleeping tips

Some important sleeping tips include: not eating 2-3 hours before bedtime, and regular exercise to stimulate the body to release chemicals in the brain, sleep on a comfortable mattress since you sleep a third of your life, receive regular Chiropractic care to clear energy blockage throughout the body. 

Do you suffer from chronic fatigue and diffuse pain throughout your body?  You may be suffering from a very common condition known as Fibromyalgia.  Fibromyalgia is a musculo-skeletal condition that is diagnosed by having 11 out of 18 tender points throughout the body.  The etiology of this disorder is unknown and usually affects middle aged women most commonly.  These individuals have chronic debilitating pain that is characterized by achy muscles, joints, and ligaments.  They are usually stressed individuals and this has been linked to depression, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, headaches, stiffness, numbness, and overall anxiety.  These individuals need to exercise regularly and control their diet.  Another factor that helps considerably is receiving massage therapy, chiropractic care, and using moist heat packs to reduce muscle tension. 

Pain

Fibromyalgia may develop on its own or along with other autoimmune conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) or Lupus.  With Fibromyalgia, the patient will complain of long-standing tender points throughout their body.  Tender points vary from trigger points in that tender points are sore to the touch but do not radiate pain upon palpation like trigger points do.  Since Fibromyalgia can mimic the pain of Fibromyalgia, diagnose is extremely important.  RA is an autoimmune disease in which the body is attacking its own synovium, the lining that coats the inside of joints.  RA can also cause joint deformity and destruction, visible on x-ray.  However, Fibromyalgia is much more vague in the signs rather than the symptoms.  A physician’s diagnosis of Fibromyalgia is obtained via case history and the presence of eleven out of eighteen tender points on the body.  Fibromyalgia sufferers will describe the pain as being a gnawing, radiating, shooting, deep ache that ranges from mild to severe in nature.  Some patients complain of pain that improves during the daytime but increases into the evening; however, most patients describe day-long unrelenting pain that continues into the evening.  Pain seems to be exacerbated by stress, cold weather, exercise, and anxiety. 

Treatment                                                                                                      

Since this disorder is so vague, treatment options may be difficult to implement.  However, the patient should ultimately lower their stress levels, eat a balanced nourished diet, exercise regularly, and apply most heat compresses to sore muscles.  In 2007, the pharmaceutical drug Lyrica was the first approved drug by the FDA used for the treatment of Fibromyalgia.  Since then, two more drugs have been approved by the FDA.  In addition, Chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture are all excellent alternatives for the treatment of Fibromyalgia.  They work simultaneously to balance the musculo-skeletal and nervous system.  Chiropractors work with the most important system in the human body the nervous system.  The nervous system controls and coordinates every single organ system and body part in the body.  When interference is present in the spinal column, it may put pressure on the spinal nerve roots that corresponds to a specific organ or body part.  When this happens, that particular organ or body part cannot function at 100%, leaving the body to develop disease processes and reduced range of motion in that joint. 

Vertigo is a dizziness feeling when a person is standing completely still.  Vertigo is caused from a dysfunction with the 8^th cranial nerve called the Vestibular-cochlear nerve.  The dysfunction ultimately lies within the vestibular, or balance portion of the nerve and not the hearing portion. 

Symptoms of Vertigo

Vertigo presents the following signs and symptoms: nausea, vomiting, difficulty standing and walking, patient will feel like their swaying when standing still, and feeling of passing out.

Causes of Vertigo

Some known causes of Vertigo include but not limited to the following: Benign paraoxysmal positional vertigo, vestibular migraine, Meniere’s disease, vestibular neuritis, and excessive alcohol consumption.  Vertigo is divided into two classifications: either central or peripheral.

What is Central Vertigo?

Central Vertigo arises from the brainstem and can cause neurological symptoms.  These symptoms can range from slurred speech, double vision, and pathologic nystagmus which is eye fluttering. 

What is Peripheral Vertigo?

Peripheral Vertigo is caused by dysfunction within the inner ear or vestibular system.  Some causes include Meniere’s disease, BPPV, labyrinthitis, and inflammation. 

Nystagmus

Most vertigo sufferers will experience reoccurring symptoms.  This can be detrimental to one’s quality of life.  Nystagmus may be unilateral, bilateral, asymmetric, vertical, horizontal, congenital, or acquired.  Horizontal nystagmus occurs in patients suffering from a unilateral cerebral hemisphere disease, especially with posterior lesions.  Their eyes will drift horizontally towards the side of the lesion. 

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause of the vertigo symptoms.  Vertigo can be treated with pharmaceuticals taken by mouth, a patch on the skin, or an IV administration.  A bacterial infection causing symptoms will require an antibiotic, Meniere’s disease sufferers may also be required to be on a low salt diet in addition to meds, a hole in the inner ear will require surgery, and BPPV patients will have a maneuver performed on them called the Dix-Hallpike Maneuver.  This is where the doctor places the patient in a certain position in order to move the small stones to their correct position since they become displaced with this condition.  This particular movement is repeated until there is no longer visible eye movement or dizziness symptoms.

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic Care may be utilized to decrease the symptoms of Vertigo.  Since the C1 vertebra is in such close proximity to the brainstem, when this bone is mis-aligned or subluxated it may cause dizziness or nausea.  C1 has many muscles that attach to it and when they become taut they can pull this bone out of its normal alignment causing a subluxation.  When this happens, some individuals will complain of headaches, nausea, dizziness, eye pain, ear aches, and general fatigue.