What is chiropractic health care? Chiropractic health care is a collection of non-invasive methods, techniques, and adjustments with a focus on the musculoskeletal system. It can also include massage (to relax muscles and stimulate the blood-flow, thereby increasing the areas overall perfusion) and acupuncture to further enhance treatments. While chiropractics can treat a variety of pre-existing ailments, an advantage that chiropractic health care has is that it can be very proactive: the preventative maintenance of the body, as opposed to a reactive treatment.

In that regard, chiropractics can maintain or increase a person’s range of motion and stimulate joint-spaces the same way a person would change the oil in their car to keep their engine running smoothly. Chiropractic health care is a common referral for post-operative patients as well as those recovering from injury, but in itself can be an alternative to surgery altogether.

Do you suffer from daily back aches and discomfort?  Nearly 90% of all Americans will experience at least one bout of back pain within their lifetime.  Back pain and discomfort is one of the most common reasons for work absenteeism.  Employers are now taking significant notice and supplementing ergonomically-correct chairs and workstations versus the standard office furniture that contributes to the source of the problem.  This furniture is significantly higher than the traditional but cut down on work absenteeism dramatically.  So what is spinal therapy?  Spinal therapy is any type of back therapy that decreases pain, inflammation, and restores range of motion to the spinal column.  Some forms include but are not limited to: chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, and massage therapy, physiotherapy such as ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation, cold laser treatments, acupuncture, and spinal decompression.  Many times a licensed Chiropractor will implement many of these treatments to produce faster results than only providing a single modality.  A Chiropractor treats the entire body, not just the symptoms arising.  They focus on restoring optimal function to the most important organ system in the human body-the nervous system.  The nervous system controls and coordinates every organ system and body part in the human body.  The brain is the most important organ relaying important messages, pain, hunger, thirst, touch, and conscious and unconscious thought processes.

Your first adjustment

Many times, individuals are extremely nervous about receiving spinal manipulation for the first time especially in the cervical spine.  They have been previously told by ignorant lay people that spinal manipulations to the cervical spine cause or having been linked to strokes.  This is not true in the least bit.  The reason why people have strokes is not due the spinal adjustment rather from the arteries.  An individual risks having more complications from taking an aspirin or prescription medication than they do from receiving a cervical adjustment.   

Are you interested in taking an alternative approach to your healthcare?  Many Americans are now taking a holistic route instead of conventional medicine and choosing to seek out Chiropractors as their primary health care providers.  Chiropractors have the same number of years of schooling as medical doctors.  They must possess a Bachelor’s degree in the health sciences and go on to complete the 4-year doctorate degree in Chiropractic medicine.  They take about 70 classes and over 4,500 classroom hours in the following subject matter: human anatomy and physiology, pathology, kinesiology, dermatology, embryology, histology, gynecology, clinical neurology, orthopedic testing and range of motion evaluation, physiotherapy, biochemistry, nutrition, philosophy, radiology, cadaver lab, and clinical hands-on manipulation to name a few.  Once completed with the basic requirements, the student enters as an intern in the student clinic for four month, and the outpatient clinic for an additional 12 months.  As a student intern they are evaluated and monitored by Chiropractic clinicians on diagnosis, technique, radiology, and appropriate referral.  They must possess over 25 physicals in the chiropractic clinics, take 10 x-rays, and read many labs and x-rays in addition to performing over 250 manipulation treatments. 

A clinic

A Chiropractic clinic may be set up many ways from open-bay adjusting to private rooms, massive clinics to 1000 sq ft clinics, etc.  Some Chiropractors choose to work solo while others prefer to employ massage therapists, physical therapists, medical doctors, podiatrists, colon therapists, yoga instructors, medical assistants, chiropractic assistants, medical billing personnel, and acupuncturists.  While some Chiropractors strictly do manipulation of the spine and extremities only, others offer many different physiotherapy modalities such as ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation, cold laser treatments, hot/cold packs, spinal decompression, whirlpool beds, and inter-segmental traction tables.    

Chiropractic Care for Herniated Disc

Chiropractors believe that back pain and tenderness is caused by restricted movement in the spine.  Spinal manipulation is a technique that restores mobility in the spine and is used for certain types of back pain.  Some types of spinal manipulation will provide pain relief for a herniated disc, but it some cases it may not help at all.  Many medical doctors do not recommend chiropractic treatment as a solution to a herniated disc.  The treatment will provide the patient with temporary pain relief, but not long term pain relief.  During a spinal manipulation treatment, the physician will apply pressure along the spine, causing a cracking or popping noise to occur.  This is a painless process that may or may not provide pain relief for patients with a herniated disc.  

Acupuncture will Temporary Relieve Pain

Acupuncture is an alternative treatment to pain medication and is often used for the treatment of back or neck pain.  Specialists will place a long thin needle into the acupuncture points that stimulate energy flow throughout the body.  When energy is circulated throughout the body, the patient will feel healthier and stronger.  They will also notice a decrease in pain after several sessions that treat acute back pain.  Acupuncture is a much healthier treatment method than pain medication as it is an all natural method with no side effects.  Patients with a herniated disc will need to seek several sessions of acupuncture before feeling relief.  Acupuncture isn’t always viewed as a cure for a herniated disc, but it will relieve back pain for a temporary amount of time.  If patients are looking for short-term relief, than acupuncture treatment is the right method for them.  The only thing that may push patients away from acupuncture treatment is the price.

What do they do?

Gonstead chiropractors find the core problem behind the pain and address the issue.  After treatment, they leave it alone and do not require patients to come back for further visits.  The theory of Gonstead Chiropractic states that the body is a foundation, and any change in the foundation can lead to a collapse.  The foundation in the body is formed by the pelvic girdle, and maximum stability and balance is located in the spinal column.  When the pelvic girdle becomes misaligned, negative changes occur throughout the body.  Misalignments can cause a large amount of pain in various parts of the back. 

Gonstead Theory

Chiropractors refer to a subluxation as a misalignment of the vertebrae that builds up pressure on a disc, causing it to swell.  Chiropractors are able to detect a misaligned vertebra in the spine, especially those in the upper part of the back.  An important part of the Gonstead theory is recognizing and correcting the misaligned spine.  All parts of the spine should be adjusted to completely correct the subluxation during the patient’s first visit.  If the top and bottom of the vertebra are misaligned, but only the top is corrected, the patient will only experience limited relief.  For complete and long lasting results, all parts of the vertebrae must be identified and adjusted to restore them back to normal.  The purpose of the Gonstead concept is to find the subluxation(s) and correct the problem the first time instead of requiring the patient to receive multiple treatments.     

Gonstead chiropractors will find the problem, determine proper medical care, fix the issue and then leave it alone.  They do not require patients to come back for further visits.  The theory of Gonstead Chiropractic states that the body is a foundation, and any change in the foundation can lead to a collapse.  The foundation in the body is formed by the pelvic girdle, and maximum stability and balance is located in the spinal column.  When the pelvic girdle becomes misaligned, negative changes occur throughout the body.  Misalignments can cause a large amount of pain in various parts of the back. 

Subluxation

 Chiropractors refer to a subluxation as a misalignment of the vertebrae that builds up pressure on a disc, causing it to swell.  Chiropractors are able to detect a misaligned vertebra in the spine, especially those in the upper part of the back.  Recognizing and correcting the misaligned spine is an important part of the Gonstead theory.  All parts of the spine should be adjusted to completely correct the subluxation.  If the top and bottom of the vertebra are misaligned, but only the top is corrected, the patient will only experience limited relief.  For complete and long lasting results, all parts of the vertebrae must be identified and adjusted to restore them back to normal.  The purpose of the Gonstead concept is to find the subluxation(s) and correct the problem.  

Dr. Clarence Gonstead is known for starting the world’s first concrete approach to making necessary adjustments to the spinal region.  Dr. Gontead set the standard in the Chiropractic industry.  He launched the new approach to adjusting the spine by incorporating the new spinal techniques to help correct the underlying back issues.  Gonstead was a very dedicated worker. 

When he started

He started his business in 1923 and was truly devoted to helping his patients.  He wanted to make a difference in his small farm community. He ran his business seven days a week, working open to close, Monday through Sunday, just so he could help as many people as he could during the time he was available.  The first clinic he opened was relatively big enough for his small community, but as the demand grew bigger, he knew he had to open up a larger clinic to accommodate the growing number of new patients. 

Largest Clinic in 1963

His last clinic was opened in 1963.  This is by far the biggest Chiropractic facility in America and in the world.  His chiropractic facility is approximately 22,000 square feet in size and can fit over one hundred patients at a time making it the largest in the world.  Dr. Gonstead’s passion was in the subluxation. 

Subluxation

He focused his new teachings around the subluxation and how this communicated to the nerves and signaled to the brain.  He felt that the everything had to do with the spine, and even a slight disruption could cause massive damage to other parts of the body.  He believed that if you manipulated the subluxation too much it would cause more damage.  His teachings focused on finding these subluxaations, then stepping away and not adjusting any further. This is how he developed his teachings and invented the new treatments for the spine.  These treatments included adjustments in the office, accompanied by stretching to help the patients recover quicker and with ease.

Gonstead exists as a prominent Chiropractic technique that is utilized in Chiropractic offices throughout the U.S. and the world.  Gonstead is named after its inventor, Dr. Clarence Gonstead.  Dr. Gonstead received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree at the Palmer College of Chiropractic.  The most prevalent Chiropractic philosophy of subluxations during his school years was the Upper Cervical Specific Technique.[1]

The Technique advocated

The Technique advocated focusing the adjustment on the Atlas with the idea that the entire spinal column would correct itself with the help of the Chiropractor.  In addition, the philosophy described subluxation as a misaligned vertebra exerting pressure on a nearby nerve.[2]

The Gonstead system

The Gonstead system of Chiropractic focuses on the importance of keeping every vertebra in the spine in proper alignment.  Dr. Gonstead places further importance on the sacral vertebra as the support or foundation for the rest of the spine.  If the foundation of the spine is out of alignment, the entire spinal column can be compromised and will have to compensate.  In Gonstead Chiropractic, a misaligned vertebra leads to increased pressure on the disc space between the vertebra; the pressure exerted on the disc impedes on nearby nerves leading to dysfunction throughout the body.  Similar to the Upper Cervical Specific Technique, Gonstead Technique pinpoints the precise locations of misalignments and subluxations.  After locating the misalignments, the Gonstead adjustments are delivered to the explicit problem areas.  By evaluating the entire spine, Gonstead Chiropractors ensure optimal spinal health.[3]

[1] Amnan, M.  (2009).  Who was dr. gonstead?  Retrieved August 3, 2009 from www.gonstead.com

[2] (2008).  Upper cervical technique.  Retrieved August 3, 2009 from www.logan.edu

[3] (2009).  Basic principles.  Retrieved August 3, 2009 from www.gonstead.com