Becoming a chiropractor is an important decision that requires research of the educational process, the profession itself and the continued required education during the course of the professional career. Students who wish to apply to a chiropractic school must first become familiar with the admissions requirements at the school that they choose, as each school and state may differ in requirements. Educational counselors can offer additional information to make the admissions processes go more smoothly. Part of this process also includes information about financial aid, housing costs and any scholarships that may be available to students. When the admissions process is complete and a student is accepted into a chiropractic program, they will begin with two years of coursework designed to build their foundation of knowledge that is focused on the musculoskeletal system and its many functions. These courses must be successfully completed to continue on schedule in the chiropractic program. If difficulty in a specific course is a problem, there are always student tutors that offer their help for a fee.

Chiropractic Program

The last two years of a chiropractic program involve a required number of patient hours to be performed under the supervision of a licensed clinician in a student chiropractic clinic. During this portion of a chiropractic student’s education, they will learn the real-life experience of treating patients in a clinical setting. Many chiropractic schools also participate in outreach programs in their communities such as with the Salvation Army and their students will spend a number of hours treating the public at those locations. Many students, during their final years of chiropractic school, will also volunteer to become teacher assistants, or TA’s. These assistants will help a professor to grade tests, tutor students, offer teaching assistance during anatomy labs and more. This experience can be incredibly helpful for the professor as well as their students and also for the teacher assistant. It develops confidence and an ability to relate information that will be a helpful tool when they become a chiropractic physician in their community. During the end of their educational career, chiropractic students will prepare for and take their licensing board examinations and after their clinical hours are complete and their exams passed, they will become chiropractic physicians and begin their rewarding professional careers. For more information on individual chiropractic schools, admissions processes and their educational programs, visit their websites or contact their admissions offices to request information.

References Cited in this Article

www.chiropractorguide.com

www.chiroweb.net

For someone possibly considering a career as a chiropractic physician, it is important to know how to become a chiropractor. Many students, when entering college for the first time, are not completely sure as to what type of educational path they will choose. Most chose to successfully complete their general education courses during the first two years of college. During those years, if they are thinking about becoming a chiropractic physician, many will choose to take courses such as anatomy and physiology, physics, biology or chemistry and may also choose to major in one of these educational tracks. In the past, a bachelor’s degree was not necessary to obtain prior to applying to a chiropractic school but most chiropractic colleges are now requiring an applicant to possess a bachelor’s degree. If you apply to a chiropractic educational institution and are accepted, schooling will take an additional three to four years following your undergraduate education. During these years of study, students will have a full schedule of courses that range from chemistry to business. As a chiropractic student is nearing the end of their education, they will be required to complete clinical rotations, offering patient care at an on-campus or off-campus clinic. During the clinical rotations, chiropractic students will work under the supervision of a clinical supervisor, normally a chiropractic physician that also teaches courses at the school. In order to complete the clinical rotation process, a certain number of clinical hours are required to be completed.

Continuing Education

Also during the last year of the chiropractic education, students will be required to successfully pass national board examinations. These board exams are both timed tests that examine the course knowledge of a student and they also test students in a hands-on fashion, providing patient cases, testing the students on their evaluation and diagnostic skills. When these board exams are successfully completed, a chiropractic student will be eligible to practice upon graduation from their university. Following graduation, a chiropractic physician is required to complete continuing education courses throughout the duration of their career. Every state has different requirements concerning continuing education credits, how many are needed every few years in order to keep a chiropractic license valid and in active status. Continuing education courses are also helpful in keeping chiropractic physicians up to date on ever-changing medical information, new techniques and procedures. The courses may also offer them a chance to specialize in certain chiropractic techniques that they previously did not offer their patients. For those who are contemplating a career in the chiropractic field, be aware that chiropractic schooling begins after the completion of a 4-year degree and that the educational career of a chiropractic physician will continue throughout their working years. The reward of this commitment is the knowledge and ability to help patients and communities, offering an alternative form of healthcare that benefits many people.

References Cited in this Article          www.ehow.com                      www.acatoday.org

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were approximately 49,100 chiropractors practicing in the United States in 2008. Nearly half of all chiropractors are self-employed, owning and practicing in their own clinics. Chiropractors also hold positions as associates, work in a group healthcare setting, teach at educational institutions or work in military medical centers throughout the country. The job outlook for the chiropractic profession is expected to be good, the number of chiropractic physicians expected to grow by 20% from 2008 to 2018. This may be due to the increased demand for alternative healthcare by consumers; a growing branch of medicine that offers care with little to no side effects compared to surgery and medication. Patient population can range from small children to the elderly; chiropractic care has the ability to specialize treatment plans for all ages and for many healthcare needs. As the needs for chiropractic care have grown, some health insurance companies now offer coverage for chiropractic treatments. It is important to find out what coverage you may have for alternative health care options as some policies do not include chiropractic services. Self-pay options are also available at a chiropractic office when insurance does not cover the care.

Style of Health Care

Many chiropractors prefer working in a multi-disciplinary clinic, either one they have established or working as an associate within a group. This style of health care setting is beneficial in that internal referrals will keep patients within the group while helping patients to receive necessary care between providers with little wait time. Very few chiropractors will leave the profession during their careers, retirement being the main reason for a decrease in numbers, and this results in some areas of the country having a higher concentration of chiropractors in a small area. If a chiropractor wishes to open a private practice, it is advised to seek an area with a small amount of current practicing chiropractors to maximize success of the new business. As with most small businesses, positive word of mouth, referrals and visibility in a community will help to grow a chiropractic office. Some chiropractic physicians will also have advanced specialties such as a diplomate in radiology, family practice, pediatric care or a sports focus that will allow them to offer additional treatment options to help bring more patients into their offices. Chiropractors offer different treatment styles based on their own educational experiences so it is important to locate a chiropractor in your area that offers treatment plans that will benefit and improve your health care needs.

References Cited in this Article

www.bls.gov

www.spine-health.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

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.   

What is Chiropractic Care?  Chiropractic healthcare is based on the scientific fact that our nervous system controls and coordinates the function of every cell in our human body.  The purpose of the Chiropractic approach is to uncover your health conditions, not merely cover up your systems.  The Chiropractic oath is to help as many people as we can without the use of drugs and/or unnecessary surgery.  Doctors of Chiropractic essentially promote the healing process by minimizing interference to the nervous system.  When the nervous system is free from obstruction, the body can function at its highest level.  Interference to the nervous system, caused by subluxation, will affect how the nervous system relates to the cells to which it travels.

Subluxation

A subluxation is a misalignment of the spine that irritates a nerve which affects normal function.  Nerve impingement syndrome caused by subluxation, occurs when a mis-alignment of one or more of the joints in the spine places pressure on a nerve.  Pressure on the nerve can cause interference, resulting in pain, loss of function, as well as other symptoms.  Nerves communicate from the brain through the spinal cord and nervous system. 

Headaches

Nerve impingement syndrome can result in headaches.  Millions of people suffer with throbbing headaches each and every day.  They can be a distraction that affects your family, friends, job, and your ability to live life to the fullest extent.  The most common type of headache is a tension headache caused by muscle tension attributed to subluxation and nerve impingement syndrome.  What are the six misconceptions about headache relief?  1) over-the-counter medication treats the cause of your headache, 2) headache medications can’t harm you, 3) stress causes headaches, 4) headaches go away on their own, 5) all doctors know how to treat headaches, 6) your problem is always where your pain is. Drugs only mask the pain they don’t treat the headache.  Drugs can cause side effects that are far worse than your headache. 

Chiropractor

Stress is a very common way of life but not the cause of a headache.  How your body adapts to stress is the true indicator of health.  If you don’t treat the cause or the root of the problem the headaches will never go away completely.  Chiropractors offer natural and safe alternatives to treat headaches without the use of unnecessary pharmaceutical drugs.  In addition, not all headaches originate in the head.  Many headaches are associated with neck and upper back tension.  Chiropractic Care and Headache Relief go hand-in-hand; talk to your doctor today about your options.

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.

What is TMJ?  TMJ stands for Temporal-Mandibular Joint Disorder.  TMJD can be caused from trauma, disease, general wear and tear due to the aging process, and habits like chewing gum or motions with the mouth.  Trauma may be divided into two types such as micro-trauma and macro-trauma.  Micro-trauma is like teeth-grinding or clenching.  Macro-trauma would be described as a blow to the face in which the jaw is contacted.  This can break the jaw or even damage this disc (joint).  This area connects the lower jaw to the skull and allows for the jaw to open and close.  Two conditions which can affect the TMJ and cause significant pain and discomfort include both Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. 

Symptoms

TMJ Disorder is a general term clustering many different types of symptoms a patient may experience including but not limited to: locking of the jaw, clicking of the jaw, earaches, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, permanent speech abnormalities, toothache or loss, facial pain, and headaches.  Things you may notice are the following: pain on one side of the face, difficulty opening the mouth, your bite may feel off, you may feel dizziness, nausea, or even experience vomiting. 

Treatment

There are many treatment options available to TMJ sufferers and they include the following: Arthocentesis which is considered a non-invasive procedure by some which lasts about fifteen minutes in which the doctor drains the fluid that accumulated in the joint, Arthoplasty (surgery) may include repositioning of the disk itself, discectomy or removal of the disc, and joint replacement.  Some conservative treatments include the following: massage therapy, acupuncture, and Chiropractic care.  Massage therapists will work the facial muscles, and Chiropractors will re-position the joint itself either manually or with a specialized instrument.  Another effective treatment includes wearing a mouth-guard at night while sleeping.  This allows the mouth-guard to take the shock of the bruxism, or grinding.  These may be custom-fitted at dentist offices or basic mouth-guards may be sold at retail chains for a much-reduced fee and sell for around twenty dollars.  However, these mouth-guards require boiling in hot water prior to fitting them yourself.  Both are extremely effective in the treatment and management of TMJ Disorder. 

www.mayoclinic.com

www.emedicine.health.com

NFL Hall of Fame Wide Receiver Jerry Rice states, “I did a lot of things to stay in the game, but regular visits to my Chiropractor were among the most important.”  Jerry Rice is the national spokesman for Foundation for Chiropractic Progress.  Seven time Tour De France champion Lance Armstrong has been receiving Chiropractic care since 1999, helping him keep his body together for the harsh demands of cycling.  Lance said, without his Chiropractor’s help, he could not have won his final Tour De France championship.  Tom Brady, 3x Super Bowl champion of the New England Patriots stated, “Chiropractic just makes you feel so much better.  When I walk out of the clinic I feel like I am about three inches taller and everything’s in place.  And as long as I see a Chiropractor, I feel like I’m one step ahead of the game.”  7X Mr. Olympian Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “Bodybuilders and fitness people have been using Chiropractors in order to stay healthy and fit.  Whenever I had problems with my body I always ran to get adjusted.  This is how I found out the best way to use Chiropractors, not only after injuries, but also before.”  Evander Holyfield, 4x heavyweight boxing champion said, “I have to have an adjustment before I go into the ring.  I do believe in Chiropractic.  I found that going to the Chiropractor three times a week helps my performance.  The majority of boxers go to Chiropractors to get that extra edge.”  Tiger Woods who has won 14 major championships states, “Being a Chiropractic patient has really helped my game immensely.”  He further stated that “lifting weights and seeing my Chiropractic on a regular basis has made me a better golfer.  I’ve been going to Chiropractors for as long as I can remember.  It’s as important to my training as practicing my swing.”  Hall of Fame Quarterback for the 49ers Joe Montana says, “I’ve been seeing a Chiropractor and he’s been doing me a lot of good.  Chiropractic has been a big part of the game.”  Joe Montana is a national spokesman for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress.  Emmitt Smith, NFL Hall of Fame Running back stated, “I’ve become a big, big believer in servicing my body and making sure it is aligned properly.” 

Conclusion

Whether you’re a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, Athletes and Chiropractic go hand-in-hand.  See your local Chiropractor today for a consultation and through examination of your spine to check for interference to the nervous system.     

As we age, hearing loss (presbycusis) is extremely common.  According to the National Institutes of Health, it is estimated that one-third of all Americans between the ages of 65-75 and nearly half of those older than 75 have some degree of hearing loss.  Hearing Loss is primarily due to heredity and chronic exposure to loud noises over a period of time.  Another factor is excessive build-up of ear wax, or cerumen.  It is said by the medical profession that once the effects of hearing loss are noticed, it cannot be reversed. 

Signs and symptoms

These include the following: a muffled speech by the patient, the patient has trouble making out the words of another person especially when in a crowed loud room, repeatedly asking others to repeat their words more loudly, slowly, and clearer, needs to constantly turn up the volume on the television or the radio higher than other individuals, and they remove themselves from conversations and social situations frequently because of constant frustration and embarrassment due to the hearing loss.

How we hear

The ear is a complex structure composed of three main sections: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.  When sound waves pass the outer ear they hit the eardrum.  The eardrum along with the three small bones of the middle ear-the incus, the malleus, and the stapes help to produce the vibrations as they further travel towards the inner ear.  Then, the vibrations pass through the fluid of the cochlea, a structure inside the inner ear.  Tiny hairs are located on the cochlea which helps to translate sound vibrations into electrical pathways which are directed to the brain.  The nerve cells help the person to distinguish the sounds. 

Chiropractic and hearing loss

Chiropractors work on the ever-important nervous system.  The nervous system is the most important system in the human body, controlling and coordinating every organ system and body part in the body.  Since nerves are involved in hearing, Chiropractors can influence the patient’s hearing capabilities as well.  The very first patient of Dr. D.D. Palmer was Harvey Lillard, a deaf man for seventeen years.  Upon examination, Dr. Palmer noticed that one of his vertebrae was out of mis-alignment, or subluxated.  After manual manipulation, Harvey Lillard was able to hear.  This is no coincidence; the nerves that supply the ear for hearing are affected by the spinal column and the nervous system.  If there is interference to the nervous system in any way, those structures will not function at 100%