Thursday, April 28, 2011

Why is Patient Satisfaction With Chiropractic Care For Back Pain So High? Here's 4 Reasons Why


Around 80% of adults in the US are bothered by back pain at some point. Back pain is the 5th most common reason for patient visits to doctors offices. The research is in regarding patient satisfaction with their chiropractic treatment, in fact it has been in for over 2 decades. Chiropractic patients are extremely satisfied with their care and overwhelmingly would decide to seek chiropractic care again.

While practicing, I noticed that over 75% of my patients had been under the care of a chiropractic doctor prior to coming in. Routinely, they had been doing very well until their scoliosis, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, etc. worsened considerably. But I was amazed at how mainstream chiropractic care had become and how well the patients reported it had worked.

According to a 2000 Florida study over 92% of patients who had seen chiropractic doctors before would seek out chiropractic care again.

A recent survey of 14,000 consumers in May 2009 by Consumer Reports showed that 88% of those who had tried chiropractic manipulation were satisfied with how much it helped.

I attribute the overwhelming satisfaction of chiropractic care to four things.

1) First of all, chiropractors receive excellent training regarding the musculoskeletal system including anatomy and physical examination. So when they examine patients with back pain comprehensively and then speak with them about the specifics of what they find, patients by and large feel as if they have been properly taken care of with the work up.

2) Secondly, chiropractic doctors do not try to cure their patients in five minutes. Treatment plans routinely span weeks to months. This is not a scam. Inevitably it took a while for one's back to end up in the situation where it hurts. It may have started with a sneeze, but something had been brewing with a degenerative disc probably for years. No different than a physical therapy regimen takes weeks to months, so does a proper chiropractic regimen to provide appropriate pain relief and build the framework for a healthy future. This time in the office allows patients to develop a bond with their chiropractor, no different than how a patient develops an affection for his or her primary care doctor. Except one doesn't see his or her primary care doctor a few times a week for months usually.

3) Third, chiropractors often institute physical therapy (called physiotherapy) and spinal decompression regimens into treatment plans. What happens is the patient then receives a comprehensive treatment plan that benefits them in a well rounded method than just receiving a spinal adjustment. People who think all chiropractic doctors do is "rack them and crack them" would be very surprised to see the therapy departments their offices contain. Patients receive ice (cryotherapy), heat, elecrical stimulation, spinal decompression, core strengthening, lumbar stabilization, and other modalities for pain relief.

4) Fourth, chiropractic treatment is cost effective. When one considers the cost of surgery, hospital admissions, and name brand medications, a visit to a chiropractor is significantly less expensive. The cost benefit ratio is substantially in its favor.

Based on these four reasons, it became clear to me why chiropractic manipulation and services are so effective and make an overwhelming amount of patients satisfied.








David L. Greene, MD is CEO of Preferred Pain Center in Phoenix, Arizona which serves the Phoenix and Scottsdale Az metropolitan and surrounding areas. He can be reached at dgreene@preferredpaincenter.com and (602) 507-6550.

Preferred Pain Center is a Comprehensive Pain Center including Medical and Interventional Pain Management, Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Spinal Decompression Therapy, Naturopathic Medicine, and Manipulation Under Anesthesia. The website is http://www.preferredpaincenter.com and the Blog of Pain is http://blog.preferredpaincenter.com


Friday, April 22, 2011

Why Pregnant Women Need Chiropractic Care


Chiropractic Care for Pregnant Women

More and more pregnant women are turning to chiropractic care during their pregnancies. So, what is responsible for chiropractic's increasing popularity during pregnancy?

Why Pregnant Women Need Chiropractic Care

A pregnant woman's body experiences an assortment of physiological and hormonal changes as her baby develops inside her womb. These changes can cause pregnant women to experience a misalignment of the spine or joints that can result in one or more of the following:

- Changes in the pelvis

- Changes in posture

- Enlargement of the abdomen

- A more prominently-curved back

Some or all of these changes can lead to lower back pain throughout the term of a woman's pregnancy. Some women might also experience difficulty in maintaining proper balance and alignment. Chiropractic care can address these issues and help you develop a healthier posture that exerts less pressure on your body.

In addition, a misalignment of the pelvis can inhibit your baby's development inside your womb. Chiropractic treatments can also handle these types of misalignment issues.

Every trained chiropractor has been instructed in the proper way to perform chiropractic procedures on pregnant women. In general, chiropractic care administered to expectant mothers is both safe and gentle.

Some chiropractors specialize in pre-natal and peri-natal care for women, and have received additional, specialized training to ensure the safety and well-being of both the baby and the mother. Practitioners who administer chiropractic treatments to pregnant women adjust the intensity of their treatment procedures in accordance with the progression of the woman's pregnancy. In some cases, chiropractors may recommend stretching and other specific exercise routines that can help women have a safer and healthier pregnancy.

The Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Pregnant Women

Chiropractic care can help pregnant women long before they go into labor. Its benefits for pregnant women include:

- An increased chance of a healthier pregnancy

- Better control of symptoms, conditions and discomfort associated with pregnancy

- Faster and more efficient deliveries

- Relief from pain in the back, neck and/or joints

- Decreased likelihood that delivery by Cesarean section will be required

Chiropractic's Benefits During Labor

In addition to the above, chiropractic care imparts several other benefits for pregnant women undergoing labor, particularly in the area of pain management. In general, chiropractic can improve the overall delivery process.

How Chiropractic Care Shortens the Duration of Labor

The body's level of balance and its ability to adapt is crucial in determining how it will react when subjected to extremely stressful situations. Obviously, labor is just such a situation. Most deliveries by Cesarean section are due to the body's inability to adapt to, and cope with, the extreme stresses caused by a natural delivery. Much of this inability is caused by a pelvic misalignment that slows the descent of the fetus toward the mother's birth canal. In addition, a woman with a limited range of motion will not be able to have an efficient labor and delivery. Proper chiropractic adjustments can enable pregnant women to overcome these problems and significantly shorten the duration of their labor.

How Chiropractic Care Improves the Position of the Fetus

The position of the baby within the mother's womb can also impact the duration of her labor. Most chiropractic treatments help adjust her pelvic positioning, and that, in turn, helps correctly place the baby. A correct fetal position makes it far more likely that the woman will be able to deliver her baby easily. Experts also believe that chiropractic care can help pregnant women avoid developing back problems.








If you are looking for a trusted doctor in the Dayton, Ohio area. Ronald D. Moore D.C. provides tips for choosing a Dayton chiropractic doctor.

Go here to view my website for more information.
http://daytonchiropractic.org


Monday, April 18, 2011

Pediatric Chiropractic Care Is Beneficial to a Child's Development


More and more parents are looking to chiropractic care as a complementary part of their children's health-care needs. The American Chiropractic Association reports survey findings showing an increase of at least 8.5 percent of chiropractic patients under the age of 17. A study by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention also stated that almost 3 percent of children in the United States receive treatment with chiropractic osteopathic manipulation.

As such, chiropractic is the most prevailing type of alternative medicine employed by children. Experts concur that chiropractic care can be useful for children who suffer from spine-related ailments. Like adults, children benefit from spinal manipulation and adjustments, as well as other kinds of care that fall under the purview of chiropractic.

However, chiropractic care should work as a complementary treatment to regular pediatric care. Chiropractic care works alongside a pediatrician's treatment, but it does not replace the role of a regular doctor. The pediatrician may prescribe medications for certain necessary conditions, and treat the patient for more serious illnesses and injuries. A pediatric chiropractor, on the other hand, is instrumental in providing preventative, supportive wellness care, as well as alternative treatment in some cases.

Some studies indicate that chiropractic care may help children with various common ailments, ranging from colic and bedwetting, to asthma and ear infections. This is in addition to back and neck pain treatment. Studies have been conducted in order to determine the value and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic care. These studies, which showed mostly positive results, concentrated on conditions other than musculoskeletal and included issues such as tonsillitis, enuresis, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, asthma and colic.

In the case of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), chiropractors are showing results with an alternative approach to treatment that focuses on nutrition, lifestyle, and postural muscle adjustments as opposed to the regular route of medication. This is no small gain considering how prevalent prescriptions for Ritalin, a commonly prescribed medication for ADHD, have become. Americans consume 90 percent of all prescriptions for Ritalin in the world - a fact that makes many parents weary of the traditional medical approach.

The widespread labeling and use of medication to address ADHD has become controversial, with many vague, but "undesirable" symptoms falling under the umbrella of ADHD. Some skeptics have also pointed to the link between the number of disabled children in a school and the amounts of funding a school gets.

In the case of ADHD, a chiropractic doctor begins by seeing the child as a whole, and seeks to consult with the child and the parents, asking questions such as, "Is the child bored or undertaking too many activities? Does the child have dyslexia, or a different learning pattern? Is he/she experiencing problems at home or with a teacher's style?"

This is a startling different approach to the standard, questionnaire-based evaluation for ADHD. Another criticism for the traditional treatment for ADHD is that drugs don't cure ADHD, and that most children who are diagnosed with it still experience ADHD symptoms in later years.

Chiropractic and chiropractic neurologists provide a non-invasive, holistic treatment approach that focuses on the underlying issue a child may be experiencing, not just the surface symptoms. Chiropractic neurologists identify the malfunctioning part of the brain, and seek treatment methods to address and correct the problem. A brain function exam is used, as well as tests focused on evaluating visual and auditory reflexes.

Once the underlying problem is singled out, patients are put on a treatment program that can often be done at home. Some patients might be asked to wear special glasses, smell a certain scent, or be put into timing therapies that help with planning, organizing, and coordination. It all depends on the individual child's needs. But the most striking element of chiropractic treatment is that it seeks to address brain activity itself, paving the way for long term results. Nutritional changes are also recommended in order to prevent biochemical imbalances that lead ADHD.

As for chiropractic spinal manipulation, the treatment itself is sophisticated and individually tailored; the treatment for children is also extremely gentle. Doctors of chiropractic employ an active, drug-free method of health care, which includes patient examination, diagnosis, and subsequent treatment. Most parents claim their children receive the benefits of improved health by regularly visiting a chiropractor, and their children enjoy their chiropractic visits and adjustments.








The Portland Chiropractor serves patients with Health Services and Portland Therapy treatments.


Tuesday, April 12, 2011

How Chiropractic Care Can Help You


Like many other people, chiropractic care can help you by providing a wide number of benefits. Understanding how the process works can help you identify chiropractic's effects on your body. It offers plenty of benefits, depending on your physical condition, your ability to tolerate treatment and how your body responds to it. A few of chiropractic's proven benefits are described below to help you decide whether this type of treatment would be right for you and your condition.

The Correction of Misalignments

Chiropractic care is known to be extremely effective for correcting misalignments in the spine and joints. The techniques used by chiropractic practitioners for the correction of these misalignments is called chiropractic adjustment or spinal adjustment. Chiropractors administer more than nine-tenths of all spinal manipulations performed in the United States.

Psychological Benefits

Chiropractic treatment sessions leave most patients with a feeling of relaxation and relief. You might feel some mild discomfort or slight pain initially, because your joints are being put into proper positions and your range of motion is being increased. As their condition begins to improve and they feel less pain and discomfort in their muscles and joints, patients often begin to feel more self-confident and have a higher sense of self-esteem. After chiropractic treatments, people who have suffered from back and neck pain for years begin feeling more positive about themselves because they are better able to perform their daily tasks. Even their relationships with friends and family members can benefit.

Use of Modern, Up-to-Date Technology

Chiropractic-type techniques have been used for hundreds of years, but modern technology has made some distinct improvements over the course of chiropractor's history. Patients can rest easy, knowing their chiropractic treatments are safe, quick and effective. Modern technology allows chiropractors to take an advanced, very precise approach to rendering treatment, and as a result, chiropractic care involves only a minimal risk.

Modern diagnostic tests are administered before any chiropractic care is rendered; these tests are designed to identify and pinpoint the patient's specific problem to be treated. Chiropractic treatments may also be used as a secondary therapy, useful in helping patients recover faster from injuries and health conditions.

Absence of Side Effects

Chiropractic care is the most widely-used form of drug-free medical treatment in the United States. Because drugs are not used in chiropractic care, chiropractic treatments are not associated with the side effects that are so common when strong prescription medications are taken.

Most people feel some improvement after every treatment, with some patients eventually needing treatments only one to three times per year. Some people even use their chiropractic treatments simply as a means to help them eliminate their stress and be able to relax. With chiropractic care, there's no need to worry about your symptoms returning or experiencing other, additional problems because of prescription medications or major medical interventions such as surgery.

The chiropractic treatment approach benefits families as well as individuals of all ages and both genders, including infants, the elderly, toddlers, children, adults and pregnant women. Essentially everyone can obtain significant benefits from chiropractic because so many different treatments are available. Sometimes, other types of alternative treatments, such as acupuncture or massage therapy, are used in conjunction with chiropractic to enhance chiropractic's benefits or simply reduce the stress that can slow the body's natural healing process.








If you are looking for a trusted doctor in the Dayton, Ohio area. Ronald D. Moore D.C. provides tips for choosing a Dayton chiropractic doctor.

Go here to view my website for more information.

http://daytonchiropractic.org


Friday, April 8, 2011

The Different Approaches of Chiropractic Care


Chiropractic treatment has proven benefits to many people and has been widely recommended to patients, both young and adults alike. Since chiropractic care can help treat different types of ailments, it also has its own branches. These branches can be considered as specializations of chiropractors.

Below are some of the main treatment approach that chiropractors mostly focus on:

1. Relief Chiropractic

This branch of chiropractic care focus on relieving pain or any discomfort on various areas of the body. Relief Chiropractic treatment aims to provide relief from any discomfort or pain. The treatment duration may differ, depending on the steps that need to be taken for the problem are to be repaired and the gravity of the condition.

2. Corrective Chiropractic

Corrective chiropractic treatment is applied to patients who have had a long endured and struggled with back pains and other spinal injury that may lead to even more complicated issues because of the failure to treat the problem during its early stages. Usually, extensive and regular treatment methods are required to ensure that the correction of the extent of damage. The length and duration of treatment will still depend on the extent of damage.

3. Maintenance Chiropractic

Maintenance chiropractic is the treatment is administered to patients who have undergone chiropractic care sessions previously and are just continuing treatment for maintenance. The main aim is to prevent the recurrence of the problem.

Chiropractic care is one of the safest alternative medicine that aims to promote natural healing of problem areas within the muscoskeletal system. It has been widely recommend and popular among doctors and patients because of its preventive and corrective benefits.

It helps to know that chiropractic has specialized branches. However, it will be best to have a general check with a chiropractor to assess the damage, the amount and duration of treatment. This way, the chiropractors can help you prevent any worsening problems and help improve your health.








Downtown Orlando Chiropractor, Dr. Bret Scheuplein specializes in treatment for back and neck pain. To learn more information about him and related topics please visit http://downtownorlandochiropractor.com


Sunday, April 3, 2011

Is Chiropractic Care Safe?


The idea of manipulating and adjusting the bones in your body is enough to scare some people. In fact, an entire field of medicine has been completely devoted to these very practices. The area of chiropractics has been around for many years, and is gaining more popularity with each passing year. Despite the popularity of chiropractic health care however, many of us still cannot help but wonder about the safety issues of manipulating the bones in the body. So, is chiropractic care safe? This article provides answers to that question.

First of all, it should be pointed out that the question "is chiropractic care safe?" is a very difficult question to answer with a blanket statement that covers everything. Overall, it can be said that chiropractic care is generally accepted as a safe form of medical treatment. But, that is not to say that every chiropractic provider that you visit will use totally safe practices. Just as other kinds of doctors are certified, chiropractors must receive certification from the state in which they operate. If you visit a chiropractor that is not certified, you are very likely to receive unsafe care.

The idea behind chiropractic care is to adjust the bones in the body to relieve stress on your joints in very safe ways. Think about how often people crack their knuckles or bend their back in an awkward position to get a crack out of their spine - these people are not practicing safety. Chiropractic care makes an attempt to give patients the same relief that they might get from cracking their own joints, only by doing it in a very safe way. The positions and procedures involved in chiropractic care have been developed through centuries of practice.

Chiropractic care is different from other fields of medicine because most of the time it is not recognized as something that is completely necessary. While it may be necessary to visit a hospital to receive general checkups, many people would rather choose to visit a chiropractor to deal with symptoms of bodily aches and pains. However, there are many people that absolutely swear by the services provided by their chiropractor.

So, is chiropractic care safe? Millions of people around the world consider it to be completely safe, as practiced by a properly certified and licensed Doctor. However, the real choice is left up to you. Do as much research as you can about the subject and try to come to a conclusion about this for yourself.








The author writes articles on many health related topics, including Causes of Lower Back Pain. For information about Lower Back Pain Exercises for your back, click here.