Methods of a Chiropractor

A form of alternative therapy meant to alleviate back pain, neck pain and even poor blood circulation, chiropractic treatment has steadily risen in popularity worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, it is "now practiced worldwide and regulated by law in some 40 national jurisdictions," including the United States. Like most forms of therapy, specific methods and techniques have arisen in this field, nearly all of which encourage natural healing.

Manipulation

• One method that a chiropractor may use involves slowly adjusting and retraining certain parts of the body so they stay healthier and more functional. Often, this type of treatment is used on a patient who has trained his body to function poorly, such as a patient with poor posture. Chiropractors apply pressure to the poorly performing joint or bone in question, which slowly (and sometimes painfully) moves that joint or bone into a better performing position. This method is often employed on the spinal chord for back or neck pain, though chiropractors sometimes use it on the extremities to help improve blood circulation or to restore mobility.

Massage

• Another method that may be employed to alleviate pain, chiropractic massages are often not as enjoyable as the traditional massage. Chiropractic massages often involve more pressure than is comfortable in the moment, though it is intended to provide lasting relief. There are a number of massages that chiropractors use, including a traction-massage in which a machine moves rollers up and down the patient's spine, a technique that involves muscle stimulation using electric pulses and massages using alternating hot and cold temperatures. Massages can be used to reduce stiffness and spasms in addition to back pain.

Activator Methods

• There are also a number of methods of chiropractic treatment that involve analyzing the length of a patient's legs. If a pelvic deficiency is discovered, this may be the cause of any back, leg, joint or hip pain she has been experiencing. Chiropractors have developed a number of methods to correct this deficiency. The Thompson technique involves a chiropractor using multiple thrusts to gently push various joints in different places, much like extremity manipulation. The Cox Flexicon/Distraction technique focuses, instead, on flexing and bending certain joints and muscles to alleviate pain.

Acupuncture

• Perhaps the least widely accepted method that chiropractors employ is acupuncture. This involves the chiropractor inserting multiple small needles into the area surrounding back pain and manipulating them in order to alleviate pain. Despite the misgivings of some patients and doctors, acupuncture has been proven to alleviate pain in some studies, and chiropractors continue to use this method to control back aches and discomfort due to injuries, herniated disks or simple stresses and bad posture.