CHIROPRACTIC SERVICES AT WHISTLER WELLNESS

Chiropractic (Greek: done by hand). A health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. There is an emphasis on manual techniques, including joint adjustment and/or manipulation, with a particular focus on joint subluxation and restoring function.

Chiropractic arose as a separate profession in the United States in the 1890s. Until the 1950s the profession was concentrated in North America and was largely isolated from the mainstream of health care. In the 1960s and 1970s the foundations were laid for broader acceptance of the profession – improved educational and licensing standards, significant research, research texts and scientific journals, and legal recognition and regulation in all US states and various other countries.

Today, more than 100 years after its birth, chiropractic is taught and practised throughout the world and the profession has earned broad acceptance from the public and in national health care systems for its services. It is widely regarded as the leading example of a complementary health care discipline reaching maturity and mainstream acceptance, and WHO has now published guidelines recommending minimal educational standards for the regulation of chiropractic services within national health care systems.

The relationship between structure, especially of the spine and musculoskeletal system and function, especially as coordinated by the nervous system, is central to the profession’s approach to treatment, health and well being. Philosophically there is an emphasis on the mind/body relationship in health and the natural healing powers of the body. This represents a biopsychosocial philosophy of health rather than a biomedical one.

Research demonstrates that the primary reasons patients consult chiropractors are back pain (approximately 60%), other musculoskeletal pain such as pain in the neck, shoulder, extremities and arthritic pain (20%) and headaches including migraine (10%). About 1 in 10 (10%) present with a wide variety of conditions caused, aggravated or mimicked by neuromusculoskeletal disorders (e.g. pseudo angina, dysmennorhea, respiratory and digestive dysfunctions).

Management includes manual techniques with particular competency in joint adjustment/manipulation, and rehabilitation exercises, patient education and lifestyle modification, and the use of physical therapy modalities and orthotics and other supports. The profession makes no use of prescription drugs or surgery, and patients requiring these interventions are referred for medical care.

Interdisciplinary practice is now common, with chiropractic doctors/chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists and others working as partners in private practices, occupational health, automobile accident and other rehabilitation centres and national sports medicine teams.

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