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What is Chiropractic? Historical records show that
joint manipulation has been performed for thousands of years as seen in Chinese
literature and as far back as 400 B.C. in ancient Greece. Hippocrates, known as
the father of medicine wrote a manuscript focusing on manipulative therapy. He
recognized the relationship of the spine to health and disease and instructed
his students to “Get knowledge of the spine, for this is requisite for many
diseases.” Chiropractic adjustments correct structural misalignment and malfunction by promoting and improving joint mobility. Since the structure of anything determines how it functions, if the structure of the body is not right it can not function properly. A misaligned spine will lead to joint restrictions which cause a reduction in movements such as bending and twisting. In addition, muscles and ligaments surrounding the spine can be damaged or irritated by a misaligned or restricted joint. As a result, inflammation and spasm will be present with an acute injury and the muscles will be weak and fatigued with a long term chronic problem. Furthermore, a misaligned spine with improper motion can lead to degeneration if left untreated Chiropractic is a health care field that is concerned with the musculoskeletal, neurological, and structural integrity of the human body. Chiropractors assess disorders related to the spine, muscular system, nervous system, and joints of the body and provide diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of those disorders. Doctors of chiropractic begin their training in much the same way as do medical doctors. They train in fields such as anatomy, physiology, diagnosis, radiology, neurology, and orthopedics but then continue to specialize in the study of chiropractic adjustments or manipulation, spine related problems, exercise, nutrition, physiotherapy, and sports injury management. Chiropractic has become one of the fastest growing health professions to be utilized by the general public and professional athletes. |
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