Chiropractic

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Healthcare for Athletes and their Families

Sports Biomechanics, Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Kinesio Taping, Rehab, Weight Loss, Strength and Conditioning, Massage, Sports Performance Training, Custom Orthotics

We treat all types of pain.

Dr. Jeff Banas, Sports Chiropractor, Strength & Conditioning Specialist, & USA Certified Triathlon Coach serving Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, and Tempe AZ.

480-633-6837

Greenfield Medical Plaza
4540 E. Baseline Rd Suite 106
Mesa, AZ 85206

Information on Chiropractic and Chiropractors

What is Chiropractic?
(From the American Chiropractic Association)

Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches.

Doctors of Chiropractic – often referred to as chiropractors or chiropractic physicians – practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.

The most common therapeutic procedure performed by doctors of chiropractic is known as “spinal manipulation,” also called “chiropractic adjustment.” The purpose of manipulation is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become hypo mobile – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a tissue injury. Tissue injury can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for the sufferer. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, and allowing tissues to heal.

Chiropractic adjustment rarely causes discomfort. However, patients may sometimes experience mild soreness or aching following treatment (as with some forms of exercise) that usually resolves within 12 to 48 hours.

In many cases, such as lower back pain, chiropractic care may be the primary method of treatment. When other medical conditions exist, chiropractic care may complement or support medical treatment by relieving the musculoskeletal aspects associated with the condition.

Doctors of chiropractic may assess patients through clinical examination, laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and other diagnostic interventions to determine when chiropractic treatment is appropriate or when it is not appropriate. Chiropractors will readily refer patients to the appropriate health care provider when chiropractic care is not suitable for the patient’s condition, or the condition warrants co-management in conjunction with other members of the health care team.

Chiropractic Research

From ACA

Numerous studies have shown that chiropractic treatment is both safe and effective. The following are excerpts from a few of the more recent studies. By examining the research supporting chiropractic care, you will find that chiropractic offers tremendous potential in meeting today’s health care challenges.

For Acute and Chronic Pain

“Patients with chronic low-back pain treated by chiropractors showed greater improvement and satisfaction at one month than patients treated by family physicians. Satisfaction scores were higher for chiropractic patients. A higher proportion of chiropractic patients (56 percent vs. 13 percent) reported that their low-back pain was better or much better, whereas nearly one-third of medical patients reported their low-back pain was worse or much worse.”

– Nyiendo et al (2000), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics

In a Randomized controlled trial, 183 patients with neck pain were randomly allocated to manual therapy (spinal mobilization), physiotherapy (mainly exercise) or general practitioner care (counseling, education and drugs) in a 52-week study. The clinical outcomes measures showed that manual therapy resulted in faster recovery than physiotherapy and general practitioner care. Moreover, total costs of the manual therapy-treated patients were about one-third of the costs of physiotherapy or general practitioner care.

-- Korthals-de Bos et al (2003), British Medical Journal

In Comparison to Other Treatment Alternatives

“Acute and chronic chiropractic patients experienced better outcomes in pain, functional disability, and patient satisfaction; clinically important differences in pain and disability improvement were found for chronic patients.”

– Haas et al (2005), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics

“In our randomized, controlled trial, we compared the effectiveness of manual therapy, physical therapy, and continued care by a general practitioner in patients with nonspecific neck pain. The success rate at seven weeks was twice as high for the manual therapy group (68.3 percent) as for the continued care group (general practitioner). Manual therapy scored better than physical therapy on all outcome measures. Patients receiving manual therapy had fewer absences from work than patients receiving physical therapy or continued care, and manual therapy and physical therapy each resulted in statistically significant less analgesic use than continued care.”

– Hoving et al (2002), Annals of Internal Medicine

For Headaches

“Cervical spine manipulation was associated with significant improvement in headache outcomes in trials involving patients with neck pain and/or neck dysfunction and headache.”

-- Duke Evidence Report, McCrory, Penzlen, Hasselblad, Gray (2001)

“The results of this study show that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches. . . Four weeks after cessation of treatment . . . the patients who received spinal manipulative therapy experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in all major outcomes in contrast to the patients that received amitriptyline therapy, who reverted to baseline values.” ‘

-- Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Boline et al. (1995)

Cost Effectiveness

“Chiropractic care appeared relatively cost-effective for the treatment of chronic low-back pain. Chiropractic and medical care performed comparably for acute patients. Practice-based clinical outcomes were consistent with systematic reviews of spinal manipulative efficacy: manipulation-based therapy is at least as good as and, in some cases, better than other therapeusis.”

– Haas et al (2005), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics

Patient Satisfaction

“Chiropractic patients were found to be more satisfied with their back care providers after four weeks of treatment than were medical patients. Results from observational studies suggested that back pain patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than with medical care. Additionally, studies conclude that patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than they were with physical therapy after six weeks.”

-- Hertzman-Miller et al (2002), American Journal of Public Health

Popularity of Chiropractic

“Chiropractic is the largest, most regulated, and best recognized of the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professions. CAM patient surveys show that chiropractors are used more often than any other alternative provider group and patient satisfaction with chiropractic care is very high. There is steadily increasing patient use of chiropractic in the United States, which has tripled in the past two decades.”

– Meeker, Haldeman (2002), Annals of Internal Medicine

Chiropractic Education

From ACA

Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions.

The typical applicant at a chiropractic college has already acquired nearly four years of pre-medical undergraduate college education, including courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work. Once accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, the requirements become even more demanding — four to five academic years of professional study are the standard. Because of the hands-on nature of chiropractic, and the intricate adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical training.

Doctors of chiropractic — who are licensed to practice in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and in many nations around the world — undergo a rigorous education in the healing sciences, similar to that of medical doctors. In some areas, such as anatomy, physiology, and rehabilitation, they receive more intensive education than most medical doctors or physical therapists.

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Like other primary health care doctors, chiropractic students spend a significant portion of their curriculum studying clinical subjects related to evaluating and caring for patients. Typically, as part of their professional training, they must complete a minimum of a one-year clinical-based program dealing with actual patient care. In total, the curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience. The course of study is approved by an accrediting agency which is fully recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This has been the case for more than 25 years.

Before they are allowed to practice, doctors of chiropractic must pass national board examinations and become state-licensed. Chiropractic colleges also offer post-graduate continuing education programs in specialty fields ranging from sports injuries and occupational health to orthopedics and neurology. These programs allow chiropractors to specialize in a health care discipline or meet state re-licensure requirements.

This extensive education prepares doctors of chiropractic to diagnose health care problems, treat the problems when they are within their scope of practice and refer patients to other health care practitioners when appropriate.

Click here to learn about a career in chiropractic.

^References

^{Meeker W, Haldeman H. Chiropractic: A Profession at the Crossroads of Mainstream and Alternative Medicine. Annals of Internal Medicine 2002, Vol 136, No 3.}
^{American Physical Therapy Association. 2005-2006 Fact Sheet, Physical Therapist Education Programs. January 2007.}

History of Chiropractic Care

From ACA

The roots of chiropractic care can be traced all the way back to the beginning of recorded time. Writings from China and Greece written in 2700 B.C. and 1500 B.C. mention spinal manipulation and the maneuvering of the lower extremities to ease low back pain. Hippocrates, the Greek physician, who lived from 460 to 357 B.C., also published texts detailing the importance of chiropractic care. In one of his writings he declares, "Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases".

In the United States, the practice of spinal manipulation began gaining momentum in the late nineteenth century. In 1895, Daniel David Palmer founded the Chiropractic profession in Davenport, Iowa. Palmer was well read in medical journals of his time and had great knowledge of the developments that were occurring throughout the world regarding anatomy and physiology. In 1897, Daniel David Palmer went on to begin the Palmer School of Chiropractic, which has continued to be one of the most prominent chiropractic colleges in the nation.

Throughout the twentieth century, doctors of chiropractic gained legal recognition in all fifty states. A continuing recognition and respect for the chiropractic profession in the United States has led to growing support for chiropractic care all over the world. The research that has emerged from " around the world" has yielded incredibly influential results, which have changed, shaped and molded perceptions of chiropractic care. The report, Chiropractic in New Zealand published in 1979 strongly supported the efficacy of chiropractic care and elicited medical cooperation in conjunction with chiropractic care. The 1993 Manga study published in Canada investigated the cost effectiveness of chiropractic care. The results of this study concluded that chiropractic care would save hundreds of millions of dollars annually with regard to work disability payments and direct health care costs.

Doctors of chiropractic have become pioneers in the field of non-invasive care promoting science-based approaches to a variety of ailments. A continuing dedication to chiropractic research could lead to even more discoveries in preventing and combating maladies in future years.

Education of Doctors of Chiropractic

Doctors of chiropractic must complete four to five years at an accredited chiropractic college. The complete curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience. Approximately 555 hours are devoted to learning about adjustive techniques and spinal analysis in colleges of chiropractic. In medical schools, training to become proficient in manipulation is generally not required of, or offered to, students. The Council on Chiropractic Education requires that students have 90 hours of undergraduate courses with science as the focus.

Those intending to become doctors of chiropractic must also pass the national board exam and all exams required by the state in which the individual wishes to practice. The individual must also meet all individual state licensing requirements in order to become a doctor of chiropractic.

An individual studying to become a doctor of chiropractic receives an education in both the basic and clinical sciences and in related health subjects. The intention of the basic chiropractic curriculum is to provide an in-depth understanding of the structure and function of the human body in health and disease. The educational program includes training in the basic medical sciences, including anatomy with human dissection, physiology, and biochemistry. Thorough training is also obtained in differential diagnosis, radiology and therapeutic techniques. This means, a doctor of chiropractic can both diagnose and treat patients, which separates them from non-physician status providers, like physical therapists. According to the Council on Chiropractic Education DCs are trained as Primary care Providers.

What is a Doctor of Chiropractic?
The proper title for a doctor of chiropractic is "doctor" as they are considered physicians under Medicare and in the overwhelming majority of states. The professional credentials abbreviation " D.C." means doctor of chiropractic. ACA also advocates in its Policies on Public Health that DCs may be referred to as (chiropractic) physicians as well.

Chiropractic Philosophy
As a profession, the primary belief is in natural and conservative methods of health care. Doctors of chiropractic have a deep respect for the human body's ability to heal itself without the use of surgery or medication. These doctors devote careful attention to the biomechanics, structure and function of the spine, its effects on the musculoskeletal and neurological systems, and the role played by the proper function of these systems in the preservation and restoration of health. A Doctor of chiropractic is one who is involved in the treatment and prevention of disease, as well as the promotion of public health, and a wellness approach to patient health care.

Scope of Practice
Doctors of chiropractic frequently treat individuals with neuromusculoskeletal complaints, such as headaches, joint pain, neck pain, low back pain and sciatica. Chiropractors also treat patients with osteoarthritis, spinal disk conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, sprains, and strains. However, the scope of conditions that Doctors of chiropractic manage or provide care for is not limited to neuromusculoskeletal disorders. Chiropractors have the training to treat a variety of non-neuromusculoskeletal conditions such as: allergies, asthma, digestive disorders, otitis media (non-separative) and other disorders as new research is developed.

A variety of techniques, treatment and procedure are used to restore healing which will be the topic of future education releases.

Works Cited

Chapman-Smith, David: The Chiropractic Profession. West Des Moines, Iowa, NCMIC Group Inc., 2000: 11-17, 70-71.
Chiropractic: State of Art. Arlington, Virginia, American Chiropractic Association, 1998: 2-3, 12-14.
Spinal Manipulation Policy Statement. Arlington, Virginia: American Chiropractic Association, 1999: 6.

Chiropractic Treatments Can Help With Headaches
By Jason Westemeir

Often people searching for headache relief, reach for drugs or take a trip to the pharmacy in order to find relief. For many of these people it is routine. These days we are always looking for the quick fix. However, with headaches, prevention may be the best treatment. Licensed Chiropractors have techniques that can help people out of their pain, and then give them ways in which they can prevent future problems.

Headaches are a common problem for many people in today’s society. Many factors like stress, poor posture, and nutrition habits can lead to chronic headaches. Many headaches come from the underlying vertebrae in the neck. Many times if these vertebrae are out of alignment or subluxated muscle spasms can occur and cause a subsequent headache.

A chiropractic adjustment is a light, gentle manipulation targeted at specific vertebrae. The adjustment takes pressure off the vertebrae, soft tissue and nerves and reduces the muscle spasms that cause headaches. In chiropractic treatments adjustments reduce tension and reduce pain.

Not only does chiropractic relieve a current headache but the chiropractic adjustment reduces the occurrence of future headaches by restoring proper alignment and proper function. The chiropractic treatment is non intrusive and many patients get quick relief from the adjustment. There is no use of drugs, injections or surgery that may have complications associated with them.

Jason Westemeir is a Irvine Chiropractor for all of Orange County. Dr. Westemeir is a graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic. He also holds bachelor degrees in both biological science and human anatomy. He is an ex collegiate athlete who believes strongly in non invasive procedures to obtain optimum health for his patients. Irvine Chiropractic Center also provides massage therapy for patients looking for deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, myofascial release therapy, sports injury massage, and pregnancy massage.

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A Sure Cure to Headache
By Jes Walia

Do you always feel that there is something crashing your head? Do you feel severe pain in the head that you want to actually open it and find the thing inside that is causing the pain? Do you want to have a sure relief but you just do not know how? Then, now is the time for you to visit the nearest chiropractor in your place!

Chiropractic is a new innovation in the field of medicine. It is known before as an ancient method of healing body aches relating it to supreme beings and inanimate objects. But now, it has been integrated with scientific principles that actually focus on the relationship between the muscular system, skeletal system and nervous system. Sometimes, headache is caused by severe neck pains and nerve problems.

Chiropractic methods are used to actually correct those problems and to find solutions to those problems. In headaches, nerves are being checked and corrected if they are the ones responsible for the pain. And after that, you will feel a great relief and comfort after you know that you are actually free from the burden that you are feeling.

Chiropractic methods have many applications in the field of medicine. It is really beneficial to the society nowadays that we are really experiencing different kind of stress and pressure in our daily endeavors. But at the end of the day, we know, we have a sure cure to headache and other body pains. Chiropractic can really give you the relief you want to have!

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Chiropractic Treatment of Back Pain Doesn't Have to Be a Last Resort
By Bryan P

Chiropractic treatment used to be far less common of a treatment option than it once was when it was a relatively new concept. Many people did not believe in its effectiveness; nor did insurers, who did not consider chiropractic treatment to be a genuine medical procedure.

Attitudes have changed in more recent years and many insurance companies will now cover chiropractic treatment for back pain.

People who suffer from back pain will usually try various remedies before going to a chiropractor - rest, pain relievers, hot and cold applications and so on. When these fail to provide relief, these people will then talk to their doctors about getting relief for their pain A doctor will not typically recommend a chiropractor until having exhausted other possibilities with no success. Sometimes, a doctor may never make this recommendation and early on in other cases of back pain.

Many who suffer from back pain have recurring episodes, usually in connection with a specific activity. In these cases, they will often go directly to a chiropractor rather than first going to their primary car physician. For a lot of people suffering from back pain chiropractic treatment can bring relief where other methods have failed - and they wouldn't consider any other treatment for their back pain.

Chiropractic treatment of back pain will usually entail manipulating your back manually to move it into the right position. You have probably heard people saying they are seeing their chiropractor for an "adjustment". This is a common chiropractic treatment of back pain with manipulation being employed on the vertebrae to restore them to a proper alignment and movements. This will restore range of motion and pain relief by improving the state of the nerves in the area.

An adjustment involves a quick, fast, short lever arm thrust to the vertebra. This will generally be accompanied by the release of gas and the cracking of the joint. You need to be relaxed during the adjustment, or pain and discomfort can result. If the patient is tense, the chiropractor may need to apply ice or electrical stimulation and allow the patient to rest before retrying.

Chiropractic treatment of back pain is gaining in popularity with those who suffer from it. Most people go for more than one visit; returning when the back pain recurs. This is one reason why some will not see a chiropractor - they believe that the adjustments offer only temporary relief from symptoms rather than addressing the underlying causes of the back pain.

Need More Free Information On Back Pain Go To Help With Back Pain.com

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How a Sports Injury Chiropractor Can Heal You
By Jason Katzenback

No matter what kind of sport you play, there is the chance of injury. If you are wise, you will seek medical advice because this injury could progress to something worse and even more painful. A sports injury chiropractor could give you medical advice, health and nutritional information, and also chiropractic treatment. If you have an injury you could go to a sports injury chiroprator and get helped in many different ways.

Like any doctor or physical therapist, sports injury chiropractor’s goal is to restore your body to it’s normal function. Because pain starts in the nerves and spinal areas, chiropractors eliminate blockages, and provide pain relief. A sports injury chiropractor can also prefect injuries again and keep the body well maintained. Because the body is in less risk of physical injury your performance in games and practice can also increase.

If the problem lies in your nutritional aspect of your life, your sports injury chiropractor can help there too. They can give you advice on your diet and which foods to stay away from. They have counseled everyone from olympic athletes, runners, stunt people, professional athletes and body builders.

An sports injury chiropractor can also specialize in areas outside of the playing field. They can also deal with car accidents, or other types of accidents. Lower back pain and joint pain are also areas they can help with. Some other areas are hip pain, shin splints, leg injury, carpal tunnel, whiplash, muscle spasms and others.

If you have any of these types of injuries you might want to see a sports injury chiropractor. It is an alternative medicine that works! Fixing the injury or joints will help to relieve the pain you are feeling. There’s no need to suffer any more. If traditional health care in’t helping you, turn to the alternative.

Find all the Chiropractor Tips and Information you need at http://chiropractor.selfhelppage.com/

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Why Use a Sports Injury Chiropractor
By Ben Brook

How can a Sports Injury Chiropractor Help You

If you are an athlete that struggles with hamstring injuries and other back related strains a sports injury chiropractor can help you. A sports injury chiropractor will relieve the tension on your legs and back by unblocking the areas around your nerves and spine.

Sports injury chiropractors have many years of experience which makes them qualified to deal with problems that you may be facing. Sports injury chiropractors examine all aspects of your life from a nutritional, diet and fitness level standpoint, to help maximize your performance and get the most from your body. Sports injury chiropractors have helped many professional athletes including runners, Olympians and professional sports athletes.

Sports injury chiropractors are qualified in giving full chiropractic care in other areas and can help people who have suffered a car accident as well. All chiropractors can help with back pain, neck pain and pain to do with the joints. There is also some evidence that chiropractors can help with muscle spasms, whiplash and carpal tunnel syndrome.

If you have tried mainstream forms of medicine and you are finding that it is not providing the relief that you want. Than try a sports injury chiropractor this form of alternative medicine can be used in conjunction with other mainstream forms of medicine.

Ben Brook is web master of Chiropractor Articles and Resources were you will find many articles and resources about chiropractors.

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Sports Biomechanics, Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Kinesio Taping, Rehab, Weight Loss, Strength and Conditioning, Massage, Sports Performance Training, Custom Orthotics

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