The mission of chiropractic is to
help sick people get well, as well as to help healthy people function better in
the absence of drugs or surgery.
When
people are asked, "...what do chiropractors do?" the frequent
response is, "...they crack your neck and/or back."
Chiropractic spinal manipulation
(frequently called an adjustment), often produces an audible popping or
cracking noise.
This sound is known as joint
cavitation and it is reported to be caused by the release of pressure
created by gases (nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide) within the joint.
It
is the same noise produced when one cracks their knuckles. One common myth is
that cracking or cavitating a joint will produce arthritis in the joint - this
is simply not true.
Several scientific studies of joint
cavitation dispel this old wives tale. In fact, studies demonstrated that joint
manipulation actually benefits patients with arthritis of the spine.
There have been a number of studies
published on the topic of unwanted reactions to spinal manipulation.
In general, side effects, if any,
are mild and transient.
When they do occur, they typically
happen shortly after the first or second session of spinal manipulation,
similar to the post-exercise soreness that occurs when first introducing a new
sport or activity.
Unpleasant side effects may occur in
between 10% and 30% of patients. They occur more often in women than men, and
as previously stated, they seem to occur more often after the first session of
spinal manipulation.
The most commonly reported
unpleasant reaction is temporary and transient increased pain or stiffness.
This reaction usually resolves in 24 hours or less. More rare reports of tiredness, light
headedness, and occasional nausea have been infrequently reported.
The type and nature of these reactions
may be associated with the severity and nature of the condition being treated.
It seems self evident that more
severe problems have the potential to produce short term increases in symptoms.
The use of ice, ultrasound and or other modalities can help to minimize any
irritation that may occur due to spinal manipulative treatment.
SPINAL
MANIPULATION HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE FOR UNCOMPLICATED SPINAL
PAIN SYNDROMES. MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT MAY ALSO BE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO
SURGERY FOR LUMBAR OR CERVICAL DISK HERNIATIONS.
There are many reports on both sides
of this subject, with some stating spinal manipulation can increase compression
of the spinal nerves in patients with disk herniations as well as the opposite
- that it reduces nerve root pressure.
The good news is that the rate of
occurrence is only about 1 in 1- 3 million cases, making spinal manipulation
for disk problems an extremely safe treatment option for patient with herniated
disks.
Chiropractors will often use
low-force manipulation methods for treating herniated disks that do not require
a standard type of manipulation thrust.
These spinal methods are sometimes
preferred over traditional manipulative techniques for the treatment of
herniated spinal disks, but this is case dependent.
To make an educated decision about
any type of care you may be considering, you must consider "relative
risks". Simply put, relative risks compare the risk of one procedure with
the risk of a second procedure for the same condition.
For example, if you are taking
medications to relieve your pain, how do the risks of the medications compare
with the risks of an alternative treatment, like chiropractic care?
An example is chiropractic treatment
versus drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which
include aspirin, Aleve and Advil (TM).
THE
RISK FOR SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS FROM ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUG IS FROM 6000-9000
TIMES GREATER THAN THE RISK FOR SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS FROM SPINAL MANIPULATION,
MEANING THAT CHIROPRACTIC CARE IS A MUCH SAFER ALTERNATIVE THAN ASPIRIN OR
OTHER NSAID DRUGS FOR TREATING INFLAMMATORY BACK OR NECK PAIN.
Further, there is no significant
increased risk to add chiropractic care to an existing regime of NSAIDs, thus
treating the condition with two different strategies.
Interestingly, studies have reported
that patients receiving chiropractic care were able to reduce their intake of
drugs, thus, reducing the risks of drug reactions/interactions.
If you are trying to avoid surgery
for a spine related problem, your condition is more serious and potential side
effects of surgery should be compared with chiropractic.
You should understand any patient
who is a potential candidate for spine surgery has a serious medical condition.
There is pressure on a nerve and the potential for permanent damage to that
nerve exists.
Studies show that chiropractic
care often can reduce the pressure on a compressed nerve in the lower back or
neck, without surgery.
