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Advances In Chiropractic Medicine
Advances In Chiropractic Medicine
Chiropractic medicine has come a long way since the ancient Greeks found a way to improve health and comfort by aligning the spine.
Boise,
ID,
United States of America
(prbd.net)
25/01/2013
Chiropractic medicine has come a long way since the ancient Greeks found a way to improve health and comfort by aligning the spine. No longer just pounding and cracking away, advances in chiropractic study have brought tools and equipment to the practice to improve efficiency and reduce pain.
Though still considered "alternative medicine," chiropractic is a large, well-regulated and vastly studied area of care. Training is intensive, and licensing is strict. It is no longer considered outside the mainstream, or marginalized as it once was. Given its new found respectability, chiropractic colleges are always researching new ways to improve the field.
One such way is through EMG equipment advancement. Previously, there was only needle electromyography. Now there's surface electromyography, or SEMG. While there are some things the old-fashioned EMG are still better at, SEMG is superior at confirming even the mildest cases of muscle spasm. It is also more reliable than traditional EMG.
Another interesting advancement is the use of chiropractic medicine in neurology. Specifically, research is continuing that shows positive results in treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Dr. J G Moellendorf, DC, ND, LCP writes that by bringing the limbic system into better alignment, it promotes functionality and relieves symptoms associated with ADHD.
Some chiropractors are using chiropractic neurology to help patients who have suffered concussions or other brain injuries. By stimulating other nerve centers, the affected areas are brought back into alignment, decreasing symptoms and improving quality of life.
The most famous case thus far has been hockey player Sidney Crosby, who credits chiropractic neurology for saving his career after an on-ice blow that led to a concussion. Crosby was placed in a gyro-like contraption to refocus the brain and ease vertigo. This is similar as the conditioning used at NASA for astronauts going to space, only with a medical component.
Though there are no scientific studies to date, testimony to effectiveness of the treatment is strong. Studies will be needed to prove and explore it further.
Not every advance is something "new." Other advances in chiropractic technology look to the past. While it may shock some, current equipment making great strides in the field are based on what were once torture devices! Forward-thinking researchers realized they merely had to look back to find excellent tools at their disposal.
The famous "rack," used for stretching the arms out of a prisoner in Elizabethan times, can be used - in a more gentle fashion, of course - to alleviate pressure in those suffering lumbar spinal compression problems. Today, instead of calling it the rack, we call it "traction."
[References:
SEMG: http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=43122
The Rack: http://www.gloucestertimes.com/lifestyle/x1525003919/Yesterdays-torture-devices-todays-medical-advances
Chiropractic Neurology: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/chiropractic-neurology/ , http://abcnews.go.com/Health/chiropractic-neurology-breakthrough-placebo/story?id=17027630 , http://www.all-about-wellness.com/page/1adhd.html ]
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The famous "rack," used for stretching the arms out of a prisoner in Elizabethan times, can be used - in a more gentle fashion, of course - to alleviate pressure in those suffering lumbar spinal compression problems. Today, instead of calling it the rack, we call it "traction."
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