Chiropractors are so-called manual therapists who restore normal function or mobility to the spine or joints by using certain manipulative techniques. In most cases of illness, a chiropractor treats subluxations, slight shifts in the vertebral bodies, which can lead to the most varied symptoms. All spinal segments can be treated chiropractically.
What is a chiropractor?
Chiropractors are so-called manual therapists who restore normal function or mobility to the spine or joints by using specific manipulative techniques. The word chiropractic is made up of the syllable chiro, Greek for hand, and practice, which translates to activity. It is therefore a treatment performed with the hands of the therapist practically and directly on the patient. The training to become a chiropractor is, at least in Germany, not regulated by law. Nevertheless, not everyone is allowed to call himself a chiropractor, because the application of chiropractic is the practice of medicine and therefore falls under the Heilpraktikergesetz. Anyone who wants to practice chiropractic professionally in Germany must therefore be a doctor or at least an officially licensed non-medical practitioner. The medical studies of human medicine, but also the basic training as a non-medical practitioner do not include any chiropractic training. Chiropractors have therefore continued their education in chiropractic after their basic education as a physician or non-medical practitioner. Therefore, the actual qualifications of a chiropractor may not always be obvious to patients.
Treatments and therapies
The list of indications for chiropractic treatment is quite extensive and includes virtually all physical and psychological symptoms. Especially for chronic ailments, an attempt at therapy is almost always worthwhile. Often, significant improvement can be achieved after only one treatment. If a spontaneous healing occurs after a chiropractic intervention due to slight vertebral displacements, one also speaks of a so-called second phenomenon of chiropractic. The terms chiropractic and chirotherapy are often used synonymously in medical language. The main therapeutic target of chiropractic is the spine, whereby manipulative interventions in the area of the cervical spine are considered particularly delicate. The treatment spectrum of chiropractic includes in particular tension, blockages and pain in the entire spinal area. Every second patient who visits a chiropractor suffers from acute or chronic back problems caused by bad posture, painful tension or herniated discs. Especially in the case of neck pain, it has been proven that chiropractic interventions often provide faster and more effective relief than taking painkillers. However, chiropractic, which is often popularly referred to as adjusting, should not be used as a permanent therapeutic agent. Trained chiropractors must admit that if the muscle corset in the spine is inadequate, chiropractic alone cannot be a long-term solution. Rather, patients must be urged to avoid poor posture in everyday life and to strengthen their dorsal muscles through back school and circuit training to prevent vertebral misalignments from occurring in the first place.
Diagnostic and examination methods
Since chiropractic is a manual medicine, the therapist works primarily with his hands. This applies to both the diagnosis of the individual vertebral segments and the actual chiropractic treatment. It goes without saying that before any treatment, a reputable chiropractor will first take a detailed medical history to get to the bottom of the causes of the complaints, in order to be able to recognize whether chiropractic treatment makes any sense at all in the individual case. He will also inform the patient about possible risks associated with the use of chiropractic. After all, improper execution can result in paralysis or even blockage of the carotid artery with fatal consequences for the cerebral circulation. For the actual manipulative intervention, the patient is positioned precisely on a couch, depending on his or her symptoms. The blocked segment of the spinal column is usually adjusted quickly and jerkily within a breathing maneuver.In most cases, a cracking and creaking sound is produced, which patients often subjectively perceive as promoting healing. The exact source of these joint noises has not yet been identified, but it is most likely to be the release of negative pressure within a joint space.
What should patients be aware of?
Good chiropractors can be both medical doctors and alternative practitioners. Healing successes of chiropractors usually make the rounds quickly, so a patient may also trust word of mouth in this case. In case of reasonable doubt, a potential patient should not hesitate to ask the practitioner directly about his or her qualifications as a chiropractor. American chiropractors are considered to be particularly qualified, and a number of them are now practicing in Germany. In America, chiropractic is recognized as an independent course of study in medicine with the possibility of a doctorate. Nevertheless, a well-trained American chiropractor must pass the Heilpraktiker examination in Germany in order to be allowed to practice chiropractic in this country.