Together with osteopathy, chirotherapy belongs to the so-called manual therapies. Under it different therapeutic directions are summarized, which treat diseases and functional disturbances only with the help of the hands (lat.: manus = hand). Both techniques did not originally belong to the “Classical Natural Remedies”, but were developed around the same time at the end of the 19th century in the USA.
Philosophy: what is chiropractic therapy?
Chirotherapy (Greek: cheir = hand) assumes that almost all physical complaints can be traced back to malpositions or blockages of joints. These are said to be the cause not only of back pain or headaches, but just as much of diseases such as high blood pressure, asthma, middle ear infections, hiccups or herpes infections. According to chiropractors, many diseases can be treated by eliminating the disturbed joint function.
Joint Blockages: Symptoms
The following symptoms may indicate joint blockage in the spine:
- Back pain
- Neck pain and headaches
- Chest pain
- Disturbances in respiratory function
- Shoulder complaints
- Chronic ringing in the ears
- Vertigo
- Visual disturbances
The far-reaching effect of joint blockages is explained by reflex arcs, nerve connections that run from the joint through the spine to the diseased organs. This theory has not been scientifically proven yet. Only in the treatment of movement restrictions in the spine, chiropractic conforms to conventional medicine.
Cause of blockages
A “stiff” neck or lumbar discomfort can indeed often be traced to blockages in the joints between the vertebrae. For a long time, it was assumed that vertebrae were “dislocated” in back pain.
Today, however, it is clear that behind joint blockages are actually hardened and tense muscles. Muscle tension leads to nerve irritation, which on the one hand maintains the muscle tension, but on the other hand also radiates into the surrounding area. Therefore, a tense neck can also cause shoulder discomfort, headaches, dizziness or vision problems, among other things.
Treatment methods
The chiropractor can release the blockage by a targeted jerk or a small rotation. This interrupts the nerve stimulus for a brief moment, the muscle tension decreases and the joint becomes free. The therapist actually exerts only a very minimal force impulse on the joint. Nevertheless, there may be a clearly audible “crack” in the bony joints during the manipulation.
In a similar way, the chiropractor treats pain radiating from the knee, elbow or hip joint. However, chiropractic manipulation of the spine is not entirely free of risks. The treatment should be performed only by a well-trained therapist, primarily because of the risks involved.
Cost of chiropractic therapy
The health insurance company will cover the costs if the therapy is performed by a contracted physician with appropriate additional training.