Roger D. Soard, D.C.CHIROPRACTIC CARING FOR YOU2780 N. 15th Ct., Coos Bay, OR 97420
(541)269-2633 |
IS CHIROPRACTIC MANIPULATION SAFE? |
ORTHOPEDICS TODAY ARTICLE
Spinal manipulation is a safe and effective nondrug spine pain treatment. This is the summation expressed in an article found in Orthopedics Today, the Feb 23, 2003 edition, titled 'Time to recognize value of chiropractic care? Science and patient satisfaction surveys cite usefulness of spinal manipulation.'
ASK FRIENDS
Chiropractic is generally considered to be safe. A chiropractor's extensive education, training, along with required national testing, and state board licensing of course points to the importance of protecting the public. Patients should also ask friends or neighbors who they would recommend. This should apply when picking any practioner who affects your healthcare. It's a way to gain confidence about a doctor's reputation and skill.
CAREFUL ABOUT INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITITIES
There are precautions to be recognized with manual manipulation of the spine. It is not recommended for patients with severe inflammatory spinal conditions like rheumatoid arthritis of the spine, psoriatic spinal arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis. Chiropractors, like physical therapists, are able to offer adjunctive therapies such as ultrasound, electrotherapy, or infrared treatments which are soothing and reduce inflammation for these inflammatory conditions. Without question, patients with bone cancer of the spine certainly should not be receive firm manual manipulation. Chiropractors with careful consideration can offer light force techniques such as the use of the manually held 'Activator' instrument in the inflammatory type cases.
CAREFUL ABOUT HARDENING OF THE ARTERIES
Patients who have a history of hardening of the arteries present a concern when seeking conventional manual manipulation of the neck. A patient who has been suffering neck pain or stiffness along with chronic light headed dizziness or vertigo and headaches, and who has been diagnosed with arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis should consult their primary care physician first before getting firm manual manipulation of their neck.
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS HISTORY - GET ULTRASOUND FIRST
Consider having the primary care doctor order a cervical ultrasound procedure to check the patient's carotid arteries. A patient should not receive conventional firm manual manipulation of the upper cervical spine if the diagnosis indicates significant vascular calcification of these vessels. Should this vascular test turn out to be clear, then the patient can proceed with manual manipulation by their chiropractor.
WHEN IS IT SAFE TO RECEIVE MANUAL MANIPULATION?
Osteoarthritis of the spine is not inflammatory in nature when there is no acute trauma. The common aging condition of osteoarthritis can receive manual manipulation of the spine. There are cases of course where the location and size of a bone spur from osteoarthritis may hinder the performance of certain manual manipulation procedures.
CARE IN POST SURGICAL CONDITIONS
Post surgical spinal surgeries, along with fusions, do not prevent treatment from a chiropractor. A chiropractor will usually avoid being right on the vertebrae involved in such a surgery. It's a common problem after a spinal fusion to eventually have additional trouble with adjacent discs near the fused spinal vertebrae. Here in Coos Bay, Oregon, Dr. Soard chooses to be very specific as he identifies a painful verbebra to adjust. He takes care when treating areas that are near a post spinal surgical location.
RESEARCH CONFIRMS CHIROPRACTIC TO BE EFFECTIVE
In the general appraisal of chiropractic treatment in over the last twenty years, and after an extensive study of all available care for low back problems, the federal Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (which is now the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality) recommended that low back pain sufferers choose the most conservative care first. They went on to recommend spinal manipulation as the only safe and effective, drugless form of initial professional treatment for acute low back problems in adults.
Reference
- (Bigos S, Bowyer O, Braen G, et al. Acute Low Back Problems in Adults. Clinical Practice Guideline No.14. AHCPR Publication No. 95-0642. Rockville, MD: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December, 1994.)
ARTICLE IN JOURNAL OF THE AMA RECOMMENDS CHIROPRACTIC
An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested chiropractic care as an option for people suffering from low back pain--and noted that surgery is usually not needed and should only be tried if other therapies fail.
Reference
- Goodman D, Burke A, Livingston E. Low Back Pain. JAMA. 2013; 309(16):1738.