When you hear the term chiropractor, what comes to your mind? For most people, it would revolve around “cracking bones.” Unfortunately, there is more to chiropractic care than what meets the eye. Doctors of chiropractic are musculoskeletal experts trained and experienced in analyzing, diagnosing, and treating disorders affecting the nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems. Moreover, chiropractors have been touted to treat temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ), headaches, and postural issues.
With the discovery of chiropractic care and the numerous benefits it has to offer, there are a few exceptions that experts wouldn’t recommend taking to a chiropractor. We understand the excitement in viewing chiropractic care as the ultimate solution to your bodily problems, but this piece will educate you on some of the conditions that a spine chiropractor cannot treat.
High blood pressure
Contrary to common belief, treating high blood pressure isn’t one of the chiropractors’ specialties. Although some chiropractors claim to provide high blood pressure treatment using spinal manipulation, its effectiveness is still in question. You might want to see another medical professional for your blood pressure condition.
Asthma
Another common condition that people like to believe chiropractic care can treat is asthma. Studies show that spinal adjustments and manipulation don’t provide sufficient progress and changes among asthmatic patients. However, nutritional and lifestyle guidance from a chiropractor’s point of view might help manage the condition.
Osteoporosis
Also known as the thinning of bones, osteoporosis often occurs as you age. While a chiropractor could help relieve pain caused by the condition, no amount of spinal adjustment and manipulation will help reverse osteoporosis. Your chiropractor could suggest offering nutrition counseling or propose some osteoporosis-friendly exercises to manage the condition.
Traumatic injuries
As earlier discussed, chiropractic care restores the body’s physiological functions by improving nerve transmissions and aligning the spine. Your chiropractor may relieve headaches, joint discomfort, neck pains, and back pains through these techniques. Nonetheless, some conditions are beyond a chiropractor’s scope of knowledge and practice, for instance, in cases where you suffer from severe traumatic injuries such as fractures and broken bones.
A chiropractor isn’t certified to treat fresh injuries and may not help in such a situation. However, techniques such as compression techniques may help with the healing process. You are advised to seek chiropractic care after you’ve begun healing and only need to make the healing process smoother. You could benefit from exercises and stretches wired at improving your physical strength after an injury. Chiropractors are well-versed with these exercises. Surgeries
One major concern among patients looking to benefit from chiropractic care is whether these professionals can conduct surgeries. Chiropractors aren’t trained nor qualified surgeons. They typically incorporate non-invasive procedures such as joint mobilization, massages, spinal adjustments, and posture corrections. The last resort to conditions such as scoliosis or sciatica mainly involves surgical intervention. At that point, your doctor of chiropractic will refer you to an orthopedic surgeon for treatment. After surgery, your chiropractor might help relieve the musculoskeletal discomfort that comes after an invasive procedure.
Cancer
Patients with cancer and undergoing treatment and highly discouraged from seeking chiropractic treatments. Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy increase the risk of weakening bone structures. Spinal adjustments on already weakened bones could cause more harm than good to the patient. It’s imperative to discuss your options with your doctor before concluding that you need to see a chiropractor for bone and joint adjustments.
Post-operative conditions
For long, chiropractic care has been recommended as a great rehabilitation tool among patients recovering from surgery. However, adjustments too soon after being discharged from the hospital could do more harm than good. During appointments, your chiropractor will ask to see your recent medical records and history and gauge if your body is fit to handle spinal adjustments. Your doctor could also help determine the best time to head into the chiropractor’s office for adjustments.
Prescribing medication
Chiropractic care strives hard not to involve medication as a form of pain relief. Through offsetting pressure and tension in the spinal column and improving mobility, your body should be free from discomfort. At no point will a chiropractor prescribe medication to improve your quality of life and manage your condition. Other conditions that chiropractors don’t treat include:
- Infections.
- Bone tumors.
- Severe arthritis.
Have you been suffering from a condition that you aren’t sure whether a chiropractor will solve? Don’t struggle alone. Reach us at 205-637-1363 to book an appointment and talk to one of our specialists. Let us help you get the comfort you need.
