Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a very common condition nowadays, especially in people over 50 years of age. Statistics indicate that women are diagnosed more often than men with a ratio of 3:1 in between the ages of 45-60 years of age. Only 10% of reported cases of CTS are younger than 30 years of age. It occurs in around three per cent of men and 11 per cent of women at some point in their lives. It is most prevalent in manual workers, including computer programmers, assembly line workers, gardeners, golfers and the list could go on. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome first became prevalent following World War Two, while the first use of the term was noted 1939. However there were documented reports as early as the 1800s. It is one of the most frequent work injuries reported by the health professions today.

What Is The Carpal Tunnel and What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or CTS, is a collection of various symptoms and clinical presentations, which are caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel, in the palm side of the wrist. It is surrounded on three sides by the bones of the hand (carpal bones) creating an arch. Running through the tunnel are nine flexor tendons, together with the median nerve, which controls muscles around the thumb. The nerve and the tendons provide function, feeling, and movement to some of the fingers. The finger and wrist flexor muscles including their tendons originate in the forearm at the medial epicondyle of the elbow joint and attach to the bones of the fingers and thumb. The floor of the tunnel are the wrist bones; the sides are the tendons of the fingers, and the top is the transverse carpal ligament. The carpal tunnel is not very big and does not have much room. If there is any swelling, this will result in pressure on the nerve, and the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may appear. The median nerve can be compressed by a decrease in the size of the tunnel, an increase in the size of the structures in the tunnel, such as the swelling of tissues around the flexor tendons, or both. Flexing the wrist alone, up to or greater than 90 degrees will decrease the size of the canal.

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms range from mild discomfort or sensations to extreme pain, weakness and parasthesia (abnormal sensations such as pins, needles and burning).. These symptoms progressively worsen over time and patients that have been diagnosed with CTS often experience burning sensations, numbness and tingling in the thumb and fingers, particularly the index and middle fingers, which are affected by the median nerve. Individuals also experience pain in the wrists or hands and some people also lose gripping strength. Pain may also develop in the arms and shoulders and swelling of the hand. The pain may be worse at night do to the different sleeping positions.

Numbness and parasthesia in the median nerve dermatome and myotomes (areas of skin and muscle the nerve supplies) are the neurological symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Weakness and atrophy of the wrist and hand muscles may occur if the condition remains untreated.

What Can Cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Any condition that causes increased pressure on the median nerve at the Carpal Tunnel can be included in the differential diagnosis of CTS. A large percentage of CTS sufferers, have been found to be of unknown cause for their symptoms. Some people may be genetically predisposed to this condition. Diabetes, arthritis, hypothyroidism and direct injury are other common conditions that can lead to CTS.

“Double Crush” Syndrome

Double Crush was first described in 1973. It has been documented as involvement of multiple injury sites in repetitive strain injuries. It was found that there were associated cervical nerves involved in the pathology as well. They proposed that if a nerve is impaired at one location it makes that patient more susceptible to other entrapments along the same nerve distribution. They felt that either nerve compression alone or by itself would not be enough to cause clinical dysfunction. The two or more sites of nerve compression may slow axonal transport, thus creating conduction abnormalities. They concluded it is of vital importance to identify each area of nerve compression or entrapment and treat each one individually.

In CTS, many times the nerves to the hand are damaged due to injuries of the wrist along with concurrent injuries ranging from the forearm to the upper neck (“Double Crush”). They may present with neck pain. An example of this is a cervical (neck) nerve impingement causing pain, and other symptoms like numbness, tingling, and weakness in the arms (neck site) and carpal tunnel syndrome (wrist site). Determining the damage at each site may be difficult to assess, and make a definitive diagnosis unclear. Treatment of the problem at one site alone is most likely to result in ongoing and persistent symptoms. Advance testing can be done by a neurologist to determine whether the condition is indeed “Double Crush.” Nerve conduction studies and needle electromyography to determine specific sites of damage and nerve root compression.

What Can Be Done For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or “Double Crush Syndrome?”

Stretching exercises for the fingers wrist and hand are a good preventative strategy to decrease the possibility of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This may help to minimise numbness and pain caused by repetitive stress to the involved areas. In more chronic cases use of night splints may be helpful. A more aggressive approach includes corticosteroid injections and ultimately surgery. Surgical procedures have been developed over the years to “release” the pressure on the nerves at the carpal tunnel by permanently severing the ligament that holds the tunnel together.

The Chiropractic Approach

CTS is commonly treated by Chiropractors. Modern techniques and procedures have shown Chiropractic may be very effective at reducing symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and improve overall function. The methods most chiropractors use to treat CTS include adjustments and mobilisation of the wrist, elbow, and spine. Safe, gentle and effective adjustments, in combination with the other mentioned supporting preventative measures may not only reduce pain, numbness and burning that accompany Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, may help strengthen and increase the functionality of the involved areas. This may decrease the likelihood of the problem coming back. How frequent a person needs to be adjusted would depend not only on that persons individual history and exam findings, but also the repetitive nature of the stress that contributed to the original injury.

If you think you may be a sufferer of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or have struggled to get relief from your current approach, consulting with your Chiropractor may be helpful. They will perform a thorough history and consultation, a complete physical exam including orthopaedic, neurological and xray exam. Further testing may also be necessary depending on the severity and nature of the problem.

Chiropractic care may provide a safe, conservative approach to managing your condition, and helping you back to optimum health.

Find Chiropractic Universities in the United States and Canada. Candidates seeking to enroll in one of several alternative health courses will find that a number of chiropractic universities offer comprehensive graduate, undergraduate and chiropractic studies.

In almost all cases, chiropractic universities require applicants to have earned prerequisite courses and/or a degree from a traditional college or higher learning institution. As with most academic organizations, chiropractic universities provide intensive clinical training and education. Curriculums vary, but for the Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) Program, students frequently engage in approximately 4,200-5,000 instructional hours, which can be achieved in a four to eight-year time span (depending on part-time and full-time course availability).

While each state differs in licensure requirements, applicants should familiarize themselves with pre-chiropractic and other educational requirements prior to enrolling in one of several chiropractic universities. In addition, common curriculums that are extended through chiropractic universities entail in-depth instruction in anatomy, biochemistry, business, chiropractic skills, clinical nutrition and diagnosis, microbiology, neurosciences, pathology, physiology, psychology, public health, and radiology. Students who have completed all applicable training and internship programs will be able to sit for the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners test. Upon successful completion and passing the exam, students must also (in most cases) maintain specified hours of annual continuing education to retain licensure.

A number of chiropractic universities offer post-doctoral courses in a variety of subjects including applied chiropractic sciences, family practice, neurology, nutrition, orthopedics, pediatrics, radiology and rehab; to list just a few. For the entrepreneur, chiropractic universities allow individuals to become self-employed healthcare providers who often work solo or in small, partner practices.

Students drawn to the fascinating field of chiropractic will find that chiropractic universities not only present course-intensive education and training, but will also discover that this alternative health treatment taught at chiropractic universities is quickly becoming mainstream medicine.

Furthermore, chiropractic universities also enable successful graduates to enter a health care practice, which is definitely on the rise. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment of chiropractors is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014 as consumer demand for alternative health care grows.”

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding one of several chiropractic universities, let education within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.

Chiropractic Universities: Teaching Doctors of Tomorrow
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There are several steps to take when considering a chiropractic adjustment. First, consider whether Chiropractic is you best option for you and your health. Here are a few items to consider:

1. Chronic pain in your joints, muscles or head hasn’t improved with traditional medical treatments.
2. Your job requires you to sit for long periods of time or to perform repetitive physical tasks.
3. An injury to a muscle, joint or spine hasn’t healed with initial medical treatment, medications or physical therapy.
4. Sharp pain shoots from your hip down your leg.
5. Pain, achiness, a burning sensation or stiffness comes and goes in parts of your body, with no explainable cause.
6. You want to address joint or muscle pain without drugs or surgery.
7. The soles of your shoes consistently wear differently. For instance, the left outer heel of shoes for your right foot wears down more quickly.
8. The hem of your skirts or pants hangs unevenly.
9. Your head is positioned forward rather than directly over your shoulders.
10. One of your shoulders is lower than the other.

When selecting a chiropractor, take time to find a DC who:

* Is recommended by your physician, other health care professionals or friends.
* Is licensed to practice chiropractic in the State of Texas.
* Has experience treating your specific condition or symptoms.
* Is board certified if you need specialized care in areas such as such as chiropractic neurology, chiropractic rehabilitation, chiropractic orthopedics or chiropractic pediatrics. Board certification indicates the DC has completed studies and testing beyond those required to be a Doctor of Chiropractic.
* Is willing to work with your other physicians as part of your medical team.
* Uses diagnostic tools such as x-rays, ultrasound and paraspinal digital infrared imaging.
* Offers holistic, preventive care and counsel.
* Will provide an initial consultation free-of-charge.
* Doesn’t claim that chiropractic treatment will cure an alphabet soup of medical conditions.

You also can get names of DCs in your area from the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) web site at www.AcaToday.org or by calling, toll-free (800) 986-4636. You also can contact your state’s chiropractic association. State contact information is posted at the ACA web site.

Low back pain or lumbago is a common musculoskeletal disorder affecting 80% of people at some point in their life. The can be either acute, sub-acute or chronic in duration. Chiropractic care involving spinal manipulations is considered a safe, efficient treatment for low back pain. Chiropractic is a health care system devoted to the non-surgical treatment of disorders of the nervous system and/or musculoskeletal system, generally done by special chiropractic doctors, quite efficient in carrying out spinal manipulation and treatment of surrounding structures.
While treating lower back pain, differential diagnosis using a triage concept of classifying low back injuries into categories helps to steer the doctor of chiropractic. These categories of chiropractic diagnosis include:

1. Potentially serious: tumor, infection, fracture, major neurological problem, local open wound or burn, prolonged bleeding (hemophilia), artificial joint implant problems, pacemaker problems, joint infection. In such case the chiropractic practitioner typically refers the patient to a relevant medical specialist or a surgeon, and chiropractic doctor may co-manage the patient’s care with other back pain specialists

2. Sciatica: it happens when the nerve root in the low back is pinched or compressed. The chiropractic method for such cases involves describing the symptoms experienced by patients.
3. Non-specific: when there is mechanical back pain in the lumbar spine (most common type of presentation). The chiropractic remedy for this category also involves detailing the symptoms.

With chiropractic analysis of potentially severe injuries, chiropractic manipulation is generally avoided over the relevant anatomy, although it may not be lined out on other areas. Doctors of Chiropractic, more commonly called as chiropractors, typically care for conditions involving lower back pain and/or neck pain through hands-on chiropractic care, including:

1. Spinal manipulation or adjustment: This chiropractic method involves a high-velocity, short lever arm thrust that is applied to irregular vertebra with the aim of improving functionality, reducing nerve irritability and restoring range of motion in the back, this manipulation is also known as chiropractic adjustment.

2. Mobilization: Chiropractic Mobilization aims to increase the range of motion in muscles and joints by applying low velocity manipulation, movement and stretching of those muscles and joints.

The chiropractic treatment plan is determined by the patient’s pain, disability issues and activity intolerance. Patient education with the supervision of the chiropractic doctor is significant to reduce anxiety levels that often accompany intense low back pain. The plan recommends chiropractic care 3-5 visits/week over 1-2 weeks. If no significant improvement is noted, the patient should be referred to another chiropractic expert or other appropriate chiropractic methods must be undertaken.
Furthermore, most chiropractic health centers offer a range of health services, such as:

Physical therapy: In various chiropractic methods, various types of equipment (ultrasound, traction, electrical stimulation, etc.) may be used with the aim of reducing back pain and inflammation.
Exercises: A range of cardiovascular, stretching and strengthening exercises may be prescribed by chiropractic doctors to decrease lower back pain, increase strength and restore range of motion.
Pelvic stabilization:. When flat feet and/or subtalar instability are present, the chiropractic doctor places a small heel lift in the shoe on the short leg side or prescribes corrective arch supports to help stabilize the pelvis.

Ergonomic: During the tenure of chiropractic care, the chiropractic practiotioner may advocate some procedure that should be employed at home and/or at work.

Patient education: Chiropractic care also involves advising a variety of lifestyle modifications including diet and nutritional programs to the patients suffering from lower back pain.
The doctors of chiropractic do not use any drugs or surgery in their practice. However, sometimes a chiropractic doctor may recommend that the patient to consult another practitioner.

Chiropractic is a medical scheme which is based on the theory that disease and disorders are caused by misaligned bones, especially in the spine, that obstructs proper nerve functions. Chiropractic doctors manually manipulate the joints of the body and realign the spinal column. Chiropractic is something done by hand. These corrections performed to the spine are generally known as chiropractic adjustments or adjustments.
Moreover chiropractic is a natural and a safe way to find a relief from various health conditions.
Chiropractic doctors are special trained and qualified doctors who diagnose and take care of disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. The idea of chiropractic medicine is that skeletal imbalance and joint malfunction, particularly in the area of the spine, can cause pain and other problems. Chiropractic practitioners depend upon palpitation, pressure, and manual manipulation of the joints and muscles to cure various problems arising due to misalignment of the spine. Chiropractic has been found very in curing numerous conditions like back pain, neck pain, muscle and joint pain, whiplash, headaches, etc. In chiropractic the term subluxation is used to represent the altered position of the vertebra and subsequent functional loss, which determines the location for the manipulative chiropractic treatment.
Chiropractors frequently use chiropractic kinesiology to treat structural imbalances and muscle and joint problems. Chiropractic kinesiology is a definite form of diagnosis using functional neurological muscle testing (FNMT) as a main feedback mechanism to help find out the reason of an individual’s chief complaint and to help evaluate our structural, nutritional and mental aspects of health.
A lot of people think of chiropractors as merely back doctors. But in actuality, the chiropractic profession is built on the belief that spinal alignment affects the health of the whole body. Therefore, a chiropractic doctor treats the spine in order to bring about a variety of health benefits. Chiropractic treatment is suitable for one and all, including newborn babies, the elderly, pregnant women, and sports enthusiasts. A Chiropractic doctor will help you to maintain your health, and keep your body aligned as it should, and by offering chiropractic exercise and lifestyle advice for you to follow in the future. Some equipment like massage chairs, portable chiropractic tables may be used to help relax the body. Chiropractic science does not involve use of drugs or any form of medication or surgery and hence chiropractic generally has no or very few side-effects. Chiropractic treatment for various conditions is quite less painful than the other remedies for that problem. Chiropractic has helped bringing the body to its proper shape and posture.
Most insurance policies do cover chiropractic care. One must check with the health care provider for insurance of chiropractic treatment. Nearly all chiropractic offices will call and check on coverage, but it is best to call the health provider prior to your visit.
Chiropractic forms a part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). A survey conducted by Centers for Disease Control in 2002 found chiropractic to be the fifth most used CAM treatment, after prayer, meditation, deep breathing and use of natural products.
Chiropractic treatment can be continuing. You may attain a degree of comfort after chiropractic treatments, but misalignment of joints can sometimes be reoccurring.

There are several medical conditions that are suitable for chiropractic treatment, not just back pain and slipped or herniated discs.  In fact, some, such as allergies, would not normally be associated with chiropractics, yet many conditions that involve neural pathways are treatable using chiropractic therapy.  Here is a range of conditions that can be treated using non-invasive manipulative therapy.

Neck and Back Pain

The treatment of back pain, and other problems associated with the spine, is a classic application of chiropractics. Many spinal problems can be resolved using manipulative therapy much more effectively that by surgery.  A classic case is that of the bulging or herniated disc in the lumbar or cervical vertebrae. Often referred to as a slipped disc, the disc has not slipped because it is firmly attached to the vertebrae, but has actually ruptured.

A vertebral disc consists of a spongy shock-absorbent gel, the nucleus pulposus, surrounded by a tough annular sheath. Occasionally the gel will lose its strength, often through age or stresses on the spine, and rupture through the sheath creating a condition known as a herniated disc.  If the gel simply presses against the inside of the annulus and creates a lump, it is known as a bulging disc. The hernia or bulge can press against a nerve and cause extreme pain.

This can occur in the cervical vertebrae of the neck or the lumbar vertebrae of the lower back, and although surgery can be used to cut out the disc and then fuse the vertebrae together, chiropractics can offer a far better solution in Spinal Decompression Therapy or IDD Therapy (intervertebral differential dynamic therapy). This non-invasive technique gently creates a pressure differential between the vertebrae that causes the disc to expand like a bellows and suck in nutrients and water to enable the rupture to heal with an average 86% success rate.

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

CTS is caused by a pinched nerve in the tunnel of bones formed by the carpals in the wrist. Chiropractic care involves manipulation of the upper spine, elbow and wrist and also ultrasound therapy. There have been two studies carried out involving 25 and 91 individuals that have reported significant improvements in the condition after chiropractic treatment.

The second, involving 91 people, came to the conclusion that chiropractics was at least as effective as conventional treatment involving drugs and wrist supports. The condition can be caused by a misalignment in the spine, hence the manipulation of the upper spine and neck being part of the treatment.

Joint Problems

There are a number of causes of joint dysfunction, including osteoarthritis, degradation due to misaligned joints, disc problems and a few more. Chiropractic treatment can realign joints very effectively, and also resolve disc problems as discussed above. A lack of flexibility due to osteoarthritis can also be improved by manipulation with accompanying pain relief.

Whiplash Injuries

Whiplash symptoms include neck pain and stiffness, shoulder and arm pain, visual disturbances and headache. Physical chiropractic therapy can be used in conjunction with strengthening exercise to treat the damage caused, and the neck and spine can be adjusted to get you on the road to recovery.

Allergies

Allergic reactions are caused by the immune system reacting to a trigger that it detects as being pathogenic. The processes that initiate the allergic reaction are passed through the neural system, down the spinal cord to the areas concerned.  Chiropractics can sometimes be used to help moderate the allergic reaction by working on the neuro-musculoskeletal system.

Pain

Pain, such as headaches and other neurological conditions, has many causes.  Sometimes chiropractic care can be used to moderate pain or eliminate it altogether, depending on its source. Common sources of pain that are treatable using chiropractics include trapped nerves, inflamed nerve roots and pressure being exerted on a nerve by, for example, a herniated disc or misaligned bones.  Each of these can be resolved by means of manipulative therapy, where traditional medicine would normally offer you a painkiller or some other drug.

Accidents

If you have been involved in an accident that could have resulted in misalignment of the bones in your spine or damage to your neural system then chiropractic treatment could help. Realignment of bones or gentle manipulation of areas of the spine could reduce nerve inflammation and debilitating pain.

There are many other conditions suitable for chiropractic treatment, not all medical. In fact, even if you feel fully fit a chiropractic check-up can often detect irregularities in your spine and joints that might not be causing you problems now, but will at some time in the future. It is not uncommon for spinal disorders to be detected and rectified long before they have been able to impact on the patient’s health.

The upshot is that chiropractic care can be used to treat a variety of conditions, some with no immediately obvious connection with the area being treated.  That is because the neurological system operates in such a way that pain can be felt in a part of your body some distance away from the source of the problem.  That is one reason why conventional medicine can sometimes miss the problem altogether, and treat a symptom rather than the cause. Not so with chiropractic treatment.

The human spine is made up of the vertebrae (the bones making up the spine), having cartilage discs between them. The discs have a circle of connective tissue with a central gel-like core, which makes the spine flexible and at the same time functions as a defensive buffer. A slipped disc is a very painful medical condition in which the soft part of the disc extends through the circle of connective tissue. This prolapse may push on the nerve roots or on the spinal cord.  Chiropractic treatment can be applied to cure this pain. The chiropractic doctor will at first get complete information about the illness, its history along with a complete medical examination including physical tests, orthopedic and neurological tests before deciding on the treatment. Chiropractic care is a non-surgical alternative used in treatment of disc injuries.

A slipped disc can also occur due to the breaking down of the circle of connective tissue with proceeding age due to weakness allowing the soft part to swell. Slipped discs generally affect the lower back and are rather rare in the chest part of the spine. Conservative chiropractic treatment can be undertaken for these conditions. It is likely that hard physical labor can increase the odds of a slipped disc. They are also sometimes seen following trauma like an injury from a fall or a road traffic accident. Chiropractic doctors employ other analytic procedures that are unique to chiropractic and establish the foundation for a program of care. Chiropractic experts look cautiously at posture and perform a postural analysis of the patient to check the posture of the patient. At times the pain can be so severe that it may extend to the leg. Chiropractic treatment involves making use of techniques such as motion and static palpation to determine exact areas of restrictions in spinal joint motion. They palpate muscles and carry out muscle testing, as well as perform tests for pelvic balance and verify whether there is a “short leg” i.e.  . Then the chiropractic treatment involves finding out whether an injury has occurred. If some injury is there then what type of disk injury has occurred, Next step involves determining which chiropractic method is to be followed for the injury.

A false impression involved with chiropractic treatment is that chiropractic cure involves “popping a disc back in place” with forceful adjusting or controlling techniques. There is a form of disc insult to a nerve with low back unsteadiness, which often results in a quite vivid lean of the low back with spasm that responds well to traditional chiropractic adjusting. However, all other disc injuries are treated in chiropractic with a mild program of low-force techniques. Another misconception is that chiropractic care entails a few quick treatments, again usually thought as popping the back, which will fix the disc. Instead, chiropractic doctors who treat disc conditions incorporate their low force adjusting techniques in an organized procedure of evaluation and treatment. Chiropractic cure also involves giving out instructions to patients to carry out at home which include stretching exercises and use of ice and heat either together or separately. Some patients are not good applicants for conservative chiropractic care. For example, chiropractic can not cure medical emergencies like a suspicion of a cauda equina syndrome in which loss of bladder control accompanies a disc injury.

All through a program of chiropractic care for disc injuries, patients are asked questions regarding their progress. Appraisal of progress using chiropractic and neurological tests based on comparison with the initial findings are essential aspects of this chiropractic treatment. If a patient is not responding well to conservative chiropractic care, the chiropractic doctor refers the patient for imaging studies and spine specialist consultation.

Vertigo is a medical condition characterized by dizziness with a feeling of spinning.  Because of the sensation of movement or rotation, many patients also sense nausea and can experience lightheadedness and balance problems. Vertigo is a common indication present in chiropractic patients, particularly after head and neck trauma. Chronic Vertigo sufferers have found to find relief with chiropractic treatment. Chiropractic cure involves correcting the position of the injured cervical vertebrae, mainly C1 and C2. Realigning these vertebrae reduces or eliminates many types of vertigo. There are several types of vertigo for which patients seek upper cervical chiropractic treatment. When the vertigo symptoms occur as the result of irritation to the neck vertebrae caused by trauma, chiropractic care can prove beneficial.

One of the prime causes of vertigo and dizziness is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), also known as Benign Vertigo or Positional Vertigo. Chiropractic doctors analysis this state after getting a full case history and performing a physical and neurological exam. Proper diagnosis is the first step for the chiropractic treatment for vertigo. This condition is then treated by certain repositioning manoeuvres. Chiropractic doctors at the various Chiropractic Centers are skilled to perform the Epley or Semont Manoeuvre, which is a easy and well-tolerated technique that can cure BPPV in most of the patients.

The chiropractic doctor will move the patient into specific positions depending on what has formerly been found in the assessment, using gravity to move the calcium carbonate crystals away into an area of the inner ear where they will cause no more symptoms.

This is followed by some home exercises. The chiropractic method is very effective and within 3-4 treatments 80% of cases are symptom free.

A study report from the November 8, 2006 issue of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research shows how the patients suffering from vertigo were benefited by chiropractic care. In this research 60 patients who were diagnosed by their medical physicians as having various forms of vertigo, were given chiropractic care and the results were documented and published. All the 60 subjects in this study were rendered precise chiropractic care for the improvement of subluxations. The results showed that all of the patients in this research responded positively to the chiropractic care. The study concluded that the use of IUCCA protocol (a form of chiropractic care) appears to improve and/or reverse vertigo disorders. IUCCA Upper Cervical Chiropractic functions by correcting damages to the upper cervical spine (upper neck), the basic cause of cervicogenic vertigo syndromes. Usual IUCCA Upper Cervical Chiropractic treatment involves an initial spinal exam, detailed x-rays of the upper neck, computerized thermal spinal scans to determine neurological irritation, and proper chiropractic adjustments by hand to correct the uneven vertebrae in the upper neck.

Chiropractic treatment is not the only thing which will cure dizziness, but the manoeuvres and other chiropractic methods used is the same as patients would have if they go to medical clinicians who expertise in these conditions. These days a large number of dizziness cases seek chiropractic help. Chiropractic is not generally suited for all types of dizziness, and in such cases the chiropractic practitioner refers the patient to needed specialists.

Migraine is a very painful type of headache; the pain can be described as throbbing or pulsing in one area of the head. Patients are very sensitive to light and sound during migraines and may also become nauseated and vomit. Migraine characterized by altered bodily perceptions, severe headaches, and nausea is a neurological syndrome. There are many drugs and surgeries that combat migraines, though no permanent solution exists. Chiropractic spinal manipulation is a common alternative therapy to cure migraines and chronic headaches. As shown by some recent research, chiropractic treatment is operative in the management and cure of both common and classical migraine. Generally two types of chiropractic interventions are used in treating headaches, namely: straight chiropractic and mixed chiropractic. Straight chiropractic treatment involves manipulating the spine to correct subluxation and other imbalances to treat headaches. While the mixed chiropractic treatment is a combination of manipulation and other therapies, focusing on reducing the tension in the neck muscles as a cure for headaches. Mixed chiropractors treat existing headaches with spinal manipulation, focusing on the neck. They don’t just feel the bones, but also the adjoining areas to check whether the muscles on both sides of the spine feel the same?, whether one side feel like it has a knot?, are the muscles raised or swollen, do the muscles feel hot? A study from the Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Bloomington, Minnesota, compared amitriptyline, an antidepressant commonly used to treat migraines with chiropractic manipulation. Results showed that chiropractic healing was about as successful as the drug. A known fact is that drugs and surgery cause far more strokes than chiropractic care. Chiropractic manipulations, or chiropractic adjustments, are a truly natural cure method for headache and migraine relief. Chiropractic methods make use of holistic approach through massage, spinal manipulation and periodic adjustment of joints and soft tissue for pain relief.  Although some who suffer from Migraine fail to find relief with chiropractic treatment, many have quite positive results. Sometimes the bones in the neck are not at the proper place, and the little muscles near the bones are tight or rigid. This is termed subluxation medically. The nerves that lead out from the spine can be irritated when there is a subluxation, which can cause migraines.  As the bones are very close to being in the right place, so a medical doctor might think them to be in the right place. A chiropractic doctor treats people by gently pushing the bones back into place.  Slow, gentle stretching exercises of the neck can also find some relief from migraine. In pure medical terms, Chiropractic treatment (adjustment of the first cervical/occipital articulation) cures migraine headaches by repositioning the occiput upon the first cervical vertebrae, removing pressure on the postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers that pass through the foramen lacerum. Many special chiropractic tables, equipments, cushions, etc have been developed by the chiropractors to check and correct neck problems that lead to migraines and headache.

Migraine is a very painful type of headache; the pain can be described as throbbing or pulsing in one area of the head. Patients are very sensitive to light and sound during migraines and may also become nauseated and vomit. Migraine characterized by altered bodily perceptions, severe headaches, and nausea is a neurological syndrome.

There are many drugs and surgeries that combat migraines, though no permanent solution exists.

Chiropractic spinal manipulation is a common alternative therapy to cure migraines and chronic headaches.

As shown by some recent research, chiropractic treatment is operative in the management and cure of both common and classical migraine. Generally two types of chiropractic interventions are used in treating headaches, namely: straight chiropractic and mixed chiropractic.

Straight chiropractic treatment involves manipulating the spine to correct subluxation and other imbalances to treat headaches. While the mixed chiropractic treatment is a combination of manipulation and other therapies, focusing on reducing the tension in the neck muscles as a cure for headaches. Mixed chiropractors treat existing headaches with spinal manipulation, focusing on the neck. They don’t just feel the bones, but also the adjoining areas to check whether the muscles on both sides of the spine feel the same?, whether one side feel like it has a knot?, are the muscles raised or swollen, do the muscles feel hot?

A study from the Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Bloomington, Minnesota, compared amitriptyline, an antidepressant commonly used to treat migraines with chiropractic manipulation. Results showed that chiropractic healing was about as successful as the drug. A known fact is that drugs and surgery cause far more strokes than chiropractic care.

Chiropractic manipulations, or chiropractic adjustments, are a truly natural cure method for headache and migraine relief.

Chiropractic methods make use of holistic approach through massage, spinal manipulation and periodic adjustment of joints and soft tissue for pain relief.  Although some who suffer from Migraine fail to find relief with chiropractic treatment, many have quite positive results.

Sometimes the bones in the neck are not at the proper place, and the little muscles near the bones are tight or rigid. This is termed subluxation medically. The nerves that lead out from the spine can be irritated when there is a subluxation, which can cause migraines.  As the bones are very close to being in the right place, so a medical doctor might think them to be in the right place. A chiropractic doctor treats people by gently pushing the bones back into place.  Slow, gentle stretching exercises of the neck can also find some relief from migraine.

In pure medical terms, Chiropractic treatment (adjustment of the first cervical/occipital articulation) cures migraine headaches by repositioning the occiput upon the first cervical vertebrae, removing pressure on the postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers that pass through the foramen lacerum.

Many special chiropractic tables, equipments, cushions, etc have been developed by the chiropractors to check and correct neck problems that lead to migraines and headache.

As a practising chiropractor I see many patients who have arm and shoulder pain. Often their description of their problem is vague and does not accurately describe what is actually happening to them. Many patients have been ‘window shopping’ for doctors and may have already received a diagnosis; they become concerned when several doctors give differing diagnoses. Patients may not realise, however, that the reason for the different opinion is that each doctor perceived the problem to be a different one due to a vague picture of the symptoms.

Commonly, patients commence saying that they have pain in their shoulder which can affect their arm and hand. While this description is certainly true from their perspective, it only
begins to describe what is going on. There are several areas of the “shoulder” region which can either by themselves or in combination give rise to shoulder and related pain and restricted movement.

Often the patient finds that restricted breathing occurs and that a deep breath can cause a “catching” feeling to occur. This can be quite frightening, particularly if the cause is not clearly understood. I have found that there a number of separate areas which in themselves cause pain and which then combine to cause even greater problems for the patient.

1.Scapula (shoulder blade) fixation. This interferes with the muscles of accessory inspiration which are involved with breathing and can cause the “catching” referered to already.

2.Shoulder fixation. The shoulder refers to the head of the humerus i.e., the top of the arm
bone which forms a type of ball and socket joint with the end of the scapula. Unfortunately the socket part of the scapula is very shallow and does not make for a good joint. This can result in the shoulder being easily dislocated from a fall onto the outstretched arm.

When the shoulder becomes fixated and does not not move well, one can experience difficulty in performing even simple tasks such as combing one’s hair, reaching behind the back and even reaching forward to stir a pot on the stove.

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) can occur which severely restricts the movement of the arm, resulting in an inability to raise the arm.

3.Shoulder muscles. These all- important muscles which are called rotator cuff muscles hold the head of the humerus in place. They are needed  as I have already said earlier,because the joint is weak and not well supported. These muscles can become overly tight and sometimes tear.

4.Collar bone (clavicle) fixation. The clavicle attaches to important muscles which, when restricted, cause pain in the front of the chest and in the front of the shoulder. A chiropractic evaluation , sometimes assisted by x rays or other imaging throws a lot of light on the problems.

The chiropractor will perform a range of medical tests which include orthopedic and neurological tests before commencing a course of treatment. If the patient has had the problem for some time, the treatment will involve perhaps twice weekly visits over several weeks.

The treatment will possibly involve gentle manipulation and soft tissue therapy, accompanied by a series of simple exercise that the patient can do at home. It can be very satisfying for the patient to be able to resume full time work and to be able to live a full and painfree life when these problems has been alleviated.