The question as to whether chiropractic adjustments are safe has been asked many times over the years. The truth is that millions of patients have benefited from chiropractic adjustments, reporting to their chiropractors that their pain is relieved and their lives have been bettered. In fact, many chiropractic patients swear by their chiropractic adjustments, and yet the question still remains … is joint manipulation safe? According to the website of the Mayo Clinic, “Chiropractic adjustment is safe when it is performed by someone trained and licensed to deliver chiropractic care.” The fact is that no medical treatment comes with zero risk; however, joint manipulations that are performed by chiropractors in New Jersey have an excellent track record for safety and effectiveness.
Patients who suffer from neck pain, back pain, headaches, and even leg or arm joint pain have for more than a century been receiving joint manipulations. The field of chiropractic was discovered and developed in 1890 by Daniel David Palmer of Ontario. He founded this specialized area of healthcare on the premise that spinal misalignments are an underlying cause of all systemic disease. He further reported that most misalignments occur in the spine and that adjusting these misalignments can facilitate a healthier body. Chiropractic is considered a form of alternative or ‘holistic’ medicine, whose approach to healing is the belief that every aspect of the body works in conjunction with every other, including physical, spiritual, nutritional, environmental, lifestyle, and even social. The field of chiropractic, in other words, is founded on the belief that the body works as a whole, rather than in separate parts. Chiropractic is an effective means of assisting the body in healing itself.
Joint manipulation has been recognized in today’s healthcare field as one of the safest treatments available for the treatment of pain in affected areas of spinal misalignment. There are risks, as with all medical procedures, but these risks have been reported to be very small. In fact, many patients report that they experience relief from their pain immediately following joint manipulations and other chiropractic treatments. Minor discomforts may be reported, and these mostly go away within a day, especially with additional means of chiropractic treatment such as massage, stretching exercises, and electrical muscle stimulation.
Joint manipulation has been proven to be an extremely effective means of relieving back and neck pain and range of motion. In fact, a study done in March of 2004 in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, which was performed on patients who had been experiencing their pain for a year or less, reported that chiropractic manipulations are more effective than medical care in the treatment of chronic pain occurring in the lower back. These adjustments were also reported to be more effective than some pain medications. Additionally, patients experiencing neck pain and some types of headaches have reported pain relief achieved by joint manipulation that has been proven to be safe.
Every patient should be aware and informed of the risks of every medical procedure and treatment they receive. Therefore, it is vital for patients to relay all necessary information to their healthcare providers in order to obtain optimal treatment and relief. Research studies continue to be a critical part of all medical fields, including chiropractic and joint manipulations. As with many medical procedures, the benefits often outweigh the risks. As chiropractic and joint manipulations have been an integral part of the healthcare field for more than a century, there have been numerous studies proving that the risks of joint manipulations are very small, whereas the benefits and effectiveness are great.
The website of the Mayo Clinic reports that serious complications associated with chiropractic adjustments are rare, and that patients should not seek chiropractic adjustments if they have severe osteoporosis; numbness, tingling, or loss of strength in an arm or leg; cancer in the spine; an increased risk of stroke; or an unstable spine. The fact is that millions of chiropractic patients have reported significant relief of pain that has facilitated more active lifestyles. Top chiropractors in New Jersey have successfully treated thousands of patients in Clifton and surrounding areas, allowing them to lead more pain-free and productive lives than they experienced before their chiropractic adjustments. For more information on how chiropractic can help you, contact a spine care physician in your area.