by Emily McDowell

Created on: November 12, 2009   Last Updated: November 17, 2009

Back problems can result from a number of things. Lifting heavy boxes, twisting the wrong way, being born with a condition such as sciatica, and the list goes on. When the problem results in soreness, throbbing and pain, an individual must make a choice. Either live with the pain, controlling it with drugs to make it more bearable or seek the help of a chiropractor.

A Doctor of Chiropractic is different than a Doctor of Medicine in the belief that the body has a natural ability to heal itself. They believe that God created the body as a self-healing, self-regulating organism. Chiropractic is the science, art and philosophy of health and healing. In the early 20thcentury, chiropractic was conceived more as a natural approach to healing, drawing upon the body's own recuperative powers instead of focusing on medicine as the cure for disease (http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/ahcpr/chapter1.htm) . Today a chiropractor's goal is to use hands-on spinal and extremity adjusting techniques, along with advice on diet, exercise and positive lifestyle choices, to help the body heal itself.

Chiropractors believe that the nervous system is the master control system of the body. The spinal cord is a central part of the nervous system. Minor displacements of the spinal bones can cause stress to the spinal cord, which is the cause of many unwanted heath conditions people suffer from. Chiropractors claim to be able to cure everything from migraines to earaches, diabetes, asthma, heart disease and many other ailments. According to www.chiropractic.net, a chiropractor is the only professional specially trained to detect vertebral subluxations. Subluxations occur when one or more of the bones of your spine move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves. This pressure causes nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over them, making certain parts of your body work improperly. This leads to irritability and pain.

How does a chiropractor determine which spinal bones are subluxated? During a patient's initial examination, x-rays of the spinal column are taken based on where the person is feeling the pain. This could be in the cervical, thoracic or lumbar portion. The chiropractor can then determine the diagnosis and go about adjusting the patient's back appropriately. The adjustment process involves applying pressure to the vertebrae to move them into correct spinal position. According to www.wisegeek.com/what-is-chiropractic-adjusting.htm,

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