CHA SERIES. Key Chiropractic Concepts for the CHA. Ontario Chiropractic Association. Treatment That Stands Up.

Transcription

1 CHA SERIES Key Chiropractic Concepts for the CHA

2 AGENDA Welcome & Introductions About Chiropractic Terminology

3 ABOUT CHIROPRACTIC You will get lots of questions about the profession & chiropractic care When in doubt refer these questions to the doctors in your office We will provide some general information that will give you a basis for discussion You may want to discuss with your doctors how they would like specific questions answered

4 ABOUT CHIROPRACTIC Chiropractors are primary care practitioners who: Develop and carry out a comprehensive treatment/management plan, Recommend therapeutic exercise and other noninvasive therapies, and, Provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counselling. Chiropractic is regulated by provincial legislation. The College of Chiropractors of Ontario regulates the profession in this province.

5 ABOUT CHIROPRACTIC Today in Ontario there are over 4,200 chiropractors Becoming a chiropractor requires a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from an accredited institution Many have undergraduate degrees as well Chiropractic training includes: Anatomy, Pathology, Biomechanics, Chiropractic principles, Diagnosis, and, Adjustment techniques.

6 HOW CHIROPRACTIC WORKS The bones in the back (vertebrae) are connected by cartilage and work together in a very specific way When everything is working well, your spine is strong and flexible. Lots of stresses can cause altered joint mechanics or function resulting in inflammation, stiffness, pain, or other symptoms (sometimes called joint dysfunction or a subluxation)

7 HOW CHIROPRACTIC WORKS Chiropractors are specially trained to find the source of pain, assess the problem, and make proper adjustments that allow the spine to work properly again. Patients and other health care providers look to chiropractors as experts in back pain, neck pain, and musculoskeletal disorders.

8 ADJUSTMENTS Chiropractors adjust by using their hands to apply a very quick, precise, and safe amount of pressure directly to the problem area of the spine. This pressure momentarily separates the joints, allowing a gas bubble to escape (this is the popping sound or cracking noise). This relieves the pressure on the joint and surrounding nerves, and most importantly, allows the spine to return to its proper position.

9 ADJUSTMENTS Many different techniques are used to adjust Chiropractors determine how, when and where to adjust based on their clinical expertise

10 ADJUSTMENTS Many adjusting techniques are named after the developer or the inventor. It is important to know what your doctor uses in case you are asked by a patient who is looking for a particular technique. Some of the techniques you may encounter include: Diversified (most common taught at CMCC) Thompson Activator Gonstead And others

11 ADJUSTMENTS How a chiropractor will typically perform an adjustment: Carefully position the patient to isolate the problem area or subluxation and move the affected joint to the limit of its range of motion Use his or her hands directly on the back to carefully apply the pressure required to move the affected joint Relieve the pressure on the joint, improving mobility, and allowing the joints, muscles, and nerves to function properly.

12 ADJUNCTIVE THERAPIES Adjustments are one of the tools that chiropractors use in practice. Adjunctive Therapies provide additional tools, including: Active Release Therapy Myofascial release Ultrasound IFC Traction Laser Acupuncture And many more

13 APPROACHES TO CHIROPRACTIC Each chiropractor has structured their practice in a way that allows them to focus on the care that is most impactful for the patients they seek to treat Talk with your chiropractor about the approach his/her practice takes This will inform the specific types of treatments and terminology you will want to focus on

14 LEVELS OF CARE Relief Care Corrective Care Supportive or Provided to address immediate pain & discomfort Visits in this level of care may be frequent Avariety of techniques may be used. Provided to treat long term spinal problems Once symptoms have subsided, it is essential that the patient continue care to stabilize their spine and promote more complete healing. Maintenance Care Provided to maintain and enjoy the benefits achieved to date. Once optimum spinal function is reached, regular checkups are often recommended to help keep the spine as healthy as possible.

15 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Like any health care profession, there are lots of terms that are commonly used in chiropractic that you will want to be familiar with. Many of them are contained in the OCA s online resource centre: Let s review a few together

16 GLOSSARY OF TERMS First some terms related to anatomy: Cervical: Pertaining to the neck Lumbar Spine: The lumbar spine consists of 5 stubby quadrilateral vertebrae. These are the thickest and the largest of all of the vertebrae. They form a lordotic curve and support most of the body weight. Spinal Disc: A spinal disc is composed of fibrous tissue and fibro cartilage at its circumference. At the center, there is a soft, pulpy and highly resilient substance of a yellowish colour called the nucleus pulposus

17 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Anterior: In front or directed towards the front Atrophy: Lack of growth, nourishment for life, wasting away Bilateral: Having two sides, pertaining to both sides Posterior: Toward or nearer the back or backside of the body, dorsal. Spur: A projecting body as from a bone.

18 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Some terms related to functions of the body Alignment: To put in a straight line. Arrangement of position in a straight line Biomechanical dysfunction: The study of forces and movement in the human body. A subluxation is a form of biomechanical dysfunction Health: The normal state of optimal physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

19 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Posture: Position of the body. The distribution of body mass in relation to gravity. Good posture: A state of muscular and skeletal balance which protects the supporting structures of the body against injury or progressive deformity regardless of attitude Range of Motion (ROM): The range of translation and rotation of a joint for each of its six ranges of freedom. Refers to the difference between two points of physiologic extremes of motion. Rotation is measured by degrees

20 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Rotation: If a bone of a joint is capable of angular motion or turning an anterior surface of a part toward the midline of the body then it is called inward or internal rotation. The motion of turning out is called outward or external rotation. The classic example if internalexternal rotation is the shoulder.

21 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Some terms related to chiropractic care Musculoskeletal: Describing the interaction between the nervous, muscular and skeletal systems working together to permit movement. Neuromusculoskeletal: Some chiropractors describe the conditions they treat as neuromusculoskeletal problems. This term reflects the relationship between the spine, other joints, muscles, and the nervous system Diagnosis: The art of distinguishing one disease from another. The use of scientific and skillful methods to establish the cause and nature of an illness.

22 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Subluxation/Joint Dysfunction: When the spine shifts from its proper position or loses its normal range of motion, pressure on the surrounding joints, muscles and nerves can cause pain. Mobilization: Restoring the power of motion to a joint. The process of making a fixed part moveable

23 GETTING UP TO SPEED Try not to be overwhelmed You will learn a great deal in a short time Don t be afraid to ask questions Speak with your doctors about how they would like patient questions to be addressed Which questions can you answer? Which questions should be referred to a chiropractor?

24 QUESTIONS Dr. Amy Brown (877) facebook.com /OntarioChiropracticAssocations