You may have seen some chiropractic videos circulating on social media, and wondered whether spinal alignment (cracking of vertebrae) is a medical science, and whether these procedures are effective in relieving spinal pain or whether they may be violent and cause serious problems. In this article, Dalili Medical, we will cover everything you need to know about chiropractic.

What is chiropractic?

 

Chiropractic is a type of alternative medicine or manual therapy, where the therapist uses his hands to adjust the vertebrae of the spine. This treatment aims to relieve pain in bones, vertebrae, and muscles. Chiropractic practitioners believe that moving the vertebrae of the spine, with a sound resulting from the release of gas between the vertebrae, contributes to relieving pain and muscle tension, giving the patient a feeling of comfort.

What is chiropractic for children?

 

Chiropractic for children is a type of complementary therapy that aims to improve the performance of the musculoskeletal system in children. This treatment focuses on adjusting the spine and other joints using manual techniques or special tools. The goal of chiropractic is to improve muscle balance, strengthen the body, and reduce pain from muscle tension or spasms. Chiropractic for children is tailored to the size and development of their growing skeletons, requiring special skills and careful care from practitioners. Chiropractic doctors use gentle and appropriate techniques that meet the needs and condition of each child. Despite the potential benefits of chiropractic treatment, such as improving movement and relieving pain, it is important to consult with certified physicians before beginning any treatment for children, especially in cases that may be complex or require specialized medical evaluation. In general, chiropractic for children is an option worth considering to improve their health and well-being, with the importance of choosing a certified practitioner who has experience working with children.

What is chiropractic?

 

Chiropractic, also known as manual therapy or chiropractic, is a therapeutic system that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders related to the musculoskeletal system, particularly problems related to the spine. Chiropractic is based on the idea that the overall health of the body is greatly influenced by the function of the spine and its associated nerves. It is believed that any malfunction in the spine may affect nerve functions, which is reflected in the overall health of the body.

**Benefits of Chiropractic**

The benefits of chiropractic are many, the most prominent of which are:

- **Boosting the immune system**: Chiropractic contributes to strengthening the immune system, which helps the body resist common diseases.

- **Accelerating the recovery process**: Spinal alignment accelerates recovery from bone and muscle injuries, which increases the body's flexibility in the face of injuries.

- **Non-surgical and natural procedure**: Chiropractic is a natural and non-surgical procedure that does not require any drug preparations or surgery, and does not require a prescription.

- **Pain relief**: Chiropractic is an effective way to relieve pain in various areas of the body.

- **Reducing lactic acid levels**: Helps reduce the accumulation of lactic acid, which contributes to improving physical performance.

- **Improving oxygen flow**: Enhances the flow of oxygen to tissues, which contributes to improving overall health.

- **Reducing stress and stiffness**: Helps reduce stress and stiffness levels in the body, which enhances the feeling of comfort.

- **Improving range of motion**: Contributes to increasing the body's flexibility and improving its range of motion.

- **Increasing energy and enhancing self-confidence**: It works to increase energy levels due to improving movement, which enhances self-confidence as a result of improving overall health.

- **Treating digestive problems**: Chiropractic can help treat some digestive problems.

How many chiropractic sessions?

 

The number of chiropractic sessions varies from person to person depending on the health condition and needs of each individual. In my personal experience, I started with a number of weekly sessions and then moved to less frequent sessions when I felt better. There are several factors that affect the number of sessions, including:

- Type of health problem.

- Severity of pain or condition.

- The body's response to treatment.

The number of sessions usually ranges from 6 to 12 sessions, but some people may need more to achieve maximum benefit.

**Types of Chiropractic**

After learning about the benefits of chiropractic, I would like to give you an overview of the different types of chiropractic. Each type focuses on specific aspects, and this information may help you choose the one that is right for you. Types of chiropractic include:

1. Traditional chiropractic: relies on manual adjustment techniques for the spine.

2. Neurochiropractic: focuses on the nervous system and its impact on overall health.

3. Sports chiropractic: designed to improve athletic performance and reduce injuries.

Can people of all ages benefit from chiropractic?

 

In general, people of all ages can benefit from chiropractic safely and effectively. From newborns to the elderly, patients can benefit from this type of treatment. However, caution should be exercised if you have certain health conditions.

Individuals with conditions such as spinal deformities or serious bone diseases should consult a doctor before starting chiropractic treatment. Patients who are taking certain medications or have chronic medical conditions are also advised to talk to their doctor about the possibility of using chiropractic.

**Chiropractic for Children**

Chiropractic for children is a gentle, non-surgical technique that focuses on adjusting the spine to promote overall health and physical comfort in children. This method is based on basic principles that aim to regulate the nervous and skeletal systems.

Chiropractic procedures for children include:

**Initial Examination:** A comprehensive examination of the child is performedTo identify any problems in the spine or nervous system. This examination includes assessing the stature, movement, and gait pattern, in addition to detecting any pain or muscle tension.

**Diagnosis:** The therapist relies on sensory tools and observations to identify deviations or problems in the nervous system and spine that may affect the child's overall health.

**Manual adjustment:** Gentle techniques are used to adjust the spine, where the therapist makes quick and short movements to correct any imbalances, which helps relieve tension in the nerves and muscles.

**Integrative techniques:** The session may include additional techniques such as stretching exercises, applying heat or cold, in addition to providing nutritional advice to improve the child's overall health.

**Awareness and guidance:** Parents are taught how to support their child's health through daily practices such as maintaining proper posture, exercising, and following a balanced diet.

**Chiropractic Benefits for Children**

Chiropractic offers a range of benefits for children, including:

- **Improving posture**: Chiropractic sessions contribute to improving the alignment of the spine, which enhances muscle and motor coordination in children.

- **Relieving growing pains**: Chiropractic helps reduce muscle and joint tension resulting from rapid bone growth or excessive physical activity.

- **Improving neurological performance**: It enhances the health of the central nervous system by correcting spinal misalignments, which improves neuronal communication and reduces stress.

- **Boosting the immune system**: It can contribute to enhancing the health of the immune system by improving the overall performance of the nervous system.

- **Help in treating injuries**: It contributes to recovery from injuries resulting from daily activities or sports accidents by enhancing the body's natural healing.

- **Reducing sleep problems**: It may help improve the quality of sleep by reducing nervous and physical tension.

- **Improving digestion**: Through its positive effect on the central nervous system, it can contribute to improving digestion processes and relieving digestive problems.

Boost energy and vitality**: By improving the overall balance of the body, children may notice an increase in energy and activity levels.

Reduce stress and anxiety**: It helps calm the nervous system, which leads to reducing stress and anxiety levels in children.

**Reasons for using chiropractic for children**

Chiropractic is a treatment that relies on using the hands to straighten the spine and correct any imbalances in it. It is considered a safe and effective treatment for children for the following reasons:

. **Improving posture**: Chiropractic helps correct minor imbalances in the spine that may arise from sitting or sleeping incorrectly, helping children maintain a healthy posture.

. **Relieve back and neck pain**: Chiropractic can help relieve back and neck pain that may result from physical activity or carrying heavy school bags.

. **Support the nervous system**: Adjusting the vertebrae can improve nervous system function, which enhances overall nervous performance and helps treat problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or sleep difficulties.

. **Immunity Boosting**: Chiropractic may help boost children’s immune systems by improving nervous system function, making them less susceptible to illness.

. **Growth and Development Boosting**: Chiropractic helps maintain proper spinal alignment, which supports children’s normal growth and development.

. **Athletic Performance Boosting**: Chiropractic can boost children’s athletic performance by improving flexibility and strength.

**Reducing Stress and Anxiety**: Chiropractic can help reduce stress and anxiety levels by enhancing central nervous system function.

**Improving Digestion**: It corrects spinal misalignments that may affect the nervous system responsible for digestion, helping to improve digestive problems.

**Supporting Injury Recovery**: Chiropractic can speed up recovery from injuries resulting from accidents or physical activity by improving blood flow and reducing inflammation.

Is Chiropractic Safe for Children?

 

Chiropractic is safe for children if it is provided by qualified practitioners trained to work with children. Here are some points that explain the safety and precautions for using chiropractic for children:

- **Specialized practice**: Treatment must be performed by a chiropractor specially trained to treat children, as the child's body requires special techniques that suit its growth and sensitivity.

- **Comprehensive assessment**: A comprehensive assessment of the child's health condition is conducted before starting treatment, to ensure that there are no problems that may worsen as a result of the treatment.

- **Use of gentle techniques**: Light and gentle adjustment techniques are used that suit the sensitive structures of children, compared to those used for adults.

- **Consult a pediatrician**: It is preferable to consult a pediatrician before starting chiropractic to ensure the need for treatment and the absence of health contraindications.

- **Follow-up on side effects**: The child should be monitored after the sessions to observe any side effects such as allergies or unexpected pain.

- **Short sessions**: Sessions are conducted in a short and limited manner to reduce stress on the child's body.

**How ​​can chiropractic be practiced for children safely?**

 

Chiropractic for children requires following a set of special guidelines and practices to ensure the safety of the child and achieve the desired therapeutic benefits. Here are some key points to ensure chiropractic is safe for children:

1. **Comprehensive Evaluation:** A comprehensive evaluation of the child should be performed before starting chiropractic treatment, including a complete medical history and a thorough physical examination. This evaluation helps determine if chiropractic is appropriate for the child’s condition.Child and ensure that there are no health problems that would impede treatment.

2. **Select a qualified therapist:** The chiropractor who works with children must be qualified and certified, and preferably have special experience in working with this age group. He or she should have a deep understanding of the development of children's skeletal and muscular structures.

3. **Gentle and appropriate techniques:** The techniques used must be gentle and appropriate for children. Gentle methods are used to adjust the spine and joints, ensuring that no harm or discomfort is caused to the child.

4. **Effective communication with parents:** The chiropractor must communicate effectively with parents to explain the proposed treatment and its potential benefits, in addition to answering any questions they may have.

5**Regular medical follow-up: It is essential that the chiropractor continues to monitor the child's health condition in addition to the pediatrician or primary treating physician. This helps to accurately assess the effects of the treatment and the child's response.

6**Respect and psychological comfort of the child: Treatment must be provided in a manner that takes into account the child's needs and comfort. The chiropractor should be sensitive to the child’s feelings and ensure a comfortable and supportive environment

**Chiropractic Treatment Steps**

Chiropractic treatment does not require any prior preparation. During the first session, the doctor will ask you about your medical history, in addition to examining your health condition related to the spine. Some doctors may recommend additional tests such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs, in addition to other tests. Here is what you can expect during and after the chiropractic session:

**During the chiropractic session**During the session, the therapist will ask you to sit in certain positions to manually treat the affected areas. You may be asked to lie on a table with your face down.

The doctor will apply strong and sudden pressure to specific areas of the back, and may manually move some joints to adjust the alignment of the spine. You may hear popping or cracking sounds, and there is no need to worry, as this is normal and occurs as a result of gases trapped in the small joint cavities.

**Preparing for chiropractic treatment** Chiropractic or spinal adjustment does not require any special preparation before it is performed. During your first visit, the physical therapist will ask you to provide your medical history and will perform a physical examination that focuses specifically on your spine. The doctor may also recommend additional tests or examinations, such as X-rays.

During chiropractic treatment, your therapist will place you in specific positions to treat the affected areas. He will usually place you face down on a padded table specially designed for physical therapy. The therapist uses his hands to apply limited and sudden force to the joint, pushing it beyond its normal range of motion. You may hear cracking or popping sounds as the chiropractor moves the joints during the treatment session, which is normal. The procedure Some people experience minor side effects that last for a few days after the session. These effects may include headache, fatigue, or pain in the areas that were treated. This is normal, but it is recommended to see a doctor if symptoms worsen.

**After the chiropractic session**

After the session, you may experience some side effects that may last for a few days, including:

- Headache.

- Fatigue and exhaustion.

- Pain in the areas treated.

To achieve the desired benefit from chiropractic, the doctor may recommend some home activities, such as:

- Doing stretching exercises.

- Sitting in a correct position.

- Using cold or hot compresses, or topical analgesics to relieve pain.

The doctor may also suggest some strategies to manage stress, and may also advise you to use transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators.

**Chiropractic techniques**

There are more than 100 techniques in the field of chiropractic, however, they overlap with each other, and the differences between them are slight.

**Chiropractic**The most famous chiropractic technique is considered, where the therapist presses on the vertebrae and joints surrounding the spine with precise and calculated force, either using hands or small tools.

The therapist also corrects the joints of the pelvis, knee, wrist and foot as part of the treatment plan.

The goal of correcting the spine and various joints is to improve the body's posture, which contributes to enhancing the body's overall motor and functional performance.

**Moving Table Therapy**This treatment is known as flexion-distraction therapy. In this type of treatment, the therapist uses a table that is divided into moving parts. When the therapist applies pressure to the joint or spine, the table moves or one of its parts drops down. The therapist’s pressure on the vertebrae along with the movement of the table helps to pull the vertebrae apart and away from each other, reducing the pressure that each vertebra exerts on the other.

**Reducing pressure between the vertebrae**The therapist uses a specially designed table to pull the vertebrae in opposite directions. This procedure aims to increase the distance between the vertebrae and create a small space between them, which reduces pressure on the inflamed discs and nerves between the vertebrae.

**Manual manipulation under anesthesia**This is a non-surgical procedure that chiropractors resort to when the spine or joints are very painful due to severe muscle spasms.

**Contraindications for Chiropractic for Children**

 

There are several contraindications for chiropractic for children, including the following:

1. **Physical and skeletal development**: As children grow, their skeletons are soft and changeable, increasing the risk of injury from procedures that may not be appropriate for their growing bodies.

2. **Safety and potential risks**: Chiropractic involves applying force to the spine and joints.Origin, which may pose a risk to young children whose skeletal developments have not yet been completed.

3. **Possible side effects**: Side effects such as temporary pain may occur, which may be disturbing to children.

4. **Lack of scientific research**: There is still a large gap in scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic for children, especially with regard to special diseases or complex medical conditions.

5. **Psychological effects**: Chiropractic experiences may indirectly affect children psychologically, which requires caution in dealing with them. In general, it is advisable to exercise extreme caution when considering the use of chiropractic for children, and to consult with doctors specializing in pediatrics and chiropractic.

**Who is suitable for chiropractic treatment?**

 

**Lower back pain:** It is considered one of the most common conditions treated by chiropractic, as it helps patients to relieve this pain effectively.

**Neck pain:** May be caused by stress, poor posture, or traumatic injuries.

**People with headaches:**

- **Tension headaches:** These are caused by muscle tension and spinal misalignments, and are described as a feeling of pressure in the temple area.

- **Migraines:** Some patients may benefit from spinal adjustment techniques to reduce the severity and frequency of migraine attacks, especially severe attacks.

**People with joint pain:**

- **Knee, hip, and shoulder pain:** Adjustments can help improve mobility and reduce pain from problems in these joints.

- **Arthritis:** Treatment may help relieve symptoms associated with arthritis, such as redness, swelling, and pain.

**People with posture problems**

**Poor posture:** Sitting for long periods or standing in incorrect ways can lead to people suffering from pain and problems in the spine, where chiropractic can help relieve these symptoms.

**Chiropractic:** contributes to improving posture and reducing muscle tension affecting the back and spine.

**Pregnant women**

**Relieve pregnancy pain:** such as back and pelvic pain resulting from physical changes and weight gain associated with pregnancy.

**Improving fetal position:** through safe adjustment techniques that help pregnant mothers improve fetal position and facilitate the natural birth process.

**Children and adolescents**

**Developmental problems:** such as spinal curvature that some children may suffer from during childhood.

**Posture problems:** resulting from carrying heavy school bags or sitting for long periods on school desks, which causes pressure on muscles and nerves.

**Elderly**

**Improving quality of life:** by enhancing movement and reducing chronic pain resulting from many diseases that increase in severity with age.

**Prevention:** Maintaining the health of the spine and nerve function that often decline with age.

**Chiropractic harms**

- Risk of fractures or injuries.

- High treatment costs.

- Possible physical symptoms.

- Stroke risk. 

Chiropractic, or spinal adjustment, is generally considered safe, and complications and side effects are very rare. However, it is important not to risk your safety. Before deciding to undergo chiropractic, make sure you understand the benefits and risks, and only undergo the procedure if the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

It is also important to only work with a certified chiropractor in a trusted center, to avoid potential risks, and to ensure that this technique is appropriate for your health condition. Among the risks associated with chiropractic are the following:

**Risk of fractures and injuries:** The spine and joints may be misaligned, which may lead to unwanted fractures or injuries. Therefore, it is essential that treatment is performed by a chiropractor who specializes in chiropractic.

**High costs of treatment:** Physical therapy techniques in this field are very expensive, to the point that some insurance companies may not cover them as part of their services.

**Possible physical symptoms:** Some individuals may experience temporary side effects after chiropractic treatment, such as headache, fatigue, and discomfort in the treated areas. However, these effects are usually mild and go away within a short period.

**Stroke risk:** Although rare, there is a possibility of stroke after receiving chiropractic treatment.