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Massage Chairs Are Popping Up Chiropractic Offices

The human spine is a marvelous bio-mechanical design which enables us to stand upright. As part of the price of standing upright, we may on occasion over stress certain areas. Chiropractors are trained specialists in the spine. They understand the interaction of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. They do not prescribe medications. They use natural methods to restore long term health to the spine. As part of the battery of treatments, massage chairs are being utilized to provide a number of treatment options.

Chiropractors are in high demand as they specialize in areas like pediatrics, sports injuries, neurology and orthopedics. The origin of chiropractic medicine dates back to the times of ancient Egypt. The origin of the word chiropractic comes from the Greeks. It uses the Greek words cheir and praxis which combined mean a treatment done by hand. Hands-on therapy is central to chiropractic care.

People often seek chiropractic care primarily for pain conditions such as back pain, neck pain and headaches. Chiropractors practice holistic, natural medicine. Chiropractors do not prescribe drugs for pain relief. This must be done by a medical doctor or M.D. Chiropractors must earn a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree from a college accredited by the Council on chiropractic education.

Even though chiropractic medicine has been around since Egyptian times, it has not been covered by major health insurance plans. Big Medicine is covering more chiropractic treatments as now many state workers compensation systems are covering chiropractic treatment. This has forced Big Medicine to ante up and now many HMO’s and private plans have included chiropractic coverage.

Chiropractors are trained to understand a patient’s symptoms. They then test theories and validate them to find the root causes. They may take x-rays, perform certain tests or touch and feel what is going on. The spine is a complex arrangement of bones, muscles, tendons, nerves, ligaments, etc. that must be looked at in unison.

Most people have heard of a spinal adjustment. This seems to be the most known treatment by the general public. Most of us picture the chiropractor holding them, aligning their spine and then making an adjustment. The adjustment usually is accompanied by a crack or pop sound.

Massage therapy is being more commonly employed at chiropractor offices. Massage chairs have found a niche in providing a number of possible therapies in a convenient form. Massage chairs are programmed to deliver a targeted massage for a specific duration based on the patients needs.

Typically pressure on the spine is concentrated on a few of the vertebrae which puts undue pressure on the muscles, tendons and ligaments which hold the spine together. This concentrated force causes stiffness in these soft tissue areas. This can be caused by incorrect posture, improper lifting techniques or by an injury.

The chiropractor seeks to alleviate the concentrated pressure off of these areas. A doctor helps the patient to identify how they can better distribute the stress put on their spine. Patients may need to make changes to their posture or lifting to help the spine to recover and prevent future injury.

Massage chairs provide an effective means to help the soft tissues to become more flexible and elastic. They help to elongate the muscles with soothing massage techniques. As the muscles relax, then elasticity is restored allowing a greater range of motion. Regular massage chair therapy helps to reduce built up tension and stiffness in these critical areas. Massage chairs are available for home use as well as professional health care use. Massage chairs may be the perfect complement to your back care.