Chiropractic

The chiropractic ( from Ancient Greek χείρ cheir, hand ' and πραξις practice, activity '), is an alternative medicine, biomechanical treatment method with the aim of the normal mobility of the joints - especially in your spine - restore. Both the perturbed joint play as well as the displacement ( subluxation ) are taken into account. The Manual medicine is based, inter alia, methods of chiropractic.

Originally, the theory was considered that a variety of non- orthopedic diseases are caused by a misalignment of vertebral joints and, accordingly, can be cured by a manipulative correction of the deformity in the 19th century, founded by Daniel David Palmer Chiropractic. This view contradicts the findings on the anatomy, physiology and pathology of the human organism from the 20th century. In more modern approaches, such as the Swiss Chiropraktorengesellschaft, the chiropractic therefore deals only with " functional, reversible disorders of the musculoskeletal system ."

History

Founder of chiropractic was Daniel David Palmer ( 1845-1913 ). He was probably trained by Jim Atkinson from Davenport, Iowa in this treatment method. To be able to market them himself, he invented the name " Chiropractic ". Its founding legend, however, is: " Harvey Lillard, the porter of the Rayan - block house in which I had my practice was hard of hearing. He no longer heard the Gerattere a horse and cart work on the road and not the ticking of his alarm clock. I wanted to know where this, numbness ' came when he told me that he had lifted something heavy, in a cramped, bent posture. He would then have had the feeling that something had been pushed off in his back, and immediately after he had become deaf. The investigation revealed: A vortex was pushed out of its normal position. I thought that if the vortex would sit properly again, then the ear of the man would have to work again. With this goal in mind, I tried - in a half -hour conversation - to convince Mr. Lillard believe that he should allow the right to return placement. I brought the vortex in its proper position, as I used the vortex as a lever the spinous process ( Proc. spin. ), And soon the man could hear as before. There was nothing accidental, but it was the completion of a conscious goal, and the result in line with expectations. "

DD Palmer said the alleged novelty of his method of treatment as follows: " The basic principles and the principles of chiropractic that have developed from it are not new. I require nonetheless to be the first to a displaced vertebrae by using the spike - and transverse processes ( Proc. spin. And trans. ) Used as a lever, whereby the dislocated vertebrae regained its normal position. From this basic fact of starting a science was created, which is intended to revolutionize the theory and practice of the healing arts " ( Translation: D. Oesch ).

After Germany chiropractic arrived (as well as osteopathy ) by the in crashes / Silesia born on 22 December 1869 temporarily living in the U.S. Pastor Gustav A. Zimmer, who ran a school for chiropractic and osteopathy after returning in 1927 in Dresden which was mainly attended by medical practitioners. Rooms finished his career in 1938 and died on 17 December 1939. Published three books of rooms were on the " list of harmful and undesirable writings " and were banned by the Nazis. After the Second World War and the legalization of an adjusted version of the Naturopaths Act of 17 February 1939, the Nuremberg medical practitioner Willi Schmidt took it began in 1938, colleagues or training again, including from 1951 also in chiropractic care. In 1959 Schmidt took over the management of the Association for Chiropractic and Osteopathy in the DH with working groups in all state associations, annual central specialist training conference in Bad Homburg and the issuance of a total of 92 editions of the training leaves the work of German chiropractors and osteopaths in the DH that of 1959-1971 appeared. In 1952 the Hamburg Naturopaths Werner Peper DC, a graduate of the American Palmer School of Chiropractic published the book art of chiropractic.

Techniques of chiropractic

1 Adjustment: This adjustment is achieved by specially learned handles. You have the goal of " subluxations " of the spine ( the Zygapophysialgelenken ) aside again and thus eliminate the pressure on the spinal nerves ( lateral) or the spinal cord ( medial). If this succeeds, then the pain will disappear in a short time, eg sciatica ( sciatic irritation).

2 traction: the joint partners are away from each other by train in traction. This leads inter alia to pressure reduction, relief and pain relief. In addition, the flexibility is improved by the stretching of the ligaments and of the articular capsule.

3 Translational sliding, also called mobilization: In order to restore the lost joint play, and thus the mobility again, the joint parts are moved parallel to each other.

4 Soft tissue treatment: By stretching and relaxation techniques, the muscles will be increased so that it adapts to the new-found joint play.

5 Reflex techniques: Under targeted utilization of nerve reflexes the muscle tension and pain perception is affected. Using complex reflex therapies can be acting on the central nervous system, for example on the autonomic nervous system and cognitive areas.

The traditional technique of chiropractic is the manipulation, increasingly, especially neurological reflex techniques are used.

Chiropractic in Germany

Germany has a special position with respect to chiropractic and thus also on the American version of chiropractic because of the medical practitioner law. In order to practice the profession of chiropractor or chiropractic therapy compartment must either doctor or medical practitioner (see Heilpraktikergesetz, 1 Implementing Regulation). The first graduate of an American chiropractic school, the Palmer School of Chiropractic, opened in 1924 in Frankfurt / Main a practice. In the early 1950s wanted Werner Pepper, also a graduate of the Palmer School, open a branch of the Palmer School in Germany. This was the part of the school management refused.

Chiropractic in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the chiropractor is a recognized health professional that treats diagnosed in own responsibility disorders and painful conditions of the spine and musculoskeletal system and. The five medical professions in Switzerland include the chiropractor, the doctors of medicine, the dentist, the veterinarian and the pharmacist. The following federal laws and the relevant regulations, the training and activities of chiropractors as well as the mandatory reimbursement of chiropractic services are regulated: Medical Professions ( MedBG ), Health Insurance Act ( KVG), accident insurance law (UVG), Military Insurance Act ( MVG), Radiation Protection Act ( RPA ).

Legally the services of chiropractors have been recognized as mandatory services of medical personnel, as in 1964, the Health and Accident Insurance Act was partially revised ( KUVG ) of 1911. Since then, the chiropractic services of the compulsory basic insurance of health insurance will be covered. The chiropractor is in addition to the human medicine the only legally regulated first contact for the patient.

In Switzerland, only trained medical personnel may offer chiropractic.

Training, further education and training

In Switzerland, the chiropractic education is offered at the medical faculty of the University of Zurich since the fall of 2008. It takes twelve semester plus hospital internships and performs on the Bachelor Degree in Medicine ( B Med) to the master program (M Chiro ), optional on to chiropractic doctorate ( Doctor of Chiropractic ). The Swiss Academy for Chiropractic, which is accredited by the Federal Federal Office of Public Health, is responsible for the training of chiropractors. It is also responsible for conducting the audit Fachchiropraktor.

The chiropractors are obliged, like all medical personnel for the annual training of 80 hours per year within a given legal framework.

Contraindications and adverse effects

Generally, a clarification of certain spinal injuries (for example, metastases, tumors) indispensable means of x-ray or better CT / MRI before any manipulation of the spine.

Chiropractic maneuvers in the cervical spine are considered as independent risk factors for the development of stroke due to dissection of the vertebral artery ( vertebral artery). It is discussed whether the dissection did not exist in these cases before, and led to the chiropractic treatment due to neck and throat pain. In these cases, a causal relationship would be simulated by a temporal context.

Scientific

In a review article for Chiropractic in May 2008 came the head of Naturopathy of English University of Exeter, Edzard Ernst, after reviewing scientific articles on the subject concluded that chiropractic is based on " mystical concepts ". In addition, the basic concepts of chiropractic as subluxation and spinal manipulation were not based on "solid science" ( = " sound science ").

More recent studies show that there seems to be no relationship between disease and subluxation of vertebrae due to unfavorable influence on the allegedly affected nerve.

Emeritus Swiss professor of orthopedic surgery Max Geiser which neither chiropractic nor had " so-called manual medicine " delivered to date evidence " to solve a serious, not spontaneously remitting disorders of the musculoskeletal system and to do more than all the other sham treatments of alternative and Complementary Medicine ".

A systematic review of the Cochrane Collaboration in 2003, which had the treatment of back pain by spinal manipulation on the subject, showed no advantages over other, non- contra-indicated treatment methods, such as general medical treatment, pain medication, physical therapy, therapeutic exercise, or back school. The authors considered it possible that spinal manipulation is superior to a placebo treatment. In a review article from the year 2011, no clinically relevant differences of spinal manipulative therapy - to other established therapies were noted with respect to pain reduction and improved function in patients with chronic low back pain. Serious complications were also not observed in this analysis. Remained unclear whether the superiority of spinal manipulation versus placebo is because only a few and typically afflicted with a high risk of bias studies are devoted to this aspect.