Chiropractic Care Techniques for the Elderly

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Dr. Peter Hinz

Chiropractic Doctor

Chiropractic Care Techniques for the Elderly

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With time, our bodies age gradually. This necessitates the need to live a healthy life to maintain strength in our bodies. Although our muscles and bones do weaken, you still have the chance to go around doing those things which interest you. If you are a senior citizen, it is common to get chronic pain, so you don’t need to panic if it happens. Chronic pain and other disorders have a close association with your body’s depreciation with time. Fortunately, research shows that you can rely on chiropractic care to improve your mobility. Chiropractic care for the elderly goes into helping them to reduce the risk of falls as well as other injuries.

I have come across senior citizens who raise concerns over the use of spinal manipulation. This is because of their bodies’ delicate nature. Chiropractic doctors have enough experience to allow them to treat sensitive conditions such as senior citizens suffering from neuromusculoskeletal disorders. Any older adult needs advice on the need to check their spine regularly. This enables a chiropractor to detect any disorientation in their vertebrae as early as possible. The results of such subluxations to an elderly person’s health. Early signs of subluxations include pain as a result of misalignment. This is usually the case when there is a blockage of the nerve endings.

Most seniors tend to suffer from a decrease in mobility. Luckily for the elderly folks, studies support the use of chiropractic care to remedy immobility effectively. Depending on the individual’s needs, the results can vary accordingly. An elderly person recovering from partial immobility will be able to bend over and even play with their grandchildren in the backyard after a few sessions of treatment.

We all know how the rich elderly folks love golf. If you are one of these gentlemen, I do not need to stress the importance of fitness and flexibility. You can increase your mobility using chiropractic care techniques. This is also a nice way to increase your drive distance. Generally speaking, chiropractic care for the elderly people can help them to improve their quality of life in their old age.

Types of Chiropractic Care Techniques for the Elderly.

Senior citizens are usually affected by old age in different ways hence the need to have different options of treatment to choose from. Most chiropractors tend to suggest a specific treatment for this respectable lot. A qualified chiropractor should lay the options on the table. He or she must then explain the benefits and the risks that each method involves. This will give you a good measure of each alternative to prefer.

We have two broad chiropractic care and treatment methods that senior citizens choose from. One of these methods is the manipulative technique. Alternatively, you can request for nonmanipulative chiropractic techniques depending on your preferences and needs.

  1. Spinal Manipulation as a Chiropractic Care Technique.

This chiropractic technique is very popular among most chiropractors. Also known as a spinal adjustment, this process traces its origin in the ancient Chinese, Egyptian and Greek communities. Thus technique involves the massage and manipulation of the joints to readjust or realign the spine. This chiropractic care method is superior because it also helps to heal the tissues related to the spine. Almost every chiropractic doctor bases their practice on the spinal manipulation technique.

The majority of system reviews on this method support its effectiveness in helping to deal with chronic back pain. Ask any senior citizen which pain they suffer from most and chronic back pain will pop up. There are, however, concerns over the safety of manipulative technique in the treatment of various conditions among the elderly. Despite such concerns, it is a good thing that chiropractic care treatment rarely results in death. In fact, statistics show that manipulative care treatment has a null probability of resulting in death.

Types of Manipulative Techniques

There are several types of manipulative treatment alternatives that you can choose from. These methods can be a suggestion from your chiropractic depending on your condition. Among the common techniques used include Atlas/orthogonal technique, diversified technique, Activator method, the Koren specific technique, Graston technique, Trigenics, Cox flexion, Gonstead and the Thompson technique.

  • Diversified manipulative technique

This technique is an eclectic and nonproprietary approach used in spinal adjustment. It is mainly used method among chiropractors. We attribute this method to the works of Joe Janse. It is estimated that 96% of chiropractors use this method to treat 70% of their clients. This technique features high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust. We consider this to be the most generic manipulative technique.

  • Atlas Orthogonal

This technique was developed by Roy Sweat and is it is the most common technique that we use to treat upper cervical. A percussion instrument is usually used in this technique to correct any disorders that an X-Ray shows. These are generally subluxations of the atlas vertebrae. Most straight chiropractors make use of this technique.

Advantages of Manipulative Technique

  1. This method proves to be effective in the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal disorders. The treatment that an elderly will get for this disorder will be for lower back pains, neck pains as well as other related disorders.
  2. Manipulative techniques are also the best when senior citizens are looking to remedy non-musculoskeletal disorders. However, you need to note that there are controversies on this subject.
  3. General costs of manipulative treatment options are low for the treatment of chronic lower back and sub-acute pain.
  1. Non-Manipulative Chiropractic Care for the Elderly

Non-force chiropractic adjustments are of great benefit to a group of patients belonging to the following categories: those in acute pain, patients in spasms, those who have a very sensitive nervous system and all the elderly patients. In addition, non-manipulative chiropractic care for the elderly helps patients who have arthritis, degenerative joint syndrome, spinal stenosis, and children as well as adolescents. It also goes without saying that the use of gentle and non-manipulative adjustments is crucial when attending to infants.

There are several non-manipulative techniques that the elderly citizen can choose from. The most common ones are electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and massage. Massage might also provide a range of options. These options are myofascial release, deep tissue massage or acupressure.

Myofascial massage is intended to release the pressure inserted on the fascia sheath. The constriction of the fascia usually causes pain. During the myofascial release, the chiropractor will use his or her fingers to stretch the fascia gently and firmly. Deep tissue massage is intended to improve the flow of the lymphatic fluids. Overuse and injury can cause numbness and stiffness.

 Advantages of Non-Manipulative Technique

This particular chiropractic care technique is usually a favorite of many people because it is gentle on the body. More often than not, patients do not believe how painless the procedure is. I would recommend non-manipulative to anyone especially those who are very sensitive to pain.

If you have the responsibility to take care of your old man, do not frown whenever you need to help them back to their feet. Better still, bring your senior folks to our chiropractic clinic and let them know of the many ways through which they can regain their mobility. We strive to make a better life for your aging days.

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