Elderly Care: Helping You Deal With the Dying Process
The Expanding Skills Of Your Chiropractor
Julio Carr
Your local chiropractor is capable of doing much more than relieving neck and back pain. Several subspecialties in chiropractic medicine are now recognized in the U.S. This allows your doctor to address more health issues so you can see fewer specialists for your needs. The next time you visit your chiropractor for an adjustment, ask them which of the following fields they have explored.
Orthopedics
The Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists (ACO) certifies chiropractors to focus on medical conditions affecting bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. These doctors use x-rays, MRIs, CT scans and ultrasound to make a diagnosis of a musculoskeletal problems.
Treatment options are conservative with the goal of avoiding surgery. Non-invasive techniques are used to repair the damage to joints, muscles and tendons and include:
- massage therapy
- manual manipulation
- ultrasound
- electronic muscle stimulation
- infrared treatment
- physical therapy
Neurology
Chiropractors are certified by the American Chiropractic Neurology Board (ACNB) to practice in the field neurology. This allows the doctor to work with the spinal cord and peripheral nerves to relieve pain from nerve irritation. Diagnosis of neurological problems is done with MRIs, CT scans, EMGs and x-rays. Much like the orthopedic chiropractor, this specialist uses non-invasive techniques to treat problems such as muscle spasms, muscle cramps and pinched nerves.
The techniques these doctors employ include:
- physical therapy
- manual manipulation
- mechanical manipulation
- muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory drugs
The chiropractor knows that your muscles will compensate for the loss of function in nearby muscles. Muscle retraining is sometimes needed to get each muscle group back to their original functions and working together again.
Sports Physician
Chiropractors interested in pursuing sports medicine are certified by the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (ACBSP). These doctors focus on injuries that occur while you are participating in a sporting activity. They can also help you keep those muscles and joints strong that are most needed in your desired sport.
The specialists in sports medicine treat such injuries as sprains, strains and other muscle injuries to insure you get back your natural functionality in those areas. If competing in sports, you want to know that an ankle sprain won't result in long-term performance loss. These chiropractors treat these injuries so that they heal completely and you'll have no side effects that affect your game.
These sports physicians will also teach you the proper way to warm up your muscles before play, and the exercises that best strengthen important areas of your body. Some chiropractors in this field take extra training to learn about the diets that are most effective for the health of the bones, muscles and nerves of the athlete.
These three specialties give you more options when visiting your chiropractor like one from Excellence in Health. Ask them how these additional specialties may help you and when you might need them most.
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As an elderly care worker, I have witnessed the deaths of many individuals. I have seen family members become angry, sad, and completely silent at the end. I have also seen individuals refuse to see family members out of denial. People deal with death in different ways, and the strong emotions are often unfamiliar and scary. If you have a parent or grandparent who is elderly, then I want to share with you what I know about end of life care and dying process. We are a society that does not talk about death, and this can cause great pain when a family member dies. Learn about the process and find out how to deal with your own emotions and how to love your family members at the end. If there is only a small amount of time left, then I want you to cherish the final moments.