| By :
Nick Messe
Does anyone want to play tennis? No thanks, my lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is acting up. Would you prefer golf? No thanks, my musculoligamentous injury (lower back strain) is acting up. What about if we take a pleasant walk? No thanks, my prepatellar bursa (inflamed knee) is acting up. You have tried ice packs, heating pads, and pain medications. Before one opts to undergo surgery, one should consider using a chiropractor. A chiropractor takes a holistic approach to your health care, focusing on your entire body, not only your pain. Chiropractics is derived from two Greek words "cheir" (hand) and "praktos" (done), for the meaning "done by hand". In 1895, Daniel David Palmer first combined the various forms of physical manipulation with the scientific study of anatomy. Since then, this done by hand approach to medicine has grown to more than 60,000 practitioners in the United States alone, valued for its focus on total health rather than immediate relief of symptoms through medication. For your tennis elbow, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter medications. If that does not work, he may recommend corticosteroid shots. If that does not work, he may send you to a surgeon to sever and reattach the tendon. A sports injury specialist, on the other hand, will search for the cause of the pain. In most cases, the cause is muscular, with the body redirecting the function of one muscle to another muscle in order to compensation for the true source of the pain. Exercise and manipulation, properly administered by a trained sports injury specialist will provide relief without the dangerous side effects of steroids or the scars of surgery. For your lower back strain, your doctor may recommend bed rest. If that does not work, he may recommend carbamazepine (a seizure medication) or amitriptyline (an antidepressant). If that does not work, he may send you to a surgeon for endoscopic disc repair. A certified physical therapist, on the other hand, will recommend a series of regular exercises to strengthen the muscles of your lower back. According to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, "A higher proportion of chiropractic patients (56 percent versus 13percent) reported that their low-back pain was better or much better, whereas nearly one-third of medical patients reported their low-back pain was worse or much worse." For your inflamed knee, your doctor may again recommend over-the-counter medications and corticosteroid shots. However, acupuncture may provide the relief you seek. This 3000-year old Chinese art gained credibility in the western world in 1997 when the National Institutes of Health recognized it as an acceptable practice. Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles into certain pressure points throughout the body. When properly performed by a certified acupuncturist, this treatment is a safe, holistic method to reduce your pain without harming the rest of your body. Regardless of your choice of treatment, you can be certain that your chiropractor will take into account your whole body, and will provide hands-on treatment aimed at the source of your pain, not simply its symptoms.
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