The X-Ray Vision-aries Blog

X-Ray Vision-aries is a healthy and green living blog designed for non-health nuts. We hope that by looking at health and the environment in a non-technical and light-hearted manner that makes learning about and improving one's health, environment and life accessible to everyone, we can all learn a thing or two. Enjoy!

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    • The Use of X-rays in Chiropractic Treatment

    Chiropractic treatment is a drug-free hands-on approach to treating musculoskeletal disorders. Chiropractors are physicians who examine patients experiencing musculoskeletal pain, diagnose their disorder, and recommend proper treatment. This treatment may include therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, nutritional counseling, and lifestyle adjustments. Most commonly, chiropractors perform a therapeutic procedure known as spinal manipulation on joints that have become restricted in their movement in order to improve mobility. This involves applying controlled force into these joints which adjusts the affected joint and tissues back into their normal range and function. Restoring proper body alignment relieves pain and muscle tightness, improves the patient’s range of motion, and allows tissues to be able to heal.

    Musculoskeletal disorders occur when a person experiences an injury that may be caused by stresses they may experience regularly like sitting with bad spinal posture or an injury caused by an event, such as lifting a heavy object improperly or being in a car accident. These events can cause tissues to experience physical and chemical changes that end up causing pain, inflammation, and restricted mobility. In order to determine the proper course of treatment, chiropractors must first assess patients through clinical examination, laboratory testing, and diagnostic imaging. One of the most important diagnostic imaging methods a chiropractor can use is spinal x-ray because it is without question the most revealing and informative.

    Spinal x-rays are pictures that are taken of the spine that can reveal injuries or diseases that are affecting joints or discs within the spine. These pictures can reveal spinal fractures, dislocations, infections, curvatures, and defects. When an x-ray is taken a beam of light or radio waves is projected upon the patient and passes through their body. A picture is then created from a detector in which dense tissues like bones appear white and less dense tissues like muscles and organs appear gray. X-ray is essential in proper chiropractic treatment because it allows the chiropractor to see how the patient’s spine differs from normal alignment. After evaluating a patient’s x-rays, a chiropractor is then able to decide on the right treatment for their condition. When a patient’s condition involves a musculoskeletal disorder that the chiropractor can treat they will discuss a plan with the patient. Chiropractic is not a quick fix, and the more out of alignment a person’s spine is the longer they may have to undergo treatment for it. Sometimes x-rays may reveal that a patient’s condition is something a chiropractor cannot provide treatment for, such as a fracture or infection, and they will then refer patients to a specialist who can.