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The reader will likely find this remark annoyingly obvious, but pain, especially the one that occurs in the hips, is not normal, and should, therefore, be addressed immediately. Chiropractic, an emergent form of alternative medicine specialized in non-invasive pain relief and management treatments could help you address your hip pain. From a chiropractic standpoint, hip pain is considered to be caused by the misalignment of the spinal cord. In this article, we are going to discuss what to expect from your first trip to a chiropractor and the methods employed to diagnose and treat your condition.
Why Does Hip Pain Occur?
There are many reasons why people experience hip pain. To name a few: osteoarthritis – an inflammatory and degenerative process that affects the mobility of the joints, issues related to the lower spine (compression fractures, disc herniation, or spinal stenosis), rheumatoid arthritis, or infrequent conditions like Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (which causes limping and limits motion due to a blood supply interruption to the femoral head).
Based on the severity of the case, allopathic approaches can include NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or aspirin, cold compression therapy, hip resurfacing, stretching, hip, or joint replacement. Remember – only a trained and certified medical professional can assess the severity of your condition and recommend an appropriate course of action.
How Can Chiropractic Help with Hip Adjustment?
On a fundamental level, chiropractic relies on the scientifically sound belief that most cases of back pain are caused by misalignments of the spinal column. Using a series of time-honored methods, a chiropractor will try to isolate and realign the ‘damaged’ segment in an attempt to alleviate the patient’s pain.
Some people have linked chiropractic to mysticism, but, in reality, this form of alternative medicine works very well with allopathy. For instance, during your first visit to a D.C. or Doctor of Chiropractic, you will be asked to provide a complete medical record, including blood tests, X-Rays, or MRIs. Your physician will look over your medical history and recommend an appropriate course of treatment.
Returning to the subject at hand, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach on how to adjust hips. You can check the linked article for more info on hip adjustment without surgery, the main causes of back pain, and why self-chiropractic can be very dangerous.
One of the most ‘traditional’ approaches to hip adjustment is the so-called H.V.L.A thrust. The acronym stands for high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust. In layman terms, your physician will apply a controlled thrust to the affected area in an attempt to ‘force’ the misaligned segment back into place. However, this is just one of the many non-conventional methods to deal with hip pain.
Below, you will find three other methods your chiropractor could use to diagnose and treat your hip pain.
- ‘Activator’ method – using a spring-activated device, your practitioner will diagnose and correct any sort of misalignments associated with hip pain.
- Release work – the chiropractor will use his fingertips to mobilize and readjust vertebras fallen out of place.
- Mackenzie technique – a great approach for those who are diffident about chiropractic. More specifically, the patient instructs the doctor on pressure points and states his level of comfort each time the practitioner employs a new technique.
Is chiropractic effective for hip pain? Most certainly, and the facts seem to point toward encouraging results. In fact, in mild to average cases, chiropractic has helped patients deal with hip pain without the need of medication. Moreover, studies have shown that chiropractic can improve mood, boost immunity, and, of course, improve your posture.
Remember – chiropractic should not be construed as a surefire way to get rid of the hip pain. In some cases, especially those that involve a form of degenerative pathology, chiropractic cannot help patients further than dealing with chronic pain.
Conclusion
Chiropractic can help alleviate hip pain by identifying and targeting the underlying cause. For those of you still wondering about the difference between seeing a ‘regular’ doctor and a D.C., there’s actually no discernable difference, In fact, chiropractic works in conjunction with allopathic medicine. For instance, if your medical record is incomplete, the chiropractor could refer you for further medical investigations. This could include X-rays, MRIs, or blood testing.
Hip pain can have many causes and could affect patients between the ages of 15 and 50. Chiropractic can relieve pain, boost the immune system, and improve posture. Furthermore, by correcting the misalignment of the spinal column, chiropractic can also correct other conditions which may be related to your back pain. All treatments are tailored to the patient’s condition.
