What it does: Chiropractors specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of illness due to mechanical dysfunction of joints and muscles. This is done through gentle manipulation, although it can feel quite forceful, as your bones make loud cracking noises — caused by gas bubbles. The manipulation is designed to realign the skeleton, free the joints and release tension in the surrounding muscles. McTimoney chiropractic is a gentle form, using small movements. Does it work? The UK BEAM (Back pain Exercise And Manipulation) Trial carried out by the Medical Research Council demonstrated that, three years later, back-pain sufferers who’d been treated with chiropractic in addition to conventional doctors’ treatment, had around 29 per cent greater improvement in symptoms compared to those who had hospital treatment alone.
Finding a chiropractor
• Chiropractors have, by law, to register with the General Chiropractic Council. Call 020 7713 5155, or visit www.gcc-uk.org
• The British Chiropractic Association (largest professional association),
09
Mar
stored in: Health
