Chiropractic neurology is a special type of chiropractic treatment. It’s used to assess the health of the complete network that connects the joints, muscles, and the nervous system, identifying issues in each section that can cause problems in other parts of the body.
Chiropractic neurologist
While a standard chiropractor helps relieve problems with the joints, muscles, and bones, a chiropractic neurologist is qualified to diagnose, assess, and treat many different neurological disorders. These can include problems with the nerves, spinal cord, and brain.
The primary difference between a chiropractic neurologist and a medical neurologist is that the treatments a chiropractic neurologist provides aren’t drug- or surgery-related. They mainly involve adjustments, massages, and similar actions performed with the chiropractor’s hands and specialist tools.
Chiropractic neurologists have completed an additional three-year course that gives them advanced knowledge of functional neurology — the connection between a patient’s various nervous systems and how they affect their overall health. This allows them to diagnose issues related to specific neural pathways and use the anatomical and embryological relationships to make important changes throughout the nervous system.
What does chiropractic neurology treat?
Chiropractic neurology treats a number of common disorders, including:
- Autoimmune conditions like Multiple Sclerosis
- Neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease
- Movement disorders like restless leg syndrome
- Headaches and migraines
- Chronic pain
- Vertigo
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Dystonia — abnormal muscle tone that results in abnormal posture and muscle spasms
- Rehabilitation following a head injury or stroke
- Learning disabilities, including ADHD
- Neuropathy — caused by damage to the peripheral nerves
- Radiculopathy — a pinched nerve in the spine
How does it work?
It’s a false belief that our brains stop developing by the time we become adults. The truth is that our brains never stop adapting to the environment around us. A chiropractic neurologist has the knowledge to specialize in therapies that rely on the brain’s ability to adapt and control muscle and joint function. This is how a chiropractic neurologist can achieve great results without using invasive treatments.
Diagnostics
During the initial session, your chiropractor will physically examine you and ask questions about the location, severity, and habits of your pain. If they need more information, they may also use one or more of the following diagnostic tools to help them get to the root of the problem:
- CT scans
- MRI scans
- X-rays
- Blood work
- Ultrasounds
Chiropractic neurologists who are board-certified in electrodiagnostics may also use:
- NCV (Nerve Conduction Studies)
- EEG (Electroencephalograph)
- LORETA (Low-Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomography)
- EMG (Electromyography)
- EPS (Evoked Potential Studies)
- QEEG (Quantitative Electroencephalographs)
Treatment
The nature of the issue defines the type of treatment necessary. A chiropractic neurologist is qualified to work on the nervous system, muscles, and joints. Depending on the disorder, they may carry out one or more of the following treatments to help you:
- Chiropractic adjustments by hand or specialist instrument
- Balance and coordination workouts
- Sensory training, including touch, smell, sound, and light
- Breathing exercises
- Eye exercises
- Cognitive activities
- Physical workouts
- Nutritional modification
Chiropractic neurologists often have great success at treating patients when all other methods have failed. This is primarily due to the unique approach that they use to diagnose conditions and treat them.
As well as looking for the causes and effects of physical problems (like medical doctors do) a chiropractic neurologist also studies subtle changes in the way the nervous system works. This sets them apart from other specialists and helps them make connections that would otherwise be missed.
When to see a chiropractic neurologist
Many people make an appointment with a chiropractic neurologist after they’ve struggled to get a diagnosis or relief from other specialists. These specialists are often brought in when someone isn’t responding to medical neurological treatment, as a chiropractic neurologist can offer ideas and advice that other specialists may lack.
While chiropractic neurologists are trained to treat a wide variety of conditions, they’re best known for improving the symptoms associated with dystonia, movement disorders, chronic pain, head injuries, vertigo, post-stroke rehabilitation, and nerve entrapment syndromes caused by lesions in the peripheral and central nervous system.
If you’re suffering from any of the above illnesses and traditional medicine hasn’t provided you with any relief or answers, it may be time to see a chiropractic neurologist. They’re able to treat almost anything that an ordinary neurologist can treat, without drugs or invasive surgery. If your condition does require more intense treatment, they may be able to refer you to a medical neurologist, after first ruling out other safe and non-invasive methods.
It could help you
If you feel like you’ve tried absolutely everything and you’re still suffering, chiropractic neurology could be just what you need to get on the road to recovery. Get in touch with your nearest Veeva chiropractic clinic today and find out if they offer any chiropractic neurology services. This could be the first step to going back to the pain-free life you’ve been dreaming of.
About the author
Matt has been helping providers within the healthcare setting for over a decade. He realizes how best to solve a patient’s problem by understanding the individualism of each patient. Therefore knowing what their true needs are. To focus on the patient and the “Why” they need their particular service that goes beyond the initial reason for them to seek treatment.
Matt has been with Veeva since 2018. He also has access to over 75 years of combined real-life hands-on experiences from the many doctors within the Veeva Chiropractic landscape.
