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Chiropractic Medicine
Chiropractic Medicine is a health care profession that focuses on
disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the
effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is
used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but
not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or
legs, and headaches.
Doctors of Chiropractic Medicine are often simply referred to as
"chiropractors" or "chiropractic physicians". In Estonia they hold the
international designation of "D.C." which has been aquired
through their graduation from an interantionally accredited chiropractic
university faculty or college. Chiropractic members of EMMKS may also hold the
Estonian designation of "D.C.M.". Minimum educational
standards for chiropractic licensure set by the EMMKS follow the European
Chiropractic Union guidelines and are in accordance with the World Federation of
Chiropractic and the World Health Organization as well as the originating North
American Council of Chiropractic Education standards. Estonian Chiropractic
Physicians mainly practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that
includes
patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. They have full medical diagnostic
skills and are also trained to provide physiotheraputic modalities as well as
prescriptive therapeutics and rehabilitative exercises. Estonian
Chiropractors may also provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling and
may prescribe nutraceutical prescriptions in the forms of drug-free
naturopathic, homeopathic and supplementative substances which do not require a
medical doctors prescription. In some cases, they may also practice forms of
Traditional Chinese or Eastern medicines such as acupunture and/or varied
naturopathic medicine practices.
The most common therapeutic procedure performed by Doctors of Chiropractic
Medicine is known as “osseous manipulation,” also sometimes called “chiropractic
adjustment.” The purpose of manipulation is to restore joint
mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become
hypomobile – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a injury or
stress. Osseous manipulations are performed on all joints of the body however
they are performed most commonly on the joints of the spine. They can be
performed using the hands or with specific intruments designed for this purpose.
They are usually performed with the patient fully conscious and without
medication but, in some cases they are performed under general anesthesia or in
conjunction with the application of local sedative medication or anesthesia
provided prior to the manipulations by a qualified medical specialist. Estonian
Chiropractors also provide tissue manipulations wherein specific soft tissues
are manipulated to alter consistency or neurological control. Tissue injury can
be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy
object, or through repetitive stresses, such as
sitting
in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time.
In either case, injured or stressed tissues and their associated joints undergo
physical, chemical and neurological changes that can cause inflammation, pain,
and diminished function for the sufferer. Manipulation, or adjustment of the
affected joint and tissues, restores joint mobility and function alleviating
pain and improving function which subsequently allows tissues to heal.
Manipulations performed by Chiropractors rarely cause discomfort, however,
patients may sometimes experience mild soreness or aching following treatment
(as with some forms of exercise) that usually resolves within 12 to 48 hours.
Research shows that, in most cases of lower back pain,
chiropractic manipulations are the primary and most effective method of
treatment. This finding also applies to many other pain conditions which are due
to injury and/or dysfunction of the joints and muscles. When other medical
conditions exist, chiropractic care may complement or support medical treatment
by relieving the musculoskeletal aspects associated with the condition.
Currently, there is a process in Estonia to have the
titles "Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine", Doctor of Chiropractic",
'Chiropractor' and "Chiropractic Physician" fully protected by
governement legislation so that only qualified
Chiropractic Doctors who have graduated from accreddited
institutions of higher learning are legally allowed to use these
titles. In order to ensure quality and safety for the public,
members of the Estonian Manual Medicine and Chiropractic
Association must have graduated from an ECU/WFC accredited
chiropractic College of University Faculty of
Chiropractic which meets strict requirements. Doctors of
Chiropractic Medicine in Estonia, who are members of EMMKS, are also
required to attend at least 20 hours of continued yearly
professional education courses in order to keep their knowlege base
current and to maintain an active license to practice. Discussions
are underway though EMMKS to make this a mandatory requirement set
by the Estonian government.
Doctors of Chiropractic Medicine differentially
diagnose patients through clinical examination, laboratory
testing, diagnostic imaging and other diagnostic
interventions to determine when chiropractic
treatment is appropriate or when referal to another medical
specialist is required. Chiropractic
physicians will always refer patients to the appropriate
medical or health care provider when chiropractic care is not
suitable for the patient’s condition, or the condition warrants
co-management in conjunction with other members of the Estonian
health care system. Estonian DCMs work closely with Estonian MDs who
cross-refer and with whom they enjoy excellent
co-operation and interprofessional relations. |