Manual Therapies description
Low back pain remains one of the most common work-related disorder causes and is present in 80-90% of the adult population. Frequently, lumbar spine pains are attributed to a disc-related disorder, a herniated disc. A surgical solution is not the only solution, as a range of manual therapies can be utilized in the case of a patient who does not choose surgery to remove the disc. Manual therapies aim to restore the lost joint mobility and balance of skeletal, muscular, and cranial systems (Jeong et al., 2020). A gamut of therapeutic techniques is used in disc herniation, including cranial sacral, massage, chiropractic therapies, and osteopathy. A physical therapist performs these to manipulate bone and soft tissues to accelerate healing by decreasing the blood vessel and nerve pressure, thereby improving the function of the manipulated area.
Bone and soft tissue manipulation can be mechanical such as in chiropractic care to manipulate the spine to produce effects on the nervous system and massage to emphasize muscles. The manipulation can also be neurological such as in Cranial Sacral to manipulate the head and spinal cord, or physiological such as in neuro-fast processing and myofascial release. The least recommended technique is joint manipulation, a physiotherapeutic technique, due to the mysticism around it and the risk of adverse reactions during its application by inexperienced therapists. The use of manual vertebral manipulation therapies performed on the spinal segment level will improve the lumbar disc herniation, reduce the disc herniation degree, and avert neurosurgical intervention.
Manual Therapy Treatment centers
Mr. Smith can find trained, professionally trained physiatrists in reflexology clinics all over the state. He can also find the services in the spine and physiotherapy clinics or traditional healing centers worldwide. The rehabilitation center physicians are specialized in injuries or illnesses affecting movement and non-surgical approaches to back pain, including herniated discs.
Safeguarding a Patient’s Rights to Manual Therapy
Safeguarding a patient refers to protecting their health, well-being and human rights from harm, abuse and neglect. This statement implies that patients have to be protected from exploitation by unscrupulous business health practitioners by providing all the information they need regarding alternative medicine and their rights. In this context, nurses and health practitioners must safeguard a patient’s individual right to make a choice. They also have a duty to control their own care. Patients have a right to opt for alternative treatment options if available. They also have a right to refuse treatment or reconsider alternatives and choose the source from which to obtain medicines and tests. One step to safeguard a patient’s right to manual therapy is asking them if they would like to try manual treatment in place of surgery (Jeong et al., 2020). It is also crucial to offer information on alternative medicine when they ask. One has to explain the options satisfactorily, respect the patient’s will, collaborate with them, and compromise to support their wishes.
The Role of the Nurse, Educators, Counselors, and Change Agents in Manual Therapy
The primary role of nurses concerning alternative medicine and manual therapy is to volunteer information on alternative medicine, explain satisfactorily, respect the patient’s will, collaborate with them, and compromise and negotiate to support them (Jeong et al., 2020). They also keep the patient’s information confidential and out of reach of unauthorized persons. Furthermore, they must aid the patient in their paths to recovery by monitoring their progress and physical exercises. It is also imperative to advise their patients should they reconsider manual treatment for orthodox medicine.
Reference
Jeong, J. K., Kim, E., Yoon, K. S., Jeon, J. H., Kim, Y. I., Lee, H., Kwon, O, Jung, S.O., Yang, C., Kang, J. H., & Han, C. H. (2020). Acupotomy versus manual acupuncture for the treatment of back and/or leg pain in patients with lumbar disc herniation: A multicenter, randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded clinical trial. Journal of Pain Research, 13, 677.