Technic and Practice of ChiropracticLoban, Joy Maxwell
Science
Technic and Practice of Chiropractic
Loban, Joy Maxwell
Chiropractic
(C) Palpation preparatory to the Cervical adjustment will be made in
this position or in position A, according as you intend adjusting the
Cervicals in the prone or the sitting posture. For the prone position
have the patient’s head supported by either hand, while the other
hand is applied with the tips of the first three fingers resting on
the tips of the spinous processes, from which position they may glide
smoothly down, noting deviations from normal in position as well as
mentally numbering the vertebrae. While this method of palpation is
not so accurate as those given elsewhere, and should be used only as
an additional means after record has been made, it will always be
necessary to make a count before adjusting any Cervical.
Use of Hands
In general it may be stated that the first three fingers of one
hand are used with an easy downward gliding movement in which only
the _tips_ of the three fingers, evenly placed, are in contact with
the patient’s body. This concentrates the attention upon a very
small tactile surface which may become extremely sensitive by the
concentration. Indeed, it may be said that vertebral palpation only
became an art through the application of the principle of concentration
in practice. The gliding movement is always _downward_, because to
palpate upward will mass the superficial tissues under the fingers
and confuse the palpater. If there is uncertainty in the mind of the
palpater, as he proceeds, as to the identity of any vertebra he should
go back to the second Cervical, or to any certainly recognizable
vertebra previously fixed in mind, and recount.
The use of the hands for Atlas palpation differs from their use
elsewhere and will be described under separate head. The use of the
hands with the patient lying face upward is also different. If the
patient be lying prone, the same three fingers are used and the same
downward glide as with patient sitting.
[Illustration: Fig. 1. Position of hands in palpation for record.]
With patient sitting, the palpater should step from side to side,
changing hands frequently and usually palpating each vertebra with
each hand before reaching a conclusion. There are three reasons for
this. More accurate records may be made by combining two different
impressions on each vertebra; with frequent change of hands one may
prevent tiring and consequent loss of sensibility of fingers; this
practice develops the tactile organs of both hands equally so that if
occasion demand the use of either hand alone it is fitted for the task.
To be ambidexterous in all departments of Chiropractic is an invaluable
attainment, too often neglected.
The Count
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