Now that students are back to the books, neck strain and back pain may become more common. Many students seek out cures for this, and one option is chiropractic care.

The term “chiropractic” comes from the Greek words for hand, “cheiros,” and for done by, “pracktos”.

This treatment views health as a multifaceted issue. The main thing chiropractors deal with is spinal adjustments. They attempt to correct spinal problems that affect the nerves exiting between vertebrae. Since the nerves control the rest of the body, chiropractors believe these adjustments can relieve pain located all around the body. Currently, chiropractics is one of the top 10 career choices.

Initial chiropractic appointments or consultations often include case histories to discuss the main problem and exams that can be physical, orthopedic or neurological.

Dr. Barbara Read, chiropractor and owner of Read Health Center of Chiropractic, 1606 Golden Aspen Drive, said she often gives consultations for free before performing adjustments.

“Once we decide an adjustment will take place, we take X-rays before and after to check the progress,” Read said.

Read added that insurance sometimes covers the cost of appointments.

“There are definitely a number of college-aged people seeking chiropractic care for a multitude of reasons, including sports-related injuries, stresses from sitting and studying for long periods of time and other problems,” said Mickey Burt, chief of alumni development for Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport and practicing chiropractor for more than 30 years.

Many students whom Read treats at her Ames clinic suffer from tension that worsens after long periods of studying.

“Athletes also commonly have trouble with lower-back and knee pain,” Read said.

Burt said the main reason the general population seeks chiropractic care is physical pain found in the head, back, arms or legs. These problems, along with others, may be cleared up after chiropractic treatment.

“Once [patients] are under regular care, they also find relief from conditions such as fibromyalgia, premenstrual syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, infant colic, asthma and many other conditions affecting the different systems of the body,” Burt said.

Read said she enjoys surprising her patients about the number and variety of ailments that can be improved or cured by chiropractic care.

She said many people are surprised to hear that blood pressure issues, stomach problems such as acid reflux and other gastrointestinal problems, arthritis and reproductive and fertility problems can all be dealt with through chiropractics.

Ben Peterson, sophomore in mechanical engineering, has been receiving treatment from a chiropractor since November 2006. He said he initially sought out treatment for his unbearable back pain, and his parents had heard about a chiropractor from a family friend.

“I went to alleviate the pain in my back caused by nerve interference,” Peterson said. “I found out that I had a condition called Vertebral Subluxation Complex, which is basically multiple partially dislocated vertebrae. In my case I had four partially dislocated.”

Peterson said he would recommend chiropractic care to others. He is quick to note the positive effects from his ongoing treatment.

“I am still receiving treatment once a week, but I have noticed huge changes,” he said.

Some people think of chiropractors as individuals who are mainly seeking out money, no matter how necessary their treatment is for the patient. However, Burt said a chiropractor’s main concern is to discover if a patient’s pain is a chiropractic problem or not.

“If it is not a chiropractic problem, the chiropractor will make the appropriate referral to another health care provider,” Burt said.

The other health professionals could be nutritionists, physical therapists or general practitioners.

Studies have shown chiropractic patients experience multiple benefits after receiving treatment.

“Large demographics of people who are under chiropractic care show a lower cost for the treatment of conditions in terms of fewer surgeries, imaging tests and hospitalizations,” Burt said. “Seniors who go to chiropractors at least four times a year were shown to take fewer medications, have fewer hospital stays and are less likely to go to nursing homes.”