Crystal Schmidt

English 110

2 April 2002

Researched Essay 1

The Benefits of Surface Electromyography in Chiropractic Care Today

Surface electromyography is finding new use in the chiropractic field assisting doctors in detecting spinal problems, and showing insurance companies the need and benefits of chiropractic care. Spinal subluxations are the cause of many health problems, and suppress the body's ability to heal naturally, which a surface electromyography, or sEMG can electronically detect (Kent 41, Koren 12). The sEMG is important because many health care providers today, especially those in alternative medicine, are under a lot of pressure to prove their patient's need for care, and the progress they are making, which the sEMG does (Huber). This technique, because of its non-invasive nature, is marketed to a wide variety of people. Although some negative studies have been conducted, it has not effected the marketing or success of the sEMG, and there is much evidence that supports the practicality of it (Kent 15-22).

Subluxations are misaligned vertebrae that interfere with nerves (Altman 8). They can affect your balance, spinal health, posture, resistance to disease, internal organ health, and in general prevent you from functioning at your best (Koren 12). The sEMG is an accurate and reliable way of testing that measures the electrical activity of the muscles surrounding the spine, and displays where there is abnormal tension (Nicholson). Muscles tend to “brace” in response to subluxations, and the sEMG is made to determineif your body is “tensing” abnormally, and to what magnitude (Kent 42).

Over the years as chiropractic treatment has become increasingly popular, people have been trying to fake injuries in order to receive money from insurance companies. The sEMG measurement technique can directly show whether or not the patient really has spinal problems. It also allows the chiropractor to specifically monitor patients progress and effectiveness of the treatment, which is now proving to insurance companies the necessity of chiropractic care, or the lack there of (Nicholson). The muscle activity in the patient's back is displayed and recorded on a computer (Kent 15-22). Throughout the course of the treatment, many more readings can be taken, and compared to each other in intricate detail. Studies and research have shown that almost all subjects that undergo chiropractic care exhibit a continuous pattern of gradual to statistically significant decline in muscle activity over a four week period using the sEMG (Kelley and Boone). Changes occurred in association with chiropractic care as long term effects, rather than a short term physiological reaction to adjustment (Kelley and Boone). These studies have also shown a significant relationship between declining sEMG activity and the means of chiropractic care involved, and also in terms of the location of the adjustments (Kelley and Boone). Many chiropractors are being charged with "over-utilizing," because their chart notes do not establish the need for care, or express progress during care (Huber). Instead of insurance companies doubting the word of the doctor and patient that the treatment is working, they can visually be shown the patient's declining muscle activity. This is especially important because the insurance companies will only cover care that is a "medical necessity," and they like to see solid evidence of patient progress during treatment (Singer).

The sEMG is being used by more chiropractors today, and is becoming known and accepted by more patients, partly because of its marketing. One ad for the "Insight Subluxation Station" reads: "Visible signs of nerve disturbances, visible signs of improvement, visible signs of the power of chiropractic" (Chiropractic Journal). Patients today like to be able to actually see what is wrong with them, and not just hear the doctor use medical technical words to describe what their problems are. Many chiropractors who use computerized analysis find that their clinical outcomes improve, their opportunities to be more involved in specialty work expand, and their practice volume increases (Huber).

Another marketing strategy for the sEMG is to promote the fact that it is a non-invasive, non-painful technique (Kent 15-22). Patient acceptance is high because of this, unlike some similar techniques that involve long needles (Kelley and Boone). Because of its safeness, it especially attracts the attention of mothers who have young children, seniors, and pregnant women (Kent 41-43). A majority of the people who seek chiropractic care are most likely in some sort of pain, and are not going to be interested in something that will cause them more. The sEMG is fully portable, and the test itself takes approximately 20 seconds, so many chiropractors are bringing it to health fairs and are offering screenings (Kent 41). The doctor can scan the back of a possible patient right there, explain to them any abnormal muscular behavior, and recommend they come to their office for follow up tests and a consultation. This is a great way to make the public aware of the things the sEMG has to offer.

While most of the research on the sEMG has proved it to be trustworthy and very marketable, there have been several negative studies (Kent 15-22). In some cases doctors who have used LED readouts instead of computer based systems, and who did not follow the standard methodology have not gotten accurate readings (Kent 15-22). Some other doctors and researchers have argued against the sEMG because of its inability to differentiate between patients in pain, and non-pain patients (Kent 15-22). Patients are not going to the chiropractor to be told that they have back pain, but instead what is causing it, and how they can fix it. Because the idea behind this machine is to detect subluxations by means of muscles, which can exist without pain, it does a substantial job (Kent 15-22). Since the authors of these negative studies failed to support some of their conclusions thoroughly, their work has not effected the strategy behind marketing the sEMG, or its success (Kent 15-22).

Through its intricate, yet simple operation, the sEMG has demonstrated to be effective in detecting subluxations (Lehman and McGill 444-446). And by its showing the patient's need for care and their progress, it has proved to insurance companies the benefits of chiropractic care. Through recent marketing strategies showing how much the sEMG has to offer, it is becoming more popular with doctors and patients. Although a few doctors and researchers doubt the importance of the sEMG, most look at it as a very important victory on the battlefield of science for chiropractic (Lehman and McGill 444-446).

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