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Can Chiropractors Really Heal? 整脊能治百病？

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While some chiropractors market themselves as holistic healers, others insist that sticking to their own field of expertise is the best medicine 虽然有些整脊治疗师（译注：或译整脊师、整脊医师、脊骨神经医师）以全人治疗者（译注：或译整体愈疗师）自居来自我营销，但其他整脊治疗师却坚持，坚守本行才是最佳良药

Chiropractors are best known for treating back and neck pain. But can their hands-on manipulations of the spine also help with colic, asthma, ear infections, allergies and digestive issues?

整脊治疗师以擅长治疗背痛和颈部疼痛着称，不过，他们亲自动手进行的脊椎推拿，是不是还能治疗腹绞痛、气喘、耳部感染、过敏和消化疾病呢？

Though it’s a controversial notion, some chiropractors are aggressively marketing themselves as holistic, primary-care healers who can treat a broad scope of ailments ranging from acid reflux to infertility. Others in the field say chiropractors should focus on musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, where evidence for efficacy is the strongest.

虽然这种说法具有争议性，但一些整脊治疗师已经开始以全人式主治医疗师的身分来积极自我营销，声称可以治疗各式各样疾病，从胃酸逆流到不孕症都能治。但其他整脊治疗师则认为，还是应该专注于如背痛等肌肉与骨骼失调症，因为整脊治疗这类疾病的效果最显着。

Though conventional practitioners have often scorned them for making unfounded claims, chiropractors are now established as mainstream healthcare providers. Many health plans and Medicaid now cover their services, and they regularly care for clients ranging from the chronically ill to professional and Olympic athletes. An estimated 8.6 percent of adults in the U.S. use chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

虽然传统治疗师往往对他们嗤之以鼻，认为那些宣称毫无根据的主流。许多医疗方案和美国医疗补助计划，如今都可给付整脊的费用，而定期接受整脊的患者则从慢性病患到专业运动员及奥运选手都包括在内。据美国国家辅助及另类医疗中心指出，全美估计有百分之八点六的成年人接受过整脊或整骨推拿。

Typical treatment  一般疗程

Chiropractors typically apply a sudden force to a region of the spine to help loosen a stiff joint, which they say allows the body’s natural healing process to take over. During an initial visit, the chiropractor typically takes a health history and performs a physical exam, focusing on the spine. X-rays may be taken, and spinal “adjustments” may be applied with a patient lying facedown or sideways on a table.

整脊治疗师一般都是突然使力在脊椎某处，以便纾解僵硬的关节，据他们的说法是，这样能促使人体展开自然疗愈的过程。首次看诊时，整脊治疗师一般都会先了解患者的病史，并进行身体检查，而重点则放在脊椎上，还可能X光，接着可能会让患者面朝下或侧躺在医疗用诊疗桌上，以便为患者进行脊椎「矫正」。

Experts say there is evidence the treatment can lessen lower back pain, even if researchers have yet to figure out exactly why.

专家指出，这些疗法证明的确能减轻下背部疼痛，虽然整脊之所以能达到这种效果的明确原因，仍有待研究人员进一步探究。

A non-drug, non-surgical approach, the manual treatments can be “a good adjunct to musculoskeletal care,” said Dr. Joel Press, medical director of the Spine and Sports Rehabilitation Center at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, which employs two chiropractors.

芝加哥复健研究院的脊椎与运动复健中心医疗主任乔．普雷斯指出，没有药物处方、也不用动手术的纯手技推拿疗法，可望成为「肌肉骨骼保健的良好辅助。」该中心聘有两名整脊治疗师。

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holistic [hoˋlɪstɪk] adj. 整体论的; 全面的; 整体性的

chiropractor [ˋkaɪrə͵præktɚ] n.【医】脊骨神经医师

hands-on [ˋhændzˋɑn] adj. 亲自动手的；躬亲的

colic [ˋkɑlɪk] n.【医】绞痛；急腹痛

primary-care 基层医疗; 初级保健护理

healer [ˋhilɚ] n. 另类治疗师

acid reflux 胃酸逆流  a chronic condition in which stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation

reflux [ˋri͵flʌks] n. 逆流；退潮

infertility [ɪnfɚˋtɪlətɪ] n. 无生育能力

musculoskeletal [͵mʌskjəloˋskɛlətəl] adj. 肌肉与骨骼的 concerning or involving the muscles and the bones

practitioner [prækˋtɪʃənɚ] n. 开业者（尤指医生、律师）

unfounded [ʌnˋfaʊndɪd] adj. 没有事实根据的，无理由的

claim [klem] n. 声称; 断言

Medicaid (美国)医疗补助(计划) a government service in the U.S. for low-income people, which pays for their medical treatment

osteopathic [͵ɑstiəˋpæθɪk] adj. 整骨的；骨疗法的 involving the treatment of injuries to bones and muscles using pressure and movement

complementary [͵kɑmpləˋmɛntərɪ] adj. 补充的；互补的

loosen [ˋlusn] v. 松开；松弛

spinal adjustment 脊椎矫正

facedown [ˋfes͵daʊn] adv. 面向下地

sideways [ˋsaɪd͵wez] adv.（斜）向一边；向旁边

have yet to 尚未

rehabilitation [͵rihə͵bɪləˋteʃən] n.（病残人的）康复

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At Chiro One Wellness Centers, however, spinal adjustments are used to treat a wide variety of ailments seemingly unrelated to the spine. Moreover, anyone is encouraged to come in for regular maintenance to prevent disease from occurring.

不过，整脊健康中心却运用脊椎矫正来治疗各式各样似乎和脊椎无关的疾病。除此之外，该中心也鼓励一般人定期上门接受保养性的整脊，以预防疾病发生。

The Chiro One philosophy stems from a concept of chiropractic manipulation from the late 1800s that many view as unscientific and outdated. The theory holds that the spine is the key to our overall health and that human illnesses arise from “subluxation,” a term chiropractors use for misalignment of the spine.

整脊健康中心的医疗理念，源自于十九世纪晚期的整脊推拿观念，虽然如今有很多人都认为这种观念既不科学又嫌过时。根据这种理论，脊椎被视为整体健康的关键，而人体的疾病源自于「脊骨错位」，整脊治疗师用这个名词来代表脊椎不正。

“The premise was and still is that the spine and the nervous system are the master systems which control and coordinate all function in the body,” said Chiro One chief executive Stuart Bernsen.

整脊健康中心执行长史都华．柏恩森指出，「无论在过去，或是现在，这种理念的大前提都是，脊骨和神经系统是掌管、协调人体所有功能的主宰系统。」

An opposing view  反对的看法

But only a minority of chiropractors still adhere to the original theories of the spine as a source of ill health. On the other end of the spectrum are chiropractors who use a more modern, evidence-based approach that focuses on the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions using a variety of techniques, with the exception of prescription drugs and surgery.

不过，其实只有少数整脊治疗师仍坚持脊椎是疾病之源的原始理论。持相反意见整脊治疗师，则采用更现代化、有左证为基础的疗法，焦点锁定在肌肉与骨骼症状的诊断、评估及治疗，并使用各式各样的技巧，但不使用处方药，也不动手术。

“This business of ‘all disease stemming from spine,’ there’s no evidence to support that,” said chiropractic physician Jim Winterstein, president of the National University of Health Sciences in Illinois, one of 18 accredited chiropractic schools in the U.S. “And I’d never suggest the adjustment of spine is the answer to human ailments. It plays a role like exercise and nutrition and lifestyle changes. All are tools.”

伊利诺伊州美国健康科学（译注：或译医护、医学）大学校长、也是脊骨神经医师的吉姆．温特史坦表示，「所谓『一切疾病都源自于脊椎』的说法，毫无证据可供左证，」该校是全美获得认证的十八所整脊医疗（或译脊骨神经学）学校之一，「而且我个人也绝对不会暗示，脊椎矫正能治好人体所有疾病，其实整脊的功能就和运动、营养及改变生活方式类似，而所有这些方式都只是让人变得更健康的利器而已。」

Winterstein also disputes claims that regular adjustments can help improve overall health, again citing a lack of science.

温特史坦也反驳了定期矫正脊椎有助改善整体健康的说法，理由同样是因为这种声称毫无科学根据。

“We have anecdotal evidence that people seem to get healthier – when you manipulate the spine and affect the nervous system, dramatic things sometimes happen – but that’s the most we can say at this point,” he said.

「这种说法，其实只有一些人们似乎变得更健康的轶事作为案例──但脊椎推拿原本就会对神经系统造成影响，有时的确可能带来戏剧性的效果──但截至目前为止，顶多就只能这么说了，」他如此表示。

−by Juie Deardorff

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wellness [ˋwɛlnɪs] n.【美】健康

subluxation [ˌsʌblʌkˈseɪʃən] n. 脊骨错位; 不全脱位；半脱位

misalignment [mɪsəˋlaɪnmənt] n. 未对准；角误差

premise [ˋprɛmɪs] n. 假定; 假设; 前提

spectrum [ˋspɛktrəm] n. 系列; 范围

prescription [prɪˋskrɪpʃən] n. 处方; 药方; 处方上开的药

accredited [əˋkrɛdɪtɪd] adj. 正式认可的; 鉴定合格的

dispute [dɪˋspjut] v. 对……提出质疑

单词发音

Vocabulary Focus

manipulation [mə͵nɪpjʊˋleʃən] n. 推拿 a treatment to a part of the body, using the hands to push bones back into the correct position and put pressure on muscles

efficacy [ˋɛfəkəsɪ] n. 功效；能力 an ability, especially of a medicine, to produce the intended results; effectiveness

scorn [skɔrn] v. 轻蔑；藐视 to treat something with a great lack of respect because you think it is of little or no worth

adjunct [ˋædʒʌŋkt] n. 附属品; 辅助物 something added or connected to a larger or more important thing

stem from 起源于 to develop or originate from

adhere to 忠于; 拥护; 支持 to continue to believe in or support something

anecdotal [͵ænɪkˋdot!] adj. 轶事的，趣闻的 based on reports or things someone saw rather than on proven facts