The Association of Chiropractic Malaysia (ACM) said patients suffering from debilitating conditions have not received care since the total nationwide lockdown on June 1.
Its president, Dr Newell Tan Soen Aik, said the absence of treatment had caused the condition of many to regress.
Badly affected are those suffering from nerve entrapments, disc injuries, knee osteoarthritis, myofascial pain syndromes and other serious disorders.
Tan said a 70-year-old man from Melaka who was diagnosed with grade 3 osteoarthritis in May has missed six weeks of treatment.
“He is in terrible pain, back on oral painkillers and is considering a surgical knee replacement – something he had wanted to avoid in the first place,” he said.
He lamented that even as the quality of life of people like the man has deteriorated, “the government hasn’t indicated when they will be able to re-start much needed treatment”.
Tan said it was baffling that chiropractic centres have been deemed as non-essential service during the lockdown when private physiotherapists were allowed to operate at full capacity with strict SOPs.
“Patients are frustrated, knowing that chiropractors and physiotherapists have the same amount of exposure to their patients in terms of duration and physical contact,” he said.
“So, why can’t chiropractors see their patients if they observe similar SOPs?”
He said people resorted to chiropractic treatment because it employed the use of exercise, manual therapy and non-invasive methods that are effective in resolving neuromusculoskeletal pain.
Tan noted that the majority of the chiropractors in the country have been vaccinated.
He said 153 out of 158 chiropractors who responded to a recent ACM survey confirmed they have received the Covid-19 vaccine, with 139 of them having had both doses.
Appeals to re-open have fallen on deaf ears, he said, adding that the government has to be made accountable for the damage done to the physical and mental health of the sufferers.
“The government should stop harping on the amateurish excuse that the prolonged lockdown is to curb the spread of the disease.
“Such ineptness comes at a cost of depriving those desperately in need of healthcare,” he said.
Tan said the authorities should note that working from home has sparked mental and physical health issues, triggered by rising stress levels coupled with improper ergonomic conditions.
He cited a recent study, published in the International Journal of Health Sciences and Research, that stated 70.5% of respondents aged between 18 and 65 years, who were working from home, reported discomfort and pain, especially in the lower back and neck region.
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