FAQ’s about Chiropractic

What is chiropractic care?

There’s nothing mysterious about chiropractic. It’s a natural method of health care that focuses on treating the causes of physical problems, rather than just treating the symptoms. Chiropractic is based on a simple but powerful premise. With a normally functioning spine and healthy nerve system, your body is better able to heal itself. That’s because your spine is the lifeline of your nervous system. It controls feeling, movement, and all function through your body.

How does chiropractic work?

Chiropractic works by restoring your body’s inborn ability to be healthy. When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissues, and organs of your body are designed to resist disease and ill health. The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and remove interferences (subluxations, misaligned vertebrae) to your nervous system. With improved spinal function, there is improved nervous system function. The goal of the chiropractor is to remove interference that may be impairing normal health through specific chiropractic adjustments, allowing your body to heal itself. A healthy spine and a healthy lifestyle are your keys to optimal health!

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment is the practice of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is subluxated, “locked up,” or not moving properly. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is to eliminate interference to the nervous system, improving spinal function and overall health. Gentle spinal adjustments may boost your body’s immunity, too.

Do children need chiropractic care?

Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked for vertebral subluxation. Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are adapted for the child’s spine. Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off can be traced back to a misalignment of the spine. And health problems that emerge in adulthood may have been prevented by having the spine checked by a chiropractor as a child. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and are healthier than their peers.

Are all patients adjusted the same way?

No. The doctor evaluates each patient’s unique spinal problem and develops an individual course of care. Each chiropractic adjustment builds on the one before. The resulting recommendations are based upon years of training and experience. Each patient’s care is uniquely different from every other patient.

Is chiropractic safe?

Chiropractic treatments have an excellent safety record. It is the result of a conservative and natural approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs, as evidenced by comparing malpractice rates between chiropractors and other health care professionals. Chiropractors’ malpractice premiums are a small fraction of those for medical doctors.

What causes the sound during an adjustment?

Chiropractic adjustments do not always produce a sound. Often, however, adjustments produce a spinal “release” or “popping” sound. The is caused by gas rushing in to fill the partial vacuum created when the joints are slightly separated. This sound is painless and totally harmless.

Can I adjust myself?

No. Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction to a specific joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself correctly and accurately. It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a “popping” sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment. Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, and can make an already unstable spine even more unstable. This can sometimes be dangerous; Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs!

Is chiropractic care addictive?

No. If it was, there would be more healthy people around! It is possible to get used to feeling more balanced, less stressed, and more energetic as a result or regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic is not addictive, however, good health is.

Can a person who had back surgery see a chiropractor?

Yes. It’s an unfortunate fact that up to half of those who had spinal surgery discover a return of their original symptoms months or years later. They then face the prospect of additional surgery. This too common occurrence is know as “Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.” Chiropractic may help prevent repeated back surgeries. In fact, if chiropractic care is initially, utilized back surgery can often be avoided in the first place.

Does chiropractic work for all types of health problems?

No, however chiropractic care is successful with a very wide variety of health problems not necessarily considered “back” problems because of improved nerve system function. With a normal nerve supply the body’s natural healing capacity can improve a variety of health problems.

Is it OK to see a chiropractor if I’m pregnant?

Anytime is a good time for a better functioning nerve system. Pregnant mothers find that chiropractic adjustments improve their pregnancy and make delivery easier for themselves and their baby. Adjusting methods are always adapted to a patients size, weight, age, and condition of health.