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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 nervous 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 type of
education do chiropractic doctors receive?
Doctors of Chiropractic are well educated. Chiropractic
education and medical education are similar in many respects and
different in others because chiropractors do not prescribe drugs
or perform surgery, and medical doctors do not correct vertebral
subluxations. After graduating with a Doctor of Chiropractic
(D.C.) Degree, each candidate passes the demanding four part
National Board Examinations. Then, doctors apply to a
governmental or professional licensing board and pass a still
more difficult test before earning the privilege to practice. A
chiropractor's education, however, never ends. Most doctors
complete regular postgraduate instruction for license renewal
and to stay current on the latest research and adjustment
techniques.
What is a
chiropractic adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment is the art 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 boost your body's immunity".
Can I tell if I
have a subluxation?
Not always. A subluxation is like a dental cavity--you may have
it for a long time before symptoms appear. That's why periodic
spinal checkups are so important. Although it may be possible to
know you have a subluxation, it is rarely possible to be sure
you don't. Regular spinal checkups are always a good idea, and
they promote good health from the inside out.
Do children
need chiropractic care?
Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents
have their newborns checked for vertebral subluxations.
Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are adapted for the
child's spine. Many childhood health complaints that are brushed
off can be traced to the spine. Health problems that emerge in
adulthood could have often been prevented by having your
children's spine checked by a chiropractor early. 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?
Yes. Chiropractic has an excellent safety record. It is the
result of a conservative and natural approach to health that
avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs. As proof, one
merely has to compare 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?
Actually, adjustments do not always produce a sound. Often,
however, adjustments do create the sound of a spinal "release,"
or "popping" sound. The sound 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, often making an already unstable
spine even more unstable, and can sometimes be dangerous.
Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs!
Is chiropractic
care addictive?
No. If only it were, there would be more healthy people around
and chiropractors would not get patients who last saw a
chiropractor "a few years ago when their back went out." It is
possible to get used to feeling more balanced, less stressed,
and more energetic as a result of 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 known 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 challenges 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.
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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.
What is the
difference between a chiropractor and an osteopath?
Chiropractors base their care on the detection correction, and
prevention of vertebral subluxations (spinal misalignments). We
use specific spinal adjustments to correct the spine, to improve
nerve system functions and reduce nerve interference. Osteopaths
use drugs, surgery, and other traditional medical therapies and
only occasionally use manipulative procedures.
Why do
chiropractors take x-rays?
Chiropractors take x-rays to reveal the internal structure and
alignment of the spine. We are also concerned about underlying
disease processes and disorders of the spine such as spinal
deterioration, arthritis of the spine, abnormal development,
bone spurs, disc disorders, tumors and spinal curvature. X-rays
also provide a blueprint for alignment of the spine and
restoring optimal health.
Is a good
work-out the same as getting adjusted?
No. Exercise is an important part of good health, yet without
normal spinal function a physical workout merely puts additional
wear and tear on improperly functioning spinal joint
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