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Frequently Asked QuestionsRead on for a list of frequently asked questions regarding our services.
Q: What is chiropractic?
A: Chiropractic locates and removes a severe form of spine and nerve stress known as the vertebral subluxation complex, a condition that puts pressure on nerves, unbalances your body, lowers your resistance to disease and weakens you.
Q: When was the first chiropractic patient treated?
A: Modern chiropractic began in 1895 when Dr. D.D. Palmer performed the first chiropractic "spinal adjustment" on his deaf janitor, Harvey Lillard. Lillard's hearing returned and Palmer thought he had discovered a cure for deafness. But as patients with digestive troubles, sciatica, menstrual trouble, migraine headaches, epilepsy, heart problems, back pain and many other conditions responded to spinal care, Palmer realized that he had discovered something much more far-reaching indeed.
Q: What conditions are commonly treated by chiropractic?
A: All kinds of conditions are treated with chiropractic care, such as spinal or disc problems, arthritis, insomnia, stress, vision problems, shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, leg pain, headaches – the list goes on! Please remember that the goal of chiropractic treatment is not to treat a disease, but rather to enhance health through the reduction of spinal nerve stress (vertebral subluxation complex). The above list may seem long as though chiropractic were a panacea. The truth is that most textbooks list over 200 diseases. Please be mindful of the fact that chiropractic care is not like one drug used for one condition. On the contrary, it is like a complete healing art within itself, concerned with the systems of the body such as nervous, circulatory, digestive, respiratory, reproductive, hormonal, musculoskeletal and more, seeking to correct health problems within those systems.
Q: How do we get spinal nerve stress?
A: Spinal nerve stress is a result of stress. It may occur in infancy from a difficult birth or in childhood from falls. Later in life, emotional tension or stress can gradually damage your spine. Violent injuries from automobile accidents or sports can also suddenly knock you "out of whack."
Q: Who is affected by subluxations?
A: Nearly everyone eventually gets spinal nerve stress. It is a hidden epidemic. It is for that reason we all need to have our spines checked for this condition, just as we get our eyes, teeth and blood pressure checked!
Q: What information should I bring to my visit?
A: If you have already had tests (such as x-rays) regarding your problem, bring them and any other reports to the office. Be prepared to discuss when the problem started, how long you have had it, what makes the problem worse or better, treatments you have tried so far and how well they have worked and any other information you believe is relevant. Bring notes regarding comments or questions you want to ask the doctor.
What are some signs of an unhealthy spine?
The following is a list of 15 warning signs of an unhealthy spine:
1.Your heels wear out unevenly as a result og uneven leg length or stress along the length of the spine.
2.You can't take a satisfying deep breath. Breathing, health, spinal health and energy are interrelated.
3.Your jaw "clicks." This may be caused by neck or jaw subluxations.
4.You have to crack your neck, back or other joints frequently. This may be caused by areas of your spine that are locked or jammed.
5.You can't twist or turn your head or hips to either side easily and equally. You suffer from a reduced range of motion.
6.You are often fatigued. An unbalanced spine drains your energy.
7.You have poor concentration. Subluxations affect brain health.
8.You have low resistance to disease. Subluxations affect your neuroendocrine system, which plays an important role in your resistance to disease and your ability to fight infection.
9.Your foot flares out when walking. This test is easy as long as you don't cheat. Merely look down at your feet as you walk. Do they both point forward, or does one foot appear to flare outward or inward? Do both? Foot flare may be a sign of a problem in the spine or hips or meningeal stress in the upper neck or base of the brain.
10.One leg appears shorter than the other. Keep your shoes on and lie down. Have someone stand behind you, look down at your feet and gently push your heels toward your head. Compare where the heels meet the shoes. One foot (it's often the right) may appear anywhere from an eighth of an inch to one inch shorter than the other.
11.You have poor posture. Stand on two bathroom scales. The weight distribution should be about the same over each foot. If it is not, that's a good sign that your spine, hips or head are off-center.
12.You have headaches, backaches, sore or tender spots in the muscles and joints. These are common signs of subluxation.
13.You have a constant stressful feeling and tension especially in the muscles and joints. Muscles are affected by subluxations.
14.You feel stiffness in your back and neck. Stiffness may be a sign of subluxation damage.
15.You just don't feel right and you are in general poor health. Subluxations can affect your overall health.
Q: What are some other significant factors affecting my health besides vertebral adjusting?
A: There are four laws to obey for those who desire health and longevity:
1.Proper nutrition
2.Adequate rest
3.Moderate exercise
4.A positive mental attitude
Q: Why is a healthy spine so important?
No matter what disease or condition you have, you can benefit from a healthy spine. Spinal health can be as important to your overall healing as proper nutrition. Do you and your family have the vertebral subluxation complex in your spine? Only a chiropractic spinal checkup can tell.
Q: What does a Chiropractor do?
A: The doctor of chiropractic analyzes your body for vertebral subluxations using his/her hands and other analysis tools, and then corrects or removes any spinal nerve stress using various spinal adjustment techniques.
Q: What education is required to practice chiropractic?
A: Chiropractic graduates must have a minimum of seven years of post-secondary education. Chiropractic education's foundation in the basic life sciences includes anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, physical and laboratory diagnostics, radiology, physiology, pathology, nutrition and public health. In addition, chiropractic education involves a detailed study of clinical sciences, as well as clinical experience. In fact, chiropractic education is similar to medical and osteopathic education except that these practitioners emphasize surgery and pharmacology while doctors of chiropractic focus on diagnosing and treating through clinically and scientifically established conservative procedures. This education means that doctors of chiropractic have the expertise to diagnose, treat and/or manage many different health problems.
Q: What is a vertebral subluxation?
A: A vertebral subluxation is a misaligned vertebra causing interference with nerve messages between your brain and your body. Accordingly, the goals of chiropractic joint adjustments or manipulation are not only to correct musculoskeletal dysfunction, improving range of motion and reducing pain, but also to restore normal function in the nervous system. When the nervous system improves, your overall body functions will also improve, which will in turn increase your resistance to disease, ultimately producing a feeling of well being.
Q: Can I receive chiropractic treatments if I'm under medical care?
A: Absolutely. Having your spinal nerve's stresses corrected is important no matter what other type of care you're receiving. You can have your spinal column checked for vertebral subluxations by a doctor of chiropractic and still visit a doctor of homeopathy, naturopathy, osteopathy or medicine. M.D.s and other healers cannot tell you if you're suffering from spinal nerve stress (vertebral subluxations), and they are not trained in correcting it.
Q: How are chiropractic treatments performed?
A: Chiropractors work with the bones and nerves of the spinal column and spinal cord, respectively. Chiropractors spend years of highly specialized training in order to locate where misplaced spinal vertebrae are impinging the nerves that travel down the spinal cord and out through the spinal column to the muscles, organs and glands of the body. After locating the vertebrae impinging the nerves (subluxations), the chiropractor, using various highly specialized techniques, is able to adjust the misaligned vertebrae and thus release pressure on the nerves.
Q: What is an adjustment?
A: Chiropractic care is known (although not exclusively) for its use of the adjustment, sometimes called manipulation. An adjustment is a precise procedure in which the trained doctor of chiropractic exerts specific corrective pressure at specific places on your spine or other joints. When a thorough examination reveals joints that are not in proper function, adjustments are applied to correct joint alignment/mobility, relieve associated muscle and nerve tension, improve balance and assist healing. In most cases, adjustments are performed manually by the doctor of chiropractic.
Q: What habits should I incorporate into my daily living?
A: There are many things you can do on a daily basis to promote your health and well being:
1.Set aside a special time each day for complete mental and physical relaxation. This is important in the restoration and maintenance of normal health.
2.When sitting, choose a chair that has adequate firmness to hold your weight comfortably, and then sit straight. Avoid too soft, overstuffed chairs. Recliner chairs are acceptable if you use a small pillow behind your lower spine.
3.Cross your legs only at the ankles. Crossing your legs at the knees could aggravate an existing back condition, as well as interfere with circulation to the legs.
4.Be sure to get plenty of sleep to allow your body time to recuperate and repair.
5.Sleep on a firm mattress, preferably one that is neither too hard nor too soft.
6.Your pillow should be neither too high nor too low. The ideal pillow is a chiropractic pillow. Avoid sleeping on two pillows and never lie on a couch with your head on the armrest.
7.Sleep on your back or your side with your legs flexed slightly, not drawn up tightly. Avoid sleeping on your stomach. Raise your head off the pillow when changing positions.
8.Rise from your bed by turning on your side and swinging your legs off of the bed. Next push yourself in to a sitting position with your arms, thus minimizing the strain on your back.
9.Do not read or watch TV in bed, particularly with your head propped at a sharp or strained angle.
10.Do not sleep on sofas or in cramped quarters. Lie down in bed when it is time to sleep.
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