Have questions?
1. 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 being granted 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.
2. What is a vertebral subluxation?
A vertebral subluxation is a condition in which a vertebra has lost its proper alignment and motion with respect to the one above, the one below, or both. The result is the impingement or irritation of the nerve root, which interferes with the transmission of information coming from the brain traveling to the muscles, organs, and tissues in the body. The detection, treatment, and prevention of this make chiropractic unique in the health care sciences. In other words, the spinal misalignment negatively affects the soft tissue around it, causing spasms of your muscles and abnormal nerve signals. If ignored, problems can arise in the affected organ system.
3. Does everyone get subluxation?
Yes. Subluxations result from a variety of stresses, including (but not limited to): the birth process, sitting for extended periods of time, lifting and / or carrying heavy objects, shoveling snow, repetitive on-the-job motions, abnormal sleeping positions, slips, falls, sports injuries, car accidents, posture, etc. Subluxations happen all the time, but with all of our daily activities and stresses, the body cannot always correct them by itself.
4. What is an "adjustment"?
An adjustment is the action of the chiropractor, using his or her hands or other instruments to deliver a light force on three different vectors to a vertebra that is subluxated, thereby putting it back into alignment, relieving nerve interference, and helping the body to once again function properly.
5. Do adjustments hurt?
The actual adjustment does not hurt. In fact, most people say that the adjustment feels very good. The adjustment causes endorphins, the body's "feel-good" chemicals, to be released and it feels good to have mechanical pressure off a nerve. Any further information about the experience of getting adjusted for the first time will be answered by one of the Doctors.
6. What is that "cracking" and "popping" sound you hear when you get adjusted? There is fluid between each of the joints in your body. When you hear the "popping" sound which is called a cavitation, it is simply gas being released from that fluid. It is just like the sound you hear when you pop the cork off a bottle of champagne or open a can of soda - that sound is also gas being released from within the fluid. Not all adjustments create this sound, so the effectiveness of an adjustment should not be judged by the presence or loudness of the sound.
The result of a subluxation is a state of disease in the body: both a loss of function in the organ or system that the affected nerve leads to a particular muscle, tissue, etc. in the body, and spinal decay in the affected joint itself, which results in osteoarthritis if left undetected and, or uncorrected.
8. 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 patient's size, weight, age, and condition of health.
9. Why do my children need chiropractic care?
There are several reasons that children should be checked for subluxations. First, the birth process can often be one of the most traumatic events of a child's life. The spine can often be injured during the delivery, even if the birth is by cesarean section. Having your child checked by chiropractor immediately after birth is a very wise decision. Spinal nerve interference from the birth process often because more serious as your child grows up. Only a doctor of chiropractic has the proper training and qualifications to diagnose and correct vertebral subluxations.
Secondly, your child's posture is an important indicator of spinal problems. Scoliosis is often caused by improper posture. By having your children checked at a young age, these problems can be prevented.
Lastly, children become involved in sports and recreational playing at a young age. These activities can often include minor injuries. When your children play they are jumping, running, twisting, bumping and falling quite often. Although these traumas are very minor, they will become subluxated during these activities. To minimize the chance of future health problems it is important to have your children checked by a chiropractor on a regular basis. Similarly, when your child begins to learn to walk, then run, they often times end up falling on their behind several times before mastering the skills.
Often patients report a feeling of increased mobility and a sense of increased well-being immediately after treatment. However, not all cases are the same and you may find there is a small exacerbation of your condition before you start to feel better. In cases where chiropractic can help it is usual to start feeling improvement within the first few weeks.10. How soon will I feel better?
