Frequently Asked Questions
What does a doctor of chiropractic do?
Chiropractic has a different role in the health care system than the medical model that many people are accustomed to. The medical approach emphasizes the repairing of the body through external means. Chiropractic is different. It is different because it does not use the outside-in approach of fixing a body with drugs or surgery. Chiropractic focuses on correction and restoration of health through more natural means. Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that the spine and nervous system are directly linked to health. The brain is protected by the skull and the spinal cord is protected by the 24 moving bones of the spine. Nerve impulses flow from the brain, down the spinal cord, and to every organ and tissue in the body. Nerve impulses respond back to the brain to confirm that the body is functioning properly. If there are problems with the function of these movable spinal bones a variety of symptoms and pain syndromes can arise. A chiropractor looks to the spine and possible neurological involvement to determine the cause of the patients’ symptoms. If necessary chiropractors also will refer patients to other health care professionals. A chiropractor corrects the mechanical problems in the spine and thereby alleviates the interference with the nervous system. When these mechanical problems are corrected the patients’ body is able to heal itself, without drugs or surgery. The body has been created with the ability to self-regulate and to self-heal. These functions are controlled by the brain, spinal cord, and the other nerves of the body.
Top of Page
What exactly do chiropractors do?
Chiropractic "adjustments" are done manually by the doctor of chiropractic. A chiropractor will use their hands to correct the abnormal mechanical problems or "subluxations" of the spine with pressure in a specific location and in a specific direction. The manual pressure or force will restore normal function to a veterbral subluxation. The adjustment is not the way the body heals. The adjustment merely removes the interference of the nerve transmission and provides the mechanism by which the body can then heal itself. By correcting the structural problems there is a resulting restoration to the musculoskeletal, neurological, and vascular components in the area which allow the body to regain homeostasis and to heal.
Top of Page
Is chiropractic care safe?
The scientific practice of chiropractic has been well documented as to not only the effectiveness but also the safety. It is safer than taking muscle relaxers or having back surgery. The New Zealand report printed in 1979 as a result of a New Zealand government inquiry reported that chiropractic care is "remarkably safe." The British Medical journal reported on January 23, 1999 on a research study for low back pain that chiropractic is one of the safest forms of treatment available. The profession is delivering millions of adjustments daily to satisfied patients all around the world. Chiropractic care is non invasive therefore the bodies response to it is more predictable than its reactions to drug treatments or surgical conditions. Chiropractic treatment should only be rendered by a professional with proper training and experience in manipulation which is a doctor of chiropractic.
Top of Page
How do I know if I have a problem that can be helped by chiropractic?
The study of chiropractic is unique and the training a chiropractor receives to specifically correct functional problems of the spine is unique to the chiropractic profession. A doctor of chiropractic goes through curriculum as rigorous as the one required for a general medical practitioner. The major difference in the training of a D.C. and an M.D. is the method of treatment rendered to the similarly diagnosed conditions. As a result only a chiropractor is really able to tell you whether or not chiropractic can help you. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to correct or restore misaligned vertebrae by a procedure called a "spinal adjustment." The areas of misalignment that are treated are referred to as "subluxations." Subluxations are a slight dislocation or misalignment of two adjoining segments of the spine aka "vertebrae."
Top of Page
What is the cause of a "subluxation"?
People are often of the mindset that they do not need chiropractic care because they have never been in a serious accident nor had any significant falls or injuries. Although the majority of the patients that we see are not in either of the aforementioned categories. The misalignments of the spine that are referred to a spinal subluxations which result in pressure and or strain on the spinal nerve roots are caused by a number of different factors. Often the subluxations are resultant from a combination of factors. Many patients develop problems over a long period of time as a result of micro trauma or small seemingly insignificant actions that are repeated on a regular basis. People have the tendency to sit wrong at work, to carry their groceries wrong, to lift their children wrong etc. etc. Also, there may be hereditary factors or inherited spinal weaknesses. Other factors that may be related are poor posture, obesity, lack of exercise, stress, improper eating and/ or sleeping habits. Finally, there are cases of occupational hazards and improper ergonomics on the job.
Top of Page
Can I exercise my problem away?
If a spinal mechanical problem exists in your spine which, a chiropractor refers to as a subluxation, exercise will not remove the problem. When a bone of the spine stops moving appropriately it becomes fixated. This fixation is located in a range of motion of the joint that is outside the dimensions of the active range of motion. Each spinal joint has 3 ranges of motion. The active range is that motion that you can achieve on you own by bending or stretching. The passive range of motion is just beyond that of the active range. It is the range of motion that someone else can take the joint through once the active range is at its maximum point. Finally the third range of motion is joint play this is where the fixation of the joint occurs. It is impossible to reach this point with exercise. It is a this point that a chiropractor renders an adjustment. Although exercise is an important part of a persons’ health and well-being it is contraindicated as a means to correct a spinal problem. This approach is not only ineffective but it can even lead to further exacerbation of the problem. Taking care of a spinal problem is much easier than most people think. Delaying treatment only worsens the damage.
Top of Page
My doctor has recommended surgery as my only option,
Is it possible that chiropractic could help me?
Different health care professionals will often approach treatment for similar conditions along different avenues. Chiropractic is the fastest growing and second largest primary health care profession. Chiropractors are licensed and accredited by national and state board examinations. The practice of chiropractic is based on proven scientific principals. Chiropractors have comprehensive knowledge of all bodily systems. They are fully trained to diagnosis through standard treatment procedures. Chiropractors refer to other health care providers as necessary. The practice of chiropractic has consistently been useful and effective in treating lumbar disc problems and sciatica in cases where surgery has been recommended. Carpal Tunnel surgery has been on the rise with the increased use of computers. Patients frequently avoid unnecessary surgery for this condition by seeking chiropractic care. It’s always prudent to get information from a chiropractor as to the possibility of a less invasive means of correcting a musculoskeletal condition where surgery has been recommended.
Top of Page
Should I consult my medical practitioner prior to seeing a chiropractor?
Doctors of chiropractic are primary health care providers. The Center for Studies in Health Policy reports, "The DC can provide all three levels of primary care interventions and there fore is a primary care provider, as are MD’s and DO’s. The doctor of chiropractic is a gatekeeper to the health care system and an independent practitioner who provides primary care services. The DC’s office a direct access portal of entry to the full scope of service." Chiropractic is a non-surgical and drugless approach to health care. There are far more side effects and possible risks associated with drugs and surgery. If your condition is not one that would require emergency type care there is no reason why chiropractic should not be considered first for musculoskeletal conditions of the spine and the extremities(arms, hands, legs and feet).
Top of Page
| 
