How does chiropractic work?
Spinal adjustments to correct subluxations are what make doctors of chiropractic unique in comparison with any other type of health care professional. The term “adjustment” refers to the specific force chiropractors apply to vertebrae that have abnormal movement patterns or fail to function normally.
The objective of the chiropractic adjustment is to reduce the subluxation, which results in an increased range of motion, reduced nerve irritability, reduced muscle spasm, reduced pain and improved function.The chiropractic adjustment is a quick thrust applied to a vertebra for the purpose of correcting its position, movement or both. Adjustments are often accompanied by an audible release of gas in the spinal joints that sounds like a “crack.” The sound sometimes surprises people the first time they get adjusted, but the sensation is usually relieving. Occasionally, minor discomfort is experienced, especially if the surrounding muscles are in spasm or the person tenses up during the chiropractic procedure. There are times when the audible “cracking” does not occur. This is often due to either significant muscle tightness or the person having a hard time relaxing during their adjustments. Some adjusting techniques are designed to move the spine in a way that does not produce the audible sound at all. Chiropractic is so much more than simply a means of relieving pain.
Ultimately, the goal of receiving adjustments should be to restore the body to its natural state of optimal health. In order to accomplish this, chiropractors can use and recommend a variety of natural healing methods, including adjustments, massage, trigger point therapy, nutrition, exercise rehabilitation, and counseling on lifestyle issues that impact your health. The primary focus is simply to remove those things which interfere with the body’s natural normal healing ability.The adjustment of the spine is the primary objective of a chiropractor. There are some chiropractors who also adjust the extremities and use other forms of physiological therapeutics including the use of electrical stimulation, ultrasound, traction, neuromuscular re-education, and a variety of manual therapies. Increasingly, chiropractors’ offices are becoming full service wellness centers providing a variety of wellness services. A new trend that chiropractic wellness centers offer is wellness coaching. Some programs offer coaching at the wellness center, while others offer wellness coaching via telephone, email, or online instant messenger in an effort to make it more convenient. Chiropractic wellness centers may offer seminars in a variety of subjects such as spinal alignment, improved posture, and ergonomics, as well as programs on weight management, relaxation, smoking cessation, nutrition, and exercise. Some even offer pre- and post-natal healthy baby programs. The increasing number of chiropractic centers providing extensive wellness programs makes it convenient and affordable for just about anyone to adopt a wellness lifestyle.Chiropractors are doctors who understand that within each of us is an innate wisdom or healthy energy that will express itself as perfect health and well-being if we allow it to. Therefore, the focus of chiropractic care is to remove any physiological blocks to the proper expression of the body’s innate wisdom. Once these interferences are reduced, improved health is the natural consequence. Who wouldn’t want that?
F.A.Q.'s
Q: I "pop" my self at home, isn't that the same as an adjustment?
A: No, the "cracking" or "popping" may give you temporary relief, but you are actually not correcting the problem and may be making it worse by not knowing what your spine needs.
Q: I go to a massage therapist isn't that the same thing?
A: No, massage therapists deal with muscles and lymphatic drainage. They do not focus specifically on the muscles like we do with our specific muscle techniques. They are great to use for pain relief but usually do not get to the root of the problem, which is why you need to still see a chiropractor even if you are seeing a massage therapist.
Q: Well, what about a physical therapist? I usually go to them for my rehabilitation of my injuries.
A: Most people do, however, physical therapists do not go through the biomechanical education that most chiropractors do. We focus on the body as a whole and incorporate other areas of the body that have compensated from injuries, not just the injury you are complaining of.
Q: If I have back pain, can't I just go to my medical doctor to get pain pills?
A: While MD's have their own place in the healthcare world, they do not go through the extent of education for the musculoskeletal and nervous system that chiropractors do. Chiropractors and other doctors as well, learn much of what MD's do, but we all have our own specialties. Going to a MD for your back or neck pain would be like going to your eye doctor for your foot pain. In our office, if there is something that we cannot take care of in our scope of practice, then we will refer you to the correct doctor for your needs.
Q: Do I have to continue with chiropractic care for the rest of my life?
A: You may have heard the notion that once you go to a chiropractor you have to keep going back. Before we answer that question, ask yourself how many times you have visited a dentist? Like most people, you've probably gone dozens of times. Why? Quite simply, to prevent your teeth from rotting and to keep free of any mouth disease. Once chiropractic care eliminates your pain and rehabilitates the injured tissues we do recommend that you maintain a schedule of periodic spinal checkups. Like your dentist and like many of the medical experts are now recognizing, prevention is the key to reducing recurrences of existing health conditions and minimizing new injuries in the future. Periodic chiropractic care minimizes spinal and nerve stresses, reduces recurrences of old injuries, prevents new injuries from developing, minimizes degenerative processes, which enhances overall health and wellness.