What is Chiropractic? How exactly does chiropractic work? What can I expect after an adjustment? Is chiropractic care safe? My 14 year-old daughter has been diagnosed with scoliosis. How can chiropractic help her? If nothing hurts and I feel pretty good, do I really need a chiropractor? There are so many “alternative health fads” out there today. How do I know that chiropractic isn't just another one? What’s wrong with taking medication when I'm in pain? Can chiropractic “cure” my headaches?

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a branch of the healing arts which is concerned with human health and disease processes. Doctors of Chiropractic are physicians who consider man as an integrated being and give special attention to the physiological and biochemical aspects including structural, spinal, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular, nutritional, emotional and environmental relationships.

The practice and procedures which may be employed by Doctors of Chiropractic are based on the academic and clinical training received in and through accredited chiropractic colleges and include, but are not limited to, the use of current diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Such procedures specifically include the adjustment and manipulation of the articulations and adjacent tissues of the human body, particularly of the spinal column. Included is the treatment of intersegmental aberrations for alleviation of related functional disorders.

Chiropractic is a drug-free, non-surgical science and, as such, does not include pharmaceuticals or incisive surgery. Chiropractic is a choice.
 
A choice to be and stay healthy.

How exactly does chiropractic work?

Your musculoskeletal system (bones and muscles) represents over 70% of your body and is regulated by your nervous system. Nerves that exit your spinal column through the vertebrae serve every organ, cell, and tissue in your body.

To enjoy optimal health, your nervous system must be free of interference. Spinal misalignments can “choke” the nerve roots that pass between your vertebrae, cutting off vital information that would otherwise keep you pain-free, give you energy, and help your joints move freely. Chiropractic care can locate and correct your misaligned vertebrae to restore and preserve your good health -- naturally!

What can I expect after an adjustment?

While everyone responds to chiropractic differently, you can expect to feel better than ever! Even when patients come into our office with severe pain, most report that their adjustments are not painful. In fact, many patients say that following an adjustment, they can actually feel pressure lifting, experiencing immediate pain relief. Others feel a sense of “total relaxation.”

Is chiropractic care safe?

YES! Tens of millions of patients -- from infants to the elderly -- enjoy the health benefits of chiropractic care each year. That’s why chiropractors have one of the lowest malpractice insurance rates of all physician specialties -- because it’s safe! After all, Doctors of Chiropractic practice by the adage “We will do no harm,” using a non-invasive, conservative approach to pain relief and health care.

My 14 year-old daughter has been diagnosed with scoliosis. How can chiropractic help her?

Sounds like you’re really staying on top of things! The critical time period for progression of this condition is usually between the ages of 12 and 16, when rapid bone growth takes place. Untreated, this “sideways” curvature of the spine doesn’t just disappear on its own. In fact, it usually worsens with age. In time, the abnormal spinal growth can have serious adverse effects on vital organs.

Young bones are more flexible than those of an adult. When the curvature is discovered in time, chiropractic care can often correct the problem -- or least prevent it from getting worse.

If nothing hurts and I feel pretty good, do I really need a chiropractor?

You decide! Most cancer patients didn’t feel like they had cancer in the beginning stages. Sudden heart attack victims often feel fine the day it hits. There are countless body functions that can go awry without our awareness. Most often, they develop gradually and silently. The key to staying healthy is not to wait to “feel” something before you start taking care of yourself.

Joints can begin to deteriorate; lubrication fluids can be replaced by a gristle-like material that forms scar tissue; or your discs can dry out -- all without pain. Yet, by the time you know you have a problem, like a “pinched” nerve, possible permanent damage may have already occurred. Don’t wait until you can’t move to call us! Do it NOW!

There are so many “alternative health fads” out there today. How do I know that chiropractic isn’t just another one?

Since chiropractic has been around for over 100 years, it’s far from a “fad”! There is even evidence that over 2,000 years ago ancient doctors used many techniques that resemble modern chiropractic care.

The May 20, 1998 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association published the results of a national study conducted by Stanford researcher John A. Astin, Ph.D., dealing with alternative medicine. He found that chiropractic ranked as one of the top most frequently used forms of care for severe headaches, sprains and strains, arthritis, and chronic pain. Dr. Astins’ study showed that more and more people are using chiropractic are: “Chiropractic care has become less and less alternative and more what people consider standard.”

What’s wrong with taking medication when I’m in pain?

There are times when drugs are medically necessary. However, the smart patient of the ‘90s needs to be an informed one. According to the AMA Science Reporter’s Conference in September 1996, NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) produce “10,000 to 20,000 deaths from bleeding ulcers each year in the U.S.” And the list goes on and on!

Why take chances when there’s an effective, drug-free alternative available? The goal of chiropractic is to correct -- not cover up!

Can chiropractic “cure” my headaches?

Actually, chiropractic can help many conditions, but it doesn’t cure anything. Chiropractic simply recognizes your body’s ability to heal itself from within when nerve interference is removed.

If you suffer from headaches, talk to us about your old neck injury or recent whiplash. Even if you have no idea how your headaches started, we can help. In fact, one report published in the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association showed that up to 85% of the study group reported headache relief with chiropractic care!