What is Chiropractic Treatment?
Chiropractic treatment is a natural form of health care that uses spinal adjustments to correct misalignments and restore proper function to the nervous system, as well as, helping your body to heal naturally. Essentially, the basic principle upon which the entire profession is built is that the body has the amazing, innate ability to heal itself (under the right conditions), and it is the chiropractor’s job to help create an environment to facilitate this.
Because the nervous system controls every cell and organ in your body, consequently, we focus our attention on the health of your spine being properly aligned and, if there are shifts, in addition to helping the spine come back into alignment.
The Goal of Chiropractic Treatment
Because chiropractic treatments are primarily applied to the spinal region, many individuals incorrectly assume that chiropractors treat only back and neck ailments. While we do quickly and effectively eliminate back and neck pain, it’s not the only goal. Furthermore, the objective is to restore and optimize human health. In fact, according to a statement from The Association of Chiropractic Colleges, “The purpose of chiropractic is to optimize health. “Because the nervous system controls every cell and organ in your body, we focus our attention on the health of your spine being properly aligned and, if there are shifts, helping the spine come back into alignment.
The Philosophy of Chiropractic Treatment
Chiropractic has a philosophy on healing and health which differs from the traditional medical view.
We approach health in a holistic manner. In other words, chiropractors evaluate the entire person as a whole when assessing and treating a patient’s health ailment or disease, rather than focusing solely on a symptom or specific area of the body.
Chiropractors know that the body is able to maintain and heal itself in most cases. We also know that true health is not achieved through the ingestion of chemicals or the cutting away of diseased tissues. Instead, health is something that comes from within and is inherent to our body.
In addition, the chiropractic doctor understands that circumstances occur which may require medical intervention, but ultimately, it is the body that conducts and manages the process of healing and not the doctor or externally applied forces.
Consequently, when the doctor corrects spinal abnormalities and eliminates spinal and nerve irritation and interference, pain is alleviated and the body’s inborn healing capabilities are set into motion.
The Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment
- spinal and extremity pain relief
- headache relief
- increased mobility and range of motion
- decreased stiffness and muscular spasms
- arthritic joint pain relief
- increased joint health
- improved performance and energy
- higher sense of well being and relaxation
- increased balance and coordination
- reduced degeneration and risk of injury
- enhanced tissue healing
- decreased tissue inflammation
Things We Treat
- Low Back Pain
- Neck Pain
- Headaches
- Allergies
- Sports Injuries
- Auto Accident Injuries
- Disc Herniation
- Scoliosis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- ADD/ADHD
- Ear Infections
- Digestion
- Whiplash
- Colic
Types of Chiropractic Treatment
- Manual Chiropractic Adjustment
- Cold Laser Therapy
Types of Chiropractic Techniques
- Applied Kinesiology
- Diversified Technique
- Extremity Adjusting
- Gonstead Technique
- Sacro Occipital Technique (SOT)
- Thompson Technique
- Palmer Technique
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What will happen at my first visit?
A: This seems to be the first question people want to know. This is certainly understandable if you have never been to see a chiropractor before. If you’ve never been to a chiropractor before, you likely already have a lot of questions and a lot of ideas about what a chiropractor does. Read through these commonly asked questions and if you have additional concerns or questions, feel free to contact us.
Q: “Will I need x-rays?”
A: If after your consultation and examination your chiropractic physician determines that x-rays of your spine are needed, he/she will refer you to a local radiology/ imaging company. X-rays are not needed for every person or every condition. The need for x-rays will be determined on a case-by-case basis and the reason for the tests will be explained to you. At the end of your first visit, you will be scheduled for a report of findings visit. This follow up visit is a second consultation in which your chiropractic physician will go over the results of your examinations and tests. More importantly, he/she will also explain exactly what you have and how you can be helped. All of your treatment and financial options will be explained in detail at this time.
Q: Is chiropractic treatment safe?
A: Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Although chiropractic has an excellent safety record, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects. The risks associated with chiropractic, however, are very small. Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may experience mild soreness, stiffness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise. Current research shows that minor discomfort or soreness following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours.
Q: Does chiropractic treatment require a referral from an MD?
A: A referral is usually not needed to see a doctor of chiropractic (DC); however, your health plan may have specific referral requirements. You may want to contact your employer’s human resources department—or the insurance plan directly—to find out if there are any referral requirements. Most plans allow you to just call and schedule an appointment with a DC.
Q: Is chiropractic treatment appropriate for children?
A: Yes, children can benefit from chiropractic care. Children are very physically active and experience many types of falls and blows from activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports. Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort. Chiropractic care is always adapted to the individual patient. It is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children, very gentle.
Q: What conditions do chiropractors treat?
A: Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) care for patients of all ages, with a variety of health conditions. DCs are especially well known for their expertise in caring for patients with back pain, neck pain and headaches…particularly with their highly skilled manipulations or chiropractic adjustments. They also care for patients with a wide range of injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, involving the muscles, ligaments and joints. The benefits of chiropractic care extend to general health issues, as well, since our body structure affects our overall function. DCs also counsel patients on diet, nutrition, exercise, healthy habits, and occupational and lifestyle modification.
Q: What type of education and training do chiropractors have?
A: Doctors of chiropractic are educated as primary-contact health care providers, with an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the musculoskeletal system (the muscles, ligaments and joints of the spine and extremities) and the nerves that supply them. Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions. The typical applicant for chiropractic college has already acquired nearly four years of pre-medical undergraduate college education, including courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work.
Once accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, the requirements become even more demanding — four to five academic years of professional study are the standard. Doctors of chiropractic are educated in orthopedics, neurology, physiology, human anatomy, clinical diagnosis including laboratory procedures, diagnostic imaging, exercise, nutrition rehabilitation and more. Because chiropractic care includes highly skilled manipulation/adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical technique training to master these important manipulative procedures. In total, the chiropractic college curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience. The course of study is approved by an accrediting agency that is fully recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Q: How is a chiropractic adjustment performed?
A: Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the doctor of chiropractic’s intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractic physician typically uses his or her hands–or an instrument–to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore or enhance joint function. This often helps resolve joint inflammation and reduces the patient’s pain. Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.
Q: Is chiropractic treatment ongoing?
A: The hands-on nature of the chiropractic treatment is essentially what requires patients to visit the chiropractor a number of times. To be treated by a chiropractor, a patient needs to be in his or her office. In contrast, a course of treatment from medical doctors often involves a pre-established plan that is conducted at home (i.e. taking a course of antibiotics once a day for a couple of weeks). A chiropractor may provide acute, chronic, and/or preventive care thus making a certain number of visits sometimes necessary. Your doctor of chiropractic should tell you the extent of treatment recommended and how long you can expect it to last.
Q: Why is there a popping sound when a joint is adjusted?
A: Adjustment (or manipulation) of a joint may result in the release of a gas bubble between the joints, which makes a popping sound. The same thing occurs when you “crack” your knuckles. The noise is caused by the change of pressure within the joint, which results in gas bubbles being released. There is usually minimal, if any, discomfort involved.
Q: Is Chiropractic safe during pregnancy?
A: There are no known contraindications to chiropractic care throughout pregnancy. All chiropractors are trained to work with women who are pregnant. Investing in the fertility and pregnancy wellness of women who are pregnant or trying to conceive is a routine care for most chiropractors.
