FAQ
1. How does chiropractic treatment relieve pain and restore health?
2. How do people get these Vertebral Subluxations?
3. Will chiropractic benefit me?
4. If most people have Vertebral Subluxations, then they must be a natural part of life, right? Then why even deal with them?
5. But how safe is chiropractic?
6. But I thought chiropractors were just for "back pain".
7. Will I have to visit a chiropractor regularly for the rest of my life?
8. What are the origins of chiropractic care?
1. How does chiropractic treatment relieve pain and restore health?
Chiropractors recognize that doctors don’t heal people — the human body must heal itself. As your chiropractors, we reduce interference to your body’s own healing ability.
Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that the nervous system controls the function of every cell, tissue, organ, and system of your body.
The spinal cord, which consists of 24 moving vertebrae, is one of the most vulnerable areas of the human body. When these vertebrae lose their normal motion or alignment, they can irritate the nervous system, disrupting the health of the tissues or organs that these nerves control. This painful process is called the Vertebral Subluxation Complex (VSC).
Chiropractors locate these areas of spinal malfunction, and reduce or correct them using specific spinal adjustments that restore spinal bones to a more normal position and motion. When the spinal function is improved, nervous system function — and the body’s overall health — can improve too.
As chiropractors, we are proud to belong to a separate and distinct healing tradition. We do not use drugs or surgery in our approach to health.
2. How do people get these Vertebral Subluxations?
If you have neck pain, a backache, or any number of other physical problems, your pain may be a manifestation of a Vertebral Subluxation. There are three main factors that cause Vertebral Subluxations:
Possible causes of physical stress include childbirth, poor posture, falls, sports injuries, and car accidents.
Causes of chemical stress include smoking, excess consumption of alcohol or caffeine, and pollution.
Emotional stress is caused by any number of problems, including difficulties with work, family, or finances, or dealing with grief.
When these outside stressors overload your body's ability to handle them, Vertebral Subluxations occur.
3. Will chiropractic benefit me?
Just as good nutritional and exercise habits benefit all people, so does chiropractic. Vertebral Subluxations are found in nearly everyone.
Because they negatively affect the quality of your life, and because they get worse the longer you ignore them.
You may not be able to feel a bone that doesn't move well or a "pinched nerve" in your spine when it first occurs, but the longer it's there, the more damage it causes. This damage includes premature wearing of the spine, scar tissue, swelling, muscle spasms and, worst of all, altered nerve function. Remember, your nerves control everything your body does. If they can’t function properly, neither can you.
So Vertebral Subluxations may be common, but they are not normal.
We'll be honest. Most people don’t visit our office because they feel great and want to feel even better, but because they feel lousy. But even if you feel fine, chiropractic care could provide great benefits to your health. Chiropractic helps restore function and health, and it does this so well that chiropractic is the second largest healing profession in the country.
5. But how safe is chiropractic?
Very safe. Chiropractic adjustments have been rigorously examined for safety. Six government inquiries into chiropractic worldwide in the last 25 years have concluded that chiropractic care is safe, effective and cost-efficient. Studies also show that receiving a spinal adjustment is many, many times safer than taking NSAIDS (Ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, etc.) That's surprising, but true! Most people wouldn't think twice about popping a pill for aches and pain.
6. But I thought chiropractors were just for "back pain".
A common misconception. Though chiropractic is a simple concept, the practice has wide-ranging effects. Chiropractors know that a healthy spine is the key to a healthy body, because the nerves inside the spine control everything the body does. The body can only stay healthy when the spine and nerves are functioning properly. Chiropractors can help people with all kinds of health problems.
7. Will I have to visit a chiropractor regularly for the rest of my life?
Your spine is made of bone, muscle, and ligaments, just like the rest of your body. A well-maintained body (good diet, exercise, relaxation, regular spinal adjustment) feels better, looks better and develops fewer problems over the course of a lifetime. Of course, you don't have to take care of your body, but you'll benefit if you do.
We don't force our patients to stay under our care, but we do feel obligated to tell you that like every other system in your body, your spine (and your health) does best when it's taken care of.
8. What are the origins of chiropractic care?
It all started in 1895, with a healer named Daniel David Palmer ("D.D.") and a deaf janitor in his building, Harvey Lillard. Lillard explained to D.D. that one day he was bending down when he felt a pop in his back, and he'd been deaf ever since. D.D. laid Lillard on his table and noticed a lump on Mr. Lillard's back — it appeared that one of his vertebrae was out of place. D.D. pushed the vertebrae into place, and for the first time in 17 years, Lillard could hear.
D.D. knew that he had discovered a miraculous technique. He began to examine and adjust the spines of all his patients, achieving results with all types of health problems. From there, he developed the science, philosophy and art of correcting Vertebral Subluxations (misaligned vertebrae), and the chiropractic profession was born.
Since D.D.'s first chiropractic adjustment, the art and science of chiropractic has progressed significantly. Today, advanced adjusting techniques, instrumentation, equipment and scientific research make chiropractic an effective and popular health care choice.