Frequently Asked Questions

Questions:

What is chiropractic?

There's nothing mysterious about chiropractic. It's a natural method of health care that focuses on treating the causes of physical problems, rather than just the symptoms. Chiropractic is based on a simple but powerful premise: With a normally functioning spine and nervous system and a healthy lifestyle, your body is better able to heal itself. That's because the spinal cord, which is protected by the spine, is the main pathway of your nervous system. It controls feeling, movement, and function throughout your body. The nerves leave the spinal cord through openings between moveable spinal bones called vertebrae. When these vertebrae move out of alignment there can be interference with the normal activity of the nerves. This interference can disturb function throughout the body and cause many conditions of ill-health.

Spinal bones(vertebrae) that have moved out of alignment or have lost their normal motion are restored by a series of carefully directed spinal adjustments. Because the adjustments restore the function of the nervous system, they can have a profound effect on your overall health without the use of drugs or surgery. Chiropractic has developed special techniques for locating and correcting spinal misalignments that disturb nerve function throughout the body.

What conditions benefit from chiropractic care?

Although chiropractic is used most frequently to relieve low back pain and pinched nerves, studies have found it to be effective for a variety of conditions, such as sciatica, migraine headaches, tension-type headaches, neck and shoulder pain, "slipped" disc, neuritis, neuralgia, strains & sprains, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, scoliosis, and infantile colic.

Are chiropractic treatments painful?

Although each patient reacts differently, rarely is the procedure painful. On the contrary, most patients report a sense of relief and relaxation following an adjustment.

Is chiropractic safe?

Chiropractic adjustments or manipulations are extremely safe. The risk factor is estimated to be 1 per 5.85 million adjustments.

What kind of education and training do doctors of chiropractic have?

Chiropractors must receive a mininum of 6 years of college education. The majority of students graduating from chiropractic college today have 8 years of education(4 years of undergraduate work and 4 years of chiropractic college). Their undergraduate training is usually in the biological sciences(pre-med). The chiropractic curriculum concentrates on the basic and clinical sciences such as anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, physical and laboratory diagnosis, radiology, physiology, pathology, nutrition, spinal biomechanics, and spinal manipulation techniques.

What can I expect on my first visit?

The first thing a chiropractor will do is ask you about the health complaints about which you are chiefly concerned. The DC will also ask about your family history, dietary habits, other care you may have had (chiropractic, osteopathic, medical, etc.), your job, and other questions designed to help determine the nature of your illness and the best way to go about treating the problem.

A physical examination will be performed in accordance with your DC's clinical judgement, which may include x-rays, laboratory analysis and other diagnostic procedures. In addition, a careful spinal examination and analysis will be performed to detect any structural abnormalities which may be affecting or causing your condition. All of these elements are important components of your total health profile, and vital to the doctor of chiropractic in evaluating your problem.

How old do I have to be to see a chiropractor?

Chiropractic is safe for all ages. Many childhood activities have a significant impact on the spine. Learning to walk or ride a bicycle, playing sports and even the birth process can cause spinal problems. Regular spinal check-ups can help identify these problems and help avoid any more problems seen later in adults.

As we age and reach the later years of life, the spine can go through degenerative changes. The benefits of chiropractic care can be seen as many older patients have reported relief of arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the aging process. Adjusting techniques are modified depending upon the age of the patient in order to give maximum comfort and relief.

How many visits does it take?

The number of visits needed to correct a patient's condition is almost entirely dependant upon the individual. There are many factors that determine the duration of one's care plan. Every human body is unique. Some patients respond immediately while others progress at a much slower rate. Other factors include: patient's age, overall health, diet, severity of the condition, how long the condition has been present, and the presence of degenerative arthritic changes.

But the most important factor in determining the speed of recovery is the patient's ability to remain on a regimented care plan as set forth by the doctor. If a patient only comes in for treatment when they feel like it, progress will be extremely slow or non-existant. To obtain optimum results, follow your doctor's instructions. Please keep in mind that symptoms such as pain may disappear before the underlying cause has been fully corrected. Following the care plan and advice of your doctor is the best way to ensure optimum results and recovery.

Can chiropractic help ease low back pain associated with pregnancy?

Yes. During the course of pregnancy pressure placed on the spine from the developing fetus can cause structural changes to the lumbar spine. This can irritate nerves causing spasm of the lower back muscles and sciatica. Chiropractic has had tremendous success in the reduction of low back and sciatic pain associated with pregnancy.

What are herniated discs and can they be treated non-surgically with chiropractic?

The 24 vertebrae of your spine are separated from one another by pads of cartilage called discs. These discs have a tough outer layer with a soft interior to cushion against the shocks and strains experienced as you move and put various stresses on your spine. The discs are subject to injury and degeneration over time. When the soft, jelly-like interior material of a disc pushes out through a tear or weakening in the outer covering, the disc is said to be herniated.

Herniated discs are also called protruding, bulging, ruptured, prolapsed, slipped, or degenerated discs. There are fine distinctions between these terms, but all really refer to a disc that is no longer in its normal condition and/or position. Herniated discs cause pain by impinging on nerves in the spinal column.

Most disc herniation occurs in the lumbar spine(lower back). The second most common site is in the cervical spine(neck). A herniated lumbar disc may send pain shooting down through your buttock and thigh into the back of your leg(sciatica). Cervical disc herniation may cause pain in the shoulder, arm, and hand. Herniated discs can cause muscle weakness, make it hard to get up when you've been sitting or lying down, cause pain when you strain to do something, even when you cough or sneeze. Herniated discs may also affect nerves to the bowel and bladder, causing incontinence. This signals the need for immediate, emergency attention.

There is broad acceptance among health care professionals and the public of the recommendation that the pain from herniated discs be initially treated conservatively with chiropractic care. Two or three months of chiropractic care may be the best choice before considering spinal surgery or shots of pain-killers into the spine. Chiropractic provides the special training, techniques, and experience needed to safely and effectively adjust your spine so that the stress on the disc is minimized, the pain relieved, the damaged or displaced structures given a chance to heal, and your ability to return to normal functioning restored.

What causes back pain?

Back pain can be caused by an extraordinarily wide range of problems - some of them originating elsewhere in the body, but with pain being transmitted(referred) to areas of the back by the nervous system. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical attention. It is the symptom that prompts most patients to seek chiropractic care. The majority of backache sufferers complain of pain in the lower back. The second most common site of discomfort is at the base of the neck.

Virtually all humans are subject to back problems. The fact that we walk upright, on two legs, puts great pressure on the spine and the muscles that support it. Over time, back pain is all but inevitable. Normal wear and tear, accidents, disease, and such bad "back habits" as unnecessary strain from overexertion at play or work(especially lifting, pushing, pulling, and reaching for things improperly), and poor standing and sitting posture result in both immediate and long-term back problems.

Chiropractors successfully treat subluxation(a complex of functional and/or structural changes in joints, which can interfere with nerve transmission, disturb other organ systems and undermine general health). Spinal subluxations may have symptoms localized in some part of the back or may radiate down to the buttocks, thighs and legs. Chiropractors also treat tension that can show up as backaches and/or headaches or pains elsewhere in the body.

Doctors of chiropractic not only treat the pain, they try to keep patients engaged in their normal activities rather than resting immobile in bed, which can actually cause further debilitation. And, of course, chiropractors do not rely on surgery, hospitalization and medication that can be both dangerous and needlessly costly for patients and their insurance carriers.

What causes shoulder and arm pain?

The cause of many instances of shoulder or arm pain is obvious. You do something to injure the arm or shoulder and immediately feel pain. Or you begin feeling the pain a day or so later. You may have broken a bone or dislocated your shoulder. Perhaps you strained ligaments or tendons by carrying too much weight for too long, by lifting something that was too heavy, overreaching or overexerting your arm--as when playing sports when you're out of shape--or by keeping your arm in an awkward position, or even by sleeping on the shoulder. The resulting pain may range from an annoying ache to acute pain that makes it hard for you to use the injured arm. Fortunately, the majority of such injuries are seldom critical.

But there are other, less-obvious causes of shoulder or arm pain. Each is distinguished by where it is felt, whether it comes on suddenly or over time, when it is at its worst, if the pain extends to other joints in your body, and if other symptoms--such as swelling, numbness, tingling, fever, fatigue, and insomnia--accompany the pain. The causes of shoulder and arm pain include tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis, and gout. Such pain may also result from a reaction to medications such as penicillin, anti-anxiety drugs, and oral contraceptives. Whiplash injuries, common in auto accidents, can also cause shoulder and arm pain.

Shoulder and arm pain may be referred from some other region of the body, as when someone suffering a heart attack feels pain in the left shoulder and down the left arm. The pain may also be referred from nerves associated with the joints in the upper spine or "trigger points" in the back, which are particularly responsive to chiropractic spinal adjustments designed to treat such problems.

We will examine you in order to determine exactly what is causing your shoulder or arm pain. We will decide whether chiropractic is appropriate for you or if referral to another specialist will be needed. Chiropractic can be successfully employed to deal with so-called "frozen shoulder," a severe inflammation technically known as adhesive capsulitis. Chiropractors are accustomed to relieving painful trigger points between the spine and shoulder. And all chiropractors can help you modify your habits and lifestyle to protect yourself from arm and shoulder injuries and ailments.

What causes neck pain?

Most instances of neck pain(and stiffness) are minor and commonly caused by something you did such as falling asleep with your head and neck in an awkward position. But neck pain that just won't go away after a day or so or keeps coming back is a signal that something isn't right. Disease, an injury(such as whiplash), a congenital malformation, or progressive degeneration that can come with age may be responsible for the more significant pain you experience. An expert must determine the underlying causes of such neck pain. Examination, diagnosis and treatment by a doctor of chiropractic can relieve your mind and may quickly relieve your pain.

Older people, whose joints have been worn by much use over time, are subject to osteoarthritis(also known as degenerative joint disease or DJD). When this form of arthritis hits your back and neck, you feel it as neck pain that gets worse over time. The pain may radiate into your shoulders and arms, and you may feel numbness or tingling in the hands and fingers. Arthritis can also involve symptoms including headaches, dizziness, and even a grating/grinding feeling when you move your head. It is very important for your chiropractor to examine you to rule out osteoarthritis or identify it and see that it is properly treated.

Doctors of chiropractic have the training and skills to relieve your neck pain, overcome stiffness, and restore the mobility and range of motion of any frozen neck vertebrae. We are devoted to helping you get back to your normal pursuits and start feeling like yourself again!

What is whiplash?

Whiplash is most commonly associated with rear-end car collisions in which the heads of those in the front seat are suddenly snapped back and forth by the impact. It is more accurately called cervical acceleration/deceleration(CAD) trauma or syndrome, which describes the rapid movements that can injure the vertebrae of the neck and the muscles and ligaments that support them.

Anyone can be subjected to whiplash, even in a low-force car crash at speeds as low as 5 mph. But injuries associated with whiplash can also result from other mishaps in which the head is pushed or jerked beyond its normal range of motion. Whiplash most commonly causes serious and lingering neck pain, but there may also be back pain, headaches and dizziness. Inasmuch as bruising of the brain can sometimes occur in auto accidents and similarly severe causes of whiplash, some victims have experienced blurred vision, ringing in the ears, nausea and numbness.

The sudden accident that caused the whiplash in the first place may fade into memory, but the physical and psychological damage of whiplash can become chronic, eroding the patient's quality of life. Chiropractic techniques are particularly well-suited to relieving the neck pain and other debilitating effects of whiplash because they can restore movement lost after the accident, overcome muscle weakness and enhance muscle tone, speed recovery, and diminish chronic symptoms that can persist or recur over many years.

What are the different kinds of headaches and how successful is chiropractic in treating them?

More than 90 percent of headaches can be classified as tension-type, migraine, or cervicogenic. By far, most people get tension-type headaches and get them frequently. They typically suffer mild to moderate pain on both sides of the head that is often described as tight, stiff, constricting - like having your head in a vise.

Migraines are periodic severe, throbbing headaches that afflict far fewer people(and more women than men), usually hurt on one side of the head, can cause loss of appetite, nausea and even vomiting, and may involve a visual disturbance called an aura.

Cervicogenic headache is a musculoskeletal form of tension-type headache. Many times, cervicogenic headache goes undiagnosed as such due to the relative newness of this classification.

If you are a headache sufferer, your obvious concern is to obtain safe, dependable relief. You should avoid making things worse by using drugs, even over-the-counter, nonprescription drugs, that can have serious side effects and cause dangerous interactions with other medications or supplements you take. You should also be aware that many people experience what are termed "analgesic rebound headaches" from taking painkillers every day, or nearly every day. Watch out! The medicine you take to get rid of today's headache may give you a headache tomorrow or the day after.

Chiropractors have had considerable success relieving the cause of headache pain and releasing headache sufferers from the dangerous vicious circle of taking ever-larger doses of ever-stronger painkillers that may even be causing new and worse headaches.

What are some of the main health issues of concern to women?

Women have most of the same health concerns that men have. But women face many health problems unique to them or that more often or more seriously affect women than men. Doctors of chiropractic have always recognized this and have developed and provided a wide variety of treatment options specifically suited to women's health needs. Because of this(and because most women tend to have a heightened awareness of their physical condition and are accustomed to seeking help from health professionals), more women than men regularly rely on chiropractic care.

Women must contend with specific health concerns raised by their female physiology, and by the fact that the female body is designed to be able to bear children. Pain during the menstrual period(dysmenorrhea), premenstrual syndrome(PMS), and chronic pelvic pain are among the distressing conditions which disturb the otherwise healthy lives of many women.

Chiropractic offers demonstrated relief for many women's health problems. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to lessen the discomfort of dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain. Numerous back disorders that strike women are addressed daily, all over the world, by chiropractors skilled in treating those problems and in improving their patients' capacity to cope and to improve.

What is scoliosis?

Everyone's spine has a natural front-to-back curve--that's what produces the normal rounding of the shoulders and the sway of the lower back. However, some people suffer from scoliosis, an abnormal side-to-side curvature of the spine. In simple terms, what this means is that the spine resembles an S when viewed from the front or the back.

Approximately 3 out of every 100 people have some degree of scoliosis but it never becomes a serious problem. But for many others, the curvature gets worse over time and can cause considerable pain, frustration, and limitations on normal activities. Severe scoliosis can even complicate breathing and circulation.

The most common form of scoliosis is called idiopathic scoliosis, which means that the cause is unknown. It usually begins in childhood, although too often it is not identified until the teenage years. It tends to run in families, and it affects many more girls than boys. In fact, research indicates that girls are nearly 8 times more likely than boys to have scoliosis and 5 times more likely to require some form of treatment for their condition than boys, and the curvature of their spine is more likely to worsen over time, especially if left untreated.

Sometimes curvature of the spine is visible(the body tilts to the right or left, or one shoulder or hip is higher than the other). Some of the actual physical symptoms of scoliosis can include back pain, fatigue(especially postural fatigue--feeling tired when standing, sitting, etc.), and in more severe cases, problems with circulation and breathing.

If you do show signs of scoliosis, your chiropractor can provide a variety of techniques to help your condition, including spinal adjustments to increase movement and biomechanical function, and advice on posture and exercise to help prevent further increase in the problem. In the most severe cases, the patient will be referred to a spinal surgeon to discuss other treatment options.

Can a person who has had back surgery see a chiropractor?

Yes. It's an unfortunate fact that one-half of those who have had spinal surgery experience a return of their original symptoms months or years later. They then face the prospect of additional surgery. This too common occurence is known as "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome." Chiropractic may help prevent repeated operations.

What are subluxations and what causes them?

A subluxation is a vertebra(spinal bone) that is out of alignment and puts pressure on the associated nerve as it exits from the spinal column. In order for a vertebra to be subluxated it has to have four qualities: 1) The vertebra is out of alignment with the one above or below, 2) There is narrowing of the canal in which the nerve lies, 3) There is impingement of nerve tissue as a result of the above canal narrowing, 4) There is interference with nerve messages between the brain and the body.

Subluxations can be caused by three different types of stress:

1) Emotional Stress: According to research, the #1 cause of subluxation in America today is emotional stress. Emotional stress is often due to our lifestyle and also from pressure created from society. Emotional stress can result from family problems, financial difficulties, and work or school-related problems. It is important to understand that emotional stress can cause tension in your muscles that in time can pull vertebrae out of alignment,

2) Physical Stress: Physical stress can be caused by accidents, sports injuries, falls, other trauma, bad posture, repeated movements that gradually wear down your body parts, and difficult birth,

3) Chemical Stress: Chemical stress can be caused by chemical addiction(drug intake) or from being over-medicated or being exposed repeatedly to industrial chemicals.

How should I feel after an adjustment?

Patients have different reactions depending on their condition, the presence of swelling and inflammation, the amount of time the condition has existed, and the patient's degree of sensitivity. Most patients, however, will feel the following:

1) Peace and relaxation: After an adjustment you may experience a feeling of deepening peace and relaxation. This relaxed feeling may last for the rest of the day or the week and may lead to deep refreshing sleep. Others experience a warm feeling flowing to various parts of their bodies which is very soothing. Some feel a burst of energy,

2) Relief of symptoms: Others may find that their symptoms have begun to disappear, that the problems that they came to the chiropractor for have begun to lessen after the first visit. And, there are those who feel no difference after an adjustment. That does not necessarily mean that they are not benefitting from their adjustments, it just means that they're not feeling any external reaction,

3) Overall improvement: As you continue your chiropractic care and your spine and nervous system continue to release deep-seated stress, you may begin to notice better balance, smoother movement and more energy. Also, increased awareness of your spine including its movements and areas of tightness and/or restrictions. You may spontaneously change your eating habits, feel an increased desire to exercise, go for walks or become more sensitive to your work and leisure.