Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Chiropractic Care Safe?
Chiropractic is among the largest and safest forms of health care available. Statistically, patient risk is substantially lower when receiving chiropractic when compared to medical care, where the use of prescription drugs and surgery pose a greater risk.
Q: Does Chiropractic care hurt?
Chiropractic adjustment is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort because minimal force and gentle pressure are used. Most patients feel relief immediately following treatment.
Q: What is the popping noise when an adjustment is delivered?
The popping sounds you hear are your joints releasing tiny pockets of air. A chiropractic adjustment does not affect the bones of either side of the joint, but rather the connective tissue that holds the joint together. It is the same thing that happens when you crack your knuckles. The patient's bones do NOT crack.
Q: What is an adjustment?
An adjustment is the term used to explain the chiropractic treatment. It is known in the medical community as spinal manipulation, although the chiropractic adjustment is performed specifically by chiropractors with at least four years of extensive experience in this type of treatment.
Q: How did I get subluxated?
A person can become subluxated in a wide variety of ways. Simple things like improper sleeping, sitting, and standing can contribute to subluxations. Often, people develop their first subluxation during birth when the doctors use force of up to 60 to 100 pounds to aid the delivery. Normal childhood activities such as spills from the bike, sledding, playing ball, and any other activity that results in a jarring fall, all result in subluxations in children. Because subluxations don’t often cause pain, people do not know they are there and thus do not get them fixed until after major damage has been done, at which point the pain usually begins.
Q: What is the ideal age for chiropractic care?
There is no ideal age. We treat everyone from very young children to 90 year old senior citizens.
Q: Can chiropractic help older patients with arthritis?
Yes. As we age, quality of life – vitality, strength, endurance, and balance are essential. Years of stress or overuse can cause your spine to degenerate or wear-out. We are trained to treat these de-generative conditions to improve the health of your spine by restoring motion and nutrition to joints. Joints that have good motion are not painful, perform better, and are less likely to be injured.
Q: Will this cure my back/neck pain and headaches?
While correcting subluxations usually brings you relief from pain, the aim of the chiropractor is to not merely fix painful backs and necks, but to enable the body to express itself to the fullest, without interference from subluxations. Without any nerve blockages due to subluxations, the body can boost its immune system and perform well. Relief from back pain, neck pain, and headaches--which are the most common symptoms that bring people into a chiropractor’s office--might be helped by the adjustments. However, living with subluxations is like boxing with one hand tied behind your back: you are only half as effective as you would be if you had the full use of both hands. Even if you are not in pain, you should not allow subluxations to exist in your body.
Q: Will chiropractic straighten my spine?
It depends on what is causing the spine to NOT be straight. If the cause is a lot of arthritis and degeneration, it is unlikely that the spine can be straightened. If the cause is related to muscle tightness, there is a much greater chance that the spine can be straightened.
Q: Why are there so many techniques?
Chiropractors use many different techniques to treat specific areas of the body. As with medicine, each technique provides the patient with specific benefits – depending on the patient, some may be more appropriate than others. The doctor will choose techniques that are most effective and comfortable for each individual patient.
Q: Will I be sore following a Chiropractic adjustment?
Some people report soreness after an initial adjustment similar to that soreness felt when beginning a new exercise program. To avoid excessive soreness, drink plenty of water, apply ice to the sore area, and engage in light stretching after your first visit.