What is Chiropractic Care? Chiropractic health care is a branch of the healing arts based on the scientific fact that our nervous system controls or influences the function of every cell in our body. Interference to the nervous system (caused by the vertebral subluxation complex) will effect how the nervous system relates to the cells to which it travels. The term “Chiropractic” comes from the Greek words “cheiro and praktikos” meaning “done by hand”. The Chiropractic model of health is centered on the philosophy that the human body, being knit together in a wonderful way, will heal itself given the right opportunity and circumstances. Doctors of Chiropractic (DC’s) essentially promote the healing process by minimizing nerve interference. When do you need a Chiropractor? The purpose of the Chiropractic approach to health care (the wellness model) is to uncover the cause of your health condition, not merely cover up your symptoms. The absence of symptoms (pain) does not equal good health! The clearest way to illustrate this is by reviewing the statistics on heart attacks. Research reveals that in approximately 33% of all heart attacks, the first symptom of the attack is death! Wellness Care encompasses several aspects of overall health, which can be physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. What type of education to Doctors of Chiropractic receive? Most Americans are unaware that today’s Doctors of Chiropractic undergo an intense educational process that is similar to medical doctors over the first two years of schooling. Medical students and Chiropractic students alike spend a tremendous amount of time studying anatomy, physiology, neurology and other “basic sciences”. The main difference during the first two years is that medical students have a heavy emphasis on pharmacology (the study of prescription drugs) and Chiropractic students emphasize care and treatment of the spine, nutrition and other natural alternatives to drugs. The programs take a different turn after the first two years of schooling. Medical students prepare for their “trade” by rotating each month to a different medical specialty, such as pediatrics, orthopedics and family medicine. The second two years of education for Chiropractic students focuses on learning the tools of their “trade”; manual and physical methods of treatment. This is learned through Chiropractic manipulative therapy (CMT) or more commonly called Chiropractic “adjusting”. The Chiropractic spinal adjustment (treatment) is the most common technique for releasing locked-up spinal bones (subluxations) and is performed in many different ways. What happens on my first visit to the Chiropractor? Consultation. The most important question for your doctor to answer is whether or not you are a candidate for care in their office. Doctors of Chiropractic are interested in trying to completely understand your health condition. They will ask you questions related to how your condition started, what makes your symptoms better or worse, the severity of your symptoms, how long you’ve had them and other related aspects of your health condition. Physical Examination.A physical examination will follow your consultation. This may or may not lead to other services such as x-ray or other diagnostic testing. After ruling out conditions that require an immediate medical referral, the Chiropractor will perform an evaluation of your spine and several nerve system checks. Report of Findings.Upon completion of the physical examination, an assessment of your condition will be given to you in what is known as a “Report of Findings”. During this report, the doctor will discuss your diagnosis, your treatment plan, including duration and number of visits, as well as, outline your financial responsibility. What should I do if I’m injured at work are in an auto accident? If you are injured at work and you are physically able, contact your supervisor and inform them of your accident. They will provide you with the necessary paperwork to document your injury. It is very important to explain your accident in as much detail as possible. Each state has a set of laws for obtaining the appropriate health care following an injury at work. It is important to be evaluated by your health care professional as soon as possible following a work related injury or auto accident. This will help minimize any long-term effects of your accident. Most Doctors of Chiropractic specialize in treating patients injured at work or in auto accidents. Do I use heat or ice after an injury? This is a common question, and a very important one. After an injury like a twisted ankle, pulled hamstring or lower back sprain, the inflammatory stage begins and lasts for 24 to 72 hours. During this time, ice is preferred. Typically, ice is applied for 10 to 20 minutes, and then taken off for 10 to 20 minutes. This cycle is repeated as often as necessary and usually at least three times per icing session. If you don’t have a ice pack, a bag of frozen peas or corn will do. P.R.I.C.E. is a common acronym used after an injury, suggests patients “Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate” their injury. Heat is typically applied to an injured muscle or joint after the inflammatory phase is over. Moist heat is preferred over dry heat, because dry heat (such as a heating pad) may dehydrate your muscles, making them less flexible and predisposing them to further injury. Moist heat applications may last up to 20 minutes. Ask your doctor which therapy is best for your injury or condition. What’s that cracking noise? Most patients will sooner or later ask this question. A joint contains fluid that helps kiip it healthy and lubricated (like oil for the joint). This “synovial fluid” contains gas (like carbonation in soft drinks). When an adjustment is made, you may hear a noise (called an “audible release”). The audible release, or “crack” is simply the release of gas in the joint, much like when you open a can of soda. Which nutritional supplements should I take? Quality and absorption are the keys to choosing an effective supplement. Supplements can be broken down into two basic categories: those taken for maintaining good health (such as multi-vitamin/minerals) and those for specific health conditions (such as joint pain or high cholesterol). Ask your doctor to recommend those best suited for your specific health condition. Relief, Correction & Wellness There are three phases of Chiropractic care – Relief, Correction and Wellness. Relief is the first phase. The goal of the “relief” phase is to reduce or eliminate pain. The number of visits necessary to accomplish this will depend on your age, underlying spinal condition, length of time you’ve had your condition and other lifestyle choices. Restoring the body to normal or maximum function is the goal of the “correction” phase. In most conditions, pain is the last thing to show up and the first thing to leave when treating the spinal condition known as vertebral subluxation complex. Adaptations that have taken place in muscles and other soft tissues (such as the disc and ligaments) require care beyond the relief phase to correct. The purpose of the “wellness” phase is to prevent relapses of previous conditions and to address new conditions before symptoms appear. When maximum improvement has been achieved, your doctor will suggest an appropriate level of care necessary to “maintain” the corrections made during the first two phases. Why does my back ache? Carrying the kids on your shoulders, cleaning the floors, lifting groceries out of the car, or a little extra up front on your tummy, lifting, bending and twisting, or worse yet, sitting all day at work, all add up to tremendous pressure on your spinal column. Add to this a slip and/or fall or a previous car accident and it’s not difficult to understand why studies show that approximately 80% of Americans will suffer from lower back pain at some time in their lives. Many times back pain begins just after bending over to pick up a pencil. Now, it’s not the pencil that causes your back pain, but rather your lower back’s structure (muscles, joints, discs and vertebrae) has lost its normal functioning and, therefore, could not provide the necessary support to your spine. Doctors of Chiropractic specialize in finding the cause of your lower back pain. Combining spinal adjustments with proper exercises and stretches, and a well balanced diet, are the keys to reducing and eliminating your lower back pain. Doctors of Chiropractic are the specialists in treating lower back pain! What if I’m pregnant? Pregnancy is extremely hard on the lower back, as well as on the neck and shoulders. Examine the spine of an expectant mother from the side and it’s easy to understand why they’re in pain! Due to the increased development of the breast tissue, the shoulders are rounded forward, placing tremendous pressure on the neck and shoulders. The weight of the growing child places the lower back in a strenuous position. The nine months of pregnancy bring many hormonal changes that relax the ligaments stabilizing the lower back and pelvis. AS the pelvis rotates down in the front, the muscles of the lower back become short and tight, causing an increase in pressure on the pain sensitive joints of the lower back, producing achy lower back pain. Chiropractic care can help make this special time in a woman’s life as enjoyable as it was meant to be. Being treated and adjusted If your doctor determines that your condition would benefit from Chiropractic care, part of the treatment plan will most likely include a form of spinal treatment called Chiropractic “adjustments”. The purpose of the adjustment is to introduce motion to spinal bones that have become locked-up (vertebral subluxation) and may be causing nerve pressure. Doctors of Chiropractic are the only primary care doctors that routinely provide spinal treatments for the purpose of restoring spinal motion and removing nerve pressure. Once this nerve pressure is removed or reduced, your body will be able to heal more effectively. Doctors of Chiropractic spend years mastering the art and science of spinal adjustments. Although there are many Chiropractic styles or “techniques” utilized by Chiropractors in practice today, they all share a common goal – correcting vertebral subluxations for the purpose of eliminating nerve system interference. Do I have to get x-rays? X-rays provide information that will assist your doctor in planning your treatment. X-rays can reveal fractures, spinal misalignments, joint and bone disease, and other facts regarding your health status. X-rays are not always necessary. Your doctor will decide if your specific case warrants their use. If your doctors decides x-rays are appropriate, it is important for you to know that several safety precautions are utilized to make today’s x-rays extremely safe. If taken, your doctor will typically review your x-rays during your report of findings. Your x-rays will become a very valuable part of your health records. Why does my neck hurt so badly? Imagine trying to balance a bowling ball on a stick. To make it more difficult, tile the stick forward while trying to maintain balance of the bowling ball. That’s what it’s like trying to support your head on your neck if it loses its natural curve! Your neck was created with a built-in shock absorber called a curve or lordosis. This was formed by design because the curve acts like a spring and absorbs the shock of your head resting on your neck. Think of the same bowling ball now resting on a large spring. Can you see and feel the difference? When your neck loses its curve, the ligaments supporting your neck become stretched and lose their ability to maintain the curve. This can occur from a motor vehicle accident, chronic poor posture or uncorrected vertebral subluxation complexes. Once your neck has lost its normal curve, your neck and shoulder muscles attempt to hold your head in the proper position. Unfortunately, they were not created for this and they tire easily. Unless you decide to let your head drop into your lap, your neck muscles will have to continue holding up your head long after becoming fatigued. That’s precisely when muscle spasms occur, and tightness begins in your neck and shoulders! Ask your Doctor of Chiropractic to assist you in restoring your neck’s normal curvature. This can include Chiropractic treatments (adjustments) to your neck, stretches and exercises and cervical traction, which will all help restore the proper curve to your neck. Do I have a “pinched nerve”? The most common cause of a true “pinched nerve” is a disc herniation. A herniated disc is sometimes, although not accurately, called a “slipped disc”, and is the most common cause of severe back pain and sciatica. A disc becomes herniated when the jelly doughnut-like inside of the disc ruptures out to the point that it “pinches” the nerve. Special testing such as CT Scans and MRI’s are recommended to assess the severity of the disc disorder and can be very helpful in determining the best treatment plan. In most cases, the pain associated with this condition can be effectively treated by your Chiropractor. And if you case is more serious, your Chiropractor will refer you to the proper specialist. Can Chiropractic help with my headaches? Almost all people experience a headache at some time in their lives. One study estimates over 50 million people in the US suffer from headaches! Although most headaches do not indicate a serious illness, they are a major cause of suffering and missed work, and rank as one of the most common reasons people consult a doctor. The International Headache Society has actually classified 129 different types of headaches! The majority of primary headaches, however, are “cervicogenic” in nature, which means they are caused by a neck problem. That’s why Chiropractors have amazing success in relieving headaches!