Home      Chiropractic What Is Chiropractic? When Do I Need Chiropractic? How Does Chiropractic Work? What Is A Chiropractic Adjustment? What Is A Subluxation? How Do I Know If I Have Subluxations? Are All Patients Adjusted The Same Way? Can I Adjust Myself? Does Chiropractic Work For All Types Of Health Problems? Is Chiropractic Care Addictive? What Type Of Education Do Chiropractic Doctors Receive? When Will I Feel Better? STRETCHING EXERCISES - NEW* Please consult with your chiropractor before commencing with these stretches.     What Is Chiropractic? Chiropractic is a health care discipline that emphasizes the inherent recuperative powers of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the structure of the spine and the nervous system and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. The nervous system controls every cell of your body. Nerve impulses flow from the brain, down the spinal cord, and to every organ and tissue. Impulses sent back to the brain confirm that the body is working as it should. Poor spinal alignment and/or mobility can interfere with this exchange of information by irritating adjacent nerves. The result of choked or irritated nerves is degraded or distorted messages to and from your brain. Chiropractic care helps restore the integrity of the nervous system by reducing interference caused by poor spinal alignment and/or mobility. Chiropractic adjustments are safer than back surgery, muscle relaxers and even aspirin! Top of Page When Do I Need Chiropractic? Subluxations (when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves) begin at birth and continue throughout your life. Chiropractic care is safe at all ages, and everyone should be checked periodically for subluxations. Subluxations have many causes, some of which are everyday occurrences: Accidents such as slips or falls Muscle strains and ligament sprains Repetitive stress injuries Motor vehicle accidents Poor posture Poor sleeping habits/posture Poor ergonomics Chronic stress How Does Chiropractic Work? Chiropractic works by restoring your body's inherent ability to be healthy. When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissues, and organs of your body are designed to resist disease and ill health. The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and remove interferences (joint dysfunction, misaligned vertebrae) to your nervous system. With improved spinal function, there is improved nervous system function. The goal of the chiropractor is to remove interference that may be impairing normal health through specific chiropractic adjustments, allowing your body to heal itself. A healthy spine and a healthy lifestyle are your keys to optimal health! Top of Page What Is A Chiropractic Adjustment? A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is subluxated, "locked up," or not moving properly. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is to eliminate interference to the nervous system, improving spinal function and overall health. An adjustment is a specifically directed force, normally by hand designed to 'unlock' the subluxated vertebrae returning normal motion and alignment to the spine. There are a variety of different methods used in Chiropractic to analyze and adjust the spine. Our doctor will choose the most effective technique for a person as well taking into consideration the physical build of the patient, the age or any other health matters. Additionally the doctor will make sure the adjustment is as comfortable as possible. Top of Page What Is A Subluxation? Subluxations are problem areas of your spine that affect your entire nervous system. In these problem areas, the spinal bones are misaligned or have lost their normal range of movement. This irritates or puts pressure on local nerves, which interferes with the communication between your brain and body. It may involve your muscles, discs, ligaments, tendons and other body parts as well. Top of Page How Do I Know If I Have Subluxations? Subluxations are a serious threat to your health. Because the nervous system innervates every organ and tissue within your body, interference and distortion of this vital communication has far-reaching consequences. Some of the more common consequences of subluxation include: Headaches Neck and back pain Arthritis Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Sciatica Chronic muscle fatigue and tension Top of Page Are All Patients Adjusted The Same Way? No. The doctor evaluates each patient's unique spinal problem and develops an individual course of care. Each chiropractic adjustment builds on the one before. The resulting recommendations are based upon years of training and experience. Each patient's care is uniquely different from every other patient. Top of Page Can I Adjust Myself? No. Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction to a specific joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself correctly and accurately. It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a "popping" sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment. Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already unstable spine even more unstable, and can sometimes be dangerous. Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs! Top of Page Does Chiropractic Work For All Types Of Health Problems? No, however chiropractic care is successful with a very wide variety of health problems not necessarily considered "back" problems because of improved nerve system function. With a normal nerve supply the body's natural healing capacity can improve a variety of health problems. Top of Page Is Chiropractic Care Addictive? No. If only it were, there would be more healthy people around and chiropractors would not get patients who last saw a chiropractor a few years ago when their back went out. It is possible to get used to feeling more balanced, less stressed, and more energetic as a result or regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic is not addictive, however, good health is. Top of Page What Type Of Education Do Chiropractic Doctors Receive? Doctors of Chiropractic are well-educated. Chiropractic education and medical education are similar in many respects and different in others because chiropractors do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery, and medical doctors do not correct vertebral subluxations. After graduating with a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) Degree, each candidate passes the demanding four part National Board Examinations. Then, doctors apply to a governmental or professional licensing board and pass a still more difficult test before being granted the privilege to practice. A chiropractor's education, however, never ends. Most doctors complete regular postgraduate instruction for license renewal and to stay current on the latest research and adjustment techniques. Top of Page When Will I Feel Better? Most people respond fairly quickly to their Chiropractic treatments; within a few weeks, the majority of their acute symptoms (usually pain, or limited mobility) have subsided. Because soft tissues take longer to heal, your progress is not necessarily indicated by how you feel. After the acute phase of injury is when the real work begins, and it depends on you! Your body has adapted over time to the soft tissue (muscle, tendon, and ligament) damage caused by uncorrected improper spinal function. Corrective care will involve chiropractic adjustments, as well as stretches and exercises aimed at retraining your soft tissues, breaking them of faulty patterns. Without corrective and continued chiropractic care, these soft tissues are predisposed to resuming unhealthy patterns, potentially leading to significant injury relapse. Why wouldn’t you want to keep the good spinal alignment you worked so hard to achieve? Continuing with wellness, chiropractic care encourages more complete healing, helping to ensure a lasting recovery.