Chiropractic Frequently Asked Questions

What is chiropractic care?
There's nothing mysterious about chiropractic. It's a natural method of health care that focuses on correcting the causes of physical problems, rather than just treating the symptoms. Chiropractic is based on a simple but powerful premise. With a normally functioning spine and healthy nerve system, your body is better able to heal itself. That's because your spine is the lifeline of your nervous system. It controls feeling, movement, and all function through your body.

How does chiropractic work?
Chiropractic works by restoring your body's inborn 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 (subluxations, 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!

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.

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. "Gentle spinal adjustments boosts your body's immunity."

Can I tell if I have a subluxation?
Not always. A subluxation is like a dental cavity or cancer--you may have it for a long time before symptoms appear. That's why periodic spinal checkups are so important. Although it may be possible to know you have a subluxation, it is rarely possible to be sure you don't. Regular spinal checkups are always a good idea, and they promote good health from the inside out.

Do children need chiropractic care?
Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns immediately checked for vertebral subluxation. Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are adapted for the child's spine. Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off can be traced to the spine. Health problems that emerge in adulthood could often be prevented by having your children's spine checked by a chiropractor early. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and are healthier than their peers.

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.

Is chiropractic safe?
Yes. Chiropractic has an excellent safety record. It is the result of a conservative and natural approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs. As proof, one merely has to compare malpractice rates between chiropractors and other health care professionals. Chiropractors' malpractice premiums are a small fraction of those for medical doctors.

What causes the sound during an adjustment?
Actually, adjustments do not always produce a sound. Often, however, adjustments do create the sound of a spinal "release", or "popping" sound. The sound is caused by gas rushing in to fill the partial vacuum created when the joints are slightly separated. This sound is painless and totally harmless.

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!

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.

Can a person who had back surgery see a chiropractor?
Yes. It's an unfortunate fact that up to half of those who had spinal surgery discover a return of their original symptoms months or years later. They then face the prospect of additional surgery. This too common occurrence is know as "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome." Chiropractic may help prevent repeated back surgeries. In fact, if chiropractic care is initially utilized back surgery can often be avoided in the first place.

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.

Is it OK to see a chiropractor if I'm pregnant?
Anytime is a good time for a better functioning nerve system. Pregnant mothers find that chiropractic adjustments improve their pregnancy and make delivery easier for themselves and their baby. Adjusting methods are always adapted to a patients size, weight, age, and condition of health.

Why do chiropractors take x-rays?
Chiropractors take x-rays to reveal the internal structure and alignment of the spine. We are also concerned about underlying disease processes and disorders of the spine such as spinal deterioration, arthritis of the spine, abnormal development, bone spurs, disc disorders, tumors and spinal curvature. X-rays also provide a blueprint for correcting the spine back to optimal health and alignment.

Is a good work-out the same as getting adjusted?
No. Exercise is an important part of good health, yet without normal spinal function a physical workout merely puts additional wear and tear on improperly functioning spinal joints.

A recent study proved that Chiropractic adjustments increase immune cell counts 48% in AIDS patients. (Chiropractic Research Journal, 1994; 3(1)) Another study by Ronald Pero, Ph.D. Chief of cancer prevention at NY Med. Institute found that "Chiropractic patients had a 200% greater immuno-competance than non-chiropractic patients." Simply put, Chiropractic patients have a more effective immune system!!!

180,000 deaths result each year as the result of iatrogenic injury (Drug side effects and medical negligence.) That is the equivalent of 3 jumbo jet crashes every 2 days! You would hear about that in the papers.( Lucien Leape M.D., Harvard, J. Amer. Med. Assoc. Dec.1994)

A new study of 332 children showed that Chiropractic care is the most effective treatment for EAR INFECTIONS. The study showed that children with histories of chronic ear infections under chiropractic care for 6 months had No More Infections in 80% of the cases. Chiropractic adjustments help the ear to properly drain and stimulate the immune system. With the cold and flu season coming, isn't it time to get the kids checked for subluxations to prevent ear infections from occurring? ( JCCP, Vol. 2, No. 2 1997)

ARLINGTON, Va., July 23/ PR Newswire.-- Senior citizens who receive Chiropractic care reported better overall health, fewer symptomatic chronic conditions, less days in hospitals and nursing homes and more mobility than elderly non-chiropractic patients, according to a new study conducted by the prestigious RAND Corp.

The Dean of the University of Arizona Pharmacy reported that $73 BILLION is spent on drugs every year. Another study proved that over $76 BILLION was spent on dealing with the side effects of those drugs. (Arch. Intern. Med. 1995;155). That's $3 BILLION more spent on side effects than the drugs in the first place!!!! Better health through better chemistry has FAILED miserably!

Tylenol use kills more people per year than cocaine! (Forbes Magazine, Jan. 1998) Also reported: Relatively small overdoses of acetaminophen, Tylenol's active ingredient, have been blamed for liver damage and even Deaths in children. Consumers were not told that giving a child as little as TWICE the proper dose over a period of time could destroy their lives. (Associated Press).

A study on the effects of PMS and Menstrual Problems concluded that Chiropractic care is an effective and safe non pharmacological alternative for relieving the pain and distress of primary dysmenorrhea. (JMPT 1992; 15(5):279)

In 1997 there were 629 million visits to alternative care providers in the U.S. exceeding all visits to primary care physicians! The money spent on this alternative care was $21.2 Billion, in which $12.1 Billion was paid out of pocket! Exceeding all out of pocket payments for all us primary physician services combined! When people have to spend their hard earned money they choose Alternative care. (D.Eisenburg, JAMA, Nov. 11, 1998)

Studies show a spine with optimum alignment is up to 16 times stronger than a subluxated spine

Loss of the healthy cervical (neck) curve stretches the spinal cord 5-7 cm and causes serious nerve interference

The possible signals jumping across the synapses of the brain exceeds the number of atoms in the known universe

Studies show that only 10% of our nervous system perceives pain. The other 90% is for health

Subluxations causing nerve pressure equivalent to the weight of a nickel on your hand reduce the nerve impulses by 60%

Your arteries and veins would stretch out over 12,000 miles if the we laid out in a straight line

Chiropractic has been shown to boost immunity by an average of 200% for patients in wellness care

Chiropractors are the only health care professionals that specialize in finding and correcting subluxations

The chiropractic adjustment is a gentle and specific force designed to correct subluxations

There are three phases of chiropractic care: 1)Initial Intensive Care, 2) Corrective Care, 3) Wellness Care

For all disease the central nervous system plays a major role in the healing process

Health is more than the absence of illness; health is a state of optimum physical, mental and social well-being

Chiropractic works because you are a self-healing, self-regulating organism controlled by your nervous system. Millions of instructions flow from your brain, down the spinal cord and out to every organ and tissue. Signals are also sent back to the brain to confirm your body is working right. Improper motion or position of the moving bones of the spine are called subluxations, which can interfere with this vital exchange by irritating nerves and compromising the function of the affected organs and tissues.

Specific chiropractic spinal adjustments can help improve mind/body communications. Health often returns with improved nervous system control of the body.

Chiropractors receive five academic years of training, after a minimum of three years of pre-professional (undergraduate) education. They pass national board examinations similar to those doctors of medicine must take. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed in all 50 states and make up the third largest licensed health care provider group, after medicine and dentistry, in the United States.

There are three basic causes of subluxations. Physical causes could include slips and falls, accidents, repetitive motions or improper lifting. Emotions such as grief, fear and anger can cause subluxations. Chemical causes could include alcohol, drugs, pollution and poor diet.

You can have subluxations and not even know it. Like the early stages of tooth decay, heart disease, or cancer, subluxations can be present before warning signs (symptoms) appear. The results of an examination by your Chiropractor can show the location and severity of subluxations you may have.

What is an adjustment?

Chiropractic adjustments usually involve a quick thrust that helps add motion to joints that aren’t moving correctly. Most methods use the doctor’s hands, but others use instruments, a special table or the force of gravity. There are over 100 chiropractic adjusting techniques, so not all Chiropractors adjust the same way…and not all patients are adjusted the same way.

What makes that sound during an adjustment?

Lubricating fluids separate the bones of each spinal joint and some adjusting methods can produce a sound when the gas and fluids in the joint move. The sound is interesting, but it isn’t a guide to the quality or value of the adjustment.

Will adjustments make my spine too loose?

No, only the spinal joints that are “locked up” receive adjustments. This allows the weakened muscles and ligaments to stabilize and heal.

Are chiropractic adjustments safe?

In the context of health care procedures, chiropractic treatments have a good safety record. About 20 million people see a chiropractor each year, and only a handful report serious injuries. The most common side effect of chiropractic adjustments is slight soreness, which you can usually relieve by icing the sore area.

A New Zealand government study found that adjustments are “remarkably safe.” By avoiding drugs and risky surgery, chiropractic care enjoys an excellent track record. A thorough exam can identify the rare person for whom chiropractic care may be unsuited. Adjustments are about 100 times safer than taking an over-the-counter pain reliever.

Are there any risks?

Any health care procedure carries some risks; compared to even the risk of taking aspirin, the procedures used by doctors of chiropractic are very safe. Recent medical research has linked a particular chiropractic treatment, in extremely rare cases, with stroke. A number of peer-reviewed neurology journals and the Stanford University Medical Center's stroke center have reviewed reports of strokes following head and neck manipulation that had been performed by chiropractors and untrained providers (medical doctors, barbers, massage therapists and physical therapists, wives, etc.) as well. A study published in a peer-reviewed chiropractic journal, The Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapy, found that the incidence of stroke following manipulation was low, but concluded that "there seems to be sufficient evidence to justify a firm policy statement cautioning against upper cervical rotation as a technique of first choice."

The risk of stroke from chiropractic is extremely low, according to Anthony Rosner, Ph.D., the director of research at the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research. He points to a recent study using RAND data and published in Integrative Medicine, which estimates the risk of serious complications from cervical manipulation to be 6.39 per 10 million manipulations.

Can the bones move too much?

Highly unlikely. A chiropractic adjustment is special. It has the right amount of energy, delivered to the exact spot, at a precise angle, at the right time. The idea is to get a “stuck” spinal joint moving again, helping to reduce nerve interference. Years of training, practice and experience makes chiropractic adjustments specific and safe.

I adjust myself, why would I need a Chiropractor?

Some people make their joints “pop,” but that’s not an adjustment. Damage can occur by moving a joint or many joints with weakened muscles and ligaments. If this “popping” process is frequent, then the area may become so damaged that the joint becomes hyper-mobile and never stabilizes due to the weakened ligaments. Adjustments are specific and take years to master. Even your chiropractor must consult another chiropractor for an adjustment.

How can chiropractic add comfort to my pregnancy and a safer birth?

A large percent of all pregnant women experience back discomfort/pain during pregnancy. This is due to the rapid growth of the baby and changes to your body’s normal structure. Pre-existing unnoticed imbalances in your spine and pelvis become overtaxed and very apparent during these times. Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can relieve and even prevent the common discomforts experienced in pregnancy. Specific adjustments eliminate these stresses in your spine, restore balance to your pelvis and result in greater comfort and lifestyle improvements.

As your baby develops, your uterus enlarges to accommodate the rapid growth. So long as the pelvis is in a balanced state, the ligaments connected to the uterus maintain an equalized, supportive suspension for the uterus. If your pelvis is out of balance in any way, these ligaments become torqued and twisted causing a condition known as constraint to your uterus. This constraint limits the space of the developing baby. If the woman’s uterus is constrained as birth approaches, the baby is prevented from getting into the best possible position for birth.

Even if the baby is in the desirable head down position, often times constraint to the uterus affects the baby’s head from moving into the ideal presentation for delivery. The head may be slightly tilted off to one side or even more traumatically, present in the posterior position.
Any baby position even slightly off during birth will slow down labor, and add pain to both the mother and baby.

Published studies have indicated that chiropractic care does in fact reduce labor time.

Doctors of Chiropractic work specifically with your pelvis throughout pregnancy restoring a state of balance and creating an environment for an easier safer delivery.

Why do newborns get adjustments?

Birth is a traumatic process, for both the mother and child, even in natural childbirth. Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked right away. If a baby is checked for subluxations at birth, then many signs of spinal distress may not occur, like colic, unusual crying, poor appetite, ear infections, nursing difficulties, erratic sleeping patterns allergic reactions and chronic infections. Pediatric adjustments are gentle.

Why should children have chiropractic care?

As the infant grows, learns to hold up the head, sit, crawl and walk spinal alignment is affected and it is an important time to have a child checked by a Doctor of Chiropractic.

As the child begins to participate in regular childhood activities like skating or riding a bike, small yet significant spinal misalignments (subluxations) may occur. If neglected, the injuries during this period of rapid growth may lead to more serious problems later in life. Subtle trauma throughout childhood will affect the future development of the spine leading to impaired nervous system function. Any interference to the vital nervous system will adversely affect the body’s ability to function at its best.

One of the most common reason parents seek care for their child is trauma from an injury. These misalignments may or may not result in immediate pain or symptoms. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify potential spinal injury from these traumas, make the correction early in life and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults.

Another sought out reason for care is the resolution of a particular symptom or condition. Parents seek care for conditions such as colic, ear infections, asthma, allergies and headaches (to name a few) because they have heard from other parents that chiropractic care can help.

It is important to understand that the doctor of chiropractic does not diagnose or treat conditions or diseases. The expertise of the Chiropractor is in checking the child’s spine for misalignments that impair nervous system function, therefore affecting overall body function. The bones of the spine, the vertebrae, house and protect the spinal cord. The spinal cord is an extension of the brain and carries information from the brain to the body parts and back to the brain again. Subluxations interfere with the nerve’s ability to transmit this vital information.

The nervous system controls and coordinates the function of all the systems in the body: circulatory, respiratory, digestive, hormonal, eliminative and immune system. Any aspect of health may be impaired by nerve interference. The chiropractic adjustment restores nervous system function allowing the body the ability to express a greater state of health and well-being.

After the case history and exam is completed, if the child needs to be adjusted, the adjusting procedures are modified to fit a child's size, weight, and unique spinal condition. They are both gentle and specific to the child’s developing spinal structures. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and look forward to subsequent visits. They also report that their children experience a greater level of health while under regular chiropractic care.

Can chiropractic help with childhood earaches (acute otitis media)?

Yes. Otitis media is an extremely common middle-ear inflammation, usually caused by an infection that blocks the Eustachian tube. Up to one-third of the child population will have 6 or more episodes before starting school, and some can have up to 12 episodes in a year.

Every year in the United States, approximately 30 percent of children under age three receive antimicrobial (antibiotic) treatment for acute earache.

Scientific studies have shown little evidence of shorter duration of symptoms, fewer recurrences or better long-term outcomes for children given antibiotics for their acute otitis media than for those who did not receive the medication. Moreover, researchers have found that giving antibiotics for otitis media, increases the chance of another earache.

Gentle chiropractic upper-spine adjustments can help clear the eustachian tube blockage that causes otitis media. Dietary/nutritional guidance (such as testing for food sensitivities and vitamin deficiencies) may also be offered.

Can chiropractic help with colic?

The most widely accepted definition of "colic" is uncontrollable crying in babies, especially from the ages of 0-3 months, and often lasting for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week for three weeks or more.

No matter how long the condition lasts, parents know that struggling with a colicky child can be frustrating and exhausting. But there is hope, and it could come from your doctor of chiropractic. A recent study divided 50 infants with colic into two groups. The first group received chiropractic spinal manipulation for two weeks; the second group received traditional drug treatment (dimethicone) over the same two weeks.

Results revealed that the chiropractic group improved more than the drug group (less hours spent crying) after the first five days of the study. After day five, the dimethicone group showed little or no reduction in average colic hours per day.

Days 4-7: Hours of crying were reduced by a total of 2.4 hours in the manipulation group compared with only one hour in the drug group.

Days 8-11: Hours of crying were reduced by 2.7 total hours in the manipulation group, compared with one hour in the drug group.

Even more revealing, five infants in the dimethicone group dropped out before the end of the study, described by their patients as having "worsened" or "much worsened" colic. The authors suggest that if these severe cases had been included in the results, drug intervention would have appeared even less effective than chiropractic for reducing the symptoms of colic.

I thought Chiropractors were for back and neck pain. How can they help with things like breathing and heart functions?

Nerves control every function in your body. When the nerves to a certain organ are not working properly due to interference, that organ may not function properly. Doctors of chiropractic remove the nerve interference by adjusting the spine, therefore allowing the body to function properly without nerve interference. As far back as 1921, medical doctors have been publishing papers that support chiropractic theories. In 1921, when Dr. Henry Windsor published his study, little was known about the brain and nerve system in comparison to today's standards. Dr. Windsor performed autopsy studies to determine if there was a connection between minor curvatures of the spine and diseased internal organs. What he found was a nearly 100% correlation between the two. Where there was a diseased organ, a withered nerve could be traced back to the spine in most cases. His results were published in the Medical Times in 1921. Dr. Windor's results stress the importance of having proper spinal alignment for overall health including the function of the internal organs.

Can patients with osteoporosis get chiropractic care?

Of course. When developing a care plan, your doctor of chiropractic considers the unique circumstances of each patient. There are many ways to adjust the spine and the method selected will be best suited to your age, size and condition.

Chiropractors are accustomed adjusting the shoulder and surrounding joints, as well as relieving painful trigger points between the spine and shoulder. Chiropractic can be successfully employed to deal with so-called “frozen shoulder,” a severe inflammation, technically known as adhesive capsulitis. 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.

Your chiropractor will examine you and conduct diagnostic tests to determine exactly what is causing your shoulder or arm pain. Because the causes and the seriousness of different conditions are so varied, it is important to pinpoint the cause and begin the most appropriate treatment. Your chiropractor will decide which treatment will be best for you and if referral to a specialist will be necessary.

What kinds of headaches are there?

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 something wrapped around your head and pressing tightly.

Migraines are periodic severe, throbbing headaches that afflict far fewer people (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 change called an aura.

Cervicogenic headache is a muskuloskeletal form of tension-type headache (which may also be related to migraines). Many times, cervicogenic headache goes undiagnosed as such due to the relative newness of this classification.

What can chiropractic do for headaches?

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. Many people experience what are termed "analgesic rebound headaches" from taking painkillers every day, or nearly every day. The medicine you take to get rid of today's headache may give you a headache tomorrow and the days after….similar to that of a hangover. After a night of drinking, a beer in the morning often helps relieve the hangover pain.

Chiropractic adjustments have shown to be as effective and even more effective than medications in reducing the severity and frequency of headaches. Chiropractic is particularly successful dealing with cervicogenic headache. Even though cervicogenic and other tension-type headaches may not actually involve stress or muscle tension, chiropractic's ability to adjust spinal abnormalities seems to lessen or remove the forces contributing to headache pain.

Can I have chiropractic care after back surgery?

Yes, rest assured that your doctor of chiropractic will avoid the surgically modified areas of your spine. Surgery often caused instability above or below the involved level.

I am an athlete, I’ve heard chiropractic can raise my game – why is that?

Professional and amateur sports involve large numbers of talented athletes. To ensure that they can play at their peak without hurting themselves and to assist them if they do experience injuries, often rely on chiropractors. Many pros, top amateurs and famous champions in professional, intercollegiate and Olympic sports loyally turn to their chiropractors for assessment, adjustment, guidance and treatment to get a performance edge by enhancing their strength, flexibility and endurance. Lance Armstrong, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wayne Gretzky, Mary Lou Retton, Joe Montana, Evander Holyfield, Emmit Smith, Bruce Jenner, Dan O’Brien, Martina Navratilova, Tiger Woods and Derek Parra are among the few, who use chiropractic care to raise their game.

In fact, here are what a few of them had to say:

"I go see Dr. Bill (chiropractor) when I get bent out of shape on Sundays. Playing in a football game is like being in 30-40 car accidents." - Emmit Smith

"I've been seeing a chiropractor and he's really been helping me out a lot. Chiropractic's been a big part of my game." -Joe Montana (He and 35 of his teammates received chiropractic care right before the 1990 Super Bowl Game.)

"I have to have an adjustment before I go into the ring. I do believe in chiropractic. I found that going to a chiropractor three times a week helps my performance. The majority of boxers go to get that edge." - Evander Holyfield

"Bodybuilders and fitness people have been using chiropractic very extensively in order to stay healthy and fit. I found it was better to go to a chiropractor before you get injured. We are a perfect team- the world of fitness and the world of chiropractors." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

"I do believe chiropractic has really benefited my game. Over the last three years, I feel I have become more exposed to, and knowledgeable about, the benefits of chiropractic for me and my game. I realize how your body can get out of balance, and chiropractic care helps....."
– Fred Funk (PGA Tour Professional)

"You obviously can't compete at your fullest if you're not in alignment. And your body can't heal if your back is not in alignment. It was the holistic idea that I liked about chiropractic and that is what track and field is about. Every track and field athlete that that I have ever met has seen a chiropractor at one time or another. In track and field, it is absolutely essential. Chiropractic care is one of the things I think that no one has denied or refuted." - Dan O'Brien (Decathlon)

"As an athlete, it's great to have chiropractic care available. There are so many things we need to have done that traditional medicine just can't help. I've always been a proponent of chiropractic care. I've used a lot of other treatments for injuries and pain, but the problem doesn't get fixed until I go to a doctor of chiropractic." - Derek Parra (Gold-medalist Speed Skater)

A research study conducted by Drs. Anthony Lauro and Brian Mouch, published in the journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation, 1991, indicated chiropractic care might improve athletic performance by as much as 16.7% over a two week period. The report also concluded that subluxation-free athletes react faster, coordinate better, execute fine movements with improved accuracy and precision, amounting to an overall better athlete.

Backs, necks, shoulders, knees, ankles, wrists, fingers and toes–in fact, most bones, joints and connective tissues–are subject to misuse and injury when people play hard. Seniors, individuals long out of shape or with disabilities, children who haven't yet learned how to protect themselves during physical exertion, and adolescents whose bodies are changing rapidly are among those at even greater risk than men and women in fairly good shape.

Among the causes of sports-related injuries are:
• Overreaching, overdoing it, pushing too hard to achieve health or performance goals;
• Failing to use good judgment to avoid injuries;
• Not knowing your limitations, or knowing them but driving yourself beyond them in the heat of competition and the desire to perform more and better;
• Trying to recapture a lost (or even an imaginary) past of youth and vigor when you excelled almost effortlessly at physical contests and pastimes you now may find so difficult and demanding that they are, realistically, nearly impossible for you;
• Playing all out with insufficient warm-ups, nutrition, training, and guidance;
• Not receiving the most appropriate and conservative treatment possible for injuries that do occur;
• Failing to recuperate fully after injuries or overexertion because you can't wait to "get back into the game."

How long will I need chiropractic care?

As long as you want to be healthy. People sometimes say, “Once you start seeing a Chiropractor, you have to go for the rest of your life.” You don’t always have to go, only as long as you want to be healthy. You wouldn’t go to the gym once and be in great shape or brush your teeth once and have healthy teeth. It’s a commitment to your health and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It’s easier to stay well, stay in great shape or have a great smile if you do each regularly. After all, you get your teeth, eyes and your hearing checked regularly-why not your spine? It only takes a short time, its fun and your whole body will thank you for it.

Of course, you won’t have to see the Chiropractor every day. Depending on the person’s age, occupation, lifestyle and health goals, each patient’s care program is custom-tailored for the their needs. Some people want to have their spines checked weekly, and often those people do not need an adjustment on each visit, but it’s better to stay healthy than have to regain health. In our office, there is no charge to the patient if there is no adjustment needed. It’s about your health, so that your body can function at 100%.

Dr. Arpad DeNagy of the Rockefellar Institute states, “Interference to the nervous system results in permanent damage in a short period of time and therefore, chiropractic care should begin at birth on a preventative basis.”

If I wait too long and come in to see a Chiropractor with pain, how long until I feel better?

Some patients experience almost instant relief, others may take up to many weeks. Many factors can affect the healing process. How long have you had the problem? Are you keeping your appointments? Are you getting the proper rest, exercise and nutrition? Do you smoke? Are you in otherwise good condition? Within a short period of time, most patients sense enough progress to fully carry out their Chiropractor’s recommendations.

Patient results will vary, as many patients improve and resume their lifestyle. There are others who neglected or delayed seeking chiropractic care in which the progress can be much slower. Getting checkups regularly can avoid this painful and lifestyle altering situation.

Will I receive any medication for my pain?

No. Chiropractic doctors do not dispense drugs because we rely on natural methods. We can show you how to use ice or heat to control painful symptoms. When properly applied, ice can have an analgesic (pain killer) effect without the side effects of pain medications.

Why don’t medical doctors and chiropractic doctors get along?

That’s changing, although attitudes are slow to change. Chiropractic began in 1895, but it wasn’t until 1990 that medical doctors were even allowed to refer their patients to chiropractors.

It all started to change back in 1976, when Dr. Chester Wilk and 4 other chiropractors filed a lawsuit against the American Medical Association (AMA) for having conspired to ruin the credibility of the chiropractic profession. Finally, on February 7, 1990, the US Court of Appeals upheld a District Court's decision, which found the AMA guilty of conspiring with other medical healthcare organizations in a "lengthy, systematic, successful and unlawful boycott" designed to eliminate chiropractors as a competitor.

Currently, the public demands alternatives to drugs and surgery, therefore more and more medical practitioners are referring patients to our office.

What if my policy doesn’t cover chiropractic care?

Your health affects everything you do and everyone you know. It is your most valuable possession. Yet, each of us is free to place a different value on our health. It is convenient when an insurance company or third party pays the bill, but be careful. Don’t allow the profit motive of a huge corporation make the decision of how healthy you will be. Some people choose carefully a policy that will include chiropractic, as more and more policies are covering chiropractic. Others find it is less expensive to pay out of pocket, than it is to change or include chiropractic on their policy. Many health plans and cover chiropractic; check with your insurance company or health plan administrator or we can check it for you.

What if chiropractic doesn’t work?

If we are talking about pain management, then we will refer you to other specialists who may be able to help you and co-manage your health, if that is what is decided. Most patients don’t let their health get to that point, as they know the importance of regular chiropractic checkups. Remember, it is impossible to receive a specific chiropractic adjustment without a healing process occurring. Your health is our primary goal.

Send mail to drbrad@ocfamilywellness.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2004 Brad Miller, D.C. Last modified: 05/16/04

Send mail to drbrad@ocfamilywellness.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2004 Brad Miller, D.C.
Last modified: 05/16/04