Chiropractic FAQ's

1. What is a chiropractic adjustment?
2. What is chiropractic care?
3. How does chiropractic work?
4. What type of education do chiropractic doctors receive?
5. Can I tell if I have a subluxation?
6. How does someone get Subluxations?
7. Do children need chiropractic care?
8. Are all patients adjusted the same way?
9. Are Chiropractic adjustments safe?
10. Can I adjust myself?
11. Is chiropractic care addictive?
12. Can a person who had back surgery see a chiropractor?
13. Your question is not here? Please let us know

2. What is chiropractic care?
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 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. - Top

3. 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! - Top

4. 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

5. Can I tell if I have a subluxation?
Not always, you can have subluxations and not even know it. That's why periodic spinal checkups are so important. Like the early stages of tooth decay, subluxations can be present long before any symptoms emerge. 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. - Top

6. How does someone get Subluxations?
There are three basic causes of vertebral subluxation. Physical stresses on the spine and nervous system may include slips and falls, repetitive motion, motor vehicle accidents, and improper sleeping. Chemical stress includes smoking, improper diet, alcohol abuse, not drinking enough water, or the overuse of drugs or medications. Finally, emotional stress is a major cause of subluxation due to its effect on the hormonal and muscular systems of the body. Regardless of the cause, these subluxations need to be detected and removed - Top

7. Do children need chiropractic care?
Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are adapted for the child's spine. . Many childhood health complaints can be traced back to nerve interference somewhere in the spine. Health problems that emerge in adulthood could often be prevented by having your children's spine checked by a chiropractor early. Parents often prefer chiropractic care for their children because of its safe, non-invasive nature. - Top

8. 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

9. Are Chiropractic adjustments safe?
Yes. Chiropractic has an excellent safety record. It is the result of chiropractic's conservative and natural approach that makes it so safe and helps millions of satisfied patients avoid harmful drugs or unnecessary surgery. A person merely has to compare malpractice rates between chiropractors and other health care professionals to see how safe chiropractic is. Chiropractors' malpractice premiums are a tiny fraction of those for medical doctors. - Top

10. 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

11. Is chiropractic care addictive?
Chiropractic is no more addictive than exercise, proper diet, or brushing your teeth. 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

12. 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 common occurrence is known as "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome," and usually results in the necessity of additional procedures. - Top