Discs do not slip. A disc is attached to the vertebrae above and below and cannot "slip." However, trauma or injury to the spine can cause discs to tear, bulge, herniate, or worse, rupture. As the soft center of the disc leaks, putting pressure on the adjacent nerve roots and spinal cord the injured person will feel an awful pain.
The disc is a pad of cartilage-type material situated between spinal bones. Each disc serves as a connector, spacer, and shock absorber for the spine. A soft, jellylike center is nestled in a protective layer of fibrous tissue. Healthy discs help allow normal turning and bending.
While results cannot be guaranteed, many patients have avoided needless surgery or a dependency on pain pills, by choosing chiropractic care for their disc-related health problem.
How does chiropractic work?
The chiropractic approach to better health is to help remove interferences to your natural state of being healthy. We are all born with the ability to be healthy. A healthy nervous system helps all the cells, tissues, and organs of your body resist disease and ill health.
The spinal column is the location of the most common nervous system interferences. A loss of normal motion or position of these bones can cause a disruption of controlling nerve impulses.
With improved spinal function there is often improved nervous system function. Since the nervous system controls all parts of your body, chiropractic can have a positive effect on many health conditions not normally thought of as "back" problems.
What do chiropractic doctors do?
A case history is very valuable to a chiropractic doctor. Prior surgeries, accidents, and other details affecting you currently gives your chiropractic doctor a better idea of what could be wrong.
After reviewing your history and discussing your specific problem a chiropractic examination is performed which can include orthopedic and neurological tests and also X-rays. X-rays may uncover structural and functional problems. These examinations help identify problem areas that may be causing a nervous system deficit.
A plan of chiropractic adjustments are then recommended. Progress is monitored with periodic examinations and follow-up reports.
What type of education do chiropractic doctors get?
Today's Doctor of Chiropractic is trained in the fields of anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology, biomechanics, X-ray, spinal adjusting techniques, and related subjects. This demanding curriculum prepares chiropractic doctors to locate the Vertebral Subluxation Complex and help correct the resulting nervous system disfunction.
A National Board Examination is taken to graduate followed by a governmental or professional test in order to be granted the privilege to practice.
Most doctors continue their education and to stay current on the latest scientific research.
What is an adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise derection, applied to a joint that is fixated, "locked up", or not moving properly. This adds motion to the joint, helping the bones gradually return to a more normal position and motion. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is improved spinal function, improved nervous system function, and improved health.
There are many ways to adjust the spine. Usually the doctor's hands or a specially designed instrument delivers a brief and highly-accurate thrust.
Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow and constant pressure.
After years of training and clinical experience, each chiropractic doctor becomes highly skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches.
Are all patients adjusted the same way?
The doctor evaluates each patient's unique spinal problem and develops an individual course of care. The resulting recommendations are based upon years of training and experience.
Some patients who complain of headaches, may actually have a lower back problem that is causing compensation reaction at the base of the skull. Other patients may be experiencing numbness and tingling in their fingers, when the actual problem is in the neck. Every patient presents a uniquely different spinal pattern.
Patients notice that their chiropractic care is delivered with confidence and precision. Each visit builds on the one before. And while visits may seem similar, each patient's care is uniquely different from every other patients.
Can I adjust myself?
Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction, to a specific spinal joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself.
It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a "popping" sound, like the sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment. Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already unstable area of the spine even more unsteady. Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs!
The best way to enjoy the healthful benefits of chiropractic is to receive adjustments from a Doctor of Chiropractic. Even your doctor must seek out the services of another colleague to help restore and maintain proper spinal function.
Is chiropractic care safe?
In the words of the New Zealand government's inquiry, chiropractic care is "remarkably safe".
Chiropractic has an excellent safety record. It is the result of a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs.
A thorough case history and examination help reveal areas of spine that may be causing nerous system malfunction. This information will be used to determine the best course of care for each patient.
Chiropractic care is a natural approach to better health that is proven safe and effective.
Can I speed the healing process?
While there aren't any shortcuts to speed your body's natural healing process, there's a lot you can do to give yourself the best chance of a quick recovery.
Learn proper sitting and lifting methods. Specific exercises may be suggested to help retrain the muscles that support your spine.
Proper rest is an important aspect of the healing process, too. Get the appropriate amount of rest your body needs and avoid sleeping on your stomach.
During the healing process, proper nutrition is more important than ever. Make sure you eat balanced meals, and if you're overweight, now would be a good time to slim down and reduce unnecessary stresses to your spine.
Perhaps most important of all, keep your appointments and follow you chiropractic doctor's recommendations for optimum results.
Why do children need chiropractic care?
Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked for the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Later, learning to walk, ride a bicycle, and other childhood activities can cause spinal problems. While a bandage and some comforting words can help a skinned knee, the unseen damage to the child's spine is the unique domain of a chiropractic doctor.
Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off as "growing pains" can often be traced to the spine. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify these problems and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults.
Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to a child's spine. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and seem healthier than other children.
Am I too old for chiropractic care?
More and more people are consulting chiropractic doctors, especially in their later years. With growing concerns about over-medication and the side effects of combining various prescription drugs, safe, natural chiropractic care is growing in popularity.
Restoring better spinal function can help improve mobility, vitality, endurance, and appetite. Many patients repot improvement with arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the aging process. The adjusting technique used by your doctor will be modified for maximum comfort and results.
As we get older and wiser, the simplicity and effectiveness of chiropractic care becomes more and more obvious.
Spinal problems, neglected since early childhood, may require ongoing supportive care for optimum spinal function. These longstanding problems are often associated with muscle weakness, soft tissue damage, and degenerative changes to the spine.
Most patients find that periodic chiropractic checkups help keep them in tip-top shape. Those who are active, have stressful jobs, or want to be their very best, find that a schedule of preventive care is helpful in the maintenance of good health.
Some patients seek chiropractic care only when their ache or pain becomes unbearable. While this style of "crisis management" is usually more costly and time consuming, our office stands ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals.
How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you.
How long will I need chiropractic care?
Spinal problems, neglected since early childhood, may require ongoing supportive care for optimum spinal function. These longstanding problems are often associated with muscle weakness, soft tissue damage, and degenerative changes to the spine.
Most patients find that periodic chiropractic checkups help keep them in tip-top shape. Those who are active, have stressful jobs, or want to be their very best, find that a schedule of preventive care is helpful in the maintenance of good health.
Some patients seek chiropractic care only when their ache or pain becomes unbearable. While this style of "crisis management" is usually more costly and time consuming, our office stands ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals.
How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you.
