FAQs

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. The sound is painless and harmless.

Not always. Chiropractors have extensive training to determine where issues may be forming. Subluxations or vertebral misalignments can exist for some time without expressing any obvious signs or symptoms. We do not adjust only symptoms, but find the cause of the problem and eliminate that. When subluxations are present, your nervous system is affected and in turn your body functions improperly. This is why spinal check-ups are so important. Pain is a poor indicator of health and is often your body’s last resort at getting your attention that a problem exists. Periodic spinal evaluations ensure your spine and nervous system are healthy and working properly. .

Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic services are used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches. Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.

No. Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction to a specific joint, it is impossible to adjust yourself correctly and accurately. It is possible to turn or bend in a certain way to create a popping sound, however, this is not the same and it can be counterproductive. Often attempting to adjust yourself is making an already unstable spine even more unstable, and can sometimes be dangerous. Even a trained Chiropractor cannot adjust him or herself.

No. If only it were, there would be more healthy people around. It is possible to get used to feeling more balanced, less stressed, and more energetic as a result of regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic is not addictive, however, good health is.

Anytime is a good time for a better functioning nervous system. Adjusting methods are adapted to a patient’s size, age, and condition of health.  Our goal is to open and align the pelvis so baby can enter the pelvis finding the optimal birthing position, release tight ligaments or muscles which may pull or twist causing pain during pregnancy or during birth and assist mom in achieving the birth experience she desires. We have tables that are adaptable for the pregnant patient so she is comfortable the entire time.

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.

Many parents opt to have their newborns checked for vertebral misalignments after birth and many others come to learn the benefits later on. 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 early by a chiropractor. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and are healthier than their peers.

Yes. Spinal dysfunction is a common health problem that can be caused due to trauma, stress, long periods of sitting, poor posture, improper sleep habits, and other daily activities. These conditions may continue to slowly worsen over time. Specific spinal adjustments are introduced to restore movement, function, and remove nervous system interference. Chiropractic care can help your body function better and heal faster.

They are both important for different reasons. Physiotherapy focuses on strengthening and stabilizing muscles surrounding the injured area. Chiropractic improves mobility of restricted joints and ensures proper spinal alignment. It makes sense to first ensure proper alignment of the spine with Chiropractic care. Without proper alignment, muscle stabilization will only be temporary and the injured area could heal improperly. In addition, the remaining misalignments will continue to aggravate surrounding muscles, further delaying healing. However, once misalignments have been corrected, muscle stabilization and strengthening are beneficial in maintaining proper alignment. At our office we focus on improving joint mobility and muscular stability with corrective exercises.

The purpose of spinal adjustments is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become hypomobile – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a tissue injury. Tissue injury can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for an individual. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, allowing tissues to heal..

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. Doctors of Chiropractic must pass the four part National Board Examinations. Then, doctors apply to a governmental or state professional licensing board and are many times required to pass still another test before being granted the privilege to practice. A chiropractor’s education, however, never ends. Doctors must complete regular postgraduate instruction for license renewal and to stay current on the latest research and adjustment techniques.

Yes. It is 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. Chiropractic may help prevent repeated back surgeries. In fact, if Chiropractic care is utilized initially and early enough, back surgery can often be avoided in the first place.

That varies greatly with the nature and severity of your spinal condition and external factors that could affect your progress one way or the other such as the physical demands of your job or your personal lifestyle.

Definitely not. The doctors will 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.

Practically all insurance carriers recognize Chiropractic care for at least the early part of care. Most insurance policies are designed to help with catastrophic health problems or only when obvious symptoms are present. Insurance coverage will likely end before full spinal rehabilitation has occurred. We base your treatment plan on the care you need to get to a better state of health, not on what insurance says they will pay. Like your auto insurance, health insurance will not cover maintenance care. It will only cover problems that occurred due to injury. For more payment information please call the office and we can verify your individual insurance.

Typically, the longer you have had the problem, the longer the amount of corrective care is required. With this in mind, it is no surprise that children respond very quickly. Adults take longer because most spinal problems are the result of years of neglect. As with any healing process, every person’s progress is slightly different. Your personal lifestyle, diet, exercise and keeping regular appointments all will affect your progress.

Retraining muscles, ligaments, tendons, and spinal discs that support your spine and maintain the proper position and motion of individual vertebrae can be a time-consuming process. Since Chiropractors cannot rely on braces to move spinal bones like orthodontists use to reposition teeth, and since most people are often subjected to the same forces (ie: job, sleeping, & recreational habits) repeated adjustments over time are necessary. Each individuals needs for care are different and designed for them to move better and feel their best.

This is usually not a good idea. If your body is not working properly, you will continue to overload the injury, prolonging the healing process and risking further problems as a result of your body compensating. When your chiropractor has improved the movement and strength of your joints and muscles, your injury will heal more quickly and be much less likely to come back.