FAQs

WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC?

Chiropractic is a non-invasive health care discipline that focuses on treatment and preventative care for disorders related to the spine, pelvis, nervous system and joints. 

Chiropractic is a natural method of health care with the proven ability to relieve back pain, increase vitality, and promote well-being.  It is the largest drugless and non-surgical health care profession in the United States.

WHAT IS AN ACTIVATOR CHIROPRACTOR?

An Activator chiropractor is a chiropractor who attends a series of post-graduate educational seminars from Activator Methods International and recertifies yearly to qualify as proficiency rated Activator Chiropractor.

Activator chiropractors are taught a simple but effective analysis that helps determine “fixations” or “subluxations” that need an adjustment. This analysis indicates whether or not a chiropractic adjustment is necessary.

When necessary, Activator chiropractors provide a specific type of adjustment that uses a government approved Activator instrument to apply a gentle, low-force adjustment. The adjustment is extremely safe, and best of all — highly effective.

Activator chiropractic care and the Activator Method are supported by a body of university-based research and clinical studies.  Activator Methods was the first chiropractic technique to be awarded a NIH grant. 

An activator chiropractor is ideal for those that would like to benefit from chiropractic care but are hesitant about the traditional chiropractic thrust. 

WHAT IS A SUBLUXATION?

A “vertebral subluxation” is a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular (joint) changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health.

Life's events such as accidents, sports injuries, repetitive work, and emotional stress are just some of the factors that can overwhelm the body's ability to adapt. The joints of the spine 'lock up' when these sorts of events occur, limiting range of motion. Spinal joint restriction and/or misalignment results in irritation and/or pressure at the spinal nerve.

Essentially, a subluxation irritates your nervous system resulting in overall malfunction of the body. Subluxations affect the health of your nerves, ligaments, discs, and joints as well as weaken your muscles and most importantly, alter the flow of energy from your brain to the rest of your body. Your brain and body cannot communicate properly if there is interference on your nervous system from a subluxation.

Local symptoms of subluxations may include pain, tenderness, swelling, tingling, numbness, or spasm around the joints of the spine, back, and neck. Many times, these sensations extend further into the shoulders and arms, around the rib cage, or into the hips and down the legs. Subluxations can even lead to headaches, stomach and digestive problems, and loss of overall health. 

Remember - vital instructions flow between the brain and the body by way of spinal nerves. These instructions inform and direct the body as to when, where, and how it needs to heal itself. By irritating nerves, subluxations interfere with the essential brain/body exchange, thereby compromising the normal function of the body's organs and tissues.  Impaired nerve coordination causes the whole body to suffer.  Chiropractic care clears the path for the body to maintain its own health.

WHAT CAUSES A SUBLUXATION?

In short, “stress” causes subluxations.

PHYSICAL STRESS  

Car accidents, sports injuries, repetitive work, prolonged sitting and poor posture

CHEMICAL STRESS

Junk food, medications (prescription and over-the-counter), pesticides on our food, air-pollutants, as well as caffeine, alcohol and nicotine

EMOTIONAL STRESS

Work, home life, or finances

Because none of us live in a bubble, we all have an assortment of these different stresses in our lives that negatively impact our health. Once a subluxation occurs, the only way to correct the injury is through a chiropractic adjustment.  In essence, chiropractic treatment allows your body to heal itself as our bodies are amazing self-healing machines. Remember, health comes from the inside out, not outside in.

WHAT IS AN ADJUSTMENT?

A chiropractic adjustment is a method of treatment unique to chiropractic.  It corrects spinal subluxations and dysfunction. The primary goal of an adjustment is to improve spinal alignment and motion, thereby relieving nerve irritation, pressure, and pain.

The adjustment reduces or eliminates joint fixations affecting the spine or nerves by applying a controlled force into joints that have become hypomobile – or restricted in their movement. 

The fixations can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improperly lifting 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 the sufferer. Adjusting the affected joint and tissues restores mobility, which relieves pain and muscle tightness caused by pressure on your nervous system. The result is improved function of the spine and nervous system.

In short, chiropractic adjustments correct misalignments, reduce joint fixations, and improve mobility and flexibility of the spine and relieve pressure on sensitive irritated tissues which in turn helps reduce the pain and other symptoms such as nerve "pinching".

WHAT CONDITIONS DO CHIROPRACTORS TREAT?

Chiropractors are experts trained in the neuromusculoskeletal system.  Accordingly, they diagnose and treat disorders of the spine and other body joints by performing precise adjustments.  Chiropractors provide conservative management of neuromusculoskeletal disorders including, but not limited to, back, neck and head pain. 

In addition to preventative and wellness care, chiropractic can be used to treat  fibromyalgia, shoulder pain, numbness, leg pain, scoliosis, tension/anxiety, arthritis, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, golfer’s/tennis elbow, knee/foot pain, bursitis, TMJ (jaw) pain, and other health issues.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM CHIROPRACTIC?

Nerve interference can affect anyone, which is why people of all ages experience relief and improved health through chiropractic care. 

Consider visiting a chiropractor for any pain or discomfort related to the spine or nervous system. For many patients, this includes low back pain, neck pain, and headaches. In every case, the chiropractor will analyze your condition first to determine the best course of treatment for you.

Also, because of the gentle and specific nature of the Activator treatment, newborns through to the elderly can benefit from chiropractic care.  Athletes have also shown great results under Activator chiropractic care.  Since heavy muscled individuals don’t always get optimum results from chiropractic care due to their muscle mass, the precise Activator Method of adjustment is often favored. 

WHY SHOULD I GET ADJUSTED?

The spine is the structural support for the whole body.  If areas of the spine become stiff or start to move improperly the function of the nearby muscles and nerves are impaired.  When nerves and muscles are impaired, they let you know using pain.  The only way to get the stiff areas moving again, and actually fix the underlying problem, is to use a chiropractic adjustment.

The benefits of chiropractic care have also been shown to extend beyond reduction of back and neck pain. In fact, chiropractic has proven itself as useful in the reduction of headache pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, jaw pain, sciatica, and tingling in the arms and legs. The rewards of chiropractic care are numerous. People under chiropractic care report better health and well-being and many families have realized the benefits of chiropractic care for their children.

Because chiropractic treatments are primarily applied to the spinal region, many incorrectly assume that chiropractors treat only back and neck ailments.  While we do effectively eliminate back and neck pain, it's not the only goal.  The objective is to restore and optimize human health. In fact, according to a statement from The Association of Chiropractic Colleges, "The purpose of chiropractic is to optimize health."

CAN CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT CURE COLDS, EARACHES AND OTHER AILMENTS?

Chiropractic care cannot "cure" these conditions, but there is some evidence to indicate that adjustments may have a beneficial effect on a variety of conditions. Adjustments may alleviate some of the secondary, or referred pain, arising from the response of the musculoskeletal structures to the primary cause. 

The nervous system is the master controller of all living cells, tissues and organs; orchestrating and coordinating all cellular functions. The spinal column encases the nervous system (spinal cord and nerve roots) and is responsible for its protection.

Because of this intimate relationship, biomechanical and structural problems in the spinal column can irritate parts of the enclosed nervous system.  The resulting ailment(s) depends on the cells, tissues and organs affected as well as the extent of nervous system compromise.

In short, because the body's innate recuperative powers are affected by and integrated through the nervous system, correcting spinal abnormalities which irritate the nervous system can lead to a number of favorable results in patients suffering from various, seemingly non-spinal health conditions.

CAN CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT PROVIDE A PREVENTATIVE FUNCTION?

You might also consider the benefits of regular chiropractic adjustments even when you feel healthy. Sometimes you won't know you have a disorder of the neuromusculoskeletal system until it becomes acute and painful. So, just as you see your dentist to have your teeth checked and your optometrist for eye exams, regular visits to your chiropractor can catch related health conditions early, often preventing them from developing into major problems. Remember, your spine is every bit as susceptible to wear and tear as your teeth and your eyes so you should look after it.

Clinical experience suggests that individuals with chronic conditions such as degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) or recurrent neck pain, back pain or headaches may experience less frequent and less severe symptoms when under regular chiropractic care. This also applies to individuals in highly stressful situations and those who experience repetitive physical and postural strain from their daily activities.

ARE TREATMENTS PAINFUL?

Typical chiropractic adjustments do not hurt.  In fact, most patients feel extremely relaxed while being adjusted.  Because Activator adjustments do not involve any twisting or cracking, they are particularly comfortable.   Any discomfort you may have following your first few adjustments can be compared to the soreness you have after a hard workout at the gym.

Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. In fact, most patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.

IS CHIROPRACTIC SAFE?

Chiropractic treatments are incredibly safe—actually, they’re one of the safest kinds of medical care available.  Doctors of Chiropractic are highly trained professionals with years of experience working on hundreds or thousands of patients, using techniques that have been in practice for over a hundred years. Our procedures are natural and drugless. Our conservative philosophy is chiropractic first, medicine second and surgery last.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, more than 30 million people visited doctors of chiropractic last year for a variety of conditions, and more and more medical doctors are referring their patients to doctors of chiropractic.

Its non-surgical, drug-free approach to health places chiropractic among the safest of all health care practices. Remember, chiropractic takes nothing out of the body and puts nothing in. As a result, chiropractors enjoy one of the lowest malpractice rates of all health care professionals. 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PHYSICIANS AND CHIROPRACTORS? 

That's like asking the difference between a physician and a dentist: they are different professions within the health care spectrum. Both chiropractors and physicians are legally entitled to use the title "doctor". As the appellation MD means "Doctor of Medicine", so DC means "Doctor of Chiropractic".

The role of chiropractic is complementary to other areas of primary health care. Chiropractic is not, for example, a replacement for medical care, but may offer an alternative to medication and surgery in appropriate circumstances.

Recognition by health science that many illnesses of our modern society are lifestyle based has shown us that we, as individuals, can influence our own health and well being. Many people, therefore, welcome chiropractic's emphasis on healthy lifestyle and patient responsibility, as well as its help in improving the body's functions and ability to fight off disease.

In short, chiropractors are primary care practitioners, trained to develop and carry out a comprehensive treatment / management plan, recommend therapeutic exercise and other non-invasive therapies, and provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.

WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING DO CHIROPRACTORS HAVE?

Like all primary health care providers, doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive education and training before becoming licensed professionals. Students begin by fulfilling undergraduate degree requirements, with a strong emphasis on the core sciences such as chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and physics.

The professional program leading to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree is very demanding. Chiropractic students continue their study of the sciences, including pathology and biochemistry, at a highly detailed level.

Chiropractors are educated as primary contact health care practitioners, with an emphasis on neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment. Preparation for the practice of chiropractic is concentrated on three areas of learning; basic training in the biological and health sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, biomechanics, clinical and radiological diagnosis); specialized training in the chiropractic discipline (theoretical studies, practice, specific technique, diagnosis and applications); and extensive clinical and practical training with patients.  Their education continues into the advanced clinical sciences including orthopedics, neurology, examination procedures, differential diagnosis, and X-ray interpretation.

All doctors of chiropractic must pass the rigorous national board exams and state exams before entering the field.