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Why Chiropractic?
Chiropractic care is America’s #1 drug-free, non-invasive health care approach, chosen by people of all ages and levels of health.
For over 100 years chiropractors have safely and effectively helped their patients
get out of pain,
enjoy greater flexibility, activity, and mobility,
and pursue lifestyles of greater vitality, function, and wellness.
Chiropractic care helps in the improvement of many symptoms of the spine and the skeletal and muscular systems. Many chiropractic patients report:
a greater sense of well-being,
improved sleep,
improved digestion,
an easier ability to breath,
and a better sense of balance,
among other positive changes.
(In one survey of 1,504 Swedish chiropractic patients in 1999, a full 25% reported experiencing a sudden improvement in health that seemed unrelated to their spine, after undergoing chiropractic care.)
What Does the Chiropractor Do?
Chiropractic care restores spinal motion and alignment, in order to positively affect the nerves, muscles, and other support structures in the spine.
Better spinal motion tends to remove pressure from the nervous system in the nerves that flow outward and inward into the spinal cord.
It also stimulates areas of the brain which receive communication from the spinal joints.
It’s all about better brain-to-body and body-to-brain communication.
Motion can be restored through multiple techniques depending on the needs of the patient and the area of the spinal column. The most common technique is a gentle thrust in a direction which affects the spinal joints, called a chiropractic adjustment. During this process joint motion is improved and restored, and muscles around the area contract and relax.
It is the chiropractor’s job to use the patient history, examination, palpation (testing of spinal motion with the hands), x-ray, and other diagnostic tests to determine which area of the spine requires help, and determine the exact way to help it through chiropractic adjustments.
Stretching, exercise, and soft tissue therapy may also be prescribed depending on the needs of the patient.
What Symptoms Respond to Chiropractic Care?
Generally, most people seek chiropractic care for help with the following symptoms:
leg and arm pain
sciatica
scoliosis
disc problems
joint pain
neck pain and stiffness
whiplash injury
back pain
low back pain
headaches, tension and migraine
Because of its concern for total body motion, chiropractic care is also a logical choice for areas away from the spine, including:
sports related injuries
TMJ problems
shoulder injuries, including rotator cuff problems
carpal tunnel syndrome
tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
knee pain
ankle sprains
foot pain
tendinitis
other repetitive stress injuries
Chiropractic Patient Satisfaction
In studies on patient satisfaction over the last several decades, chiropractors have consistently received high ratings from their patients. The most recent study from Consumer Reports ranked chiropractors the highest in patient satisfaction for low back pain, with 88% saying that chiropractic helped a lot, and 59% saying they were highly satisfied.
What About Other Health Problems?
Many patients have reported improvements in other problem health areas in association with their chiropractic care—especially in the care of children. They include:
asthma
attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder
colic
earache
degenerative joint disease
symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis
symptoms associated with Parkinson’s syndrome
improved immune system response
Why Focus on the Spine?
The spine has been studied and respected by many different cultures across history. And records show spinal manipulation has been in existence for centuries.
The spine is important for the unique way it’s put together and for what it protects. Inside the spine is the spinal cord, which links the important powerhouse of the brain to the rest of the body. The spinal cord contains long nerve fibers which send information back and forth between the brain and the body. There is nothing in the body that doesn’t have some kind of nerve fiber nearby, sending information to the brain.
Everything in your body is connected to your nervous system, one way or another.
Inside a mother’s womb the nervous system (brain and spinal cord) is the first body system to form in the developing human being. The skeleton and the muscles and organs actually form around the nerves, forming the protective armor of the the spine!
Since 1895 chiropractic health care has taken the position that better spinal health means better nerve health, and communication within the body.
And better health overall comes not just through avoiding bad things (germs, toxins, and accidents)–but by strengthening our bodies from the inside-out. When it comes to addressing the spine and nervous system through manual and manipulative therapies, chiropractors perform an overwhelming majority of these procedures in the United States through the unique chiropractic adjustment.
Chiropractic Means Non-Interference
We stay healthier by removing interference to our bodies functioning properly. Areas of interference can be in our diet, in how we’re treating our body, and in the stress levels we face in everyday life.
Interference also happens in the movable spinal column. Over time breakdown in motion and misalignment in the spine cause changes in posture that place stress on bones and discs of the spine itself. These stresses in the spine can also affect the nerves of the nervous system, and function of the body’s internal organs.
In many cases a healthier spine means a healthier body. Chiropractic care is a great lifestyle addition to those who want to encourage overall body health and wellness.