Frequently Asked Questions About Chiropractic Care

For more information about chiropractic education and training as well as recent scientific research demonstrating the effectiveness of chiropractic care, please visit the website for the American Chiropractic Association.

Is chiropractic safe?
Yes. People have been turning to chiropractic care for well over one hundred years. Chiropractic care is the third-largest field of healthcare behind medicine and dentistry. While any healthcare procedure has risks, chiropractic care has earned recognition for its safe, natural, non-invasive approach to healthcare.

A comparison of the costs of liability insurance for chiropractors and other healthcare providers is another way to demonstrate the safety of chiropractic care.  For liability coverage, chiropractors pay only a fraction of the cost paid by other healthcare providers. Again, this demonstrates there is very low risk with chiropractic adjustments.

Chiropractic research, which supports the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic treatment, has been conducted world-wide. Each of the 23 chiropractic colleges around the world has a research department. Organizations devoted entirely to chiropractic research include the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research and the Consortial Center for Chiropractic Research. Chiropractic Research has also been conducted by private research organizations such as RAND and Gallup.

What is a chiropractic subluxation?
A chiropractic subluxation is different from the medical definition of a subluxation which means a joint (the place where two bones come together) which has been completely dislocated, usually due to severe trauma.  Instead, a chiropractic subluxation refers to joints in the spine or extremities (wrists, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, etc.) which have become stuck together and have lost their ability to move properly and comfortably.

In order for your brain and your nervous system to correctly control the movements and functions of your body, ALL OF YOUR JOINTS MUST BE MOVING PROPERLY (THIS IS ALSO CALLED PROPRIOCEPTION).  Proper proprioception is necessary for your brain to stay informed about the relationship which exists among the muscles, nerves, joints and organs of your body.  In other words, your brain needs to know the whereabouts of each part of your body so it can correctly coordinate all of your movements and functions.  You can become aware of your proprioception with this simple test:

Close your eyes, and try to touch your finger to your nose.  Keep your eyes closed and bring both arms out in front of you and try to touch your pinky fingers together.  HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO DO THIS IF YOUR EYES WERE CLOSED AND YOU COULD NOT SEE YOUR FINGERS OR YOUR NOSE?  You knew where your fingers and nose were by activating the proprioceptive system in your body.  So, proprioception is your internal sense of where your body is in space and it also enables your brain to accurately coordinate your muscles and nerves so you can move and function more effectively and efficiently as well as move with greater ease and comfort.

What causes a subluxation?
Chiropractic subluxations are caused by stress.  Physical stresses such as accidents, sports injuries, repetitive motion injuries (such as sitting at a workstation which is not ergonomically correct) are all common causes of chiropractic subluxations.  Obesity also places a physical stress on the joints of your body.  If your joints cannot adapt to carrying the additional weight, you may develop chiropractic subluxations.  

Other causes of chiropractic subluxations include poor posture, sleeping in positions which do not support your spine, lack of exercise, lack of ability to skillfully manage everyday stresses as well as choosing to eat a poor diet (white sugar and white flour are both stressful on your body and your nervous system).

 

How is a subluxation corrected?
Chiropractors correct subluxations with a healing technique called a CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT.  This procedure involves applying specific, short, quick thrusts to your joints in order to restore the proper movement and motion to them.  Doctors of chiropractic have many years of training in how to use these highly specialized procedures. 

When your joints are moving properly again, your brain will begin getting new and improved information from the joints and the dysfunctional muscle patterns which were caused by the chiropractic subluxations will begin to relax and change for the better.  As a result, the alignment of your body will become more balanced and your muscles and nerves will work more effectively and efficiently. 

You will be expected to participate in your healing process by learning to do corrective, rehabilitative exercises and learning skillful strategies for managing everyday stress.  Other strategies for supporting your healing process will include changing some of your behaviors which might be causing chiropractic subluxations to form (such as fixing a faulty workstation, learning to sleep in positions which support your spine and/or making better choices about what you are eating).  Your doctor of chiropractic will make recommendations about these necessary lifestyle changes and support you in modifying and improving some of your habits.

How old should a person be before receiving chiropractic care?
People of all ages are candidates for chiropractic treatment. Even babies can have chiropractic subluxations as a result of the rigors of birth.  Chiropractors are highly trained to use a variety of different, gentle adjusting techniques in order to assist patients of all ages. 

How does chiropractic care help pregnant women?
Not all types of stress are negative.  For example, pregnancy might be considered an example of a "good stress" which could still result in additional weight and physical stresses being placed on the mother's  hips and lower back.  Chiropractic treatment can help relieve pregnancy-related low back, leg and shoulder blade pain. It may also reduce incidences of headache and nausea. A chiropractic examination will determine if your symptoms are due to chiropractic subluxations.  If your chiropractor examines you and determines that chiropractic subluxations are not the cause of your symptoms, you will be referred to your primary care doctor for further evaluation.

Is it true that chiropractors do not prescribe medication or perform surgery?
Yes.  Chiropractors do not prescribe medications or perform surgery.  While chiropractors recognize that medications and surgery are sometimes necessary, they also believe that all appropriate conservative treatments should be used first before resorting to medications or surgery.  Your chiropractor will work closely with all of your healthcare providers in order to provide the best care and treatment for you and your family.