Chiropractic literally means "To Be Done With the Hands" in Greek. Chiropractic healthcare is based on the Art and Science of Spinal Manipulation, also called Spinal Adjustments. Manipulation of the spine has been used for thousands of years, there are records of its use, in 3000 B.C. It was called "Chiropractic" in 1895 by D.D. Palmer, when he restored a man's hearing by using spinal manipulation.
Today, scientific studies show that chiropractic is most successful treating back pain, neck pain, headaches and other neuro-musculo-skeletal conditions.
Your spine is made of 24 seperate bones, called vertebrae. Each vertebra is stacked on top of the other to create the spine. These bones protect the spinal cord and allow us to move and bend like no other bones of the body. Their movement is very complex and specialized. The most common reason for pain in a person's back is due to restricted movement in the individual vertebra, or in the sacroiliac joints in the pelvis. Very simply, they are "locked up" and lack normal function and mobility. This lack of mobility causes irritation and friction in the joints, which in turn causes pain and inflammation. These joints of the spine are known as the disks, the facet joints and the sacroiliac joints.
There are endless reasons why these joints become "locked up." Poor posture, new and old injuries, poor physical condition, repetitive motions, slip and falls, car accidents, work accidents, congenital spinal problems, and on and on are all possibilities that restrict spinal joint mobility.
A chiropractor's main objective is to locate these problem areas of the spine and pelvis and "fix them" by using precise spinal adjustments to make them move, and function better. A patient's main objective is to follow the treatment plan, then do the exercises you will be taught to prevent flare ups.
Any patient we see should start to see improvement within 2-4 weeks. Many patients feel better after their first treatment, but everyone is unique, and there are numerous factors that go into a person's healing rate.
The typical treatment plan is for the patient to be treated 2-5 times each week, for 2 weeks. 5 visits each week would only be used for the most severe cases. Six visits in two weeks is the ideal scenario. Many patients feel over 50% in two weeks. If a patient has no relief from chiropractic care, after 2-4 weeks of care, they are referred to other medical professionals or sent out for additional diagnostic studies.
Over 90% of patients have excellent to very good results in our office, and in national studies. One thing is for sure, you will be given top quality care.
This is a common fear of people that has no foundation, because a chiropractor is so well trained in the art of spinal manipulation. As an outsider watching manipulation done to someone, it looks like it would hurt.
When I was a freshman in chiropractic school, I asked several seniors, "If you had to go through chiropractic school over again, what would you do differently?" They all said the same thing, "I would practice adjusting more", so, that's what I did. I practiced more than anyone in my class. I wanted to be the best. I love adjusting patients and they usually end up enjoying the treatments. Chiropractic done right, feels great!