FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is My Back Pain Because of a Slipped Disc?

Discs never "slip"! It is a misnomer. The disc is fairly hard and is made of cartilage and fiber type of material. It is strongly attached to the bones of the spine hence it cannot “slip”. However it can tear, herniate and bulge. It is usually very painful, because as the disc bulges, tears or herniates it can put pressure on the spinal nerves or the spinal cord.

If you think you or someone you know have a damaged disc, consult a Chiropractic Doctor first. Numerous research studies have been conducted in regards to restoration of disc problems with Chiropractic care, without the use of surgery.

Is My Back Pain Because of a Pinched nerve?

Spinal nerves get irritated, stretched, or become subluxated. A pinched nerve is extremely rare and usually leads to excruciating pain. Most of the time the pain experienced in the back or neck is due to a “Subluxation”. A Doctor of Chiropractic is equipped to deal with most issues of spinal pain and subluxation.

What Doctors of Chiropractic Do?Doctors of Chiropractic are specially educated to deal with restoration of your nervous system without the use of drugs or surgery. Using only natural methods, a Doctor of Chiropractic will assess the condition of your spine and the integrity of your nervous system. If there are interferences to the nervous system, a Doctor of Chiropractic will remove it by using only natural and the most appropriate technique designed specifically for every patient.

How Do We Get Pain Due to Subluxation?

There are three basic reasons why we may get pain in the body.

The (1) physical cause includes trauma, even if minor, poor posture, inflexibility, fixated joints, poor motion techniques, etc…

The (2) chemical cause includes any irritant such as drugs, alcohol, improper foods, and many other reasons.

The (3) emotional cause may include depression, anger, fear, disappointment, etc…

How Do You Know If You Have Subluxation?

You may have pain, or sometimes you may “feel OK”, but still have subluxation and not even know about it. Like the diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer, or early tooth degeneration, you may not feel the effects of a subluxation until it has become symptomatic and painful.

Can Subluxation Just Go Away On Its Own?

Sometimes it can. However, in our stressful living conditions we tend to accumulate too much subluxations, which our body is unable to deal with. If we could be locked up in a five star hotel, we might avoid subluxations. But this is unrealistic. We have to live, work and function on a daily basis. Hence we create spinal and subluxations.

What Is A Spinal Adjustment?

An adjustment is when a Doctor of Chiropractic uses a specific instrument, hands, or a table to work with Subluxation. An adjustment restores the normal function of your muscular and nervous system. It is an application of a specific force to a distorted bodily part. A force that restores normal function and health.

Is Chiropractic Treatment Safe?

It is “remarkably safe”! According to a New Zealand government study the treatment by a Doctor of Chiropractic are safer and more effective than drugs and surgery. According to the study, Chiropractic Adjustments are (100) one hundred times safer than over the counter drugs/medications for the same types of pain.

Can I Adjust Myself?

Not at all! A pop you may be able to elicit is not an adjustment! A Doctor of Chiropractic undertakes up to (8) eight years of education to be able to work individually with every patient. Each nervous system and body is unique. A Doctor of Chiropractic takes years to develop a technique of adjustment for each individual patient.

How Many Adjustments Do I Need?

Most of the time, the amount of adjustments for pain relief is fairly short. Majority of the patients will report relief within (5) five to (10) ten visits. Some of the patients then choose corrective and prolonged care to restore full function of the body after the pain relief has taken place. Very few individuals have to undergo a prolonged course of treatments if the condition is more serious and has become chronic. The length of care for these individuals depends on their state of health, age and the severity of the illness.

Can I Be Helped With Chiropractic After Back Surgery?

In majority of the cases, you can be helped. However, it is very important to try and avoid the surgery. Try Chiropractic as the first resort, not the last! Once you undergo a surgery tissues are cut, bones are modified, foreign materials are introduced into the body (surgical staples, stitching, etc…). It makes it much harder and longer to recover after the surgery. However if you already had a surgical procedure consult a Doctor of Chiropractic for a thorough evaluation. The Doctor of Chiropractic will determine if you can be helped.

How Long Until I Recover?

Some patients report instant relief of pain. Many patients report relief of pain either complete or partial within a few short visits to a few weeks under care. This depends on the individual and what kind of health condition you are in currently. The Doctor will be able to inform you of your progress and will approximate the length of your treatment.

What If Chiropractic Does Not Help Me?

The Doctors of Chiropractic are trained to refer to other professional practitioners. If you cannot be helped by Chiropractic, you will be referred to another practitioner for further evaluation. Your health is our primary concern!

What happens on the first visit?

Step one: Basic paperwork. Step two: The Doctor will talk to you about your symptoms. Step three: The Doctor will perform a series of tests to determine what is wrong with you; this includes palpating (touching) the musculature and the bones around the area of your complaint.

How do I know what is wrong with me?

After the Doctor has carefully evaluated your specific condition, he will explain to you why you are experiencing pain or discomfort!

Does the Treatment Hurt?All our Doctors are highly trained professionals. Therapy done by our highly trained Doctors of Chiropractic should not be painful. In fact, many patients report pleasurable sensation after the treatment.

What is the Popping Sound I Heard?

The treatment was not painful, but I heard a light popping sound, can you explain to me what is this sound? The sound you may hear is not bones rubbing against one another, as some say, neither is anything breaking, it is a release of liquid/gas mixture your joints, like the sound you hear when opening a bottle of champagne. It is healthy and safe to hear the pops. This type of therapy is scientifically proven and highly beneficial.