Frequently Asked Questions

 

How can chiropractic help?

Improved nerve communications between your brain and your body can help you have subluxations; you could be a good candidate for chiropractic care. Modified adjusting approaches can help children, the elderly or those with special needs.


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How long will it take?

Since chiropractic care depends on the healing abilities of each patient, results vary patient to patient. Everyone responds differently. Some detect changes in a few weeks. Others may take weeks to months before showing progress


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Will I have to go for the rest of my life?

Like your chiropractic doctor, some patients opt to continue with some chiropractic checkups. These patients show up for the visits feeling great. Their interest in wellness and prevention helps make sure that once they get well, they stay well.


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What if my insurance company doesn't cover chiropractic?

Each of us has the freedom to place a different value on our health. Ultimately good health is about personal responsibility. While an insurance company or other third party may be helpful, be careful. Don't allow a profit-motivated company to make decisions about what you do with your health. Find out how we make chiropractic care affordable for just about anyone.


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How do you get subluxations?

There are three basic causes of subluxations. Physical causes include accidents, repetitive motions and improper lifting. Stress, anger and fear are emotional causes of subluxations. Alcohol, drugs, pollution and poor diet can be examples of chemical causes of subluxations.


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How do I know if I have a subluxation?

You can have subluxations and not even know it. Like tooth decay or cancer, can be present before any warning signs appear. The results of a thorough examination can show the location and severity of subluxations you may have.


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Can subluxations clear up on their own?

Sometimes. Today's hectic lifestyles are a constant source of subluxations. Fortunately, our bodies have the ability to self-correct many of these minor problems as we bend and stretch or when we sleep at night. When subluxatins don't resolve, you need a chiropractic doctor!


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Can children get subluxations?

Your first subluxation probably occurred from the birth process. Even "modern" childbirth methods can put tremendous pressure on an infant's spine. Poor appetite, unexplained crying and sleeplessness can be signs of spinal subluxations.


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What do adjustments feel like?

After the brief thrust, many patients report a sense of wellbeing or a feeling of calmness. Others feel improved mobility. Inflammation or muscle spasms may delay these effects. Chiropractic doctors excel at making adjustments comfortable and effective.


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Are adjustments safe?

Yes, A New Zealand government study concluded that chiropractic adjustments are "remarkably safe." Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever is about 100 times more risky.


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Will adjustments make my spine too loose?

No. Only the spinal joints that are "locked up" receive adjustments. This allows weakened muscles and ligaments to stabilize and heal.


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What makes the sound?

Lubricating fluids separate the bones of each spinal joint. Some adjusting methods produce a sound when the gas and fluids in the joint shift. It's like opening a soda can or removing a suction cup. The sound is interesting, but isn't a guide to the quality or value of the adjustment.


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Can I adjust myself?

No. Some patients can make their joints "pop" but that's not an adjustment! Even your chiropractic doctor must consult a colleague to benefit from chiropractic care.


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How can something as natural as being born cause subluxation?

Being born is a natural phenomenon. It's what we've done to the birth process that has become increasingly suspect. In hospitals, birth is often treated like a disease. A newborn's introduction to the world is often accompanied by a severe drop in temperature, loud noises and other insensitivities. The administration of drugs and anesthesia can have a profound effect on a newborn.


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Will my pediatrician approve of chiropractic care for my child?

First, you don't need anyone's approval to seek a chiropractic opinion about health issues affecting your child! Medical practitioners keeping up with the latest pediatric chiropractic research are starting to understand the value of this natural, drug-free approach to better health.


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Will adjustments hurt my baby?

This is common concern among parents who mistakenly think that their child will receive adjustments like the ones they receive. Adjusting techniques are modified for each person's size and unique spinal problem, and an infant's spine rarely has the long-standing muscle tightness seen in adults. This makes a child's chiropractic adjustments gentle, comfortable and effective.


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Why do I have pain in my arms and hands?

Because the nerves to the arms and hands exit the spine through the injured area of the neck, numbness and tingling are common. Even lower back pain can result directly from the trauma or as a reaction to the loss of proper spinal curve.


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Why did my headaches start more than a week after my accident?

Whether you've been in an accident, stressed at work or overexerted yourself in the garden your body is constantly adapting to the environment. When your capacity to adapt is exhausted, symptoms can appear. This can take days, weeks, months or years to occur.


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Will I ever be normal again?

Many chiropractic patients report improved spinal curves and an end to their symptoms. Those who delay seeking appropriate care often discover that scar tissue and spinal instability require periodic chiropractic checkups.


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How can I prevent whiplash injuries?

Since car accidents are the major cause of acceleration/deceleration injuries, defensive driving skills can help. be sure your taillights and turn signals are properly working. Allow enough stopping distance in front of you. When you slow down or stop, always check your rearview mirror to see if the driver behind you is paying attention.


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How do you get sciatica?

It's easy to trace some spinal problems to an event, such as a car accident. Yet, sciatica is often the result of cumulative damage. Years of bad posture, poor muscle tone, excess weight or countless other causes set the stage. Then, something simple like bending over to tie your shoes can trigger an episode.


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Can anything else cause sciatica?

Spinal decay can be another culprit. Instead of disc thinning that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve roots, arthritic bone spurs can intrude into the space normally reserved for the nerve.


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Can chiropractic cure sciatica?

Actually, chiropractic doesn't sure anything! Only your body can do that. The chiropractic approach to sciatica (and other health problems) is to help restore the way your spine works, reducing nerve irritation and revitalizing your own healing ability.


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How long will I need chiropractic care?

Most sciatica patients are delighted with the results they get after weeks or months of care. Naturally, this varies from patient to patient. Many discover that years of neglect have produced spinal instabilities that never fully heal. These patients elect to continue with periodic chiropractic checkups. It's up to you.


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What is a subluxation?

The word "subluxation" comes from the Latin words meaning "to dislocate" (luxate) and "somewhat or slightly" (sub). A subluxations means a slight dislocation (misalignment) or biomechanical malfunctioning of the vertebrae (bones of the spine). These disturbances may irritate nerve roots and blood vessels which branch off from the spinal cord between each of the vertebrae. This irritation may cause pain and dysfunction in muscle, lymphatic and organ tissue as well as imbalance in the normal body processes.


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What causes a subluxation?

A fall, injury, sudden jar, trauma, or sometimes an inherited spinal weakness can displace a vertebra. Other causes include improper sleeping conditions or habits, poor posture, occupational hazards, incorrect lifting practices, obesity, lack of rest and exercise, and stress.


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Before I came to see Dr. Jennifer my back hurt because of intense farm labor. Since seeing her for 2 months now I feel GREAT! I no longer toss and turn at night from my back pain , and I can stand all day at work without feeling a thing!
-- Happy Practice Member
 

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