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How is chiropractic different than medicine?

Chiropractic care seeks to turn on the body's natural healing ability, not by adding something to the system, but by removing anything that might interfere with normal function, trusting that the body would know what to do if it was free from interference. Standard medical care, on the other hand, seeks to treat a symptom by adding something from the outside – a medication, a surgery or procedure.

For example, if a patient has high blood pressure, a standard medical approach would be to prescribe the patient a drug that lowers blood pressure. This may lower the blood pressure, but ignores the underlying cause that is making the blood pressure high, running the risk of side effects complicating the person’s recovery. Whether it’s a nutritional issue, faulty control by the nerve system or a manifestation of stress, the medication could decrease the blood pressure, but without addressing the problem causing the symptom of high blood pressure in the first place.

Chiropractic is a wellness approach that looks for underlying causes of disturbance or disruption (which may or may not be causing symptoms at the time) and makes whatever interventions and lifestyle adjustments necessary to help restore normal function. That environment encourages natural healing and minimizes the need for invasive treatment, which should be administered only when absolutely necessary. When the body is working properly, it tends to heal effectively. This is true for mental and emotional health as well as physical health.

What is a chiropractic "adjustment"?

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixated, or not moving properly. This adds motion to the joint, helping the bones gradually return to a more normal position and motion. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is improved spinal function, improved nervous system function, and improved health.

Each adjustment is tailored to each person's age, size, and condition. We use varying techniques and force individualized to each person's body.

Vertebrae which lose their normal position or proper motion are commonly termed vertebral subluxations. Since, like cavities, subluxations are not always painful during the initial stages, even those who are not experiencing back or neck discomfort should receive periodic spinal checkups. 

Correcting subluxations with chiropractic adjustments reduces pain and inflammation, reduces muscle spasm and tension, normalizes spinal biomechanics and more importantly, removes nerve irritation and interference which can improve overall health and wellness of the individual. Chiropractic adjustments are the only way to eliminate vertebral subluxations and only the chiropractor is trained to detect subluxations and deliver the chiropractic spinal adjustment to correct subluxations.

How does a person get subluxations?

A subluxation occurs when spinal bones are out of normal position, interfering with nerve communications between your brain and your body. This can cause either pain or malfunction within the body.

A subluxation is a stress response. Muscles go into spasm. Spinal bones lock up. And adjacent nerves are choked or chafed. This interferes with the control and regulation of your body. This garbles communications between the brain and parts of your body.

Your nervous system controls every cell, tissue, organ and system of your body. These nerve impulses travel through your spine. So having a spine free of vertebral subluxation is essential for optimal health.

Only a chiropractic examination can detect subluxations, and only chiropractic adjustments can reduce their effect to your nervous system, naturally.

Is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy?

Yes, chiropractic care is a safe and natural way to help make your pregnancy and delivery a more favorable experience for both the mother and the baby. We encourage women who are pregnant to receive routine chiropractic adjustments. Your body is going through changes of weight gain and hormonal fluctuations. This places additional stress on your spine and nervous system. Patient satisfaction surveys report that women who have chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy have an easier delivery.

During pregnancy, there are several changes that the body undergoes in preparation for creating the environment for the developing baby. The following changes could result in a misaligned spine or joint:

• Protruding abdomen and increased back curve
• Pelvic changes
• Postural adaptations

Establishing pelvic balance and alignment is another reason to obtain chiropractic care during pregnancy. When the pelvis is misaligned, it may reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby.  A misaligned pelvis may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery.

The nervous system is the master communication system to all the body systems including the reproductive system. Keeping the spine aligned helps the entire body work more effectively.

Chiropractic care during pregnancy may provide benefits for women who are pregnant. Potential benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include:

• Maintaining a healthier pregnancy
• Controlling symptoms of nausea
• Reducing the time of labor and delivery
• Relieving back, neck or joint pain
• Prevent a potential cesarean section

Is chiropractic safe for children?

Yes. Chiropractic’s drugless and preventive approach to good health makes it perfectly appropriate for infants, children, and teenagers.

Why would a child have a spine and nervous system problem in the first place? Traumatic births. Learning to walk or sit up. Slips. Falls. The list is endless. Yet, because children have such an adaptive capacity, these problems are often brushed off as "growing pains" or just a "phase they're going through."

Many research projects show chiropractic care being helpful for colic, ear infections, erratic sleeping habits, bedwetting, scoliosis, asthma, ADD/ADHD, “growing pains”, and many other common childhood health complaints.

The concern that many parents have is that chiropractic adjustments will be too forceful. They mistakenly think that their child will receive adjustments like ones they receive. Not only are adjusting techniques modified for each person's size and unique spinal problem, but 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.

Newborns and infants are adjusted with no more pressure than you’d use to test the ripeness of a tomato. Many parents have commented that they see almost instant improvements in the well-being of their child.

Your child’s spine grows almost 50% in length during the first year. This is equivalent to a six-footer growing to nine feet in just 12 months! It’s this kind of tremendous growth and developmental changes which make a complete chiropractic examination so important in the early stages of a child’s life. If there is a problem, the earlier it is corrected the less likelihood there is of it becoming a chronic or more serious problem later in life.

"As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."