What is Chiropratic Care

What is Chiropractic?

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Chiropractic is similar to conventional medicine in that it is an evidence based method that has had a wealth of scientific testing and observations.

The word “chiropractic” comes from the Greek words cheir (hand) and praxis (action) and literally means “done by hand.” Instead of prescribing drugs or performing surgeries, chiropractors use manual treatments of the spine and joints, massage, exercise therapy, trigger point therapy and lifestyle changes to allow the body’s natural state of health to fully express itself.

Like conventional medicine, chiropractic is based upon scientific principles of diagnosis through testing and empirical observations. The treatment method used is based on what your clinician observes combined with their extensive training and experience with the issues you are dealing with. Chiropractic differs from conventional medicine in that it seeks to prevent problems and illnesses before they happen rather than treat diseases and symptoms after they have already occurred. Everyone wants to be healthy all of the time. Chiropractic has become extremely popular thanks to the preventative benefits that it promotes. Once you recognize the value that chiropractic brings to your health and wellness, then you can begin the journey to protecting your future.

Chiropractic works because it understands the role of misalignment, motion and balance in the causing of disease and pain. Chiropractic is centered on the spine, and these misalignments are called subluxations. By correcting the subluxation, pressure is relieved from the nerves, joints and tissue that results in a reduction of pain and restoration of mobility.

There is a wealth of scientific evidence that shows the benefits of chiropractic care for conditions including pain in the neck and back, headaches, sports injuries, whiplash and conditions of the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractic can even reduce blood pressure, improve asthma symptoms and reduce the severity and frequency of infections.

Chiropractic is a holistic approach to healthcare, which means that rather than targeting one specific area, it targets the entire body. It encompasses not only spinal adjustments, but also the role of diet, exercise and rest in the state of your health. When visiting a chiropractor, you will receive guidance on all of these different aspects of your health in combination with manual therapies delivered by your chiropractor.

The biggest difference in the role of chiropractors and other health care professionals is that only chiropractors have had the specialized training in diagnosing and treating spinal subluxations. The Latin words luxare and sub mean “to dislocate” “slightly” and are what the term subluxation is based on. The term “ventral subluxation” traditionally refers to a slight misalignment between the vertebrae, but after centuries of increasing understanding of spinal issues, the term now encompasses the way the spine and the misalignments affect the nervous system and the types of functional, structural and neurological changes that occur when a subluxation is present. You may hear your chiropractor use the term “vertebral subluxation complex” (VSC) in place of subluxation as this better captures the entire effect of the condition.

Chiropractors have known the dangers of the vertebral subluxation complex ever since the birth of the profession. The wealth of scientific research on VSC is highlighting the extreme impact that subluxations have on the tissue of the body. To be at your optimal health, it is extremely important that subluxations are not affecting your nervous system. In order to have subluxations properly diagnosed, you need the specific training of a chiropractor as they are the only health experts trained in identifying locating and correcting this condition.

The chiropractic adjustment is a quick thrust applied to a vertebra for the purpose of correcting its position, movement or both. Adjustments are often accompanied by an audible release of gas that sounds like a ‘crack.’ The sound sometimes shocks people a little bit the first couple times they get adjusted, but the sensation is usually relieving. Occasionally, minor discomfort is experienced, especially if the surrounding muscles are in spasm or the patient tenses up during the chiropractic procedure. There are times when the audible ‘cracking’ does not occur. This is often due to either significant muscle tightness or that the patient may be having a hard time relaxing during their adjustments.

There is more to chiropractic than simply reducing and relieving pain. The ultimate goal of chiropractic is to promote optimal health within the whole body. To achieve this, I use a wide variety of methods for treatment, including spinal adjustments, massage, trigger point therapy, nutrition, rehabilitation with exercise and counseling on lifestyle aspects such as the habits that have an effect on your health. Chiropractic seeks to assist your body on its own journey of balance to ensure that natural healing ability is not impeded by misalignments.