Questions About Chiropractic

I feel fine, why do I need to be checked?

Our busy lifestyles continue to cause spinal problems. Improper lifting, long periods of sitting, emotional trauma, alcohol, and other so called “normal” activities can interfere with normal spinal function. Because of the body’s adaptive abilities, many spinal problems get started without any associated symptoms. Like many diseases, early detection can prevent problems from becoming more serious. Patients who wait for obvious symptoms, especially after an accident of those who have a history of spinal-related problems, often require more visits and take longer to show improvement.

How long does it take to start feeling better?

Some patients find that they start feeling better with the very first adjustment. Others discover progress takes weeks or months. As with any healing process, every person responds differently. Children usually respond quickly. Adults often take longer because most spinal problems are the result of years of neglect. A patient's lifestyle, diet, exercise, and kept appointments all affect their progress.

Can Chiropractic Help Me?

This is a brief list of conditions that can benefit from chiropractic care.

HEAD and NECK: Headaches, Neck Pain, TMJ Pain, Numbness and Tingling in the Hands and fingers, Whiplash Injury, Torticollis

UPPER and LOWER BACK: Low Back Pain, Lumbar Facet syndrome, Disk Herniation, Sciatica, Piriformis Syndrome, Scoliosis

SHOULDER:Pain Between the Shoulder, Rotator Cuff Injuries, Shoulder Tendonitis/Bursitis, Frozen Shoulder

KNEE: Ligamentous Injury to the Knee, Meniscus Injury To The Knee, Shin Splints, Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

ELBOW: Tennis/Golf Elbow, Bursitis of the Elbow

WRIST: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

FOOT and ANKLE: Plantar Facitis, Forefoot Pain, Ankle Sprain, Achilles Tendonitis

What is an adjustment like?

The chiropractic adjustment is very unique. To understand the differences between a chiropractic adjustment and physiotherapy or physical therapy, one needs to understand the stages of range of motion of a joint.

For example, as the patient voluntarily rotates his head to the right, he will come to a point where his muscles will no longer move his head. Now, he has reached the end of his active range of motion. This range, where muscles move the joint, is called the active range of motion.

With assistance from the doctor, the patient’s head can be moved to another point of resistance. This range, where the doctor moves the joint, is called the joint play. At this point, the doctor will encounter resistance, which is labeled the elastic barrier of the ligament. This resistance is the product of a vacuum produced by the joint itself.

Beyond that vacuum is a space which ends at the physical extreme of the ligament movement called the anatomical barrier. This space is called the paraphysiological space. Entrance into this space is usually accompanied by a “pop” of the joint.

Chiropractic adjustments remove this vacuum. Once this vacuum has been removed, the joint will have its greatest range of motion for many hours. Since this removal lasts for some time, the benefits of the chiropractic adjustment can be experienced long after the adjustment; and mechanical and neurological benefits will be realized. With a greater range of motion, comes better healing. Physical therapy or massage therapy rarely removes this vacuum and points further to the “chiropractic adjustment” as the vital procedure for assisting the body in its response to soft-tissue trauma.

One mechanical benefit is the activation of the muscle spindle which results in a relaxation of the muscles and increased blood flow to the associated area. By moving the joint through the paraphysiological space, the associated muscle is stretched to the point of relaxation. The consequences are a reduction in muscle spasms, which leads to a decrease of pain stimuli to the spinal cord.

A side effect of this increased joint movement is physical pushing of chemical debris into the lymphatic system. This results in less irritation for future muscle spasm. A flushing of the chemical debris into the lymphatics is also assisted by the indirect increase of blood flow because of decreased muscle spasm.

By providing a joint with its greatest movement, the chiropractor allows the greatest stretching of the associated muscles and ligaments. This stretching provides for more and better alignment of the healing tissue. The by-product is a more functional motor unit.

Neurologically, the greater movement a joint has, the smaller the transfer of pain impulses, which produce muscle spasms, and it breaks the cycle produced in the first place.

Body Response Sheet

Stretched or Torn Tissue

Membranes that are either stretched or torn cause the production of chemicals. Inflammation is the name given to describe the body’s reaction to this chemical spill.

Inflammatory exudates cause local pain receptors to fire and results in impulse production at the spinal cord. At this junction, pain impulse splits into two different directions: one to the brain and one to muscles in the area of injury. The result of pain impulses to the brain is an awareness of pain. The result of pain impulses to the surrounding muscles is muscle spasm.

The indirect results of these muscle contractions are many and compounding. One indirect result is a restricted range of motion of the associated joint. This restricted motion causes a decrease in blood flow to the area and results in more chemical debris. This chemical debris, in turn, cause pain receptors to fire and produce more muscle spasms; the cycle renews itself.

Another indirect result of these muscle spasms is localized memorization of pain in the spinal cord. In a free moving joint, there is an influx of sensory stimuli from surrounding joints and muscles. These stimuli block and minor pain stimuli coming from the exterior. Blockage of pain is followed by decreased muscle spasms and thus a decrease of chemical production. A less-functional joint is the final result of this chemical spill.

Usually torn tissues will always repair by scarring. The alignment of that scar tissue will determine whether the related joint will be functional. If movement is experienced by the joint during healing, the scarring tissue will align itself with the surrounding healthy tissue and thus provides a more functional product.

In summary, the smaller the chemical spill is the fewer pain impulses that travel to the spinal cord. The lessened pain impulses to the spinal cord lessen the muscle spasms. The fewer muscle spasms, the greater the joint movement that is possible. The more joint movement there is, the less the cell damage, and thus a reduced chemical spill. Also, the more sensory stimuli to the spinal cord, the less pain and muscle spasms there will be. All this means is a better and product of healing. Thus, a treatment of stretched or torn tissue should always be addressed.

What information should I bring to my first visit?

Try an At Home Visual Exam:

The following simple self-exam may be done to reveal possible spinal misalignments. Stand in front of a full-length mirror, with your arms relaxed at your sides, looking straight ahead.

1. Look at the level of your earlobes. Is one higher then the other?

2. Look at the level of your shoulders. Is one higher then the other?

3. Look at the level of your hips. Compare each side at the top of the hip. Is one higher then the other?

4. Ask a family member to look at you from behind to see if the shoulders or hips are level.

5. Turn your head to the left and then to the right. Were you able to turn your head further in one direction than the other?

6. Do you stand with one knee slightly bent as compared to the other?

7. Does one of your feet turn out more than the other?

Often, deviations discovered above can be indications directly related to the source of aches, pains and discomfort. Structural deviations without pain or discomfort does not indicate the lack of problems; the situation may just not have become noticeably symptomatic.