FAQ's
- What conditions can benefit from chiropractic treatment?
- How are chiropractic treatments performed?
- Do chiropractic adjustments hurt?
- How many visits will I need and are the treatments ongoing?
- How much will it cost?
- What makes the "popping" sound when I'm adjusted?
- Can I receive chiropractic treatments if I am also under medical care?
- Is chiropractic safe?
- Can children benefit from chiropractic?
- Can I be adjusted if I am pregnant?
What conditions can benefit from chiropractic treatment?
The primary focus of chiropractic lies in the treatment of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, and the effects disorders of these systems have on our general health.
Conditions that benefit from chiropractic care include, but are not limited to, back and neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches, rib pain, pain in the arms or legs, disc herniations, sciatica, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ, and so on. Chiropractic can also positively effect other systems of the body if there is a connection between your spinal disorder and a related region.
How are chiropractic treatments performed?
Chiropractic treatments, usually called adjustments or manipulation, are manual procedures that utilize the skills developed and refined during the intense years of formal education and through clinical experience. The adjustments are performed by manipulating the joints, by hand, to restore joint function and reduce pain. It is a highly controlled procedure and rarely causes discomfort. Each adjustment is specific and is adapted to the needs of the individual patient. Positive change can often be felt immediately.
Do chiropractic adjustments hurt?
Under normal circumstances, the adjustments are pain free. However, in cases with moderate to severe muscle spasm and inflammation, there may be a little discomfort after the initial treatments. Most discomfort following an adjustment subsides within 24 hours and is usually compared to the tenderness felt after a hard workout.
How many visits will I need and are the treatments ongoing?
The main reason chiropractic care requires a series of visits is due to its hands-on nature. To receive chiropractic treatment, you must physically be present in the clinic. When treated by a medical doctor, you would typically be given a course of medication to continue at home for a certain number of days. The chiropractic treatments obviously cannot be performed at home.
The nature of an injury also effects how many visits are necessary (i.e. acute, chronic, or preventative care). Each person is different and may require a different number of visits. Therefore, the number of visits and duration has to be individually determined.
Costs vary and generally depend on the number of treatments required to effectively treat your condition. A number of studies have shown that chiropractic care is extremely cost effective when compared to other "medical" forms of care for similar conditions. According to the 1993 Manga Report,
"There would be highly significant cost savings if more management of low-back pain was transferred from physicians to chiropractors. Users of chiropractic care have substantially lower health care costs, especially inpatient costs, than those who use medical care only."
What makes the "popping" sound when I'm adjusted?
The "popping" is simply the release of gas bubbles from within the joint. It is the same sound you might hear or feel when you "pop" your knuckles or that your knees or ankles might make when walking up or down stairs. As the joint moves, a change in pressure occurs as the gas bubbles are released into the surrounding tissue. Whether or not you hear or feel a "pop" during an adjustment is not what is important. What matters most is that motion and proper function is restored to the restricted joints.
Can I receive chiropractic treatments if I am also under medical care?
Yes. I have many patients that I co-treat with their medical doctor. Many of these patients were initially referred to me by their medical doctor for co-management of their condition. Many conditions do very well with a team approach.
Chiropractic is one of the safest, drug free, non-invasive means for treating neuromusculoskeletal conditions in the health care field. Chiropractic as a whole has an excellent safety record. Occasionally one might experience some minor discomfort following the first few adjustments or if the condition is in the acute phase. Most discomfort disappears within 24 hours.
Manipulation of the neck has been shown to be a remarkably safe procedure. However, there have been a few documented cases of complications following these procedures. Chiropractors are trained to identify signs and symptoms in someone who may not be a good candidate for cervical (neck) manipulation. This is why it is never a good idea to have anyone, other than a chiropractor (or in some cases an osteopath), adjust your neck! It should be noted that these occurrences are very rare and are estimated to be 1 in 5.85 million manipulations, based on the most recent clinical reports and studies. This statistic makes chiropractic care safer in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions than either prescription or over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
According to a study from the American Journal of Gastroenterology, approximately 1/3 of all hospitalizations and deaths related to gastrointestinal bleeding can be attributed to the use of aspirin or NSAID pain killers like ibuprofen.
Can children benefit from chiropractic?
Yes. Children of all ages are very physically active and experience falls and other injuries during their daily activities, especially those involved in sports. Many of these injuries cause the same types of pain adults experience, such as back and neck pain, stiffness, headaches and so on. Treatment is adapted to each individual, whether adult or child. In the case of a child, treatments are very gentle.
Can I be adjusted if I am pregnant?
Yes. Pregnancy places considerable stress on the body. Chiropractic can help relieve many of the pregnancy related pains a woman may be experiencing, such as lower back and neck pain, sciatica, pain between the shoulder blades, and headaches. The treatments/adjustments are modified to accommodate the different stages of the pregnancy.
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e-mail:health@drpaterson.com