How does Chiropractic work?

Chiropractic works because your body is an organism controlled by the nervous system, capable of auto-regulate and auto-heal itself.  Millions of signals travel from the brain through the spinal cord to all the organs, tissues and cells of your body.  Signals that return to the brain confirm that the body is working properly.  Inappropriate movement or position of the bones of the spine, called subluxation, can interfere with this vital exchange of our body, irritating nerves and compromising organs and affected tissues.  Specific chiropractic adjustments can help the body/mind communication and therefore reestablish your health and wellbeing. 

What is a Chiropractic adjustment?   

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in one precise direction in order to correct the function of the nervous system and the spine. There are different ways of adjusting the spine, usually with the hands of the doctor, or with specially designed instruments for this purpose.  It does not matter what technique is used, every adjustment is modified based on the patient’s age and/or size with the same purpose in mind, correcting vertebral subluxations.

What is that noise I hear when I get adjusted?

Every joint in the body contains a fluid that helps to keep them lubricated and healthy.  This “synovial fluid” contains gas (just like carbonated drinks).  Some adjustment methods can produce a noise that occurs when the gas in the fluid is released, just as if you open a can of soda.  The noise is interesting but is not a guide for the quality or the value of an adjustment. 

That instrument that the doctor uses, does it do the same as the hands?

Definitely, there are different techniques in chiropractic to produce an adjustment.  The activator and the integrator are two instruments that the doctor may use during your chiropractic care.  These produce the same effect that when the hands are used.  The important thing is to correct the vertebral subluxations so that your nervous system can be interference free and you can express maximum health.

Why do infants and children need Chiropractic care? 

Trauma or stress in the spine can occur throughout the long process of birth, when the infant descends through the vaginal canal or when interventions such as forceps, vacuum, and c-sections are used.  It also occurs later on during the child development, when the child starts to crawl, walk, and fall frequently.  This is why many parents bring their newborns and their children to get a checkup to see if the chiropractor finds vertebral subluxations.  Recent studies suggest that colic, ear infections, recurrent colds, asthma, hyperactivity, attention deficit, and bed wetting, among others, can all be signs of spinal and nervous system stress.  Pediatric adjustments are very delicate and these are modified based on the patient’s age and/or size of the infant or child.     

Can I adjust myself?

No!!  Some people can make their joints pop or crack, but that is not an adjustment.  Unfortunately this can be counterproductive because it could mistreat those joints, causing an unstable area of the spine to become even more unstable. There might be a feeling of relief at the moment, but the truth is this is worsening the problem.  Chiropractic adjustments are specific and can only be done by your chiropractor.  Even your doctor has to receive chiropractic services from another colleague to help restore and maintain a proper spinal function. 

Why do Chiropractors do not prescribe drugs?

Doctors of Chiropractic do not prescribe drugs because they are based in natural methods.  They want to get to the cause of the problem and not only hide the symptoms, like drugs do.  Instead of prescribing, the chiropractor might give you recommendations that may help, such as using ice or heat, herbs, and/or supplements.  All of these can control symptoms without the secondary effects. 

If I am pregnant, can I start or continue Chiropractic care?

Of course!  In those months of many hormonal and structural changes in the body, the pregnant women should receive a lot of benefits from chiropractic care.  In addition of helping with symptoms and all the discomforts that a future mother experiments, chiropractic helps to normalize the function of the nervous system.  Benefits can also be noticed during birth.  Many women report that their births were shorter and with less discomforts if they received chiropractic care during pregnancy.  Your doctor is going to take the necessary precautions during your pregnancy, and he/she will modify the tables and the chiropractic techniques for each stage of your pregnancy.

What is a SEMG and/or a thermographic study, and why does the Chiropractor administer these tests?

Both studies are utilized by chiropractors to detect and find any abnormal function in the spinal column.  This abnormal function of the spine causes disturbance of the nervous system.  These studies can help the doctor find the most affected area.  The thermographic study measures the difference in temperature between the right and left sides of the spine.  The SEMG measures the electric current of your muscles and how well your motor nerves are working.