Q: WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT A VISIT TO THE CHIROPRACTOR TO BE LIKE?
A: Chiropractors take a complete health history of the patient and discuss his/her specific problem as well as overall lifestyle.
- Common questions concern family history, dietary habits, prior treatment received, job duties and others to determine other important health information.
- If necessary a complete health examination is performed, which includes X-rays, measurement of blood pressure, laboratory analysis or other accepted specific tests to determine general health condition and any specific problems. Also, a careful spinal examination and analysis will be performed to detect any structural abnormalities that might affect a patient’s particular health condition.
- Chiropractors may find a significant connection between a bump, jar or fall a patient experienced many years ago and the patient’s present health problem. Only after a chiropractor determines that your condition could be helped with chiropractic does he or she initiate care. Specific procedures are determined by careful evaluation of the patient’s X-rays, laboratory test and physical findings.
- Care often involves corrective spinal adjustments; however, adjunctive therapies may be used to supplement the adjustments.
Q: WHAT IF I HAVE A SLIPPED DISC?
A: There is actually no such thing as a “slipped” disc. The spinal discs are a cushioning piece of tissue that lie between each bone of the spine. There are two parts to the disk, the annulus (the tough part) and the nucleus (a soft center). If the spinal vertebra tilt and create a wedge, the nucleus can bulge toward the open end of the wedge area. This can cause pressure on the spinal nerve roots or on the spinal cord. If the annulus becomes torn (partially or fully) the nucleus can migrate into the tear, putting even more pressure on spinal nerves or on the cord. The correct terminology for this is “herniated” disc. Chiropractors can (gently) treat a herniated disk, within all but the most severe tears.
Q: IS CHIROPRACTIC SAFE?
A: Chiropractic is among the safest of the healing arts. As proof, one merely has to compare malpractice rates between chiropractors and other health professionals. Chiropractors’ malpractice premiums are a small fraction of those for medical doctors.
Q: I’M NOT SICK. SHOULD I SEE A CHIROPRACTOR?
A: Yes. Symptoms are not a good way to judge health. They sometimes surface after years of body malfunction.
Q: CAN SPINES AUTOMATICALLY GO BACK IN PLACE?
A: Yes. There are verified instances of blind people recovering eyesight after a fall, of individuals able to walk again after their wheelchair was thrown and of amnesiacs who remember their past after receiving a trauma. These are examples of “accidental adjustments.” A visit to the chiropractor is a lot safer. Also, many types of therapy, including massage and various body work, can reduce musculoskeletal stress, sometimes permitting the spine to automatically realign, as will a cathartic emotional release. Occasionally, even a good night’s sleep can correct a subluxation.
Q: CAN A PERSON WITH A BROKEN BACK OR NECK SEE A CHIROPRACTOR?
A: After the break heals, yes. In fact, a broken bone forms a callus or bone scar when it heals that is stronger than the rest of the bone. This should dispel any concerns about the safety of an adjustment. People who have had broken bones need chiropractic checkups because accidents usually cause spinal subluxations.
Q: CAN I GO TO A CHIROPRACTOR IF I’M UNDER MEDICAL CARE?
A: Yes. Having your subluxations corrected is important, no matter what other type of health care you are receiving. Today many D.C.s and M.D.s are working together in clinics and on joint research projects. M.D.s are quite likely to have patients who are under chiropractic care; in fact many medical doctors see a doctor of chiropractic themselves.
Q: CAN A PERSON WHO HAD BACK SURGERY SEE A CHIROPRACTOR?
A: Yes. It’s an unfortunate fact that up to half of those who had spinal surgery discover a return of their original symptoms months or years later. They then face the prospect of additional surgery. This too common occurrence is known is “Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.” Chiropractic may help prevent repeated operations.
Q: IS CHIROPRACTIC SIMILAR TO MASSAGE?
A: No. Chiropractic deals with the spinal column, nervous system, meninges and body structure. Massage therapists deal with muscle tension, circulation and body fluid drainage.
Q: SO I’M NOT “ADJUSTING” MYSELF?
A: Cracking or popping your neck gives relief for a while, but soon the urge to pop or crack reappears because the cause of the spinal tension hasn’t been corrected.
Q: CAN I TELL IF I HAVE A SUBLUXATION WITHOUT CONFERRING WITH A CHIROPRACTOR?
A: Not always. A subluxation is like a dental cavity-you may have it for a long time before symptoms appear. That’s why periodic spinal checkups are so important. Although it may be possible to know you have a subluxation, it is rarely possible to be sure you don’t. An occasional spinal checkup is always a good idea.
Q: AT WHAT AGE SHOULD CHIROPRACTIC BEGIN?
A: Newborns have received spinal adjustments especially after difficult or traumatic births. There are case histories of infants close to death who were adjusted in hospitals with seemingly miraculous recoveries.
Q: IS IT BAD TO “CRACK” YOUR NECK OR BACK A LOT?
A: No. The desire to pop the neck or back is caused by tension from a jammed or fixated vertebra,which causes another part of the spine to compensate by moving too much and “popping” a lot. The jammed part should be adjusted by a chiropractor so that the rest of the spinal column will balance and stop being so movable and noisy.
Q: WHAT CAUSES THE SOUND OF AN ADJUSTMENT?
A: Actually, not all adjusting techniques produce the sound associated with “popping knuckles.” Some create no sound at all, some a little. Many techniques, however, do create the sound of a spinal “release.” What causes it? The mystery may have been solved by a British research team that took x-ray movies of people “popping” their knuckles. The sound appeared to be caused by gas rushing in to fill the partial vacuum created when the joints were slightly separated.
Q: WHERE IS YOUR OFFICE LOCATED?
A: Dobson Lakes Family Chiropractic is located at 2058 South Dobson Road in Mesa, approximately 1/4 mile south of Baseline Road on the west side of Dobson Road. There is a map to our office on the Contact Page.