Common
Questions and Myths about the Chiropractor (FAQ)
"Once
you go to a chiropractor you always have to go for the rest of your life."Or ..."I hear people get addicted to
it."
People do get
addicted to feeling better than they have in a long, long time. Will you be
going to a dentist, or your medical doctor or optometrist the rest of your
life? How long should you exercise or eat right? These are just healthy
lifestyle choices. Many people recognize the value of having a nervous system
free of interference and choose regular adjustments to keep it that way.
"Why
do I need to come in so often?"
We are doing
something physical to change your body physically. Two things are required for
that: enough frequency over a long enough time, just like getting in shape to
run a marathon. It doesn’t matter how out of shape you are. If you work out
frequently enough over a long enough period of time you can get into shape to
run a marathon.
"Chiropractors
aren’t real doctors."
Our schooling
is the same as medical schools. (See Table 1). The difference is our
philosophy. M.D.’s have two ways to treat: drugs and surgery. Their philosophy
is that healing comes from the outside. This pill will make you better, or I’ll
remove this body part to make you better. Our philosophy is that healing comes
from the inside and our bodies are self healing as long as there is no
interference and we give it the right ingredients for health (nutrition and
exercise). We remove the interference to the controlling system.the nervous
system.
"Is
it going to hurt?"
There are many
techniques in chiropractic. One technique in which I specialize uses an
adjusting instrument that gently taps to get the bone off of the nerve.
Sometimes people go through retracing, which can be uncomfortable but is a
wonderful sign because it is the body getting rid of old traumas from the past,
allowing for a more complete healing.
"Chiropractic
is too expensive."
Compared to
what? Braces for the teeth - $4,000-$6,000, M.R.I. for the full spine, -
$1,800-$2,400, Lasik Eye Surgery - $3,500-$5,000, Breast Augmentation -
$4,000-$10,000, Dental Implants - $1,250-$3000 per tooth, Year supply of
Claritin - $1,200, Year supply of Cholesterol lowering drugs - $1,500 (without
doctor visits), 6-12 month Chiropractic care plan - $1,800-$3,600 (plus the
savings of getting off of medications), What is the value of having your brain
communicate properly with the rest of your body?
"Chiropractic
is dangerous"
Studies show
that there is very little risk with the chiropractic adjustment and virtually
none with the adjustment instrument. Statistically, it is more of a risk to
take 2 Advil a day for 2 weeks than to get adjusted. A look at malpractice
insurance premium costs says it all; M.D. costs $22,000 - $175,000 per year
while Chiropractic malpractice insurance premium costs are $1,500 - $3,000 for
the same liability limits.
"Infants
and Children should never be adjusted."
Do they have a
spine and a nervous system? One of the biggest traumas we ever go through is
being born. Have you ever seen a child learn to walk? They will fall 30 times a
day. Children respond to chiropractic care so much faster than adults. They
haven’t had the years and years of physical, emotional, chemical stress and
traumas that we have accumulated as adults.
If I
can crack my own back, why do I need a chiropractor?
There is a big
difference between cracking your own back and having a specific spinal
adjustment. When someone feels the need to crack their own spine it is a sign
that things aren’t working right. When you crack your back, if you don’t mess
it up, it will generally feel better but main subluxations (misalignments)
can’t be gotten yourself. So a few hours later you feel the need to do it
again. All this self cracking creates looseness in the joints that can lead to
degeneration. The main subluxations will still be there, creating havoc with
your nervous system.
What
is a subluxation?
In simplest
terms, a subluxation is when one or more of the bones of your spine (Vertebrae)
move out of normal position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves.
This pressure or irritation on the nerves then causes a change in the signals
(or nerve energy) traveling over those nerves. Therefore, the area where the
signal ends up will not function the way the brain intends.
Another way to
look at it is:
-A complete
break of the spinal cord = death -A partial break of the spinal cord =
paraplegia -A minor break of the spinal cord = subluxation
.So
how does Chiropractic help with other health issues besides back pain (i.e.
asthma,allergies, ulcers, bowel movements)?.
Well, if a
nervous system is pinched and it goes to your stomach, your stomach will
decrease its function by as much as 60%. So if your stomach doesn’t digest your
food as it should, it could lead to ulcers or acid reflux.
Can
I tell if I have a subluxation without consulting a Chiropractor?
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 check-ups 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 check-up is always a good
idea.
