Chiropractic is the Largest Natural Healing Profession in the World

Chiropractic is a branch of the health sciences which focuses upon the body's neuromusculoskeletal system (the nerves, muscles, bones and joints of the body). A chiropractor is concerned with how your body's skeletal and nervous system is functioning. Since your spine is the key highway for your central nervous system, a chiropractor is trained to use a variety of diagnostic methods to examine and treat your spine and bone structure.

Although the major focus of chiropractic is on the spine and central nervous system, your chiropractor is concerned with the wellness of your whole body. Since your nervous system determines how well you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally, many problems you are experiencing may be related to a problem with your spine and nervous system.

How the body is built determines how it will function. Your quality and quantity of life is dependent on your health and any deviation from the ideal structure and function of all parts of the body will affect your health negatively thereby having detrimental effects on your quality and quantity of life. Illness and disease are quite often the result and are typified by the presence of symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling, nausea, shortness of breath, etc. Treating symptoms is not the same as treating the illness or disease. The source of the problem, the actual cause must be identified in order to properly deal with any health concerns. In reality, true health care is based on staying healthy by preventing changes in structure or function of the body which is where chiropractic truly shines.

In short, chiropractic is the science of diagnosing and correcting nerve pressure. Once nerve pressure is corrected, your body can return to functioning normally. By putting bones back in place or by creating normal movement in joints, the irritated or pinched nerves can be relieved. When the nerves are free, the nerves will heal and health will be restored to whatever parts of the body that are supplied by that nerve including muscles, joints, organs and glands. With optimum structure and function your body can do its best with all its daily requirements.

Bones or joints in the body that are not sitting or moving the way they should are called subluxations. These subluxations irritate the surrounding nerves, muscles, ligaments, tendons, joint capsules, organs and glands of the body. Through a treatment approach called an adjustment, chiropractors are able to restore normal structure and function to these subluxations thereby removing the cause of many health problems. The adjustment is gentle, safe, effective and one of the most well researched forms of health care in the world.

What kind of training does a doctor of chiropractic have?

Most chiropractors have a minimum of three years of university education followed by 4 years of professional training at an accredited chiropractic college. National board competency examinations are part of confirming a chiropractor's status as an expert in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of the neuromusculoskeletal system.

How do I know if I need to see a chiropractor?

While many people see a chiropractor for the first time because they are in pain, a chiropractor is also a reliable source of information on a variety of health concerns.

When bad posture, injuries, accidents, overexertion and other mechanisms can cause the joints of the spine or extremities to work improperly or even to become stuck, this creates an irritation of the delicate nerve fibers supplying some of the joints and their surrounding soft tissues. Chiropractors evaluate the spine and other joints in the body for altered motion. Any abnormal motion is "adjusted" by applying a specific force in the direction that is needed to restore the joint's normal function. A healthy joint results in a healthier nerve supply, and because the nervous system is primary in maintaining health and preventing disease, the whole body is benefited.

What conditions does a chiropractor treat?

Chiropractic care is well established as the treatment of choice for back pain, neck pain and headaches. Here are a number of common conditions that are effectively treated by a chiropractor:

  • Low back pain

  • Neck pain

  • Headaches coming from tight muscles of the head and neck

  • Whiplash

  • Scoliosis

  • Sciatica

  • Disc injuries

  • Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)

  • Rotator Cuff Conditions

  • Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

  • Knee pain

  • Foot problems

  • Sports injuries

  • Soft Tissue Pain Syndromes

  • Tendonitis

  • Sprains and Strains

  • Stress Management and Relaxation

Because pain is usually the most obvious clue that something is not functioning properly, the chiropractor spends a great deal of time investigating the cause of the pain.

What's an adjustment?

Although a chiropractor can use a variety of natural treatments, the one most unique to the profession is the "adjustment". This is very fast, non-forceful movement of joint done by the highly trained hands of your chiropractor. Most often, a popping sound is heard for felt by the patient.