What is Chiropractic?
How does Chiropractic work?
Why should I see a Doctor of Chiropractic?
Who can see a Doctor of Chiropractic?
How long will I need to see a Chiropractor?
What kind of education does a Doctor of Chiropractic receive?
Do I need to be referred to a Chiropractor by a Medical Doctor?
What type of coverage is there for Chiropractic care?
Is Chiropractic safe?
Is Chiropractic effective?
Is Chiropractic scientific?
What is a subluxation?
What causes a subluxation?
How is a subluxation corrected?
Does the adjustment hurt?
How will the adjustment help me?
Does an adjustment have to make noise to be effective?
Should I go to a Chiropractor if I feel fine?
How old should a person be before he or she begins Chiropractic care?
When should a person seek chiropractic care?
Can I go to a Chiropractor if I am under medical care?
Why do I recommend weekly adjustments?
Why do athletes get regular chiropractic adjustments?
Why do infants and children need chiropractic care?
Is chiropractic care a substitute or alternative to medical care?
Can I get more information?
What is Chiropractic? back to top
Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that your body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism, controlled by the brain, spinal cord and nerves of the body. The vertebrae, which protect the brain and nervous system, when misaligned or subluxated, causes malfunction of the tissues and organs throughout the body.
Chiropractic is a drug-free, surgery-free, non invasive heath care. Chiropractors assess disorders related to the spine, nervous system, and joints of the extremities and provide diagnosis, treatment and prevention of those disorders. The primary goal of chiropractic adjustments is to correct areas of decreased movement in the joints of the body, particularly the spine, which can create a reaction in surrounding tissues (ligaments, muscles and nerves). This reaction may result in pain, dysfunction and muscular spasm. Chiropractors seek to locate and correct spinal misalignments (also called subluxations). These misalignments can affect the body's ability to heal itself and function optimally. Chiropractors are also trained to advise their patients on therapeutic exercises and other non-invasive therapies including dietary counseling.
For more information on Chiropractic, click here.
How does Chiropractic work? back to top
Chiropractic works with the most important system in your body - your nervous system. The soft tissues of your brain and spinal cord are surrounded with a protective layer of bone, in 24 individual segments, called your vertebral column. When the individual vertebra misalign or subluxate, malfunction can occur in the various tissues and organs that nerve sends signals to. Chiropractic works by restoring proper spinal motion, removing the nervous interference and allowing optimal nervous system function.
Chiropractic works by restoring your own inborn ability to be healthy. By restoring spinal function with Chiropractic adjustments, nerve interference by misaligned vertebrae is removed, thus allowing optimal nervous system function and normal health.
Why should I see a Doctor of Chiropractic? back to top
Many people often associate seeing a Chiropractor with having back pain, but this is only one of the symptoms that patients may present with. Spinal misalignments or subluxations can have far reaching effects that may present as a variety of symptoms. These include headaches, fatigue, sciatica, numbness, extremity problems (including knees, hips, shoulders, elbows), discomfort from menstrual problems, or gastrointestinal problems and many more. Others choose chiropractic in a preventive capacity so they can maintain their bodies in optimal health.
Who can see a Doctor of Chiropractic? back to top
People of all ages including adults, children, seniors and pregnant women can seek chiropractic care. Chiropractic can benefit all people from professional athletes to homemakers, laborers to executives, law enforcement personnel to nurses.
Adjusting techniques are modified for each person's size, unique spinal condition and structural factors so adjustments are safe and effective.
How long will I need to see a Chiropractor? back to top
Your chiropractor will discuss with you your specific need for acute or long term care - it will all depend on your unique condition/situation. There are 3 types of care in Chiropractic:
Similar to brushing teeth, tuning up your car or regularly visiting a dentist, Wellness Care is important for maintaining optimal health, saving money, and enjoying a heathy life-style. How long you decide to benefit from Chiropractic is always up to you.
Take the time to discuss with your chiropractor the level of care that is best for you.
What kind of education does a Doctor of Chiropractic receive? back to top
Today's Doctor of Chiropractic is well educated with an education curriculum similar to medical school. Chiropractors undergo a lengthy and intensive professional education process, which spans a minimum of seven years. Special emphasis is placed on anatomy, neurology, biomechanics, nutrition, x-ray, physiology, diagnosis, patient care, and spinal adjusting Upon graduation, rigorous National and Provincial board examinations must be passed in order to become a licensed Chiropractor.
Do I need to be referred to a Chiropractor by a Medical Doctor? back to top
Absolutely not! A Doctor of Chiropractic is a primary contact physician and specialized healthcare practitioner. This means that you may visit a chiropractor without a referral from your medical doctor. If yours is not a chiropractic case, a responsible Chiropractor will refer you to the appropriate health care provider.
What type of coverage is there for Chiropractic care? back to top
The Manitoba health plan covers a portion of the cost for a chiropractic visit for the first 12 visits in a calendar year. Many private and group insurance plans have extended benefits that cover Chiropractic. If you have injuries sustained at work or injuries sustained in a car accident, WCB and MPI will provide full coverage.
Is Chiropractic safe? back to top
Chiropractic care remains one of the safest forms of health care today. A number of published research studies have demonstrated that chiropractic care is not only an effective treatment for low back pain, but also the safest form of treatment available.
In the words of the New Zealand government's inquiry, Chiropractic care is "...remarkably safe." It is safer than back surgery, muscle relaxers, and even aspirin. All ages from babies to the elderly enjoy safe, effective care.
As proof for its safety, one merely has to compare malpractice rates between chiropractors and other health professionals. Chiropractors' malpractice premiums are a small fraction of those for the medical doctors, especially orthopedists and surgeons.
Is Chiropractic effective? back to top
Yes. There is an overwhelming amount of scientific support and research showing that chiropractic is safe and effective for low back pain, neck pain, headaches and other conditions relating to the spine. On-going research continues to study chiropractic and it's effect with conditions such as asthma, colic, gastrointestinal problems and autoimmune disorders.
Is Chiropractic scientific? back to top
Research from New Zealand, Australia, the United States, England, Denmark and Canada have validated Chiropractic. Recently, the "Manga Report" produced at the University of Ottawa has validated Chiropractic for its safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness for Chiropractic and low back pain. On-going research is now validating Chiropractic and headaches, asthma, whiplash, and pre-menstrual syndromes to name a few.
What is a subluxation? back to top
A subluxation is a misalignment of one or more vertebra (spinal bones) causing nerve interference. Your nerves carry vital information to all your cells and organs. Eventually a subluxated bone will begin to choke or irritate the nerve roots, which branch off from the spinal cord between each of the vertebrae. The nerve passageways, which carry messages to and from the brain, may become partially blocked or excessively irritated and subsequently the energy flowing through the nerves is altered, creating an imbalanced condition in your body. This interferes with the body's inborn healing ability and lowers the body's resistance. Lower resistance is the number one cause of all physical breakdowns. Over time, the organs and glands connected to these compromised nerves begin to malfunction, creating abnormal body chemistry, disease, accelerated deterioration and degeneration!
What causes a subluxation? back to top
Physical, chemical and emotional stresses cause subluxations. A fall, injury, sudden jar, trauma, or sometimes inherited spinal weakness can displace a vertebra. Other causes include improper sleeping conditions or habits, poor posture, occupational hazards, incorrect lifting practices, obesity, and lack of rest and exercise. The birth process is a major cause of subluxation. Chemical causes of subluxation can be from poor diet, toxic food and drinks, or chemical interactions causing imbalances from food, drink, vitamins, or prescription drug use. Mental causes of subluxation can be your body's inability to adapt to sudden traumatic stressful events or even low level stress for a long period of time to which your body does not adapt.
How is a subluxation corrected? back to top
Chiropractors are specialists in the detection and correction of subluxations. By careful analysis and palpation, and by putting a specific, focused, and intelligent force into the spine, the body is able to correct itself. This is known as a chiropractic adjustment.
Does the adjustment hurt? back to top
Under normal circumstances, chiropractic adjustments are painless. In cases of recent traumas, mild discomfort may be experienced due to inflammation. Once in a while patients with chronic problems may experience soreness in the muscles around the spine, similar to what you feel after exercising for the first time.
How will the adjustment help me? back to top
Anytime you have a subluxation your nervous system is compromised, as is the body's health potential. Therefore, if you do anything to restore proper nerve flow you will be better off. Chiropractic adjustments are given to remove nerve interference, so that the body can heal and express itself to its true potential.
Does an adjustment have to make noise to be effective? back to top
There is a common misconception that your joints must make a noise to be properly adjusted. Chiropractors are not concerned with the noise, rather we are concerned with the effect the adjustment has on the nervous system. As a matter of fact, in our office we often use an adjusting instrument call the 'Activator', which makes excellent adjustments without causing joints to make noise.
Should I go to a Chiropractor if I feel fine? back to top
Absolutely! Everyone would benefit from chiropractic care on a regular basis. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we associate sickness and disease with symptoms and health as a lack of symptoms. There are many that feel fine now, but unknowingly have disease processes going on, and who will die in the near future. Symptoms are not nature's early warning signs, but come only after damage is done. Spinal misalignments cause subtle changes that you don't feel early on. If not adjusted, these misalignments lead to injury to cells and soft tissues and can develop into more serious problems later on, like abnormal body chemistry, disease, accelerated deterioration and degeneration. By receiving regular chiropractic care, you'll help your body stay healthy for years to come.
How old should a person be before he or she begins Chiropractic care? back to top
Chiropractic patients range in years from birth to old age. Regardless of age, subluxations can occur in the spine. For example, the birth process may cause trauma to the neck and spine. Left uncorrected, the vertebral subluxation may disturb the delicate spinal cord and nerves, which control the youngster's muscles and organs. In some cases, an uncorrected subluxation may lead to a deformity of the spinal column. Chiropractic care should begin after birth and continue throughout our lives.
Can I go to a Chiropractor if I am under medical care? back to top
Yes, having your subluxations corrected is important, no matter what other type of health care you are receiving.
When should a person seek chiropractic care? back to top
Let me answer by asking another question first. Does it make sense to wait until the spine is grossly degenerating and causing backaches and muscle spasms and who knows what other problems with the organs and glands of the body, and treat those problems symptomatically?
Or does it make more sense to check and adjust the spine when someone is young, when those changes in the spine are small and easily corrected?
It's a lot easier to stay well than it is to get well when one is sick. Chiropractic care works best to keep young people free from vertebral subluxation so they can enjoy a richer, fuller and healthier life. So, the answer to the question is that all people should seek chiropractic care from "the womb to the tomb".
Why do I recommend regular, weekly adjustments? back to top
Because it works best for the goal I'm trying to accomplish, which is to keep your spine and nervous system as free as possible from vertebral subluxation. Of course, if you do not fully understand the vertebral subluxation, this may seem odd to you. The chiropractic definition of a subluxation is: a condition arising when one or more vertebra change their position or tone relative to the vertebra above or below, or both, creating interference in the transmission of mental impulses.
The interference to the transmission of mental impulses is the big part. It means that the part of your body responsible for the communication and interaction of every other part of your body, your nervous system, is partially blocked. Like a turned-down dimmer switch to a light bulb, the electricity is still flowing, but the light is dim.
Vertebral subluxations are present in the spines of infants and children. There is much research to support this bold statement. Unfortunately, our society is trained to wait for symptoms to appear, and then treat those symptoms. Rarely is anything done to IMPROVE THE WAY THE BODY WORKS. Correcting the vertebral subluxations present in your spine is one of the best things you can do to improve the function of your body and mind.
Time causes the vast majority of spines to decay. This interferes with the nervous system and causes a gradual decline in functions of organs, glands, and systems. Of course, when organs and glands fail, rarely is the nervous system considered as a causative factor. That's like having your toaster not work and forgetting to check the plug.
So, why once a week? Simply because it works. It works well to have the spine and nerve system continually moving in the direction of more clarity, more ease, and more life.
Why do athletes get regular chiropractic adjustments? back to top
Chiropractic helps athletes improve their athletic performance, heal quicker from injuries, increase flexibility and stamina, and much more.
If you're involved in sports, don't you think it's time you were examined by a Chiropractor to see if Chiropractic could make a difference for you?
Why do infants and children need chiropractic care? back to top
That's a great question. But if you don't understand vertebral subluxation, you will not understand the need for children to have chiropractic care. So, let's review subluxation.
Vertebral subluxation is a change in the position, tension or mobility of one or more bones of the spine causing interference to the nervous system.
Changes in the spine are often very obvious in old people. They're bent over, stiff and rigid and have difficulty getting out of a chair. We can easily see the changes in their spines. But did this just happen? Did their spines decay and deform overnight? When did that process of spinal distortion actually begin? Usually during infancy or childhood. Slight changes in the spinal bones, called subluxations, occur throughout a person's life.
The birth process itself often causes damage to a baby's spine. The stresses of growing up, both physical and emotional, add to the stress on a child's spine and nervous system. If you look closer, you'll see children with their heads forward, or perhaps stuck in the low back or pelvis. Often, a foot turns inward or outward, indicating spinal stress (subluxation). They may not have any symptoms yet, but the distortion is present, and unless it is addressed and corrected, the body and mind of the child suffer and work less than 100%.
We all want the best for our children. We all want our children to be healthy and strong. Unfortunately, few parents know about the benefits of regular spinal checkups and adjustments for their children. Simply put, it is perhaps the greatest single thing you can do for your child's health and well-being besides love.
Am I really telling you that newborn babies get their spines checked and adjusted by a chiropractor? Yes, and their lives are so much better for it. Please understand, it is VERY GENTLE and very honouring to their little spines.
Here's what I have found; children who get their spines checked and adjusted regularly are far healthier than those who don't. I know that's a bold statement, but it does make sense. Why? Because the central nervous system is in the spine. The nervous system runs the entire body. It runs the ears, the sinuses, the organs, the glands, and everything else. Your child's coordination depends on a fully functioning nervous system. When the nervous system is compromised (interfered with by vertebral subluxation), the body cannot function properly. It's that simple.
A recent study by Nilsson in Denmark reports that children under Chiropractic care are healthier than other children, miss less school, are more attentive and have less need for drugs. Children with conditions such as earaches, colic, bed wetting, scoliosis, "growing pains", torticollis, and asthma respond wonderfully to Chiropractic Care.
Is chiropractic care a substitute or alternative to medical care? back to top
No. It is not a substitute or alternative to anything. It is the location and correction of vertebral subluxation to allow the wisdom of the body to better express itself. But, and this may seem obvious, the healthier your child's body is, the less he needs medical care. The less he needs drugs and surgery. Isn't that a wonderful thing?
Years ago, the dental profession recommended to people that they brush their teeth three times daily, and get their children into the habit as well. Why? Because people used to neglect their teeth and they would generally start to rot while in their twenties or thirties. Well, guess what? Neglected spines do the same thing. They rot. They decay and corrode and degenerate. I've see the x-rays. And it's not old age, either. It's neglect, pure and simple. And it starts when we're young.
Can I get more information? back to top
If you have questions, or comments, please e-mail at drmichaelengel@hotmail.com. You can also subscribe to our FREE newsletter for on-going information, or enjoy a free initial consultation.