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What do chiropractors treat? Chiropractors treat people. There are many, often confusing, explanations of what chiropractors treat, but survey results say that for the most part they treat people who present with complaints of back and neck pain, headaches, and pain and/or numbness and tingling of the extremities. top When you go to a chiropractor, do you have to keep going for the rest of your life? No. top What does a chiropractor do to relieve a person's complaint? There are several methods used, the most common of which are spinal manipulation, manual traction, and a variety of massage and muscle stretching techniques. Spinal manipulation (or adjusting) is the hallmark of chiropractic care. top What is spinal manipulation or adjusting? It is a the skilled application of traction force to a bone, usually a vertebra, to attempt to restore it to its normal mobility with relationship to adjacent bones. top Does manipulation or adjusting hurt? Usually not. However, in an area where there is already significant pain as the primary complaint, frequently work in that area will cause temporary increase of pain. However, minimizing pain associated with treatment is a goal of almost any form of therapy, including chiropractic.top Does manipulation/adjusting make noise? Usually, yes. There are times, however, when no noise happens because the area manipulated is too tight to "release" with a reasonable amount of force. Also, there is a period of time following a release during which no additional noise will be made for another 20 - 30 minutes. If you "pop" your own neck just before a treatment, that particular area will probably not "pop" again during the treatment. top Aunt Sarah says to use ice (cold packs) only for the first 24 hours after I hurt myself. Uncle Harry says 48 hours. Who's right? The problem with answers about cold and heat application is that simple recommendations are usually as right as they are wrong. Please read my comments about Cold vs heat. top I heard that if I use a low back support, it will make my back weak. The sorts of supports commonly used are flexible ones similar to what you see workers wearing in warehouses. They serve primarily as postural reminders and as such will not make a back weak. When you think about it, if one had the capacity to make your back weak, it could only happen if it did work for you. I'd like the patent on a support that could do that! top What is the secret to good health?There is no secret to good health. It derives from a number of conditions, not the least of which is the hand you were dealt by genetics. The things that you can control are universally known: adequate rest, good nutrition, regular exercise, avoidance of tobacco products, minimal use of alcohol, good postural habits, and good stress management practices. These are the things you can and must do for yourself; there is no easy way around them. top Can chiropractic care prevent colds and flu? This is the secret-to-good-health question rephrased. Many patients and chiropractors alike believe that spinal manipulation stimulates the immune system and that spinal manipulation therefore will prevent colds and flu. This has yet to be proved. The good health strategies enumerated in the previous answer are your best bet, but even the best health practices do not guarantee immunity or resistance absolutely. top What is a subluxation? This is a term chiropractors use to describe an abnormal relationship between two bones, usually vertebrae, and the constellation of neurological, muscular, circulatory, and physiological changes that attend that abnormal relationship. Unfortunately, the term subluxation is also a radiological term used by the medical community. Their usage of the term defines an incomplete dislocation of two bones - a very different concept than ours. I like to use a schematic representation to demonstrate the concept. See Vicious Cycles. Gerard E. Sullivan, DC |
