Chiropractic Care
Chiropractors restore and maintain the proper position of the delicate vertebral joints that house and protect your nerves, allowing your body the ability to heal the source of the pain. If the pain is coming from the muscles, tendons and ligaments that surround the spinal joint, the body’s natural response is muscle spasms or inflammation. The result can be that the vertebrae are moved out of their proper position, causing nerve irritation or pressure. This interferes with the natural healing process that would otherwise occur.
Restoring proper nerve flow and communication to the brain allows the body to perform the natural healing process as efficiently as possible. If the vertebra is the actual cause of the pain, putting pressure on or irritating the nerves, chiropractic treatments that restore proper position and range of motion can reduce or eliminate the source of the pain directly.
If the mal-position of the vertebrae is the result of an accident or trauma, your body can heal much more efficiently once the proper position of the spinal bones has been restored and proper nerve flow and communication are restored.
If the problem is long standing, as is the case if you have been masking the pain with drugs, the healing process may take some time.
In any case, the role of the chiropractor is to restore the proper position of the spinal vertebra, through the chiropractic adjustment and maintain that correction long enough for the body to heal.
It really is that simple!
Back Pain
We all experience pain. Pain may last just a few seconds or a few days. This is known as acute pain. Pain that persists is called chronic pain. It could last a few months or even years. Pain is simply your body telling you something is wrong. And it tells you this by sending messages through your nerves to your brain.
Nerves Transmit Pain Signals
You have nerves all over your body—extending from your brain and spinal cord to your skin, muscles, and internal organs. Your nerves communicate with your brain by sending and receiving electro-chemical signals. All sensations, good and bad, travel from different parts of your body to your brain through these electro-chemical signals in your nerves. When there is a problem anywhere in your body, the nerve system relays this information to the brain, so that the brain can initiate an appropriate response.
All of these nerves pass through your spine, protected by the spinal joints or vertebra. The high concentration of nerves and nerve roots that exit the spine (through small openings called foramen) make the back a very frequent sight of pain, often severe and sometimes debilitating. The vertebrae are separated by inter-vertebral discs that also contain nerve endings, further adding to the problem.
The most frequent response to back pain is to try to eliminate it, through the application of heat or ice, or most often by taking pain medication. All of these options simply mask the pain. And in doing so, you interrupt the body's ability to heal since the brain is no longer receiving the message that something is wrong. The brain is no longer initiating the appropriate response necessary to heal if you shut down the message network, either physically or chemically.
Neck Pain, Headaches and Whiplash
As with back pain, many neck problems are not caused by a single incident, but by the cumulative effect of negative lifestyle-related factors. Of course, some neck problems are due to traumatic events such as a whiplash accident, a fall, or a sports injury.
Neck Pain
More and more people have occupations that require sitting at a desk. The use of computers has risen dramatically and many people now spend eight to ten hours a day in an ergonomically incorrect position in front of a computer. The posture that most desk workers assume - sitting in a position with the head bent forward – strains the muscles in the neck and the ligaments that hold the facet joints together. Also, the normal forward curve of the neck is reversed, causing more stress upon the surrounding tissues.
This stress can lead to spinal problems including herniated discs and misaligned joints, which are common causes of spinal nerve irritation. Besides neck pain, spinal nerve irritation in the neck can cause symptoms including headaches, vision problems, arm and hand pain, tingling sensations, and shoulder pain.
Headaches
Headaches and migraines are frequently associated with disorders of the cervical spine. When the cervical vertebrae lose their normal position or range of motion, sensitive nerves and blood vessels associated with structures in the head can be stretched or irritated, producing symptoms ranging from a dull ache to throbbing pain. In many cases, tight knots in the muscles of the neck called "trigger points" can also cause referred pain in the form of a headache.
Countless other factors – including toxic fumes, certain foods, food additives, alcohol, caffeine, and stress can cause headaches. However, chiropractic therapy has proven to be very effective in the treatment and prevention of headaches.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a result of a forceful, forward and backward jerking motion of the head, causing injury to the structures of the back and front of the neck. This injury is commonly associated with car accidents involving rear-end collisions. Even at low speeds, the amount of force generated by such an accident is very strong and can cause trauma to the ligaments, muscle, facet joints, discs, and the spinal nerves. Besides neck pain and immobility, symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vertigo, arm and shoulder pain, tingling in the hands and fingers, and weakness of the arm and hand are associated with whiplash injury. Immediate evaluation and X-rays are necessary to rule out the possibility of fracture.
Chiropractors are educated to understand whiplash injury and manage your care without drugs or surgical intervention. Proper management is essential to recover from the pain and symptoms of whiplash and to prevent future disability.
Sports Injuries
Athletes often put rigorous demands on their bodies while running, jumping, swinging, tackling, and falling. These demands may cause injuries such as sprains, strains, or chronic injuries, and can negatively affect performance. Athletes competing with the proper body mechanics have the greatest ability to perform at their best.
Muscles, tendons, and ligaments depend upon proper joint movement for peak performance. Injuries to these tissues can:
Regular chiropractic care can help maximize proper body function and prevent injury to keep athletes at peak performance. Chiropractic services can also help restore function to spinal joints, improving muscle balance and removing nerve irritation, which helps speed the healing of soft tissues. Many chiropractors are also trained to counsel patients on appropriate exercise regimens, regular stretching, preparation exercises, and training programs.
Chiropractic Care for the Whole Family
You are never too young or too old for chiropractic treatment. Many of our chiropractors would recommend chiropractic care for those of all ages. Can you think of a better gift to give your loved ones than the opportunity for a life free of pain and stress? We make it easy and your initial exam is absolutely free!
Signs of Stress
Advanced chiropractic therapy with a caring, warm philosophy will improve your health to a whole new level.
We are always on the cutting edge of advancement to help our patients with many health problems that include:
Headaches
The throbbing, pounding sensation of a splitting headache is an all too accepted condition for millions of people each day. Some suffer with headaches several times a month, others even more often. A headache can be a distraction that affects your job and family life. Headaches are not a normal condition.
Fatigue
Fatigue is a problem that saps the joy out of life for numerous people every day. Maybe the person working next to you, a family member, or even you, have felt the effects of being too tired to work properly. You simply do not have the energy to enjoy life with your friends and family.
Sleep Disturbances
Getting a restful night of sleep is an absolute requirement. It is not an option. Your body must sleep and replenish itself for you to operate at an optimal level. For many people, a good night's sleep is something they only daydream about, because night after night they do not get the rest their bodies need.
Sinus and Allergies
Suffering with sinus and allergies is a condition that many people live with every day of their lives. Runny nose, watery eyes and a host of threatening body responses are often the result of sinus and allergy problems. Your immune system is meant to protect you from anything that is not supposed to be in your body. Sometimes it cannot function as it was intended and your body is left at the mercy of pollutants, dust, pollen, and drugs.
Mood Swings
Mood swings can cause a normal, reasonable person to become irritable and difficult to be around. While this can be a problem for others, it pales in comparison to the instability the person feels. No one wants to be so unpredictable, but for many it's a way of life.
The standard approach for many has been that of medication. Sometimes a chemical solution to mood swings can have negative side effects.
Pain
Pain is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. It's a warning sign. Each and every day millions of people experience pain at some point in their day; some even start and end their day in pain.
Conclusion
Taking pills to reduce the intensity of the pain often only masks the cause of the problem. Wouldn't it be better to find the true cause and treat it directly? Of course it would.
It is possible to get your energy back and start enjoying your life again, but you have to take the first step.
