Frequently Asked Questions About Chiropractic

What is Chiropractic Medicine?

What education does a Doctor of Chiropractic have?

Do Doctors of Chiropractic prescribe medication?

What is Nerve Impingement Syndrome?

Do I have to go to a Doctor of Chiropractic forever?

What is Chiropractic Medicine?

Chiropractic Medicine is a branch of healthcare based on the science that your nervous system (brain-spinal cord-nerves) controls and influences the function of every cell in your body, and through the use of spinal manipulation, pain caused by Nerve Impingement Syndrome, can be alleviated. The word ?chiropractic? literally means ?done by hand.? Chiropractors promote the body?s healing process by minimizing nerve interference.

What education does a Doctor of Chiropractic have?

Doctors of Chiropractic must take the same undergraduate course-load as pre-medical students- including biology, chemistry, physics, etc? They then apply to chiropractic college where they spend their first 2 years studying the same sciences as medical students- anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology, biochemistry, microbiology, etc? The last 2 years is where the programs take a turn from each other. Chiropractic students focus on manual treatments and rotate in school clinics and outside internship, including hospital rotations along side the medical students. They must also pass a 4-part National Board exam and after graduation and a licensing exam in whichever state they choose to practice. Once licensed, they must complete a certain number of continuing education hours each year.

Do Doctors of Chiropractic prescribe medication?

By choice the Chiropractic Profession does not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. Instead they are trained in treating illnesses conservatively without medications. A Chiropractor is a highly skilled structural specialist who is trained in finding and correcting the cause of the conditions. Merely covering up the symptoms of a condition, such as with prescription medications and pain killerst can mislead a patient that their problem is gone, when it merely has been ?covered up.? Pain is a signal to the body that something is wrong and needs to be fixed.

What is Nerve Impingement Syndrome?

NIS is a condition that occurs when one or more spinal joints are misaligned and place pressure on a nerve. This pressure can cause interference with the transmitted signal and cause pain, discomfort and dysfunction. Nerve Impingement Syndrome can develop for a variety of reasons, including accidents, trauma, poor posture or diet, lack of or incorrect exercise, and stress.

Do I have to go to a Doctor of Chiropractic forever?

While most cases seen by a Doctor of Chiropractic respond in a short period of time, some may require long term treatment. Chiropractic adjustments work by normal motion back into the joints. However, it can take some time to re-condition and re-train the muscles and ligaments surrounding the area to allow the joint to stay in its correct position. This is a process that takes repetition. While we don?t force our patients to come ?forever,? we certainly encourage our patients to join a wellness plan after their active care so they stay healthy and don?t fall back into acute conditions after a period of time. It?s much cheaper to maintain your health in the long run. Think of your preventative chiropractic check-ups on the same level as getting a check-up twice a year with the dentist, or an oil change in your car every 3000 miles. You don?t wait for your teeth to hurt, or your car to break down in these instances, so why wait for pain to start before getting your spine checked?