Chiropractic is a drugless healthcare profession which understands that the body has a unique ability to self-heal and self-regulate under optimal conditions.
A Doctor of Chiropractic’s main focus is detecting and correcting tiny misalignments of the spine called
vertebral subluxations.
These subluxations put pressure on the delicate nervous system and interfere with the transmission of informational messages from the brain to the body.
Subluxations interfere with the healing process and are detrimental to the quality of a person’s life.
Physical Stress- Accidents, falls, direct trauma to the spine, repetitive motions at work, poor posture etc.
Chemical Stress- Consumption of alcohol, tobacco, inhalation of air pollutants at work etc.
Emotional Stress – Uneasy home life, stress at work, recent death in the family etc.
YES! Chiropractic is one of the safest healthcare professions in the world. Thousands of chiropractic adjustments are safely given everyday, with few adverse effects.
Like any healthcare profession, there are some risks to treatment. However, your doctor will use his/her best judgment at all times to reduce the chance of any potential problems from occurring.
Compared to medicine:
- In the U.S. 180,000 die every year due to medical error. (JAMA Dec 21, 1994)
- That’s the equivalent of 3 jumbo jet crashes every 2 days!
- In Canada it is estimated by the Canadian Institute of Health that 40,000 die every year due to medical mistakes. That’s 1 jumbo jet crash every 3 days. A full report will be published by 2004. (Macleans August 13, 2001)
- In the US, $73 billion is spent per year on drugs and $76 billion is spent every year to deal with the side effects of those drugs. (Archive of Internal Medicine 1995)
- Risk of death under anesthetic is 1 in 1000 (Champman-Smith 1994)
Consultation – Your chiropractor will discuss your case in detail with you
History – A detailed health history will be conducted to rule out any serious problems that may require a referral to another practitioner.
Examination – Your chiropractor will perform a detailed chiropractic examination of the spine to determine the presence of vertebral subluxations and nerve interference. This may include:
- Feeling the spine
- Computer Scans
- Muscle Tests
- X Rays
- Motion Analysis
- Orthopedic and Neurological tests
- Other procedures may be valuable
Adjustment – Next, a series of gentle adjustments, by hand or by instrument to correct the subluxations and relieve nerve pressure.
Initial Care Plan- Depending on your case, your chiropractor will determine an appropriate care plan for you.
Initially, adjustments are more frequent for the first couple of weeks. Then, as you begin to improve and the healing process stabilizes, your chiropractor may graduate you to a higher level of care that will require fewer visits.
Most adjustments do not hurt. A small percentage of patients may get sore after the first visit (similar to starting a new workout routine). This is only temporary, however.
Chiropractic is for all ages! Young and old! Future health problems can be prevented with regular chiropractic care.
