Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic is one of the most widely used forms of complementary care. Behind this treatment is the belief that your body responds to adjustments made to your spine.

Your Spinal Adjustment

All body function at some point involves the nervous system. Chiropractic works from the idea that if your spine (which protects major parts of the nervous system) has a problem, your overall health can be affected. Areas of spinal inflexibility are called subluxations. Chiropractors make spinal adjustments to try to overcome these pockets of inflexibility. This type of treatment may be especially effective if you have back, neck, or joint pain.

Chiropractors may use other treatment methods in addition to spinal adjustments. For instance, they may use mild electrical stimulation, massage, heat, or ultrasound (soundwaves). But no matter what method is used, chiropractic may be an effective way to improve mobility and reduce pain.

Questions for the Chiropractor

Before you decide whether to have chiropractic care, talk with a chiropractor. Asking him or her some of these questions may help you make an informed decision:

• What is your training? How long have you been practicing?

• Are there any risks to chiropractic?

• Have you treated problems like mine?

• What will a typical visit be like?

• How long will treatment take and how much will it cost? Is your treatment generally short-term or long-term?

• Will health insurance or compensation coverage help pay the bill?