Myth Busters

Common Questions and Myths about the Chiropractor

"Once you go to a chiropractor you always have to go for the rest of your life." "I hear people get addicted to it."

People do get addicted to feeling better than they have in a long, long time. Will you be going to a dentist, or your medical doctor or optometrist the rest of your life? How long should you exercise or eat right? These are just healthy lifestyle choices. Many people recognize the value of having a nervous system free of interference and choose regular adjustments to keep it that way.

"Why do I need to come in so often?"

We are doing something physical to change your body physically. Two things are required for that: enough frequency over a long enough time, just like getting in shape to run a marathon. It doesn’t matter how out of shape you are. If you work out frequently enough over a long enough period of time you can get into shape to run a marathon.

"Chiropractors aren’t real doctors."

Our schooling is the same as medical schools. The difference is our philosophy. M.D.’s have two ways to treat: drugs and surgery. Their philosophy is that healing comes from the outside. This pill will make you better, or I’ll remove this body part to make you better. Our philosophy is that healing comes from the inside and our bodies are self healing as long as there is no interference and we give it the right ingredients for health (nutrition and exercise). We remove the interference to the controlling system.the nervous system.

"Is it going to hurt?"

There are many techniques in chiropractic. One technique in which I specialize uses an adjusting instrument that gently taps to get the bone off of the nerve. Sometimes people go through retracing, which can be uncomfortable but is a wonderful sign because it is the body getting rid of old traumas from the past, allowing for a more complete healing.

"Chiropractic is too expensive."

Compared to what? Braces for the teeth - $4,000-$6,000, M.R.I. for the full spine, - $1,800-$2,400, Lasik Eye Surgery - $3,500-$5,000, Breast Augmentation - $4,000-$10,000, Dental Implants - $1,250-$3000 per tooth, Year supply of Claritin - $1,200, Year supply of Cholesterol lowering drugs - $1,500 (without doctor visits), 6-12 month Chiropractic care plan - $1,800-$3,600 (plus the savings of getting off of medications), What is the value of having your brain communicate properly with the rest of your body?

"Chiropractic is dangerous"

Studies show that there is very little risk with the chiropractic adjustment and virtually none with the adjustment instrument. Statistically, it is more of a risk to take 2 Advil a day for 2 weeks than to get adjusted. A look at malpractice insurance premium costs says it all; M.D. costs $22,000 - $175,000 per year while Chiropractic malpractice insurance premium costs are $1,500 - $3,000 for the same liability limits.

"Infants and Children should never be adjusted."

Do they have a spine and a nervous system? One of the biggest traumas we ever go through is being born. Have you ever seen a child learn to walk? They will fall 30 times a day. Children respond to chiropractic care so much faster than adults. They haven’t had the years and years of physical, emotional, chemical stress and traumas that we have accumulated as adults.

If I can crack my own back, why do I need a chiropractor?

There is a big difference between cracking your own back and having a specific spinal adjustment. When someone feels the need to crack their own spine it is a sign that things aren’t working right. When you crack your back, if you don’t mess it up, it will generally feel better but main subluxations (misalignments) can’t be gotten yourself. So a few hours later you feel the need to do it again. All this self cracking creates looseness in the joints that can lead to degeneration. The main subluxations will still be there, creating havoc with your nervous system.

What is a subluxation?

In simplest terms, a subluxation is when one or more of the bones of your spine (Vertebrae) move out of normal position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves. This pressure or irritation on the nerves then causes a change in the signals (or nerve energy) traveling over those nerves. Therefore, the area where the signal ends up will not function the way the brain intends.

Another way to look at it is:

-A complete break of the spinal cord = death   -A partial break of the spinal cord = paraplegia  -A minor break of the spinal cord = subluxation

So how does Chiropractic help with other health issues besides back pain (i.e. asthma, allergies, ulcers, bowel movements)?

Well, if a nervous system is pinched and it goes to your stomach, your stomach will decrease its function by as much as 60%. So if your stomach doesn’t digest your food as it should, it could lead to ulcers or acid reflux.

Can I tell if I have a subluxation without consulting a Chiropractor?

Not always. A subluxation is like a dental cavity-you may have it for a long time before symptoms appear. That’s why periodic spinal check-ups are so important. Although it may be possible to know you have a subluxation, it is rarely possible to be sure you don’t. An occasional spinal check-up is always a good idea.

**If you have any other question, feel free to e-mail or give us a call.**