Do you see a chiropractor? Are you getting good results? Great! That means you belong to a group of millions people who have benefited from a safe, natural approach to being pain free and having renewed health. However, for the two-thirds of Americans who haven’t been checked by a chiropractor, the idea of doing so may seem unnecessary. In fact, they may not really know exactly what chiropractors do. So, here are just a few things you should know about chiropractic care, especially if you have never been to one.
There are no age limits
Chiropractic care isn’t just for middle-aged adults, it’s for everyone who wants to function, feel and live better. Most chiropractors treat patients ranging in age from newborn infants to those in their 80’s and even 90’s. Adjusting techniques are tailored to the age, size, weight and each individual’s specific spinal issue.
It’s not just about neck and back pain
Many people feel that chiropractic is merely a way to treat back pain with spinal adjustments. While this is one application of chiropractic, studies have shown a whole range of benefits: Improving heart conditions, strengthening bones, detoxifying organs, correcting digestive problems, and even relieving colic symptoms in babies. Since chiropractic works on the central nervous system, it has the potential to affect virtually any area of the body.
It might strengthen your immune system
Another thing people are constantly on the lookout for is immunity from common bacteria and viruses. There is compelling evidence that chiropractic care can actually help the immune system function better and reduce inflammation in the body; when the flu pandemic swept the nation in 1917, chiropractors soon realized that patients receiving spinal adjustments were statistically more likely to recover from or avoid the flu.
Pain is often the last sign of a problem, not the first
A lot of patients come to us because they’re in pain. But even if your pain is relatively new, the root cause of it could be weeks, months or even years old. Why? Because your body is so adaptive it can take a long time before it runs out of adaptive capacity and symptoms appear. We often find that pain is also the first thing to go but does not necessarily mean the problem is resolved.
We’re not magic, your body is.
While we love it when our patients call us “miracle workers,” you should know that our methods are simply tools to allow your own body to do what it was made to do in order to express true health and wellness. Our job is to get your nervous system functioning optimally so that your body can heal and self-regulate itself without the need for drugs or surgery.
Adjustments are unique, just like you.
The beauty of chiropractic care is that we’re able to tailor and create an individual care plan just for your specific needs. This helps us target your problem areas and work on uncovering the root cause of the issue. We are very specific with our adjustments and each individual requires something different than the next to achieve our goal.
Chiropractic is great during pregnancy
Expecting mothers are always looking for ways to make the process more comfortable, natural, healthy and pain-free. Today, more pregnant women are seeking chiropractic care as a valuable way to achieve these goals. Lower back pain—one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy—can be eased through professional chiropractic care. In some cases, chiropractors may also help babies into better position for birth. The American Pregnancy Association outlines the benefits of chiropractic care for pregnant women.
Optimal results are a team effort.
If you feel great after being adjusted, that’s wonderful. But our hope for patients is that their pursuit of health doesn’t stop there. The best results seem to occur when we do our job (locate and reduce nervous system interference) and you do your job (better nutrition, proper rest and exercise, reducing stress and keeping your visits).
I highly recommend seeing a chiropractor if you haven’t already. The benefits go far beyond just pain relief. If you have any questions about how chiropractic care may benefit you, just let us know. We’ll be happy to help and answer any questions you may have.