3.) How does chiropractic work?
4.) What is a chiropractic adjustment? Is it safe?
5.) How long until I feel better?
6.) How long will I need Chiropractic care?
7.) What results can I expect from treatment?
8.) Will adjustments make my spine too loose?
9.) Is it bad to crack your neck or back alot?
10.) Am I too old for Chiropractic care?
11.) Do babies and children need Chiropractic care?
12.) Can I have Chiropractic care after back surgery?
13.) Can patients with osteoporosis have Chiropractic care?
14.)Can I speed the healing process?
What is Chiropractic?
The Science
Chiropractic
is based on the scientific fact that the nervous system, mainly your
brain and spinal cord, controls the function of every cell, tissue,
organ and system of your body. Your body is self-regulating and
self-healing. Your brain sends information to other parts of your body
by the nervous system through the nerves which start at your spinal cord
inside the spinal vertebrae/bones of your skeleton. These nerves link
all of your muscles, tissues and organs together in a communication
system but the disruption of this communication pathway causes a
malfunction to the tissues and organs which we referred to as VSC or
Vertebral Subluxation Complex. Chiropractic is the science of finding
these areas of spinal malfunction, the art of correcting them and the
philosopy of all thing natural as we have been created.
The Art
Chiropractors master the adjusting "art" of Chiropractic which includes a comprehensive evaluation, a review of health history, clear diagnosis and a recommended specific treatment plan customized for each patient. This includes specific spinal adjustments. An adjustment describes many hundreds of ways and techniques of a directed and controlled pressure to a joint to restore spinal segments to a more normal position allowing the nervous system to be restored to its properly functioning state. Chiropractic is truly an art.
The Philosophy
Chiropractic philosophy recognizes that the power that created the body can heal the body - as long as there is no interference/irritation to the nervous system. Dr. Ota does not heal you; she is a co-facilitator with you for your body to be put in the correct environment to heal itself. The main purpose of the chiropractor is to reduce interference to your inborn, innate healing ability.
In
the Chiropractic world, drugs and surgeries are not utilized as a form
of treating a patient. While supplementation and nutrition are almost
always a part of the bigger picture, drugs and prescriptions can be
viewed as a band-aid in treating symptoms rather than going to the
source and treating the real problem.
When a vertebra becomes misaligned or moves out of its normal position, this is referred to in the Chiropractic profession as a subluxation.
Subluxations can be caused by a wide range of issues ranging from a
minor slip or bump to a car accident or any sudden trauma.
When vertebrae shifts out of alignment, it may put damaging pressure
onto the spinal nerves causing an interruption to the vital nerve flow
within your body. This pressure comes with a price. The subluxation
interrupts the natural pathways that the messages sent from the brain
need to be clear in order to be completed properly.
As time goes
by and a subluxation remains untreated, the spine and surrounding
features such as discs can begin to degenerate. This degeneration
becomes more difficult to reverse as time goes by as the surrounding
muscles, nerves and bones begin to adjust to the new shape. The body is
an amazing machine. It will start to accommodate these changes by
compensating in other areas. The longer this goes on, the more difficult
it is and the longer it takes to restore full function. Ultimately,
surrounding areas of the spinal column will work harder in order to
compensate for the area that is out of balance. This interferes with
your body's innate healing ability and lowers your resistance thus an
increase of health challenges.
Our purpose is to correct subluxations to greatly improve the body's ability to regain optimal health. It's common to see whole families choosing Chiropractic because no one is ever too young or too old to obtain a healthy nervous system for life.
Chiropractic works by removing imbalances both structural and postural, keeping your spine properly aligned and moving thereby ensuring proper function of your nervous system which is located inside and inbetween the spinal vertebrae/bones. The nervous system is a vast network of nerves that send signals from your brain, down your spinal cord to all the other networks of nerves throughout the body that make your body work in full function. These networks of nerves must be allowed to flow freely without any interruption/irritation to the nerve otherwise when your spine alignment is misaligned due to physical trauma, chemical toxins or emotional stress, the nerves exiting your spine become irritated and compromised thus promoting a spinal degeneration process. Chiropractors have the ability and skill to remove these interruptions/irritations or misalignments, also known as subluxations and allow the body to perform as it was meant to, healthy and well without pain or dysfunction.
If you've ever been in a car accident, played a sport, fell down or just bumped into something too hard, it's very possible that you are not functioning at your best due to a misalignment/subluxation. While there are many potential mechanical or structural causes for a misalignment/subluxation, there are also chemical reasons. For instance, if you smoke or drink excessively or even just have a poor diet, the chemical issues in your body can eventually cause underlying conditions and disease to appear.
Our approach to better health by helping patients maintain a healthy spine through Chiropractic care, educating patients about proper spinal care, nutrition and exercise. The more our patients focus on these aspects of health, the better they feel and the closer they are to their natural state of well-being. Since the primary focus of your care is an improved nervous system function, Chiropractic can have a positive effect on many health conditions not normally thought of as "back" problems.
What is a chiropractic adjustment? Is it safe?
An adjustment is the main method of treatment used by Dr. Ota. It is pressure from Dr. Ota utilizing her hands or an adjusting instrument which is applied specifically and controlled to your spine to restore the proper motion and position of your vertebrae. It is a precise procedure which happens with a quick movement that may or may not produce a noise that sounds like you're cracking your knuckles, referred to as joint cavitation. Joint cavitation is the release of gases such as oxygen and nitrogen from the joint that make the noise. Dr. Ota has learned and perfected the art of adjusting over years of training at her Chiropractic College and in clinical practice.
Every health procedure, from taking aspirin to giving blood, involves a level of risk. Chiropractic adjustments are among the safest of all health care interventions because they are non-surgical, drug-free and present an extremely low risk. By affecting the nervous system through adusting the spine, the whole body heals. The power that made the body heals the body and the best part of it all is that no drugs or surgery were involved.
So yes, Chiropractic adjustments are safe. A New Zealand government study found that Chiropractic care, adjustments are "remarkably safe". Chiropractic has an excellent safety record that is the result of a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs.
Some patients experience almost instant relief. Others discover it can take many weeks or months. Many factors can affect the healing process. How long have you had your problem? Are you keeping your Chiropractic appointments? Are you getting the proper rest, exercise and nutrition? Do you smoke? Within a short period of time, most patients sense enough progress to fully carry out Dr. Ota's recommendatons.
How long will I need Chiropractic care?
After patients get the relief they want, many choose to continue with some type of periodic care dependent upon their lifestyle. These patients show up for their visits ready to reset their spine and nervous system optimally for the stresses and traumas it take on a daily basis. These visits help support the final stages of healing and help detect and resolve new problems before they become serious. Our job is to offer the very best care and your job is to decide how much of it you want.
What results can I expect from treatment?
Chiropractic
is based on the idea of removing imbalances both structural and
postural in an effort to allow our body to heal itself. For this to
happen the network of nerves and signals from your brain, down your
spinal cord to the network of nerves to the rest of your body must be
allowed to flow freely without any interruption. Chiropractors have the
ability and skill to remove these interruptions or misalignments and
allow the body to perform as it was meant to.
If you've ever
been in a car accident, played a sport, fell down or just bumped into
something too hard, it's very possible that you are not functioning at
your best due to a misalignment/subluxation. While there are many
potential mechanical or structural causes for misalignment, there are
also chemical reasons. For instance, if you smoke or drink excessively
or even just have a poor diet, the chemical issues in your body can
eventually cause underlying conditions and disease to appear.
Dr.
Ota works to get you back on track through your structure, musculature
and nutrition to bring your body back to the proper state it should be
in to perform at its peak.
Will adjustments make my spine too loose?
No, Only the spinal joints that are "locked up" receive adjustments. This allows weakened muscles and ligaments to stabilize and heal.
Is it bad to crack your neck or back alot?
This is a common question to chiropractors because people think that the popping and cracking of the neck or back is an adjustment but it is NOT! The popping and cracking are simply gas released from between the joints due to a fixation or locked up the region creating spinal tension. If you pop or crack you neck or back, you will relieve some tension for a little while but sometimes you can further jam the fixation. As well, the relief will be short lived because the spinal tension has NOT been corrected. As spinal tension continues to build, spinal imbalances will progress and spinal stress with degeneration will ultimately be the concurring problem.
Am I too old for Chiropractic care?
Never. More and more people are consulting chiorpractic doctors, especially in their later years. With growing concerns about over-medication and the side effects of combining various prescription drugs, safe, natural Chiropractic care is growing in popularity. Restoring better spinal function can help improve mobility, vitality, endurance and appetite. Many patients report improvement with arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the aging process. The adjusting technique used by Dr. Ota will be modified for maximum comfort and results. As we get older and wiser, the simplicity and effectiveness of Chiropractic care becomes more and more obvious.
Do babies and children need Chiropractic care?
Yes! Since significant trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked for the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. As they grow, learning to walk, ride a bicycle and other activities can cause spinal problems. While a bandage and some comforting words can help a skinned knee, the unseen damage to a child's spine is the unique domain for a Chiropractic doctor. Many childhood health complaints brushed off as "growing pains" can be traced to the spine. Regular Chiropractic checkups can identify these problems and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults. Realize that a child with back pain unaddressed becomes an adult with back pain. Naturally, Chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to a child's spine. Most parents report that their children enjoy their Chiropractic adjustments and seem healthier than other children.
Can I have Chiropractic care after back surgery?
Yes. Rest assured that we will avoid adjusting the surgically modified areas of your spine. Surgery often causes instability above or below the involved level. This area, above and below the involved level will be the focus of your Chiropractic care.
Can patients with osteoporosis have Chiropractic care?
Yes. With each patient, we review all the unique circumstance of the patient when developing their care plan. There are many ways to adjust the spine and we select the best suited approach for care keeping in mind the patient's age, size and condition.
Can I speed the healing process?
While there aren't any shortcuts to speed your body's natural healing process, there's a lot you can do to give yourself the best chance for a quick recovery. Learn proper sitting and lifting methods. Specific exercises may be suggested to help retrain the muscles that support your spine. Proper rest is an important aspect of the healing process, too. Get the appropriate amount of rest and avoid sleeping on your stomach. During the healing process, proper nutrition is more important than ever. Make sure you eat balanced meals and if you're a few pounds overweight, now would be a good time to slim down and reduce unnecessary stresses to your spine. Lastly, keep your scheduled appointments and follow Dr. Ota's recommendations for optimum results.