Even with clear warnings in the media and sun screening
products, 6,000 people will die this year from skin cancer. Chiropractic care
is much safer than getting a so-called "healthy" tan.
Many people take aspirin, ibuprofen, muscle relaxers, and other pain relief
drugs. Besides covering up the symptoms and ignoring the underlying causes,
4,000 people will die this year from reactions to medically-prescribed drugs.
Chiropractic care is much safer than drug therapy.
Chiropractic is also safer than being caught in a thunderstorm.
You are more likely to get hit by lightning than to have a negative reaction to
a chiropractic adjustment.
In fact, of the millions of patients who will benefit from chiropractic care
this year, only a handful will have a newsworthy experience.
Is chiropractic care safe? Yes! Especially when
compared with other forms of treatment.
Whats Wrong With
Me?
Nerve tissue is so important, it is protected by bone. The
brain is encased by the skull, and the spinal cord is covered by 24-moving
bones of the spinal column.
Many everyday things can cause these bones to lose their normal motion or
position. This sets off a chain reaction affecting the spinal bones, nerves,
muscles, soft tissues, and results in degenerative changes throughout the body.
Doctors refer to this as the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Besides describing how the spine can affect your overall health, the Vertebral
Subluxation Complex explains why it takes time to restore optimum health. The
Vertebral Subluxation Complex is the underlying cause of many health problems
and is recognized by its five component parts
Spinal Decay
Spinal
decay is a degenerative process that worsens with time. If left untreated, it
quietly progresses, without obvious symptoms.
It
starts with some form of uncorrected spinal trauma. Car accident, slip and
fall, even the birth process may be responsible. This results in a loss of
proper spinal curve or a reduced ability to turn and bend. Other areas of the
spine overcompensate, starting a chain reaction of health problems.
The
body responds to the imobile area by despositing calcium to the affected areas,
including ligaments and connective tissues. The calcium deposits are the second
stage of decay. It's the body's attempt to stabilize the malfunctioning joint.
Other obvious symptoms are often absent at this stage.
The
problem is allowed to worsen because many are unaware of the serious damage
that is happening.
In
the third phase of decay, the integrity of the spine is permanently
compromised. Neurological damage associated with this condition contributes to
some of the chronic health problems seen in the elderly.
The
purpose of chiropractic care is to locate areas of the spine that are not
working right. By applying specific adjustments, function and structure are
improved. This simple methods has helped many avoid the crippling effects of
this disease.
Adjustments
When
the 24 bones that protect the spinal cord lose their normal position or motion,
delicate nerve tissue can become choked or irritated. If a thorough examination
reveals malfunctioning areas of the spine, chiropractic adjustments are
recommended to help correct this condition.
A chiropractic adjustment is the use of a specific force in a precise direction,
applied to a joint that is fixated, "locked up", or not moving
properly. Adjustments help return the bones to a more normal position or
motion, relieving pain and ill health.
There are hundreds of ways to adjust the spine.
Phases Of Care
Most patients start with initial intensive care. The first
thing most new patients want is to feel better. So, in the beginning, visits
are usually frequent. Your chiropractic adjustments may be combined with other
procedures to help relieve your symptoms. Depending upon your age, condition,
and lifestyle, repeated visits over weeks or months may be needed to reduce
your symptoms.
With your ache or pain reduced, the goal of Rehabilitative Care is for more
complete healing to occur. Underlying muscle and soft tissue damage can remain,
even after you feel better. At this stage, visit frequency is often reduced.
You may be urged to supplement your care with exercises, dietary changes, or
other self-care procedures. Without complete healing, discontinuing care now
can set the stage for a relapse.
After the recovery of your original problem, regular chiropractic
"checkups" can help preserve your progress. Periodic visits can help
catch little problems before they become major concerns. Wellness-minded adults
and their children choose this type of care to look and feel their best. Like
other preventive measures, a chiropractic lifestyle can save time and money by
helping you stay well.
Because of its focus on the nervous system, chiropractic care
can be an important part of a wellness lifestyle. The nervous system controls
the function of virtually every aspect of our lives. So, maintaining a properly
functioning nervous system is essential if you want to be your very best.
Few things as complicated as your body can be "fixed" and then
ignored. That's why your chiropractic doctor will recommend a schedule of
regular chiropractic checkups. Like maintaining your teeth, your car, your
family, or your faith, maintaining the integrity of your nervous system requires
an ongoing investment.
Those who want the very best, add regular chiropractic care to their other
health practices. The pleasant result is often more vitality, endurance, and
the capacity to enjoy life to its fullest.
Beyond merely feeling better or preventing health problems, we want to fully
enjoy life by being at our very best mentally, physically, and socially. True
health is only possible with an optimally functioning nervous system.
Education
Chiropractic doctors take a natural approach to health. Their
education places special emphasis on anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology,
biomechanics, X-ray, spinal adjusting techniques, and related subjects. This
demanding curriculum prepares chiropractic doctors to locate and help correct
nervous system dysfunction that can cause disease and ill health.
Before graduation, there is a closely supervised internship at the chiropractic
college clinic. This gives doctors valuable hands-on experience with actual
patients.
Before beginning practice, your doctor passed rigorous National
Board Examinations. Then he or she applied to the licensing board and passed an
even more difficult test, before being granted the privilege to practice.
