Intro to Chiropractic
If you have never been to a chiropractor you may not know what to expect. What do treatments consist of? Will it hurt? When can I expect to feel relief? How long will it take to get well?
Chiropractors use normal examination procedures to diagnosis conditions. If indicated they also have available x-rays, MRI, laboratory work and if needed, consultation with other health professionals. Chiropractors pay particular attention to posture, the muscular system, and the spine. The spine consists of twenty four vertebrae. The skull sits on top of the spine and the spine sits on top of the pelvis. Spinal nerves from the brain exit the spine from between each pair of vertebrae. These nerves go directly or indirectly to all the other cells, tissues and organs of the body.
Poor posture, awkward positions such as sitting at a computer at work, accidents, stress and tension, toxins in the environment and slips and falls, among many other causes, can result in muscle strains and abnormal motion of one or more vertebrae. This can cause a local kink or pain, or it may irritate the spinal nerve causing a problem else where in the body. Chiropractors do not use drugs to mask the problem. They look for the root cause of the condition. The treatments do not hurt. As part of a healthy life style we may make recommendations for exercise, or nutritional or other lifestyle modifications.
A chiropractor should be consulted first. Drugs and surgery should be a last resort, due to the seriousness of their potential side effects.
If the pain goes away with chiropractic you know it's because the problem was corrected, not merely covered up by pain killing medication. Many patients feel some relief on their first office visit.
Sometimes a condition has been present for so long that the person doesn't remember what is supposed to be normal. Patients have made statements like "You mean everybody doesn't wake up with a headache?" or "I can't believe how much I can turn my head now. I thought what I had was normal".
If you have any questions we would be happy to answer them. We can be reached at 718-967-2225.