If you’re considering trying chiropractic care for the first time, you may have a lot of questions.
Questions like:
Can it help my chronic back pain?
Is chiropractic care safe?
Do you need to go multiple times?
Is it covered by insurance?
The answers are yes, yes, yes, probably.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, roughly 30 million Americans suffer with back pain every year. For some people, these are chronic conditions that cause you to miss work and seek all kinds of pain relief including chiropractic care. For others, it’s an occasional thing and you feel better with a chiropractic adjustment.
Is Chiropractic Safe?
In a word, yes.
A) Chiropractic care dates to 1895
B) Chiropractors attend four years of additional schooling after completing a pre-med program
C) It’s not habit-forming like opioids
Spinal manipulation, aka chiropractic care is considered a conservative approach to pain management and is recommended by traditional physicians.
In fact, you may not know that chiropractors attend a four-year rigorous training program after completing a full load of pre-med classes as an undergraduate. Then, they usually spend a year in a clinic working with patients like a residency program.
Chiropractic Care is a Gentle Approach to Pain Management
Your first visit includes a medical assessment and at our office, an x-ray. These offer a guide for your treatment plan which may include electrical stimulation (TENS), spinal decompression therapy, and/or traditional spinal manipulation.
Everyone receives an individual treatment plan.
Typically, the chiropractic adjustment involves you laying on the chiropractic table and we use a combination of body weight and quick movements to release pressure in your joints.
Many people experience immediate relief, though not all. In many cases, we’ll recommend 2-3 visits/week for a week or two to “jumpstart” the movement in your body. We may also make recommendations on diet/exercise/ergonomic tools to relieve pain. For example, resistance bands are an effective way to build strength.
For example, sitting slumped in front of the computer for hours a day will contribute to back and neck pain. So, if you raise your screen to eye level and get a chair that supports your back, you may have less pain. Taking these additional steps can go a long way toward reducing back, shoulder, and neck pain caused by poor posture.
Of course, there are dozens of reasons why you may have physical pain so you’ll want to come in for an assessment. Another common question is if we accept insurance. I can’t speak for all chiropractors but here at McQuaite Chiropractic in Doylestown, we accept most of them. Chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to treat pain.
Remember the old song about the ankle bone being connected to the leg bone?
That’s a perfect example of how the body is connected. One bone leads to another, the nervous system carries blood and oxygen through the body and if you’re in pain, a back adjustment may help. The reason is that a back adjustment, also called spinal manipulation, helps your entire body move better.
Let’s face it, years of sitting and standing take their toll on your body. Habits like bad posture, carrying heavy items, and repetitive actions like spending hours at the computer can cause parts of your body to throb in pain. Sound familiar?
If you visit a chiropractor, they’ll check your posture and leg length. After all, it’s not uncommon to find that your legs are slightly uneven which means your hips are also uneven. This unevenness is slight. It’s not visible to the naked eye, but it does affect your posture, bone structure, and can lead to pain. A back adjustment can help re-align your body and alleviate pain.
According to Harvard Medical School, “Chiropractic is a system of therapy focused on the structure of the body, particularly the spine. Chiropractors manipulate the body’s alignment to relieve pain and improve function and to help the body heal itself.”
Aah…natural pain relief and improved range of movement. Doesn’t that sound like a good thing? Chiropractors Aren’t Just For Back Pain
Imagine you spend hours hunched over a computer. At the end of the day, you probably feel tightness and stiffness in your shoulders, upper back, and neck. You might even feel some throbbing pain in your dominant hand and wrist. These are classic symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome that yes, can be helped by a back adjustment. Why? Because adjusting your spine re-aligns your entire body. Then, if you have a good ergonomic setup, you’ll feel better.
With chiropractic care, you can also find natural pain relief from sciatica, scoliosis, and even things like knee and ankle pain.
How Back Adjustments Work
Some people think of chiropractors as “bone crackers” and feel anxious about succumbing to such a technique. In reality, there are multiple ways you can experience a back adjustment. For example, your chiropractor can adjust the table (and you.) They can also use handheld devices designed for back adjustments.
If you feel anxious or concerned, just let us know and we’ll talk you through it. If needed we’ll use a different technique. About that “bone cracking” concept, it’s actually not cracking at all but rather the sound of nitrogen gas escaping between your joints when pressure is put on them for an adjustment. It’s safe. Plus, many people feel immediate relief.
Another benefit of including back adjustments in your healthcare plan is that it’s a natural pain relief technique. Chiropractic care helps your body heal itself. There are no pills, injections, or surgery required. If you’re in Doylestown, Pa and you’d like to speak with a chiropractor about the possibility of a back adjustment and how it can relieve your pain, please call us for a free consultation.
You’re probably familiar with the concept of chiropractors.
Most people associate them with “cracking backs” for pain relief and while there is a kernel of truth to this idea, there’s a lot more to it. In fact, you might be surprised at what that so-called “cracking” actually is!
(Hint: it’s not bones cracking.)
But first, what IS a chiropractic treatment?
It’s an all-natural approach to pain relief and suitable for all ages. While some use the term “chiropractic medicine,” chiropractors tend to refer to their practice as “treatments” or as a type of therapy like massage or physical therapy.
Where Does the Term “Chiropractor” Come From?
Like many words in the English language, Greece is the source of this one.
As Medical News Today tells us, The word chiropractic comes from the Greek words cheir (hands) and praxis (practice). As the name suggests, it is a hands-on therapy.
Chiropractic manipulation is the application of pressure to a person’s spine or other parts of their body by a qualified chiropractic doctor or chiropractor. This pressure allows a chiropractor to adjust and correct alignment.”
If you’ve ever been to a chiropractor, you know they use spinal manipulation adjustment your spine (and maybe your wrist or shoulder!) But you may still wonder if it falls into the category of medicine and the answer is…
Is it Medicine?
Yes. Although it’s considered complementary, or natural “medicine.” Chiropractors are doctors – they attend medical school and have licenses – but they can’t issue prescriptions or perform surgery.
Instead, chiropractors focus on your symptoms and seek to help your body heal itself through natural means. A typical treatment includes a few questions about how you’re feeling and a series of “adjustments.” That “cracking” or “popping” sound that many people associate with chiropractors? That’s actually trapped air being released from your joints and it’s nothing to worry about.
Chiropractic treatments are definitely a form of healthcare and are proof that medicine doesn’t have to come from a pill. Most chiropractors will also recommend other therapies such as heat/cold therapy, electrical stimulation, massage, and maybe even dietary supplements in addition to chiropractic treatments.
Your chiropractor will work with you to create a customized treatment plan.
The purpose of chiropractic care is to help people find pain relief through re-aligning their bodies, and it’s not uncommon to feel immediate relief. One of my favorite stories is about a patient who’d wrenched his back and hobbled into the office. 20 minutes later, he was standing up straight and no longer in pain.
However, chiropractic care does work best over time rather than a one-time scenario. Most patients come on a regular basis and they feel the benefits of ongoing care. I have patients who come a few times a week to a once or twice a month. It all depends on your symptoms and health goals.
Chiropractic medicine goes far beyond back pain relief, it’s also beneficial for chronic headaches, carpal tunnel, and even boosts your immune system! If you’re in the Doylestown, PA area, please stop in for your free consultation.
Chiropractors do far more than just “crack” backs so if you’re looking for a cheap chiropractor in houston, rest assured that you will be able to feel the difference. They can help you manage pain of all kinds from relieving chronic headaches to carpal tunnel and even asthma!
It might sound a little crazy but chiropractic care takes a holistic approach to your health. That means everything is considered and the goal is to get (and keep) your body in alignment. There is a growing demand for more holistic approaches to treating pain. CBD Balm and chiropractor services are the most popular methods. CBD balms can be applied to certain areas that are causing pain and may be inflamed, and they can be used until you can get an appointment with a chiropractor. You can also find that sometimes you might be a little sore after your first chiropractic session so using the balms after sessions can help you recover a little quicker.
Rather than saying, “Oh, you have a hurt shoulder?” and offering pills or a surgical approach, your chiropractor will actually re align the shoulder with the rest of your body. That relieves the pain.
Here’s the science behind it.
Depending on your habits like how you stand, sleep or walk, your body gets used to certain things and makes adjustments as needed.
For example, if you spend long hours at the computer and your monitor is too high, you can get a neck cramp. It’s like sitting in the front row at the movie theatre. Your muscles will find a new way to arrange themselves to accommodate your desk posture and you’ll realize you’re having a chronic neck pain.
Pain Management and Your Chiropractor
Your chiropractor will put your neck back in alignment with the rest of your spine which will relieve your neck pain. Of course, if you leave your computer monitor where it is, you won’t have fixed the problem. Maybe you don’t even know that’s the source of your problem!
If you’re not familiar with the specifics of an ergonomic workspace, take a look at this article on setting up an ergonomic desk.
And, if you’re like a lot of people, you’ve let it go months or years so you may find your pain management works best with a combination of chiropractic care and massage therapy. The massage therapy helps stretch the muscles and keep the newly realigned bones in place.
The good news is for many chronic and acute injuries, pain management can be handled with safe chiropractic care and you can avoid surgery.
If you’re in the Doylestown, Pa area, Dr. Jeff McQuaite offers a full range of x-rays to new patients as part of their new patient consultation. Isn’t it time for you to feel better?
Dr. Jeff McQuaite
McQuaite Chiropractic
295 Logan Street
Doylestown, Pa. 18901
267-247-7000
Office Hours
Mon: 8:30 am – 12pm,
2:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Tues: 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Weds: 8:30 am – 12pm, 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Thurs: 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Fri: 8:30 am – 12 pm
Sat: 8:00 am – 10 am
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