|
|
 So how do I know if I am a candidate for chiropractic care? Well, for many people chiropractic has become a way of life. They have integrated their chiropractic care into their regular health regimen. Which allows them to live fuller happier lives. It has become as much of a habit for them as brushing their teeth. We all know the health benefits of brushing our teeth. We know that regular brushing helps maintain strong teeth, we know that it prevents cavities and gum disease, and we are less likely to have to use dentures when we get older. Well, chiropractic does that plus so much more for our spines. Not only does it help maintain a strong healthy back and help prevent degeneration of the vertebra, it also helps keeps pressure off our nervous system. And by doing so it allows the brain to communicate freely to all parts of the body. This allows the body to function at its best throughout life. I can understand the need for regular brushing of my teeth. Obviously food stuff and plaque build up is going to do damage if we don't brush and floss. But why would I need regular chiropractic care for my spine? It really comes down to the stress our bodies encounter on a daily basis and throughout life. Research has shown that gravity alone is enough reason for any of us to get regular chiropractic adjustments. Gravity is always pulling us downward over a lifetime. Many of us live with habitual strain on the musculature of the neck and back due to a poor head forward posture that has built up over the years. And we have all seen the older individuals so hunched over that they can't straighten up. That is the effect of gravity  over a lifetime. This not only reduces our quantity of life but also the quality of life. If you look at the x-ray of individuals with chronic head forward postures it shows the discs have decreased in size and bone spurs have developed. This can lead to the bones fusing and losing complete mobility of that area. Many times those that become bedridden became so because of this degenerative process that occurs due to poor posture and misaligned spinal bones. All of this could have been prevented by properly maintaining their spines before it became too late. But everyone is going to degenerate over a lifetime. Why should we worry about it? Can you really do anything for it? Yes, it is true that we will all degenerate over a lifetime but at what rate will we degenerate? Even things as simple as standing, sleeping, and walking take there toll on our spine and nervous system. The postural positions that we have to be in all day long, from sitting at a desk or standing on our feet will affect the spine. What the research has shown is the degenerative effects of these positions and activities can be counterbalanced through proper alignment of the vertebra from chiropractic adjustments. Research has shown as  we go throughout life our vertebral bones shift out of place. When they become misaligned they start to wear away abnormally. The discs between the bones start to decrease in size. Bone spurs start to develop. The ligaments and tendons are reshaped and start to calcify becoming stiff and hardened. And these misaligned vertebra pinch on nerves and disrupt the normal flow of energy to those parts of the body which lowers the state of health of that area. But with the chiropractic adjustment and putting the vertebra back to where they are suppossed to be we can slow that degenerative process and prevent those things from happening. What about those that have had more serious impacts?  So we have talked about gravity, sitting, standing, sleeping, and walking. But what about the bigger impacts that can occur? Such as slips and falls, everything from falling off a ladder or down the stairs, falling off the monkey bars or out of a tree as a youngster. And then those that have been in car accidents, which research has shown can  start a slow degenerative process in the spine with an impact as slow as 5 mph. And then we have all of our recreational activities such as water and snow skiing, snow boarding, mountain biking, roller-blading, horse-back riding, and all the other various sports activities that stresses our bodies. The bigger the  impacts the greater the misalignments that occur and the quicker the spine and nervous system degenerates. Again, all of this can be counteracted by properly maintaining our spine and nervous system. It is okay to participate in all of these activities that we enjoy as long as we are making sure we are getting the bones back to where they are suppossed to be afterwards. Chiropractic is about getting the most out of life, not about limiting the things we can do or enjoy. Shouldn't I go see a medical doctor before deciding to see a  chiropractor? Actually, you should see a chiropractor before seeing a medical provider. Typically in the past patients with musculoskeletal complaints have been trying chiropractic as a last resort. They have gone to their medical doctor which have treated them with either drugs, therapy, or surgery. All of which have been shown by research to be less effective than the chiropractic adjustment for musculoskeletal complaints.  Drugs only mask the symptoms, they do not correct the underlying problems. Another thing we need to be concerned about with drugs are the adverse reactions. Over 140,000 people die per year from taking their prescription drugs properly, not to mention the 2 million that are hospitilized from these adverse drug reactions. Therapeutic modalities used in rehab facilities such as electrical stimulation, hot or ice packs, ultrasound, etc... can also alleviate the symptoms in a more natural way than drugs but the symptoms often times come back time and time again, again from the underlying problems not being corrected. Surgery has been shown in many cases to cause more problems following the surgery compared to what the individual actually received the surgery for. There is a new condition called failed back surgery syndrome. It is an actual diagnosis for people that have gone through surgery and end up having the same pain or increased pain following the operation.  There are 98,000 people that die from medical mistakes and another 90,000 that die from infections they caught while in the hospital each year. Between the deaths caused by adverse drug reactions, medical mistakes, and hospital-acquired infections, the medical field is now the third leading cause of death in America. All of these deaths are people that went to their doctor hoping to improve their health and quality of life and end up dying instead. These are people that would not have died if they wouldn't have taken that drug, or gone to that hospital, or under that knife. Many times after spending hundreds to thousands of dollars and many hours at doctors offices going through the medical route people finally come in and give chiropractic a chance. If they would have just come to the chiropractor first they could have saved themselves all that time and money. |
|