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1- What is a subluxation?
Your spinal cord is protected by 24 movable bones called vertebrae. Sometimes these bones lose their normal position or motion, causing a subluxation.
Subluxations can irritate the nerves that branch off from the spinal cord and run between the vertebrae. These nerves deliver your brain’s messages to the rest of your body. This irritation can cause pain and keep your body from functioning at its optimal level.
An examination can detect subluxations and chiropractic adjustments can help correct them.
2- What causes a subluxation?
Subluxations can be caused by many different factors, including:
1. Falling
2. Injury
3. Sudden jarring
4. Trauma
5. Inherited spinal weakness
6. Improper sleeping position
7. Poor posture
8. Occupational hazards
9. Incorrect lifting practices
10. Obesity
11. Lack of rest and exercise
12. Stress
3- How is a subluxation corrected?
Chiropractors are experts in caring for bones, nerves, muscles and tissues. They are specially trained to restore vertebrae to their proper position, using a procedure known as a “chiropractic adjustment.”
During an adjustment, the chiropractor will usually use his or her hands to apply gentle force to the subluxation. In some cases, the chiropractor will use an instrument to adjust the spine.
Adjustments return your bones to a more normal position and, afterward, you should feel pain relief and improved mobility.
4- What is an adjustment and does the adjustment hurt?
Adjustments are performed to the spine to help correct out of position or stuck spinal bones (subluxations). Subluxations occur most commonly in areas that have disc bulging or herniation, disc degeneration, arthritis, and muscle spasm or tightness. The physician will gently apply force to the area affected, usually resulting in a decrease in pain and pressure immediately.
In most cases, adjustments are painless. However, some patients may experience mild discomfort – especially if they have been recently injured. Afterward, most patients feel immediate pain relief and improved mobility.
5- How will the adjustment help me?
Adjustments keep your vertebrae in place, restoring proper motion and flow of information from your brain to the rest of your body. Adjustments can also eliminate symptoms such as pain, numbness, or burning, stabbing or electrical sensations. In short, adjustments keep your body operating at its optimal level.
6- Does an adjustment have to make noise to work?
Sometimes there’s a “crack” or a “pop” when your vertebrae are adjusted. This occurs when the smooth joint surfaces become separated, creating a small vacuum. When the vacuum is released, it makes a noise – like when you crack your knuckles.
However, the noise is not necessary for a proper adjustment. Your chiropractor is concerned with the position and movement of your vertebrae – not with the noise that may occur.
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7- Is regular chiropractic care necessary?
Your spine is under constant strain. Most people don’t believe that they have a spine problem until the pain finally occurs. In many cases, by this time the problem has existed for many years, but the pain has not. Improper lifting, poor posture, accidents, falls, bumps and sleeping positions can all contribute to spinal problems. Because of this, regular chiropractic care may be necessary to correct subluxations and maintain the health of your spine – and your entire body.
8- How old should a person be before beginning chiropractic care?
Chiropractic patients can be young or old. Regardless of your age, your vertebrae can become misaligned. If left uncorrected, these subluxations can lead to spinal deformity. An early chiropractic check-up can detect many spinal problems while they are still correctable. And chiropractic care throughout life will promote an overall healthy lifestyle.
9- Should I go to a chiropractor even if I feel fine?
Did you know that a tooth cavity usually doesn’t hurt until you’ve had it for two years?
Unfortunately, most people judge their health based on symptoms. However, symptoms are usually the last way your body tells you something is wrong. That’s why preventative care and regular check-ups are the best way to care for your body.
At Better Health Pain and Wellness Centers, we focus on treating your condition – not just your symptoms. While reducing your symptoms is a priority, we need to correct the underlying problem to keep it from returning in the future. While this approach sometimes takes more time and effort – it is always worth it in the long run.
10- Why would I need more than one or two visits?
The muscles that support your spine are incredibly adaptive. They can easily get used to supporting your spine incorrectly. In fact, you can live without symptoms for years – until something happens that your muscles can no longer handle. This is when you finally start experiencing symptoms. Worn out discs and arthritis can sometimes take several months or even years to regain some or all of the lost mobility.
Since the problem has taken a long time to develop, it makes sense that correcting the problem will take time as well. Long-standing spinal conditions can be difficult to correct, and may require months of regular chiropractic care. However, the benefit is long-term relief from your symptoms and a truly healthy body.
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