What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that your body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism.

Your body is in a constant state of change and repair doing everything from healing wounds, to fighting off bacteria to maintaining proper body temperature. Every cell the body has and every action it can perform is reliant upon the nervous system which is comprised of the brain, spinal cord and spinal nerves. Your nervous system runs your body just like a hard drive runs a computer. As long as your nervous system is able to communicate effectively with every organ, tissue, cell and part of your body your health should be great and near optimal. This is called normal!

However, if something interferes with the function of your nervous system and it is not able to communicate effectively with all the areas of the body it will begin performing abnormally, often causing pain and/or reduced function. Interference to the nervous system can come from stress, the things we eat and ingest and also the way we care for our musculoskeletal systems. The Chiropractor’s job is to determine the cause of interference and restore proper function to the nervous system. As this occurs, your body’s own recuperative abilities take over to decrease pain, improve function and help you achieve better health without drugs or surgery.

What Type of Education and Training Do Chiropractors Have?

Chiropractors are educated as primary contact health care practitioners, with an emphasis on musculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment. Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions. Before being accepted into a chiropractic college an undergraduate degree with coursework emphasis on pre-medical subjects such as biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work is required. Once accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, the requirements become even more demanding four to five academic years of professional study are the standard. Because of the hands-on nature of chiropractic and the intricate adjusting techniques, a significant portion of time is spent in clinical training. In total, the chiropractic curriculum includes a total of 4,500 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience. To become licensed chiropractic physicians, chiropractors must also pass 4 stringent national board examinations each testing an applicant’s proficiency in chiropractic and medical techniques such as radiology, examination procedures and more. To obtain state licensure chiropractors must also pursue continuing educational credits annually. The chiropractic educational process is approved by an accrediting agency that is fully recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Is Chiropractic care safe?

Yes! There are literally thousands of published scientific studies proving Chiropractic’s safety and effectiveness for both adults and children. Chiropractic is among the safest of all medical professions which is due mainly to a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs. An effective way to evaluate the safety of a branch of medicine is through its malpractice rates. While most types of medical doctors such as orthopedists, surgeons and obstetricians routinely pay annual 6 figure premiums, chiropractors pay approximately $2,000. In fact, chiropractic adjustments are safer than back surgery, muscle relaxers and even aspirin!

What is an Adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is misaligned. An adjustment adds motion to the joint, helping the bones gradually return to a more normal position and motion thus taking unnecessary pressure off of the nervous system. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is improved spinal function, improved nervous system function, and improved health. There are many ways to adjust the spine and chiropractors are experts in a variety of different techniques so that each patient is adjusted to meet their individual requirements.

What is a Vertebral Subluxation?

Your spinal column is a series of moveable bones which begin at the base of your skull and end in the center of your hips. The nerves leave the spine and form a complicated network that influences every cell, tissue, muscle and organ of your body. When misalignments occur from repetitive motions, poor posture, accidents, falls, stress, overexertion and many other factors they irritate the nerves as they leave the spinal cord and exit through small holes between adjacent vertebrae (called foramina). This irritation may cause pain (about 13% of the time) and/or a decrease in function to whatever organs or systems are supplied by those nerves (87%). Chiropractors are the only healthcare professionals trained to detect and correct vertebral subluxations.

Is Chiropractic care addictive?

There is nothing addictive about chiropractic care. Often, people come to chiropractors with spines that have been under significant stress for many years. It is possible to get used to feeling more balanced, less stressed and more energetic as a result of periodic chiropractic care but there should be no worry of becoming addicted.

Can I go only once? What will happen if I stop going?

Once is better than never, however in most instances it may take multiple visits to properly stabilize the spine and achieve your desired goals. If you decide to stop having chiropractic care spinal and nerve stress will continue to build up and affect your health as it did prior to beginning care but will no longer be reduced or eliminated. If this stress is not relieved by your body then eventually overall health will suffer.

Do Chiropractors believe in medicine and surgery?

Of course they do. There are times when intervention in the form of medicine or surgery is absolutely necessary and should be pursued. However, because all medicines and surgeries come with inherent risks and side effects these avenues should be explored only after all the natural, conservative options have been exhausted.

What to Expect on the First Visit

We get great results at Southport Chiropractic Office and 1 of the primary reasons is the emphasis we place on the first visit and the thorough approach we take. The purpose of your first office visit is to gather the data necessary to improve your health, a process that involves several steps.

The first part is a complete health history during which the doctor will ask you specific questions pertaining to your current and past health. To help you we need to gain insight into how you are feeling, what your goals are and how you care for your body.

After the history the doctor will perform postural and structural testing, balance and motion analysis and general orthopedic and neurological testing. Next we utilize state of the art, non-invasive computerized diagnostic testing known as surface electromyography to test the integrity of your nervous system and uncover any areas of dysfunction. Finally, x-rays of the spine will be taken if necessary to evaluate the position and integrity of your spine.

Once this process is completed a thorough analysis of all the data must be made by our doctors in order to determine your condition, if chiropractic care would be beneficial to you and if so what treatment plan would be appropriate to achieve your desired goals.

On your 2nd visit all of this information will be presented to you in a complete report of findings so that you understand what is going on with your body, how chiropractic care can help, and different options for your care. We encourage all of our patients to bring a spouse, friend or loved one with them to this appointment to ensure that all questions are answered and that you feel 100% comfortable in your decision to begin chiropractic care. Only after this process is complete is it appropriate to begin your chiropractic care program.