COMMON CHIROPRACTIC MISCONCEPTIONS
Pediatric - Why in the world would babies and kids need to see a chiropractor?: The amount of growth and neurological development from age 0-4 is amazing. Balanced joint motion, muscle tone, and activity allow one’s lifelong movement system to develop well. Additionally, the last major growth spurt usually occurs from age 11-14, which is a crucial time for recognizing scoliosis. Thus, prevention and early detection of spine and joint problems should be the first priority for pediatric healthcare. In general, doctors of chiropractic support patients with conservative/manual therapies, nutrition, health education, and healthy lifestyle changes. This proactive approach to healthcare is most effective in the early years.
Prenatal - Wouldn’t the adjustment hurt the baby? While a chiropractic adjustment during pregnancy has a slightly different focus than an adjustment to a non-pregnant patient, the ultimate goal is proper alignment of the mom’s body. What a miracle it is to house a baby for 40+ weeks! As the mom, you would do anything for this little babe: including taking vitamins, eating nutritious foods, and maintaining activity. The chiropractic adjustment during pregnancy, put simply, is the best way to ease excess tension, minimize strain, and ensure that your growing baby has the room to move around. We are careful to make sure mom is comfortable during the process, because when mom is at ease, baby is at ease.
Active aging - An adjustment could hurt someone with arthritis: A subluxated (misaligned) spine is much like a misaligned wheel on an automobile. This misalignment will cause the spine (and the wheel) to wear out prematurely. Since all moving parts will eventually wear down over time, it is very important to get your spine aligned regularly. Chiropractic care decreases spinal degeneration and other arthritic changes by normalizing the spinal alignment and reducing spinal stress.
Active aging - If someone already has arthritis, there’s nothing chiropractic can do: In a Canadian research study of chiropractic care for the elderly population, only 44% of the participants utilizing chiropractic care reported having arthritis pain compared to 66% of people in the non-chiropractic group. At the 3 year follow-up of the study, less than 5% of those in the chiropractic group lived in a nursing home, compared to 44% who did not use chiropractic care, and at the same 3 year follow-up, only 26% of those in the chiropractic group had been hospitalized compared to 48% in the non-chiropractic treatment group. There is no need for seniors to suffer with pain they’ve been told just comes with age. Chiropractic can help.
General - Once you start going you must keep going: When seeking care from a chiropractor, we will perform an assessment including a history and physical examination to determine the cause of the symptom. From these observations, a diagnosis will be made and the treatment plan developed in collaboration with the patient – according to their needs and goals. The treatment plan will recommend a number of initial visits to see if the patient responds to care and scheduled re-evaluations. Depending on the patient and the condition, the recommended course of care may vary. Ultimately, the decision to continue care is yours. The care plan should be part of a shared decision-making process between the patient and practitioner.
General - You need a referral to even see a chiropractor: Chiropractors are primary contact providers, which means you can access them directly, without a referral. Due to the extensive training of chiropractors as diagnosticians, chiropractors will perform a comprehensive assessment to help determine a diagnosis or clinical impressions. Depending on the outcome, the chiropractor can discuss a course of care or refer to another healthcare professional, as needed.
General - The chiropractic adjustment is painful: In general, adjustments do not hurt! Trigger points from a nearby muscle may lead to some discomfort, but many patients report an immediate relief in tension or discomfort. If you’re concerned about experiencing pain, make sure to talk with your chiropractor about various adjusting techniques which could be more comfortable for you!
