Common questions about chiropractic.
1. What is that popping sound I hear when I get an adjustment?
The click or popping sound is gas (nitrogen and oxygen) leaving the joint space into the surrounding tissue. It may also be a tendon snapping over a bony protuberance. Both harmless.
2. Why do chiropractors tell you to come back for life?
A feasible answer to this is that chiropractic is about wellness and prevention as well as acute and trauma care. However, if your spine is in fine shape before an accident or injury, isn’t is a logical explanation your symptoms will resolve quicker. You go to the dentist twice a year, isn’t your spine more important than your teeth. It provides locomotion and protects your internal computer and all the wiring. Wouldn’t you want to know if something was wrong with your spine. Regular chiropractic treatments and periodic exams can catch injuries and prevent future injuries as well.
3. Do all chiropractors do the same thing?
There are over 300 techniques in chiropractic, as well as a dozen sub-specialties, chiropractors can also utilize nutrition, spinal decompression, exercise, physical therapy as well as perform minor surgery (OR) and even deliver babies (OR). Personal training, massage therapy, stretching, and a variety of other modalities are often used in practice as well. Finding a good chiropractor is like finding a good mechanic or good lawyer, once you find a good one, you keep them for life.
4. Is it safe to self-adjust?
It is generally safe if there is no pain with the adjustment. If you adjust with any little movement, however, this indicates a condition known as hypermobility. Strengthening and nutritional support is strongly recommended in these cases and you should resist the urge to self-adjust.
5. What are the risks of chiropractic?
If you are a smoker, have a family history of strokes, are severely obese, have a sedentary lifestyle; cervical manipulation may be contraindicated. There are a variety of other red flags, which any good chiropractor should look for before treating the spine.
If you have hardware in your spine, if a segment is fused, if you have cancer of the bone, or softening of the bone - severe osteoporosis, deep manipulation may be contra-indicated. A low force mechanical adjuster called an Activator is completely safe in these cases.
Chiropractor should alter his or her technique to include using an activator, or drop table, or Active Release Techniques. Trigger point therapy and NIMMO are also helpful in relieving pain in certain areas. Look for a chiropractor that utilizes a variety of soft tissue techniques when treating you. You may have to try your chiropractor out for a few visits and by all means tell him if this is not working out – it is so frustrating having patients drop out of care without any feedback.
6. Is there a type of patient where adjustments are contra-indicated?
Patients with blood clotting problems, on certain medications, and certain cancers should be carefully examined before manipulation is performed. The adjustment should be explained, and the patient should be educated as well as prepared for any forceful manipulation. I hate hearing stories of chiropractors that perform manipulation by surprise. The patient rarely continues care and will often drop out and never return if this happens.
