What type of education do Doctors of Chiropractic receive?

Chiropractors must receive a minimum of 6-7 years of college education. The basic science and clinical coursework includes anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, physical and laboratory diagnostics, radiology, physiology, pathology, nutrition, biomechanics, and spinal manipulation techniques. Chiropractic education is similar to medical education except the focus is on the diagnosis and treatment of muscular-skeletal and nervous system disorders rather than drugs or surgery.

The primary focus of the chiropractic education is to teach the student how to recognize and effectively treat a wide variety of soft tissue disorders in order to reduce pain and discomfort, allow for effective and proper healing, restore normal body biomechanics and improve overall health. In order to treat such conditions, students are taught a number of different techniques and methods including chiropractic spinal adjustment techniques. Through chiropractic spinal adjustments, the students are taught how they can positively influence the body through the nervous system using specific techniques. An emphasis is also placed on other aspects of health including diet, exercise, nutrition and wellness. Moreover, students receive thorough training aimed at identifying those conditions which are beyond the chiropractor's scope of practice and which require outside medical referral.

During the academic 4-5 year program, students must successfully complete a number of national board examinations which are required for licensure. In addition, students must spend several hundred hours of internship in which they treat patients suffering from true health ailments while under professional supervision. Upon graduation and the passing of all national board exams, students undergo state board examination for the state which they wish to practice in. If successful, the new doctor of chiropractic will receive his or her license for the practice of chiropractic in that state.

Once licensed, most states require the doctor of chiropractic to attend annual seminars in order to maintain a high level of competency and keep technical skills sharp and as current as possible. Failure to do so will result in the revocation of the doctor's license.

Many doctors further their knowledge and skills by completing additional studies after graduation. These one to three year programs provide the information to place the doctors at the top of the health care field in specific areas. Some of the areas of study include orthopedics, neurology, radiology, sports, rehabilitation, nutrition, pediatrics and research.

What is an adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of applying a precise force in a specific direction to a joint that is fixated and not moving properly, which may be irritating your nervous system. This restores motion to the joint, helping it gradually return to a more normal position and motion. The result of this safe and natural procedure is improved spinal function, improved nervous system function, and improved health.

Can I adjust myself?

Definitely not. Chiropractic adjustments are applied to a specific spinal segment with a specific force in a specific direction. "Self-adjusting" is detrimental, often making an already unstable area of the spine even more unstable or hyper-mobile. Chiropractic training takes many years to complete; adjusting the spine is not for the inexperienced.

Does chiropractic hurt?

Under normal circumstances, adjustments do not hurt. The patient may experience a minor amount of discomfort during the adjustment which lasts only seconds. The treatments themselves are generally not painful. In fact, most patients look forward to their treatments since many experience immediate relief. Individuals who present with moderate to severe pain may experience some minor discomfort for obvious reasons, however, care is always gentle, safe and noninvasive.

Is chiropractic care safe?

Chiropractic is a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive surgery or drugs with side effects. Chiropractic adjustments or manipulations are extremely safe. The risk factor is estimated to be in excess of one million to one. Chiropractic treatments are extremely safe for individuals of all ages - from infants to 100 year olds. Our treatments are safe because we only use natural and noninvasive methods of care. Research consistently shows that care from chiropractors is among the safest care available and is literally light years ahead of traditional medical care in terms of "safeness".

How old do I have to be to see a chiropractor?

Chiropractic is safe for all ages. Many childhood activities have a significant impact on the spine. Learning to walk or ride a bicycle, playing sports and even the birth process can cause spinal problems. Regular spinal check ups can help identify these problems and help avoid any more problems seen later in adults. As we age and reach the later years of life the spine can go through degenerative changes. The benefits of chiropractic care can also be seen as many patients have reported relief of arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the aging process. The adjusting techniques are modified depending on the age of the patient in order to give maximum comfort and results.

What's wrong with me?

Accurately identifying the cause of spinal pain or other discomfort almost always requires a thorough consultation and examination. Chiropractic doctors are highly trained in the diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue injuries and abnormalities common to the spine, extremities and rest of body. Rest assured that if you are suffering from back or neck problems, extremity problems or other health related ailments chiropractic can provide you with the effective professional relief you demand. If your condition is out of the chiropractic scope or would be more appropriately managed by another health care specialist, we will gladly and promptly make the necessary referral.

How long will it take?

While treatment lengths vary somewhat from person to person and from condition to condition, there are a few rules of thumb you can follow.

Injuries treated appropriately and immediately, tend to respond to fewer visits, assuming that major tissue injury has not occurred. Many of these first time injuries can be effectively managed in as little as 3 to 4 visits. Conditions that have been present for greater than 3 months and recurring conditions are generally more stubborn and difficult to manage. Resolution may require 12 visits or more.

The only sure way to determine how long your treatment will take is to schedule a consultation and/or examination.

For those of you who believe in just waiting for the problem to "go away" on it's own - understand that the longer your condition has been around, the more treatments it will eventually require to resolve.

How much will it cost?

Costs vary and generally depend on the number of treatments required to effectively treat your condition. A number of studies have shown that chiropractic care is extremely cost effective when compared to other "medical" forms of care for similar conditions.

Do I have to keep coming back for treatments?

You may have heard the notion that once you go to a chiropractor you have to keep going back. Before we answer that question, ask yourself how many times you have visited a dentist? Like most people, you've probably gone dozens of times. Why? Quite simply, to prevent your teeth from literally rotting out of your head.

Once we have eliminated your pain and rehabilitated the injured tissues we do recommend that you maintain a schedule of periodic spinal checkups. Like your dentist and like many of the medical experts are now recognizing, prevention is the key to reducing recurrences of existing health conditions and minimizing new injuries in the future.

So the answer is yes, we want you to keep coming back, but just periodically. Periodic chiropractic care minimizes spinal and nerve stresses, reduces recurrences of old injuries, prevents new injuries from developing, and minimizes degenerative processes, which enhances overall health and wellness.