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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Chiropractic?
Each of us is designed to be healthy. Chiropractic care helps restore optimum function. Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that your body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism. These important functions are controlled by the brain, spinal cord and all the nerves of the body.
The skull protects the delicate tissues of the brain. The moving bones of the spine protect the vulnerable communication pathways of the spinal cord and nerve roots. If the nervous system is impaired, it can cause malfunction of the tissues and organs throughout the body. Doctors call this the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. "Vertebral", meaning the bones of the spine; "subluxation", meaning less than a total dislocation; "complex", meaning consisting of more than one party. Chiropractic is the science of locating offending spinal structures, the art of reducing their impact to the nervous system, and the philosophy of all things natural.
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- How Does Chiropractic Work?
Today's chiropractic doctor looks for the underlying nervous system involvements that can be the cause of many health problems. Chiropractic works by restoring your body's own inborn ability to be healthy. When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissues and organs of your body are designed to resist disease and ill health. The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and help remove interferences to your natural state of being healthy.
A common location of interference to the nervous system is the 24 moving bones of the spinal column. A loss of normal motion or position of these bones can irritate or impair the function of the nervous system. This can disrupt the transmission of controlling nerve impulses.
With improved spinal function there is often improved nervous system function. Your chiropractic physician can help remove interferences that may be impairing normal health. Since the primary focus of your care is improved nervous system function, chiropractic care can have a positive effect on many health conditions not normally thought of as "back" problems.
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- What Can I Expect on My First Visit?
Dr. Flaskey realizes that no two patient's needs are the same; therefore, no two patients will ever experience the same exact first visit. However,there are some things you should expect. Helping to restore proper spinal biomechanics and improved nervous system function begins with a case history. This gives the doctor a background about your health, such as surgeries, accidents, the onset of your condition and other details affecting your current health. After reviewing your history and discussing your specific problem, a thorough orthopedic, neurological, and chiropractic examination is performed. X-rays may be taken to uncover structural and functional problems associated with the spinal column. These examinations help identify areas of spinal malfunction and resulting nervous system deficit. The findings of these examinations are explained and a plan of chiropractic adjustments may be recommended. You should expect that this visit will last approximately one hour plus the time it takes to fill out paperwork. Progress is monitored with periodic examinations and follow-up reports. Since the word "doctor" comes from the Latin word meaning "teacher", regardless of your doctor's unique clinical approach, he or she has a strong commitment to patient education.
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- What is an Adjustment?
There are hundreds of ways to adjust the spine. A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixed, "locked up", or not moving properly. This adds motion to the joint, helping the bones gradually return to a more normal position and motion. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is improved spinal function, nervous system function and health.
There are many ways to adjust the spine. Usually, the doctor's hands or specially designed instruments deliver a brief and highly accurate thrust. Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow and constant pressure. After years of training and clinical experience, Dr. Flaskey has become highly skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches.
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- Do Adjustments Hurt?
Adjustments, by themselves, do not cause any pain at all. In fact, many people experience immediate relief of pain after an adjustment. However, there are times when the muscles surrounding the joints are so tight that any motion at all is painful. Dr. Flaskey will evaluate each situation individually to determine what kind of adjustment will best suit the patient. The addition of a physiotherapy such as muscle stimulation or heat may be delivered prior to the adjustment to soothe tight, sore muscles. Regardless, your doctor will always adjust very lightly initially to determine the "right" amount of pressure for your body so discomfort can be minimized. It will be normal to experience some muscle stiffness and soreness for a couple of days after your initial adjustment, especially if you have never been adjusted before. This stiffness should decrease or not be present at all after subsequent adjustments.
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- Do I Have a Slipped Disc?
Discs do not "slip", however like the shock absorbers on your car, they can leak or rupture.
The intervertebral disc is a pad of cartilage-type material situated between spinal bones. Each disc serves as a connector, spacer, and shock absorber for the spine. A soft, jelly-like center is contained by outer layers of fibrous tissue. Healthy discs help allow normal turning and bending. Because of the way each disc is attached to the vertebrae above and below, a disc cannot "slip". Trauma or injury to the spine, however, can cause discs to tear, bulge, herniate, or worse, rupture. This can be quite painful, as the soft center of the disc leaks, putting pressure on the adjacent nerve roots and spinal cord. While results cannot be guaranteed, many patients have avoided needless surgery or a dependency on pain pills by choosing chiropractic care for their disc-related health problem.
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- Do I Have a Pinched Nerve?
More common are nerves that are stretched, twisted, or irritated by spinal structures.
Many patients consult a chiropractic physician because they think they have a pinched nerve. Because of the way your spine is designed, abnormal spinal function caused from physical trauma, emotional tensions, or chemical toxins can affect the delicate tissues of the spinal cord and nerve roots. While commonly associated with the spine, the pinched nerve (compressed lesion) is actually rare. Research suggests that only 10% to 15% of spine related problems are caused by direct pressure of bone on nerve tissue! This can result in numbness, burning, or a "pins and needles" feeling. More frequently, nerves are irritated (facilitative lesion). This is caused when nerve tissue is rubbed, scraped, stretched by a loss of spinal curve, or irritated by malfunctioning spinal joints.
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- How Much Education Do Chiropractors Receive?
After undergraduate studies, today's chiropractic physician completes an additional five-year (10 semesters) curriculum of around 4,500 college classroom hours of health sciences.
Today's Doctor of Chiropractic is well educated. The science of chiropractic requires a special emphasis on anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology, biomechanics, X-ray, spinal adjusting techniques and related subjects. This demanding curriculum prepares chiropractic doctors to not only locate the Vertebral Subluxation Complex and help correct the resulting nervous system dysfunction, but to also act as a portal of entry physician for medical doctors as well as all other allied health professionals. To graduate with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, each candidate passes four demanding National Board Examinations. Then, doctors apply to a governmental or professional licensing board and must pass a state sponsored test before being granted the privilege to practice. A chiropractic education never ends. Most doctors complete postgraduate instruction for license renewal and to stay current on the latest scientific research.
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- Does Everyone Get Adjusted in the Same Way?
Regardless of the adjusting technique, chiropractic care is tailored to each patient's age, condition and spinal problem.
Dr. Flaskey evaluates each patient's unique spinal problem and develops an individual course of care. The resulting recommendations are based upon years of training and experience. Some patients who complain of headaches may actually have a lower back problem that is causing a compensation reaction at the base of the skull. Other patients may be experiencing numbness and tingling in their fingers, when the actual problem is in the neck. Every patient presents a uniquely different spinal pattern. Patients notice that their chiropractic care is delivered with confidence and precision. Each visit builds on the one before. While your visits may seem similar, each patient's care is uniquely different from every other patient's.
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- Should I Be Adjusting Myself?
You cannot effectively adjust yourself.
Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction, to a specific spinal joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself. It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a "popping" sound, like the sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment. Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already unstable area of the spine even more unsteady. Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs! The best way to enjoy the healthful benefits of chiropractic is to receive adjustments from a Doctor of Chiropractic. Even your doctor must seek out the services of another colleague to help restore and maintain proper spinal function.
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- Do Chiropractors Cause Strokes?
Though there has been much media attention focused on this topic in recent years, scientific studies do not show a positive correlation between neck adjustments and strokes. In fact, a recent study in the prestigious medical journal "Spine" states that you are no more likely to have a stroke after getting adjusted than after talking to your medical doctor about your neck pain.
Chiropractic care is safer than back surgery, muscle relaxers and even common aspirin!
In the words of the New Zealand government's inquiry, chiropractic care is "remarkably safe".
Chiropractic has an excellent safety record. It is the result of a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs. A thorough case history and examination help reveal areas of the spine that may be causing nervous system malfunction. This information will be used to determine the best course of care for each patient.
Chiropractic care is a natural approach to better health that is proven, safe and effective.
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- Can I Speed the Healing Process?
Proper rest, exercise and good nutrition are especially important during the healing process.
While there aren't any shortcuts to speed your body's natural healing process, there's a lot you can do to give yourself the best chance of a quick recovery. Learn proper sitting and lifting methods. Specific exercises may be suggested to help retrain the muscles that support your spine. Proper rest is an important aspect of the healing process, too. Get the appropriate amount of rest your body needs, and avoid sleeping on your stomach. During the healing process, proper nutrition is more important than ever. Make sure you get balanced meals, and if you're overweight, now would be a good time to slim down and reduce unnecessary stresses to your spine. Perhaps most important of all, keep you appointments and follow your chiropractic doctor's recommendations for optimum results.
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- Can Children Benefit from Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic has been shown to be helpful with scoliosis and many other so-called "normal" childhood health problems.
Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked for Vertebral Subluxation Complex. Later, learning to walk, ride a bicycle and other childhood activities can cause spinal problems. While a bandage and some comforting words can help a skinned knee, the unseen damage to the child's spine is the unique domain of a chiropractic doctor. Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off as "growing pains" can often be traced to the spine. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify these problems and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults. Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to a child's spine. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and seem healthier than other children.
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- Am I Too Old to Get Adjusted?
Regardless of your age, chiropractic care can help improve mobility and maintain vitality.
More and more people are consulting chiropractic doctors, especially in their later years. With growing concerns about over-medication and the side effects of combining various prescription drugs, safe, natural chiropractic care is growing in popularity.
Restoring better spinal function can help improve mobility, vitality, endurance and appetite. Many patients report improvement with arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the aging process.
The adjusting technique used by your doctor will be modified for maximum comfort and results.
As we get older and wiser, the simplicity and effectiveness of chiropractic care becomes more and more obvious.
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- Do I Have to Keep Coming Back?
Periodic chiropractic checkups, like brushing and flossing, getting regular exercise, and eating wholesome foods is part of a healthy lifestyle.
Spinal problems, neglected since early childhood, may require ongoing supportive care for optimum spinal function. These longstanding problems are often associated with muscle weakness, soft tissue damage, and degenerative changes to the spine. Most patients find that periodic chiropractic checkups help keep them in tip-top shape. Those who are active, have stressful jobs, or want to be their very best, find that a schedule of preventive visits is helpful in the maintenance of good health. Some patients seek chiropractic care only when their ache or pain becomes unbearable. While this style of "crisis management" is usually more costly and time-consuming, our office stands ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals. How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you, and since no one knows your body better than you, we will always respect whatever level of care you desire.
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- What if I Don't Get Better?
While our goal is to provide the highest quality of conservative care, there will be times when a patient is unlikely to benefit from chiropractic care. When patients either do not have a chiropractic condition, or they do not see improvement with chiropractic care, we are committed to making sure they get a referral to another qualified health care provider. We may refer patients to orthopedic and medical doctors, massage therapists, physical therapists or even other chiropractors if we are unable to provide the care they need.
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Brookings Choice for Chiropractic and Natural Health Care
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