Chiropractic Treatments

Most people who enjoy good health take it for granted. Unfortunately, many of us don't realize how important it is until we suffer illness, injury, or pain. Then, we just want to feel better... right away. Fortunately, your body has a natural ability to heal. However, many things can interfere with this vital process. The nervous system channeled through the spine controls the function of virtually every muscle, organ, tissue and cell of the body. When nerve function is disrupted through trauma, stress or chemical imbalances, it can result in a host of health complaints: headaches, back or leg pain, low energy, muscle spasms, numbness or tingling in the extremities, insomnia, blurred vision, and many other conditions.

Finding and correcting interferences to the body's own natural state of good health is what chiropractic care is all about. This safe, effective approach to better health offers levels of care to fit every need. In the beginning, visits are usually frequently your chiropractic adjust­ments may be combined with other procedures to help relieve your symptoms. Depending upon your age, condition, and lifestyle, repeated visits over weeks or months may be needed to reduce your symptoms.

With your ache or pain reduced, the goal of Rehabilitative Care is Visit frequency is reduced as patients respond to improved spinal function. Like corrective crises for the eyes, Rehabilitative Care helps normalize spinal function. You may be urged to supplement your care with exercises, dietary changes, or other self-care proced­ures. Without complete healing, discontinuing care now can set the stage for a relapse. After the recovery of your original problem, regular chiropractic "checkups" can help preserve your progress. Periodic visits can help catch little problems before they become major concerns. Wellness minded adults and their children choose this type of care to look and feel their best. Like other preventive measures, a chiropractic lifestyle can save time and money by helping you stay well.

Getting Relief: Initial Care
Most frequently, patients seek chiropractic care after a painful, spine-related injury. For others, a long­standing condition may suddenly worsen. Regardless of the cause, the primary goal is to feel better as soon as possible. In the beginning, frequent chiropractic visits may be needed to help relieve painful symptoms.

A complete health history combined with a thorough examination is the first step. You may be asked to bend and turn, your reflexes will be tested, and other standard orthopedic, neurological and chiropractic tests will be performed. When needed, x-rays of the spine may be taken. The chiropractor will review this information and answer any questions. Then, the doctor will make recommendations for a program of care suited to each individual health need.

After the first adjustment, it's not unusual to enjoy some degree of relief immediately. However, severe or long­standing problems can't be cured with a single adjustment, any more than a single pill in a prescription can cure an illness. That's why it's important to keep scheduled appointments.

The Road To Recovery: Rehabilitative Care
In the rehabilitative stage of care, office visits usually become less frequent but no less important. The goal of rehabilitative care is to promote more complete healing. Without it, recovery can take much longer to achieve. Even after initial symptoms have eased, muscle and soft tissue damage can remain. If untreated, these conditions set the stage for a relapse.
When pain stops, many people are tempted to believe that their recovery is complete. However, restoring proper joint mobility and function of the spine or extremities will usually require an on-going program of specific spinal adjustments combined with simple, but specific exercises. When care is prematurely discontinued, the problem may recur.
At this point, there are many things that can be done to assist in recovery. Adopting healthier habits in all areas of life will help you feel your best and give you the best chance for complete healing. Your chiropractor may recommend exercises to strengthen the muscles supporting the spine, changes in diet, or other behavior modification and self-care practices that will help in natural healing.

Your chiropractor will carefully monitor your progress through the rehabilitation stage. When you follow the recommended program and keep all appointments, it will help maintain progress. This is essential to long-term recovery.

The Rewards of Life: Wellness
The healthier habits you adopted during your recovery now can become the cornerstone of a wellness lifestyle. By maintaining good physical health, you'll enhance your life mentally and socially. Increased vigor, endurance and a fuller enjoyment of life are your rewards.
As you now know, maintaining a properly functioning nervous system is essential to overall good health. That is why regular chiropractic checkups are so important in managing minor conditions before they become major concerns.

Making The Chiropractic choice For You And Your Family
Because the benefits of regular chiropractic care are effective and well ­proven, many people choose to make it a part of their family lifestyle. For adults, children, and elders alike, detecting, reducing, and correcting spinal malfunctions leads to a better quality of life.
Discuss your expectations for care with your chiropractor. It's your decision. How long you choose to benefit from chiropractic care is up to you.