Common Misconceptions about Chiropractors and Chiropractic Treatment
Misconceptions about the use of chiropractic care and treatments are numerous. They include such questions as do adjustments hurt, are they safe, can’t I adjust myself, will I become addicted to chiropractic treatments, are chiropractic results just a placebo effect?
Many people believe that if they start going to the chiropractor they’ll end up having to go forever. But most people only want to be treated for a specific pain or illness and when that symptom disappears and they stop going. Other people choose to use the chiropractor to correct the initial discomfort and underlying cause but then, to remain at an optimal level of health, they choose to continue to receive adjustments and keep their spine and joints in alignment. The treatment approach used by an individual is totally their choice.
Another common myth is that people have heard that chiropractic adjustments will wear out the joints. In fact, the reverse is true. Chiropractic care can actually help prevent joints from wearing out. Bones don’t actually rub on each other; instead they are cushioned by cartilage and enclosed in a capsule with lubricating fluid. Chiropractors focus their attention on areas of the body and spine which have limited movement in order to improve the function of the joints and therefore decrease the degeneration that normally happens as we age.
A patient asked the other day if chiropractic care is only effective for helping to eliminate low back pain. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The subluxations of the spinal column which result in pinched nerves and resulting in pain, muscle spasms and decreased nerve innervation to body organs can happen anywhere on the spinal column from the neck to the sacrum. While there has been more research done on chiropractic care for low back pain and manipulations done in the lumbar region, chiropractors have been working on individuals with neck pain and shoulder pain for years.
Some people believe that spinal adjustments will be uncomfortable and even possibly hurt. What most find after their first adjustment is that the fear of the adjustments was much worse than the adjustment itself. Even spinal adjustments done to the cervical area, neck, are not uncomfortable to the patients in fact the patient frequently feels almost immediate reduction of their pain and improvement in their restricted joints. What individuals may find is that following the adjustments muscles may be temporarily sore as they adjust to their correct position but then it feels much better as body gets used to being in proper alignment.
What has been found over the past few decades is that experienced, professional chiropractors are able to give profound relief and participate in preventive care with their patients and their patient’s medical physician. Through team work chiropractors can help you enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle for many years to come.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Michael Tomlinson at Tomlinson Chiropractic (816) 584-0444