WHAT CAUSES THE SOUND OF AN ADJUSTMENT?

Actually, not all adjusting techniques produce the sound associated with "popping knuckles." Some create no sound at all, some a little. Many techniques, however, do create the sound of a spinal "release." What causes it? The sound is caused by gas rushing in to fill the partial vacuum created when the joints are slightly separated 

IS IT BAD TO "CRACK" YOUR NECK OR BACK A LOT?

The desire to pop the neck or back is caused by tension from a jammed or fixated vertebra, which causes another part of the spine to compensate by moving too much and "popping" a lot. The jammed part should be adjusted by a chiropractor so that the rest of the spinal column will balance and stop being so movable and noisy.      

SO I'M NOT "ADJUSTING" MYSELF?

Cracking or popping your neck gives relief for a while, but soon the urge to pop or crack reappears because the cause of the spinal tension hasn't been corrected.    

DO CHIROPRACTORS HAVE MEDICAL (M.D.) DEGREES?

Chiropractors have Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degrees granted from chiropractic colleges. Chiropractic education and medical education are similar in some respects and different in others because chiropractors do not prescribe drugs and medical doctors do not correct the vertebral subluxation complex (spinal nerve stress).    

CAN I TELL IF I HAVE SPINAL NERVE STRESS WITHOUT CONSULTING A CHIROPRACTOR?

Not Always. A subluxation or spinal nerve stress is like a dental cavity- you may have it for a long time before symptoms appear. That's why periodic spinal check-ups are so important. Although it may be possible to know you have spinal nerve stress, it is rarely possible to be sure you don't. An occasional spinal check-up is always a good idea.    

HOW LONG DOES A CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT TAKE?

It depends on the adjusting technique your chiropractor uses. Usually the initial adjustment is preceded by a relatively brief initial visit, case history and evaluation.

AT WHAT AGE SHOULD CHIROPRACTIC BEGIN?

Newborns have received spinal adjustments especially after difficult or traumatic births.

IS CHIROPRACTIC CARE ADDICTIVE?

If only it were (just a little!), there'd be a lot less sick people around and we chiropractors wouldn't get patients who last saw a chiropractor "a few years ago when my back went out." It is possible to get used to feeling more balanced, less stressed, and more energetic as a result of periodic chiropractic care. You may become more sensitive to your body and know when you've "lost" your adjustment. 

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I STOP GOING?

Spinal stress will continue to build up as before, without release. At which time, hopefully, before you can make the decision to return for periodic check-ups, so that your body and overall health won't suffer.

IS CHIROPRACTIC SIMILAR TO MASSAGE?

No. Chiropractic deals with the spinal column, nerve system, meninges and body structure. Massage therapists deal with muscle tension, circulation, and body fluid drainage.                

DO CHIROPRACTORS WORK IN HOSPITALS?

Today chiropractors have privileges in many hospitals. (Who needs healthy spines more than people facing life threatening diseases?) The presence of D.C.s in hospitals is a welcome beginning -- hopefully paving the way toward making drugless, natural methods of chiropractic care available to all hospital patients.

CAN CHIROPRACTIC PREVENT BACK SURGERY?

In a majority of cases the answer is a resounding "Yes."                                     

CAN A PERSON WHO HAD BACK SURGERY SEE A CHIROPRACTOR?

Yes. It's an unfortunate fact that half of those who had spinal surgery discover a return of their original symptoms months or years later. They then face the prospect of additional surgery. This too common occurrence is known as "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome." Chiropractic may help prevent repeated operations.                                                                                                        

CAN A PERSON WITH A BROKEN BACK OR NECK SEE A CHIROPRACTOR?

After the break heals, yes. In fact, a broken bone forms a callus or bone scar when it heals that is stronger than the rest of the bone which should dispel any concerns about the safety of an adjustment. People who have had broken bones need chiropractic check-ups because accidents usually cause spinal subluxations.                                                                                                    

IS CHIROPRACTIC SAFE?

Yes. Having your spinal nerve stress corrected is important, no matter what other type of health care you are receiving. Today many D.C.s and M.D.s are working together in clinics and on joint research projects.

DO CHIROPRACTORS BELIEVE IN MEDICINE AND SURGERY?

There are times when intervention in the form of medicine or surgery is absolutely necessary but there is never a time when the nourishment one puts into one's body or one's mind is not essential to health.

CAN SPINES AUTOMATICALLY GO BACK IN PLACE?

Yes. There are verified instances of blind people recovering eyesight after a fall, of individuals able to walk again after their wheelchair was thrown, and of amnesiacs who remember their past after receiving a trauma-- these are examples of " accidental adjustments" in which a trauma accidentally realigned the spine. A visit to the chiropractor is a lot safer. Also, many types of therapy, including massage and various body work can reduce musculo-skeletal stress, sometimes permitting the spine to automatically realign, as will cathartic emotional release.

I'M NOT SICK. SHOULD I SEE A CHIROPRACTOR?

Yes. Symptoms are not a good way to judge health. They sometimes surface only after years of body malfunction. (like a tooth cavity)                                                            

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I GET A SPINAL ADJUSTMENT?

The answer is " as soon as you develop spinal nerve stress." But since spinal nerve stress is often painless, it's good to get your spine checked periodically, as you get your teeth checked periodically for "painless"