Chiropractic

Commonly Asked Questions Regarding Richmond Chiropractic Treatment

Making the transition from relying upon medical doctors to visiting a chiropractor can seem daunting. Most people are accustomed to taking medications to treat pain felt throughout their bodies. By contrast, the hands-on approach taken by chiropractic physicians is a marked departure; drugs and surgery are noticeably lacking in the treatment strategy. It is understandable that those who are considering this “alternative” approach to addressing pain have questions. We’ll answer the most common questions below.

“What Ailments Can A Chiropractor Treat?”

Chiropractic doctors can treat a wide range of conditions, including pain felt throughout your back, neck, shoulders, and joints. These are neuromusculoskeletal disorders that are often due to vertebral subluxations (i.e. misalignments). If vertebrae are out of alignment or compressed, they can trigger much of the jolting or throbbing pain that regularly plagues millions of people.

Chiropractic care focuses on the fact that our bodies function as the result of impulses from our brain. These impulses travel through the spinal cord and nearby nerves before radiating out to our organs and tissues. If a vertebra is misaligned, the nerves become compressed. This can lead to pain. Rebalancing the affected vertebra can relieve this pain.

Chiropractors can also treat headaches, allergies, and fatigue, since these ailments are often linked to the nervous system.

“What Factors Contribute To A Misalignment?”

There are countless influences that can potentially cause a subluxation. For example, you might fall and jar your spinal column; you may suffer injury through participation in a high-contact sport (e.g. football); you might be involved in a car accident. These events can easily cause a minor dislocation in your vertebrae.

Misalignments can also result over time from things you do each day. For instance, if you have severely poor posture, your spine may slowly move out of alignment. This might also occur if you routinely sleep in an uncomfortable position. Lifting a heavy item, straining your back while exercising, or being severely overweight can also play a role.

“How Are Adjustments Performed?”

An adjustment is usually performed using a hands-on approach. Once a vertebral subluxation has been identified, your chiropractic doctor will apply pressure with his or her hands in a particular direction. The force of this pressure is applied quickly and moves the targeted vertebra back into alignment. With some types of adjustments, your chiropractor may use instruments in order to gain more control and deliver sufficient pressure.

“Will I Need Regular Adjustments?”

Not everyone needs ongoing chiropractic treatment. Sometimes, the misalignment is due to a one-time event (e.g. car accident), and the patient experiences few problems after the subluxation has been corrected.

Most people, however, put their bodies through an enormous level of abuse each day, whether they realize it or not. They lift things improperly; they regularly fall or bump into things; or they sit in their chairs in a way that places their vertebrae under constant stress. For these patients, regular adjustments are valuable. They return their spine to its rightful alignment, and thus rebalance their nervous system.

“What Causes The Cracking Sound?”

The noise that occurs during an adjustment is not technically a crack. Rather, a vacuum is created between the surfaces of the targeted joints when they separate. When this vacuum is suddenly eliminated, you’ll hear a popping sound. Many patients wonder whether an adjustment is effective when they fail to hear this noise. In reality, the noise is a poor gauge of effectiveness since it has little to do with the alignment of the vertebrae.

Chiropractic care concentrates on the body’s ability to heal itself. However, this self-healing trait is only possible when the vertebrae in your spinal column are perfectly aligned. For this reason, professional chiropractors seek to improve your overall health by moving your vertebrae into alignment, thus eliminating pressure on the nerves.

Richmond Va Chiropractors