Chiropractic is a conservative and natural healing art and science that concentrates on keeping people well. While chiropractic is an American science more than 103 years old, its basic wellness premise dates back to spinal “manipulations” first used by Hippocrates, the Father of Healing in the 4th Century B.C. 

Doctors of chiropractic do not treat symptoms, though this may be the initial reason why a patient comes to a chiropractic office. What the doctor of chiropractic does is attempt to get to the root cause of a health problem. The primary focus of chiropractic is the detection, reduction, and correction of spinal misalignments (known as subluxations) with resultant nervous system dysfunction. 

The spinal column houses a critical part of the body’s nervous system, the spinal cord, which is responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses or messages to and from the brain. This free flow of nerve impulses is necessary to allow the body to function properly. A spinal malfunction (subluxation) can interrupt this flow of information and affect the body’s nervous system causing pain, muscle and organ dysfunction, and other imbalances. 

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixated, ‘locked up,’ or not moving properly. An adjustment 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, improved nervous system function, and improved health. 

There are hundreds of ways to adjust the spine. Usually, the doctor’s hands or a specially designed instrument delivers a brief and highly accurate thrust. Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow constant pressure. 

After years of training and clinical experience, each chiropractic doctor becomes highly skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches. 

Yes. Chiropractic’s drugless and preventive approach to good health makes it perfectly appropriate for infants, children, and teenagers. Chiropractic is licensed in all 50 states of the U.S. for the care of children of all ages.

Doctors of chiropractic provide effective, low-cost health care for a wide range of conditions. Studies conducted according to the highest scientific standards and published by organizations not affiliated in any way with chiropractic institutions or associations continue to show the clinical appropriateness and effectiveness of chiropractic care.

One of the most recent, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health, stated emphatically that: “On the evidence, particularly the most scientifically valid clinical studies, spinal manipulation applied by chiropractors is shown to be more effective than alternative treatments for low back pain…There would be highly significant cost savings if more management of low-back pain was transferred from physician to chiropractors.”

No. Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction to a specific joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself correctly and accurately. It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a “popping” sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment. Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already unstable spine even more unstable, and can sometimes be dangerous. Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs!

Chiropractors take x-rays to reveal the internal structure and alignment of the spine. We are also concerned about underlying disease processes and disorders of the spine such as spinal deterioration, arthritis of the spine, abnormal development, bone spurs, disc disorders, tumors and spinal curvature. X-rays also provide a blueprint for correcting the spine back to optimal health and alignment.