Chiropractic Care

of Granby

As Hippocrates advised; "If you would seek health, look first to the spine." Chiropractors work with the bones and nerves of the spinal column and spinal cord. The underlying belief is that spinal misalignments interfere with the function of the nervous system, which influences every part of the body. Chiropractors spend years of highly specialized training in order to locate where misplaced spinal vertebrae are impinging the nerves which travel down the spinal cord and out through the spinal column to the muscles, organs and glands of the body. Doctors of Chiropractic use a variety of examination methods including x-ray, postural, neurological and physical examinations; and orthopedic testing. After locating the misaligned vertebrae (subluxations) impinging the nerves, the chiropractor uses various highly specialized techniques called adjustments to reposition the misplaced vertebrae and release pressure on the nerves.

How Safe is Chiropractic?

Spinal manipulation has been practiced safely throughout the world for thousands of years. Hippocrates, who is known as the 'father of all doctors' and author of the Hippocratic oath, applauded chiropractic methods in his famous medical writings. The birth of chiropractic in the U.S. occurred in 1895 when D.D. Palmer, a magnetic healer in Davenport, Iowa, performed the first chiropractic adjustment on misaligned vertebre in the neck of Harvey Lillard, restoring his hearing. Recent studies of this ancient healing technique show that chiropractic care carries low risks compared to traditional forms of treatment such as spinal surgery and anti-inflammatory drug therapy. The risk of serious complications from lumbar (lower back) manipulation is estimated at 1 in 100 million. The risk for cervical (neck) manipulation was estimated to be 6.4 in 10 million. Not only is chiropractic safe, but it is also effective. In a study by the Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention of those patients using chiropractic care, 81% felt it cured or considerably relieved their symptoms. In 1994, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, validated the effectiveness of spinal manipulation for acute low back problems and recommended chiropractic techniques be used instead of prescription drugs, surgery or other high-cost, high-tech procedures.

Do Chiropractors Have Medical (M.D.) Degrees?

Chiropractors have Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degrees granted from chiropractic colleges. Admission to chiropractic college requires at a least a 2-year Associate Degree with coursework in biology, chemistry and other pre-med subjects. The usual 4-year chiropractic program entails an average of 4,485 classroom hours of study as compared to 4,248 average classroom hours for a M.D. degree. Subjects such as microbiology are equally represented in both curriculums while anatomy, diagnosis, neurology and orthopedics were more concentrated in chiropractic study. Rather than focus on surface pain or the symptoms of an aliment, chiropractic looks at the underlying cause - an impaired nervous system that interferes with the body's natural healing systems, regulatory mechanisms and built-in defenses. By removing the impairment, the chiropractor frees the body to heal itself without drugs or surgery.

Certainly. Norman Cousins says; "There are times 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." Chiropractors would add spinal care to Mr. Cousins' observation.

In a majority of cases the answer is a resounding "yes." Of the thousands of surgical procedures performed each year for ruptured discs, a large number are unnecessary and useless, according to medical authorities. Even successful operations can cause scar tissue, permanent spinal weakness, distortion and instability.

Nearly everyone. Studies show 80 percent of Americans will experience disabling low back pain at least once in their lives. At this very moment, an estimated 6 million Americans are in bed with back pain at a cost of up $50 billion per year for lost work, compensation payments and medical bills. Studies have shown chiropractic is one of the most effective treatments for lower back pain, disc problems, sciatica and leg pain, menstrual disorders and hand, shoulder and neck pain. Whether it's an infant suffering after a difficult birth, a teen in car crash or a senior citizen seeking physical independence, the patient success stories are as inspiring as they are diverse.

The chiropractic profession has developed nearly a hundred different methods for diagnosis and treatment of spinal subluxations or misaligned vertebrae that interfere with the nervous system messages flowing to your brain and body. Each chiropractor has a favorite technique that he or she uses in most situations and a working familiarity with several others. You can ask your chiropractor what adjustment technique they prefer and why. No matter what technique your chiropractor uses, the goal remains the same: to reduce or eliminate the subluxation that interferes with physical and emotional health.

Actually, not all adjusting techniques produce the sound associated with "popping knuckles." Some create no sound at all. Many techniques, however, do create the sound of a spinal "release." According to the findings of a British research team that took x-rays of people "popping" their knuckles, the sound is caused by gas rushing in to fill the partial vacuum created when the joints are slightly separated. The desire to pop or "crack" your neck or back is caused by tension from a jammed or fixed vertebra which causes another part of the spine to compensate by moving too much and "popping" a lot.

The sensation can vary from a warm soothing feeling to a burst of energy. At the moment that a chiropractor corrects your vertebral misalignment, hundreds of bodily functions are effected as the flow of nerve impulses begins to flow freely and your body begins to renew and rebuild itself. However, in some cases, patients feel no difference after an adjustment and a small minority experience discomfort or muscle soreness. As you continue your chiropractic care, you may notice improved balance, increased energy, smoother movement, the ability to breath more deeply, a desire to exercise and a sense of emotional relaxation.

Of course you can. Once is better than never. But chiropractic can help in so many ways. Spinal subluxations have been linked to emotional disturbances, weakened immune system, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, menstrual disorders, insomnia, throat problems, hearing loss, asthma and a variety of other chronic health problems.

When 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" cavities. Symptoms are the last to surface as a health problem develops over time. In the early stages, spinal degeneration is hardly noticeable. As it progresses, you notice fatigue, reduced ability to cope with stress, increasing aches and pains, and distorted posture. By the last stage, pain is constant, disability is both mental and physical, and full range of motion is impossible. Studies show that in the U.S. significant levels of spinal degeneration can be detected in over one-third of the population by age 30. By age 70, it's present in nearly everyone and has been blamed for 180,000 patients who are bed-ridden or chair-ridden each year.

Spinal stress will continue to build up as before, but it won't be reduced or eliminated. If the stress is not relieved, your body and overall health will suffer.

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Chiropractic Care of Granby
50 Hartford Avenue (RT 189)
Granby, CT 06035

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  Information@chirocareofgranby.com

Phone: (860) 653-5581
Fax: (860) 653-6035