The premise that there is a relationship between the muscles and skeleton
and nerves of the body, i.e. that a faulty musculoskeletal system will
cause a faulty nervous system and produce a loss of health.
In other words, chiropractic is a clinical science based on the fact that
the body wants to, and strives to, be healthy. An example of this is readily
seen when you cut your finger or catch a cold. Without you doing anything
consciously, your cut and cold eventually heal.
Chiropractic is also based on the fact that the nervous system controls
and regulates all the functions of the body, from healing your cold to
digesting your food to regulating pain. These nerves are protected by the
bones of the spine; the skull protects the brain, and the 24 movable vertebrae
protect the spinal cord and the 25 delicate nerve roots that come out of
the spine. When these bones are out of position or don’t move properly,
they rub, scrape, irritate, or stretch the nerves. The nerves then lose
their ability to conduct electrical impulses, or life force. The organs
that these nerves connect to cannot function at 100% if they don’t receive
100% of their nerve supply. The result is a loss of health.
Notice that I didn’t say that the result is pain. Most of the
time there is no spinal pain, but there is a loss of health. This
could be manifested as an upset stomach, bronchitis, asthma,
constipation, menstrual cramps, or headaches, just to name a few of
the conditions that have responded to chiropractic care.
To summarize, a vertebra that is out of place or doesn’t move
properly can irritate a nerve, which causes an end organ to
malfunction. This is a subluxation,
and this is what chiropractors treat.
I’ve heard that once I start care,
I’ll have to go forever. Is that true?
That depends on you.
Chiropractors generally give their patients choices in the type of care
the patient can receive. Typically these choices are:
- relief care, i.e. just enough care to get rid of the pain;
- corrective care, i.e. care to correct the cause of the problem;
- maintenance care, i.e. care to maintain the gain that has been made.
People who complain of having to go over and over are generally those who
chose relief care. When the pain keeps coming back, the patient keeps coming
back. Because the cause of the problem was not addressed in relief care,
it’s no wonder that the patient must keep coming back.
The purpose of corrective care is just that— to correct the cause of
the problem. Once the cause is corrected, then it’s a matter of periodic
visits to maintain the gain that was made.
How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is
always your decision.
I’ve heard that chiropractic hurts. Is that
true?
If an adjustment does hurt, it would feel like a momentary pin prick. The
benefits to chiropractic care far out weigh this minor inconvenience.
Additionally, if chiropractic care hurt, then why would movie stars
such as Demi Moore, Paul Newman, and Mel Gibson have their own
chiropractors? And why would your major sports teams and Olympic
teams have their own chiropractors? The truth is that chiropractic
care feels great.
I’ve heard that chiropractic is
expensive. Is that true?
It’s cheaper to keep your health than it is to get it back
once you lose it. Just like your car, it’s cheaper to fix
problems when they’re small and not large.
Chiropractic care is known for its quick and near-miraculous
results. But the strength of chiropractic lies in its ability to keep
people healthy. This is more than just prevention; it is true
wellness care. By removing subluxations, the nervous system can get
all the organs of the body to function the way they should. And when
that happens, you’ll have health.
My friend went to a chiropractor and
didn’t get any results.
That’s too bad, and sometimes that happens. This also happens
when people see medical doctors, dentists, acupuncturists,
etc. However, most people get a second opinion from another
doctor. The same is true in chiropractic. Chiropractic care is known
for its quick results, and sometimes a change in technique,
i.e. adjusting method, from another chiropractor will accomplish the
job. Your friend might have been a few visits away from relief had
he/she sought a second opinion.
Chiropractors
How many years of school does it take to be a Doctor
of Chiropractic?
Most chiropractic colleges require 4 years of undergraduate college with
a strong emphasis on the sciences. Most chiropractic colleges take just
over 4 academic years. All chiropractic colleges teach year round; therefore
many students complete their studies in just over three calendar years.
The courses of study in a chiropractic college include the same
basic courses as in medical and dental colleges: anatomy, neurology,
physiology, pathology, etc. In chiropractic colleges there is a heavy
emphasis on biomechanics, X-ray taking and X-ray interpreting, and
adjusting. This rigorous program of study prepares the
chiropractor-to-be to find and remove subluxations to correct nervous
system dysfunction.
Each student must also pass the demanding National Board
Examination. The road to licensure does not end here. Each student
must then take a separate state board exam for each state in which the
student may want to practice. Most doctors of chiropractic continue
with post graduate courses to stay abreast of current research and for
license renewal.
Are Doctors of Chiropractic real doctors?
Yes, chiropractors are real doctors. Chiropractors are licensed in all
50 states and the District of Columbia.
Do Doctors of Chiropractic believe in drugs
(pharmaceutical)?
There are many conditions which require drugs, diabetes for example. For
these conditions people should and must take their medication. For many
others the answer to health could be lying within their own body.
Chiropractors believe that the body can heal itself. Many conditions
respond to chiropractic care after the nervous system has been restored
to normal function. Then the body can make the exact chemicals it needs,
when it needs them, in the right amount, at any time of the day or night,
no matter where you are!
Pretty awesome, eh?
The chiropractic approach to health is this: chiropractic first, drugs
second, surgery third.
Subluxations
What is a subluxation?
A subluxation is an unwanted condition of the spine. This condition occurs
when two or more adjacent vertebrae (bones of the spine) become stuck or
out of alignment. The nerves that exit from the spine at that point then
become irritated and inflamed.
Is this bad? Try rubbing your arm for 5 hours and see if your arm is
its normal color and size. When a nerve becomes irritated and inflamed,
they short circuit just like electrical wires. What happens when there
is a short circuit in your TV or lamp? It doesn’t work right. The same
thing happens with a short circuit in your nerves. The organ(s) that are
supplied by that nerve don’t work up to their full potential, and thus
you suffer a loss of health.
What causes a subluxation?
The most common cause of a subluxation is some sort of fall or jarring
to the spine. Examples of this are: falling out of bed, getting tackled
in football, falling off a bicycle, missing the curb as you walk down the
street, automobile whiplash accidents.
Other physical causes include: poor posture while sitting or standing,
sleeping on your stomach, the birth process (yes, this does affect babies),
prolonged activity (e.g. cleaning overhead too long), sudden, abrupt motions.
Emotional traumas and chemical toxins can also cause subluxations.
What is the most common symptom of a
subluxation?
The most common symptom is no pain, nothing, nada. Just like a
dental cavity, most of us don’t know we have it until a dentist
tells us. The same is true with a subluxation. If the dental cavity
isn’t fixed, the cavity will eventually rot its way through the
tooth until it reaches the nerve, and then you’ll have
symptoms. The same is true of a subluxation. By the time it causes
symptoms, you have most likely had the subluxation for some time.
What can a subluxation cause?
The most noted effects of a subluxation are: back pain, headaches,
neck pain, leg pain, arm and hand pain, tingling, numbness, weakness,
not to mention shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle
pain. Subluxations have also been connected with asthma, menstrual
problems, ear infections, ulcers, high blood pressure, hemorrhoids,
and feelings of poor health.
What are the benefits of chiropractic care?
There are many benefits:
- Usually quick pain relief/reduction.
- Usually long-lasting results.
- Correction of spinal misalignments, which leads to
- Slowing down of spinal degeneration (at the least), or
- Complete arrest of spinal degeneration (at best), and
- Elimination of subluxations.
The biggest benefit of chiropractic care, however, is an overall sense
of health and well-being. Just knowing that your spine is unsubluxated
and that your nerves are in better control of your health goes a long way
to staying healthy.
Do chiropractors treat pinched nerves?
Pinched nerves are usually characterized by numbness, burning, or a
‘pins and needles’ feeling. They are caused by direct pressure
from the vertebrae on the nerves. These sensations usually respond
very well to chiropractic care.
Only 10–15% of spine-related problems are caused by vertebrae putting
direct pressure on the nerves. Most of the time, problems are due to the
nerves becoming irritated by being stretched,
rubbed, or scraped, not pinched.
Adjustments
What is an adjustment?
An adjustment is the term used to describe what chiropractors do to
the joints of the body, especially those of the spine. To give an
adjustment the chiropractor will place his/her hands along the spine
and give a short and quick ‘push’ or thrust. This helps to
loosen the joint and/or restore the vertebra to its proper
position. This reduces or eliminates the irritation to the nerves that
exit the spine at that location. It can be compared to how you would
loosen a door that has tight hinges; you would pull-push-pull-push
with short tugs to get the door loose on its hinges.
Does an adjustment hurt?
No, and if it does it’s only for a brief moment, about as long
as a snap of your finger, and much like a pinprick. If you have ever
‘cracked’ your knuckles, then you’ve experienced the
same feeling as an adjustment.
What if I don’t like that
‘popping’ noise. Are there different types of
adjustments?
Absolutely! There are many different chiropractic methods, or techniques,
of analyzing and adjusting the spine. Depending on your particular condition,
Dr. Bauer will use the technique that will help you out of pain and
back to health most quickly and gently.
What causing the ‘popping’ noise when I get an adjustment?
That particular noise is caused by a gas bubble being formed in the
joint as the adjustment is given. It’s of no consequence, since
the gas is dissolved back into the lubricating fluid in the joint in
about 20 minutes.
How long will it be before I feel better?
Obviously, no doctor can accurately answer this question. However,
chiropractic is known for its fast results. Many of our patients feel
results right away. The majority feel better within a few days. Very
few notice a change after a few weeks.
Sometimes improvement is slowed down by not following the
doctor’s advice, e.g. not stopping the “reading in bed for 2
hours with 3 pillows behind my neck” will certainly prolong
one’s neck pain.
Should I get my spine checked even if I
don’t have any back pain?
Of course you should! Do you go to the dentist every 6 months to
check for cavities? Do you get yours eyes checked periodically? Blood
pressure? Do you take your car in for its 10,000 mile check up? So
getting your spine checked is not only an idea whose time has come, it
also can go a long way to keeping you healthy.
Special Care
Can children get subluxations?
Most certainly! Stop and think. Babies fall out of bed and/or get
picked up without proper head support. Toddlers fall onto their
bottoms as they’re learning to walk. Pre-schoolers fall off their
bicycles as they’re learning to ride. Skateboarders, footballers,
basketballers all have their falls too. This can jar the spine and
cause subluxations to develop by either locking up the joints or
misaligning the vertebrae.
If you want to learn more about children and chiropractic, visit
the web site of the International
Chiropractic Pediatric Association.
Should children get adjusted?
Absolutely! How else will they have their subluxations removed? And
the adjustments used on children are much different and more gentle
than those used on adults. Dr. Bauer adjusted both of his children
within 24 hours of their birth.
Should my pregnant wife get adjusted?
Yes. Adjustments during pregnancy to remove subluxations can help
ease the discomforts of pregnancy and labor, not to mention ensuring a
more healthy mother. Naturally, the procedures used to adjust a
pregnant woman will vary depending on her condition.
Miscellaneous
How important is posture?
Posture is very important! Consider this: if one sits/stands with
his/her shoulders slouched and upper back bent forward (slouching),
this will compress the lungs and heart. If this slouched posture is
maintained for too long, e.g. through childhood and adolescence, the
body could possibly adopt this posture permanently. If this person
ever engages in sports or any other physically demanding activity like
going up a flight of stairs, wrestling with the kids, or carrying the
groceries from the garage, his/her body won’t be able to respond
with enough air and blood. And a seemingly simple activity leaves this
person breathless.
How does massage and physical therapy fit in
with chiropractic care?
Massage and physical therapy deal directly with only the soft
tissues of the body, i.e. the muscles, tendons, and
ligaments. Chiropractic deals with the hard and soft tissues of the
body, i.e. the bones as well as the muscles, tendons, and
ligaments. Some chiropractors can treat the soft tissues of the body
with their hands with such techniques as MRT (myofascial release
technique). Others will do it with different physical therapy methods
such as electronic muscle stimulation and/or ultrasound. Chiropractors
will treat the hard tissues (bones and joints) by means of the
chiropractic adjustment.
In many cases a subluxation has a tight muscle(s) as a component
that keeps the vertebrae from moving properly. Adjustments many times
will loosen a tight muscle; in other cases special soft tissue
techniques are required.
Chiropractors are licensed in California to administer physical
therapy; they just cannot hold themselves out as
physical therapists.
What happens on the first visit?
On the first visit you are given a case history form to fill
in. This gives us some information regarding the nature of your
complaint such as when and how it started. After Dr. Bauer reviews
this with you, he will perform a chiropractic examination. Depending
on the results of the exam and your history, he may or may not take
X-rays. Also, depending on the severity of the findings, he may or may
not treat on the first visit; but he will always make some
recommendation for home care to start the healing process.
Care generally begins on the next visit after Dr. Bauer has had
time to review your history, exam and X-ray findings. This second
visit will start with an 8 minute video which briefly explains the
subluxation complex. Then Dr. Bauer will explain the nature of
your problem, show you your X-rays, and outline your
choices of care.
What happens on a regular office visit?
Upon entering the office, you would first sign in. Appointments are
scheduled so that waiting is kept to a minimum, and in most cases this
is less than five minutes. When asked, you would go to the adjusting
table, and shortly thereafter, Dr. Bauer will join
you. Dr. Bauer will do a brief exam to determine how your spine has
improved since the last visit; then he will give whatever adjustments
are necessary to remove your subluxations. Depending on your
condition, he may or may not do some specific muscle work to relax
tight muscles. After checking on whether or not you are doing your
exercises correctly or taking your supplements, etc., Dr. Bauer
will record the areas adjusted. The time that all this takes could
vary from 5 to 20 minutes.
On all visits all patients are given the
exact treatment they need.
