Hello, again! Today's post will cover some of the most common questions/myths that I am asked by my patients, friends, family and total strangers. The majority of the time, they are asked as a challenge - well, challenge accepted!
Myth #1: Chiropractors crack your bones
One of the most well known and common chiropractic
techniques involves an adjustment, or manipulation, of the spine or extremity
JOINTS (the point of connection between two bones). A chiropractic adjustment
is the focused mobilization of a specific joint in the body and acts to affect
the joints position and movement. The audible sound sometimes heard (not
always!) during an adjustment is caused by the opening of the joint space and
the expansion of gases within that space. A chiropractic adjustment does not
affect the bones on either side of a joint – it affects the connective tissues
that hold that joint together. Not ALL chiropractic treatment plans involve
manipulation, and it is not uncommon for a patient’s treatment to include a
variety of techniques: electrical modalities, soft tissue/muscle work, exercise
advice, stretching, ergonomic advice and nutritional counseling.
Myth #2: You have to go for the rest of your life
If you are being treated for a specific problem, the
treatment plan should end when the problem is resolved. If your problem is
chronic (you have been suffering for more than 3 months) or recurrent, or you
wish to avoid future problems, you may benefit from periodic care to stay ahead
of accumulative strains and acute flare-ups. Dental care is similar to
chiropractic in this way. Bottom line is….it’s YOUR choice!
It is not necessary to continue to see a chiropractor
once they have taken care of your problems – you are never obligated to
continue treatment! In my practice, most (about 90%) of patients choose to come
back for regular check-ups that vary from every 2 weeks to every 6 months –
this depends on their lifestyle and health care goals. The most recent research
states that patients with a chronic condition benefit best from chiropractic management
every 2 weeks, or twice a month. This may seem like a lot, but remember – the
problem is chronic for a reason – perhaps you sit hunched over a computer for 8
hours a day, 7 days a week or you play hockey with your buddies every weekend!
Giving up the things you love or that provide a living for you and your family
are not always an option!
The main inference of Myth #2 is that chiropractic
care is addictive. If continuing to do something that gives you an increased
level of heath and decrease pain is addictive, then maybe it is! Remember – the
amount of care you utilize is always up to you! Most patients who see huge
changes in their energy, immune function, sleep pattern, pain level and general
well-being choose to maintain regular chiropractic care as an integral part of
their lifestyle.
Myth #3: Chiropractors are not real doctors
This one really gets me! The general public has come
to think of a doctor as someone who prescribes pills or removes organs. Sadly,
many people also think this is the best, or only, method of viable health care.
Medication is an aggressive approach to health care – the side effects are
endless, and at times can include death. It is important for the public to be
aware that there is MUCH more to health care than just drugs and surgery!
In order for a chiropractor to practice in Canada,
they must first graduate from a recognized institution as a doctor of
chiropractic (D.C.). A D.C. program takes 4 years to complete and includes at
least 4,200 hours of specialized clinical training. This is only possible after
completing an undergraduate program. After all the schooling (which includes
the study of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, toxicopharmacology, microbiology,
and neurology, amongst MANY others) you must pass both national and provincial
board exams to qualify for a license. To maintain their license, a chiropractor
must complete continuing education courses to ensure updated knowledge in all
aspects of patient care. In Ontario, a chiropractor is one of 5 health
professionals legally entitled to use the title ‘doctor’. A chiropractor has an
equally extensive education in all human health sciences than any other doctor.
How a chiropractor differs is the philosophy behind how these health sciences
are applied to help their patients maximize their health.
In Ontario, a chiropractor is considered a Primary
Care Practitioner - this means we act as a first-contact health care
professional, just like your medical doctor! So, is a chiropractor a REAL
doctor? Absolutely! We are spine and joint care professionals – what your
chiropractor can offer you, no other doctor can.
Myth #4: It’s only for adults, not children
If you are a follower of my blog, this will sound
very familiar to you! Chiropractic can make a major impact on ANYONE’s health,
from newborns to geriatrics! Children are highly susceptible to trauma in their
spines. Since spines grow rapidly during the first five years of life, checking
for abnormalities during this time is critical for proper development. Though
symptoms may not arise until later on, injury to vital nerves can result in a
lifetime of health problems – most spinal problems that cause pain and
disability in adults begin in childhood!
Chiropractic is especially necessary for young
athletes involved in contact sports or informal recreation; however, parents
bring their children to chiropractors for everyday health concerns, such as
asthma, common infections (most commonly, otitis media, or an ear infection),
bed-wetting, falls, ADD, and colds. Research has shown that children under the
care of chiropractors have less colds and infections, and, when they do get
sick, the symptoms do not last as long! Chiropractic care allows children to
grow with better nerve function, which positively affects ALL of the body’s
systems!
Myth #5: Chiropractic is only for back pain
The benefits of chiropractic are much greater than
helping with back pain! Chiropractors are trained to care for ALL of the joints
in your body – from your big toe to your little finger! In fact, my personal
philosophy has me examining the FEET of almost all my patients! As your
‘pedal-base’, your feet carry you through life and deserve attention – joints
of the foot or ankle that are not functioning properly can cause imbalances up
the kinetic chain and can go as far as causing chronic headaches! Conditions
such as tennis elbow, rotator cuff tears, carpal tunnel syndrome, hip
osteoarthritis, and knee ligamentous injury are ALL amenable to chiropractic
treatment – and it is usually the first line of treatment for them!
Myth #6: It is too expensive
The key to understanding Myth #6: Quality of Life!
Those who have experienced long-term care and the chiropractic lifestyle know
it doesn’t cost – it PAYS! One specific study showed that 87% of long-time
chiropractic patients considered their health as excellent, they took less
medications, and experienced less chronic conditions associated with aging.
Even in our publicly funded health care system, where other avenues of care are
100% covered by our tax dollars, millions of people value chiropractic care enough
to be more than willing to pay for their care with their hard-earned dollars!
Myth #7: Adjustments are painful
Most of the time, a spinal adjustment will not hurt
at all – in fact, most patients experience a great sense of relief after
receiving one! On some occasions, it may feel ‘uncomfortable’, like your doctor
is momentarily pressing on a bruise, or like the sensation of sore muscles
after a workout. An adjustment should never ‘hurt’. Over time, as your nervous
system integrates the effects of the adjustments, most people feel a continuing
sense of ease. This is one reason why many people make chiropractic an
important part of their wellness lifestyle.
Myth #8: Neck adjustments cause stroke
There is NO scientific evidence to show that there is
an increased risk of ANY serious negative event following a chiropractic
adjustment. Let’s look at the numbers – researchers have estimated that the
chance of having a stroke after a chiropractic adjustment is about 1 in
1,000,000! If this is the case, you have a better chance of being struck by
lightning, being killed on a bicycle, or dying from taking aspirin, than you
have of being seriously injured by chiropractic!
Ok – Think I am just “saying so”? Let’s look at the
research:
Research has indicated that rotary movement of the
neck (representing the most forceful of chiropractic techniques) could only
stretch the vertebral artery of the neck to 6.2% of its resting length, and
that to damage it (and cause a stroke) would require a stretch equal to 162% of
its resting length. The authors of this study (found in JMPT 2002; 25:504-10)
concluded that it was not physically possible to injure the vertebral artery by
neck adjustments.
The results of another study (found in the Journal of
Neurology 2002; 249(8): 1098-1104) suggest that stroke, particularly from
vertebrobasilar dissection (rupture/tearing of the vertebral artery in the
neck) should be considered a random and unpredictable complication of ANY neck
movement (which includes chiropractic neck manipulation, as well as getting
your hair washed at the hair salon).
Perhaps the most interesting, and most definitive,
study on this topic (published in Spine 2008; 33(4S): S176-S183) showed that
the risk of stroke for patients under the care of a chiropractor AND a medical
physician were IDENTICAL, and less than 1 in 1,000,000! Considering that the
majority of physicians do not utilize neck manipulation as part of their
treatment plans, these results would appear to indicate that neck manipulation,
in and of themselves, are not a causative factor of strokes.
All the research points to the same end: the benefits
FAR outweigh the risks. In the end, no matter who your chiropractor is, the
choice is up to YOU!
Myth #9: There is no scientific proof that it works
Over the years, there have been hundreds of studies
proving the validity of chiropractic in improving the health of millions of
people all over the world! Studies done over the past 5 years have proven the
positive benefits of increased immune function, general wellbeing, and
increased brain functioning, too! The science is there – all you have to do is
look! The ICL (Index to Chiropractic Literature) is a gateway to the literature
published in chiropractic journals – I highly recommend this as a source for
learning. If you have specific questions you want answered, ask your chiropractor!
I am always providing my patients with journal articles related to their
conditions or to answer their questions.
Myth #10: I can crack my back on my own
By trying to crack your own back, you may actually be
causing more problems. First off, it is difficult to achieve – there is a
reason chiropractors have four years of training! More importantly, however, is
that proper positioning is essential for a chiropractic adjustment – this is
near impossible to accomplish on your own. When you attempt to adjust yourself,
any joint that is capable of moving can achieve a “pop” sound which makes most
people think that their self-manipulation was successful; however, this does
not mean that you have restored the proper movement to the right joint! Along
with the “pop” comes the release of endorphins – giving you a brief sense of
euphoria and making you feel that you have cured your problem. Have you felt
this before? Unfortunately, you have also probably experienced that the initial
pain or discomfort will likely return approximately 20 minutes later. If you
continue to adjust yourself every 20 minutes for relief, your joints will
become hypermobile (have too much motion) and, thus, unstable. This instability
will lead to more serious problems down the road. I highly advise against
self-adjusting! As a chiropractor, I see another chiropractor to make sure my
spine is in top shape – even with my extensive training, I don’t adjust myself!
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