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What is Subluxation?
A vertebral subluxation is a misaligned vertebra causing interruption with nerve signals betwee your brain and your body.
Your body has life energies that travel over your brain, spinal cord, and billions of nerve fibers to every part of your being. This process makes the connections necessary for digestion, breathing, heartbeat, immune system function, glands, muscles, and all bodily functions! If this nervous system is interrupted, your energies will NOT flow properly, and you suffer from dis-ease and lack of harmony. The most common cause of this interruption is called a vertebral subluxation.
A vertebral subluxation is a spinal abnormality that interferes with your nerves. It can create pain, fatigue, and a lowered immune system. It will lead to poor health. It is often referred to as a "silent killer" because symptoms are often mild or non existant. Doctors of chiropractic locate, analyze and coorect these vertebral subluxations.
A vertebral subluxation includes the following:
(1) Spinal Kinesiopathology - vertebrae are jammed and either less mobile than they should be or, conversely, too mobile ("noisy joints"). You are unable to comfortably turn, bend or twist your neck, hips or back in every direction.
(2) Neuropathophysiology - nerves are impinged and you may feel pain, tingling, numbness and/or pins-and-needles. The impulses traveling through your nerves are alerted and important chemicals that flow over your nerves may be blocked.
(3) Myopathology - muscles are chronically tight, in spasm, weak, overly sensitive and/or sore.
(4) Histopathology - have swelling, tenderness, "trigger points," painful spots and other soft tissue changes. Ligaments, cartilage, discs, tendons and internal organs may be affected.
(5) Pathophysiology - muscles, joints, ligaments and organs show signs of wear and tear and premature aging, fatigue, less resistance to disease and lack of physical and mental vitality.
Causes of Subluxation:
Subluxations are caused by stress. It can be intense stress such as accidents, falls, sports injuries and/or other trauma. It can also be caused by mild stress such as repeated movements that gradually wear down your body parts, bad posture, dental work and emotional stress which can cause chronic tension. Subluxations can occur from childhood (i.e. a difficult birth) and from childhood falls. It is for that reason that infants and children need chiropractic care; many health problems have been traced to spinal damage at birth.
Although vertebral subluxations are the most common forms of poor nerve flow, they are by no means the only ones. Drugs, trauma, direct pressure (when your legs or arms "go to sleep"), a stroke, broken bones, arthritis, tumors and neurological diseases such as muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, polio and cerebral palsy can also damge nerves. The most widespread and common cause of nerve irritation and interference, however, is the vertebral subluxation.
Correcting Subluxations:
Subluxations are so common that they can be considered an epidemic - nearly everyone has them. It is sometimes said that if you suffer from neck and back pain you're fortunate - you are aware of a spinal problem and will (hopefully) go to a doctor of chiropractic for a spinal checkup. The chiropractor will not only check the areas in pain, but will throw in a "bonus" and check your entire spinal column for nerve pressure, even the areas that don't hurt. Where you feel pain may not even be where the subluxation is...the pain may be referred.
Subluxations can undermine your health just as termites can undermine the foundation of your home. By the time the kithchen floor collapses, it's too late to call the exterminator; and in the same way, by the time symptoms appear a certain amount of the damage caused by long-standing subluxations may be irreversible. For that reason, periodic spinal examinations to locate and correct vertebral subluxations should be a part of every family's health routine. Correcting silent subluxations today might save you and your family from diseases that, later in life, could not possibly be ignored.
Ó1997 Tedd Koren, D.C., All Rights Reserved. No. E118
Koren Publications Inc. 1-800-537-3001
What Causes Headaches?
There are many types and causes of headaches. Regardless of the cause, if you have a headache, you want it to end FAST! This has produced a huge market for medications that cover up the symptoms of head-aches. Powerful drugs can numb your nervous system so the pain doesn't register. While these approaches may be convenient, they can cause adverse effects, such as kidney or liver damage. Worse, they don't correct the underlying cause of the headache.
The most common causes are physical trauma, emotional stress, nutritional deficiencies or chemical toxins. Sometimes there may be a combination of these and other factors. The chiropractic examination process helps identify the most likely cause.
A cause of headaches can be from spinal bones in the neck that aren't supporting your head properly. They're not moving right. This can affect nerves, muscles and even the blood supply to your head. Many patients who see a chiropractor on a regular basis, have reported fewer and less severe headaches. Some patients enjoy results quickly. Others notice a slow decline in their symptoms after several weeks or longer of chiropractic care. It's impossible to predict. If you have had chronic headaches for many years, improvement can take time.
Headaches may be common, but they're certainly not normal. Every headache has a cause. If chiropractors are unable to find and correct the cause of your headaches, they can refer to other specialists who may be able to help. Your health is the primary goal!
Ó1999 Patient Media, Inc. #1125
1-800-486-2337
What does a Chiropractor do?
Chiropractors work with bones of the spinal column and nerves of the spinal cord. 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. After locating the vertabrae impinging the nerves (subluxations), the chiropractor, using various highly specialized techniques, is able to replace the misplaced vertebrae and thus release pressure on the nerves. That is called a spinal adjustment (*).
Chiropractic doctors locate areas of the spine that aren't moving properly. They notice spinal curves. They look at your posture and your ability to turn and bend. These and many other examinations can help determine if you are likely to benefit from chiropractic care.
If you're a good chiropractic candidate, your care will consist of a schedule of chiropractic adjustments. These help normalize spinal function, help restore essential spinal curves, improve circulation and reduce nerve irritation (**).
*Ó1997 Tedd Koren, D.C., All Rights Reserved. No. E118
Koren Publications Inc. 1-800-537-3001
**Ó1999 Patient Media, Inc. #1125
1-800-486-2337
Will I Need Chiropractic Care Forever?
After patients get the relief they want, many choose to continue with some type of periodic care. These chiropractic "checkups" can help support the final stages of healing and help detect and resolve new problems before they become serious. How long you want to receive chiropractic care is up to you.
Ó1999 Patient Media, Inc. #1116
1-800-486-2337
What are Adjustments and are They Safe?
Spinal joints that are "locked up," fixated or not moving right can affect your health by "choking" or irritating nearby nerve tissue. Chiropractic adjustments add motion to these areas. This helps restore nervous system integrity and can improve the healing process.
There are many ways to adjust the spine. Sometimes the doctor's hands deliver a quick highly accurate thrust. Or an instrument directs a repeatable force to a fixated spinal joint. Other times a slow, constant pressure is used. Some chiropractic doctors use special tables with moving sections. Several areas of the spine may be adjusted, however, you may need just one.
The key is to use the precise amount of energy. At the exact spot. In the right direction. At just the right time, to get spinal joints moving again. Chiropractic is truly an art. Your chiropractor has become a master at one or more adjusting techniques.
To answer the question, "Are Adjustments Safe?" YES! A New Zealand government concluded that chiropractic adjustments are "remarkably safe." Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever is about 100 times more risky.
Ó1999 Patient Media, Inc. #1110
1-800-486-2337
WARNING: Never use the word "crack" in place of "adjust" when in front of a chiropractor!!!
How Long does it Take for Chiropractic to Work?
Patient results vary depending upon many factors. How long have you had your problem? Do you keep your appointments? Are you getting the proper rest, excercise and nutrition? Are you in otherwise good health? Within a short period of time most patients sense enough progress to justify completing chiropractic recommendations.
Ó1999 Patient Media, Inc. #1116
1-800-486-2337
What if My Insurance won't Pay for Chiropractic Care?
Insurance companies make two mistakes by limiting or denying coverage. First, they ignore current research showing the superiority of chiropractic care. Secondly, they overlook the lower cost and higher patient satisfaction enjoyed with chiropractic care. Bonnell Chiropractic offers ways to make chiropractic care affordable for just about anyone. Talk to Dr. Todd Bonnell for details.
Ó1999 Patient Media, Inc. #1116
1-800-486-2337
What Makes that Sound When Your Back is being Adjusted?
Lubricating fluids separate the bones of each spinal joint. Some adjusting methods can produce a sound when the gas and fluids in the joint shift. It's like opening a soda can or removing a suction cup. The sound is interesting, but isn't a guide to the quality or value of the adjustment.
Ó1999 Patient Media, Inc. #1110
1-800-486-2337
Why are More and More People Choosing Chiropractic First?
Take HEED to the WARNINGS!!! Pain is a warning sign. Like the piercing sound from a smoke alarm, the alarm isn't the problem. The alarm has a cause, just like every ache or pain has a cause. Some people choose to cover up the pain, instead of correcting the cause. The nerve-rich facet joints on the back side of each spinal bone are a common cause of back pain. If these pairs of interlocking "fingers" aren't moving right, they can cause painful symptoms.
The discs between spinal bones can be a source of back pain, too. These rings of fibrous tissues act as spacers, connectors and "shock absorbers" for the spine. Trauma can cause the soft, pulpy material in the middle to bulge or herniate, putting pressure on delicate nearby nerves.
Once you know the cause, you have several choices. One approach is bed rest. But research shows that prolonged bed rest can actually delay recovery and make the problem worse!
Physical therapy is another option. But exercising spinal joints that aren't working right is like continuing to drive your car with misaligned tires!
Another choice is to numb or cover up the pain with drugs. While drugs can offer temporary relief, they can't correct functional problems of affected spinal joints.
The most drastic measure is surgery. While there may be times when surgery makes sense, it's expensive, risky and more than half of all back surgeries fail.
More and more people are choosing chiropractic care first. Specific chiropractic adjustments can help improve spinal function. Better yet, chiropractic is safe! Chiropractic is natural! And chiropractic looks to correct the underlying cause of the problem!
Ó1999 Patient Media, Inc. #1116
1-800-486-2337
