What is Chiropractic?
The definition of Chiropractic is simple: A philosophy, art and science dedicated to the detection and correction of Vertebral Subluxation in order to eliminate nerve interference allowing the innate intelligence of the body to heal and self regulate.
Despite the simplicity of this definition, there is more confusion about Chiropractic and Chiropractors today than ever before. This is partly due to the intervening of major medical insurance companies and the federal government (Medicare and Medicaid). The most common use of Chiropractic is pain relief. Adjusting the spine works extremely well with providing relief and chiropractors get awesome results without polluting the body with drugs, medications or chemicals. But we do so much more than just pain relief.
One of the benefits that we at Jenkins Family Chiropractic offer is that we practice straight, specific and scientific Chiropractic consistent with greater than 120 years of Chiropractic research. We are not a medical facility, a store or a physical therapy clinic. As such you can rest assured that our office will never try to sell you a line of nutritional supplements, pillows or contraptions. Nor will you be managed medically for your spinal health. Chiropractic doctors practice natural, drugless, non-invasive health care and rely on the body’s ability to self-heal. Sounds ideal, but just how does it work?
We look at the whole picture
Like other health-care providers, we follow a standard routine to gain information about the patient. We start with a consultation and review your health history. Unlike other health-care providers, however, chiropractors conduct a careful analysis of the patient’s structure and pay particular attention to the spine. We may also request and take careful analysis of x-rays, depending on your situation. We also ask you about your life— Do you eat well? Exercise? How do you deal with stress? Do you have children? What do you do for work? And so on.
We seek the origin of the problem
Using this information, we determine the best course of action necessary to improve the function of your spine and nerve system. It is important to note that chiropractors seek the origin of the illness in order to eliminate it-we do not simply treat the symptoms. If your roof is leaking, do you simply catch the drips in a bucket for years on end, or do you repair the roof to prevent it from leaking? Similarly, if the migraine headache you’ve had all week is being caused by one or more misaligned vertebra and irritated nerves, do you continue to take pain killers indefinitely, or do you realign the vertebra to prevent the pain? You get the picture.
We fix the origin of the problem
Chiropractors have a term for misalignments: subluxations. A vertebral subluxation is a misalignment of the bones that protect the spinal cord. It’s a leak in the roof. Or a kink in the wiring of your nervous system. The severity of the subluxation can vary, and there are a number of potential contributing factors that can be physical, emotional, mental, or chemical. The subluxation can be caused by any number of incidents, from birth trauma, to an auto accident, to simple repetition, or over-use.
Once the Subluxation is identified and adjusted we trust that the innate, self-regulating and self-healing properties of the body will take over. We will continue to monitor and adjust the Vertebral Subluxations that your spine has developed for a period of time allowing the body tissues to heal. At Jenkins Family Chiropractic our attention and focus is on your spinal alignment as it relates to function and overall health.
Q: Does getting adjusted hurt?
A: No, adjustments do not hurt. Sometimes, however, in the beginning of care there can be some post adjustment soreness. This is not unlike the post workout soreness when you begin a workout regimen or the gum soreness with the initial application of braces. Should any post adjustment soreness occur we view this as an indication that a change was made in the structural integrity of the spine and some short term ice can be used to minimize the reaction.
Q: I’m afraid of having my neck “cracked”, do you need to do that?
A. Our humorous response to this question is always, “eggs get cracked, people get adjusted!” But seriously… the “crack” that can accompany an adjustment is just the release of pressure that has built up within the joint space. When the fixated joint is adjusted and mobility is restored, a “pop”, “click”, or “crack” can be heard. It is important to know that this is NOT bones “cracking” and is not dangerous in any way.
Q: Do I need to have chiropractic coverage through my insurance?
A: No, You do NOT need insurance to see us. While, there are insurances that offer some level of coverage for Chiropractic care, most of which offer acute care for sudden onset injury only. At Jenkins Family Chiropractic our goal is to help you maintain the health of your spine and teach/show you how that translates into overall health and well-being. Therefore most of our patient’s elect to enter into an affordable payment program that lets them maintain their spinal health without stressing them financially. This gives patient’s health assurance instead of relying on health insurance.
Q: I’ve heard that once to start seeing a Chiropractor you have to do so for the rest of your life, is that true?
A: Of course this is not true. Some people do elect to only come to the chiropractor for relief care. This type of care will only address the symptoms from which you may be suffering and aim to simply offer relief. We impress upon each and every patient we care for that it is important to not only get relief from their symptoms, but to correct the structure and function as well as maintain that structure and function for as long they wish to live healthfully. This is very similar to a dentist correcting a cavity and offering relief from pain. The patient is always instructed to care for their teeth at home and maintain regularly scheduled check-ups with the dentist to help keep their teeth and gums healthy. This is the reason that so many people continue with spinal maintenance care after their symptom relief has been achieved.
Q: Do Chiropractors carry really expensive malpractice insurance for what they do?
A:This is a very common misconception. In fact, when compared to other health care practitioners the malpractice insurance of a chiropractor is very low. Chiropractors are still required to carry the same level of coverage as a general practitioner, OB/GYN, or Neurosurgeon, however due to the non-invasive nature and low risk of injury for what we do, our Malpractice insurance is a fraction of the cost.
Connecticut Comparisons:
- Chiropractor – $2700 per year
- Internist – $10,000 per year
- General Surgeon – $40,000 per year
- OB/GYN – $82,000 per year
Q: If I stop getting adjusted will my subluxations come back?
A: Subluxations are like weak links on a chain. As the physical, chemical and emotional stresses of life continue to build over time, weaker areas will eventually succumb to the stress. This is very similar to the circuit breaker in the electrical box of your home. As more power is drawn through one circuit the breaker will trip to prevent overload and damage. The spine and nerve system act in very much the same fashion. When the weaker area of the spine can longer handle the increase demand from stress, it too will trip (subluxate) and need to be adjusted (or re-set).
For this reason, people continue to get checked on a regular basis and adjusted accordingly in hopes of avoiding and preventing the degeneration and dis-ease than comes with chronic subluxations. It is viewed as preventative, stopping illness ad avoiding sickness. These individuals know that they have a stronger nerve and immune system to protect them and fight off illness. Patients come to the Chiropractor pain free, to ward off illness.