About Chiropractic

Learn more about chiropractic care – its uses, history, and benefits.

What is Chiropractic Care?

Chiropractic care is a drug-free and non-invasive form of healthcare. It is used to restore proper function to the nervous system and aims to help heal your body naturally. Chiropractic care includes the use of gentle spinal adjustments and conservative manual therapies. When the spine is not positioned normally, it can irritate the nerves exiting the spine. And when spinal nerves are irritated, they don’t function normally and can affect the function of the tissues they interact with.

How does Chiropractic work?

Chiropractors use hands-on spinal manipulation and other alternative treatments, the theory being that proper alignment of the body’s musculoskeletal structure, particularly the spine, will enable the body to heal itself without surgery or medication. The objective of chiropractic treatment is to reduce the subluxation, with the goals of increasing range of motion, reducing nerve irritability and improving function.

What is Subluxation?

A subluxation, short for Vertebral Subluxation Complex (VSC) is an abnormal condition commonly involving several vertebrae. It occurs when vertebrae in your spine lose their normal position and/or motion. This causes pressure to be applied to spinal nerve roots. Studies have shown that even minimal pressure and loss of motion can decrease nerve conduction by over 30 percent. This means that the brain does not communicate as effectively with the muscles and organs of our bodies. Chiropractic adjustments are designed to restore position and movement of these subluxated areas to improve and restore nerve conduction by removing pressure on these nerve tracts. Subluxations most often occur in response to the daily stresses placed on our bodies. Common things such as emotional stress, poor posture from sitting in front of a computer or standing at a workstation for a long time may lead to subluxations. Car accidents, improper lifting or work injuries are other common causes of VSC.

History of Chiropractic?

The history of chiropractic began in 1895 when Daniel David Palmer of Iowa performed the first chiropractic adjustment on a partially deaf janitor, Harvey Lillard. While Lillard was working without his shirt on in Palmers office, Lillard bent over to empty the trash can. Palmer noticed that Lillard had a vertebra out of position. He asked Lillard what happened, and Lillard replied, “I moved the wrong way, and I heard a ‘pop’ in my back, and that’s when I lost my hearing.” Palmer, who was also involved in many other natural healing philosophies, had Lillard lie face down on the floor and proceeded with the adjustment. The next day, Lillard told Palmer, “I can hear that rackets on the streets.” This experience led Palmer to open a school of chiropractic two years later. Rev. Samel Weed coined the word “chiropractic” from Greek roots. Chiropractic’s early philosophy was rooted in vitalism, naturalism, magnetism, spiritualism and other constructs that are not amenable to the scientific method, although Palmer tried to merge science and metaphysics. In 1896, Palmer’s first descriptions and underlying philosophy of chiropractic echoed Andrew Still’s principles of osteopathy established a decade earlier. Both described the body as a “machine” whose parts could be manipulated to produce a drugless cure. Both professed the use of spinal manipulation on joint dysfunction/subluxation to improve health. Palmer distinguished his work by noting that he was the first to use short-lever HVLA manipulative techniques using the spinous process and transverse processes as mechanical levers. He described the effects of chiropractic spinal manipulation as being mediated primarily by the nervous system.

How old do I have to be to get chiropractic treatment?

Chiropractic treatments and adjustments can and should be a stable part of a person’s healthcare plan through all stages of life. Mothers are encouraged to bring their infants into the chiropractic clinic for a very gentle and safe initial spinal adjustment, to correct any trauma which may have occurred during the process of childbirth. As these children grow older, they will more than likely experience falls and minor injuries as a result of playing and running around, which can result in pain and stiffness in the joints and back. As for the elderly, many common procedures are often considered too risky, due to their frail condition or the medications they are on. Chiropractic can gently bring pain relief in a very safe and Natural manner, helping to ease the tension brought on by common health ailments such as arthritis and inflammation in the joints. Chiropractic Treatment is recommended for every one of all ages.

Other consumers of Chiropractic?

History has shown us that chiropractic is widely recognized in the athletic arena. Professional sports teams understand the importance of retaining a team chiropractor who can attend to players on the sidelines during games.  The list of examples is endless (golf pros, MMA fighters, hockey players, extreme snowboarders, etc.).  Whether an athlete is on a team or participating in an individual sport, chiropractic has probably played a role in their athletic development.  There is a staggering amount of evidence and research that supports the effectiveness of chiropractic, but it is even more telling to note just how many athletes depend on chiropractors to keep them in the game.

Tiger Woods (GOLF)

GolferConsidered as one of the greatest professional American golfers of all time, Tiger Woods has had numerous visits to chiropractic clinics throughout his career. In fact, Woods said that chiropractic care has helped him enhance his physical well-being. He goes on to say that chiropractic care is as vital as his daily training and exercise. Tiger Woods is one of the world’s highest paid athletes.

Jerry Lee Rice (FOOTBALL)

Football PlayerKnown as the greatest American football player in NFL history, Jerry Rice has played twenty seasons as a wide receiver. Rice has also publicly declared how chiropractic care plays a major role in his football career. He said that it literally “keeps him in the game” and even until now, Rice regularly visits his chiropractor.

Gerard Bernard Wilkins (BASKETBALL)

Basketball PlayerGerard Wilkins, a retired American basketball player, claims that his regular adjustments have greatly enhanced his sense of balance during the game. Wilkins was one of the major players of New York Knicks team during the 1980’s. He also believes that going to his chiropractor clinic regularly has made him a better player mainly because it improves his control and coordination.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (BODYBUILDING)

BodybuilderSince he was 15 years old, Arnold Schwarzenegger has already started weight training. After winning the Mr. Universe title when he was 20 years old, Arnold continues to be a major icon in the bodybuilding industry. In order to keep his physical stamina and vigor, he makes sure he regularly goes to the gym for exercise. However, Arnold also claims that chiropractic care has been largely beneficial to his overall health. In fact, he believes that a timely visit to his chiropractor is hugely responsible for his long-lasting vigor.

Mike Modano (HOCKEY)

Hockey PlayerOlympic silver medalist in hockey and player for the Dallas Stars, Mike Modano is a strong advocate of the benefits of chiropractic care for hockey players. He says, “Chiropractic helps with recovery time and the way my body responds with the grind it takes.”

How does Chiropractic use X-Ray to diagnose?

Diagnostic studies are used to help chiropractors diagnose your treatment. After the initial consultation and chiropractic exam, the chiropractor may recommend X-Ray studies to help make an accurate diagnosis of your condition. Because chiropractic care uses spinal manipulation and other techniques that involve movement of skeletal components with the hands or with the use of the instrument, an X-Ray can show a chiropractor exactly what is happening in the body in terms of alignment and structure. The X-Ray conveys some other information too, such as the presence of scar tissue or arthritis in a given area, both occurrences that need to be considered when forming some sort of treatment pathway.

Who do we provide our X-Ray services to?

Our diagnostic imaging services is open to the public. People of all ages can benefit from having X-Rays. Woman who are in their first trimester of pregnancy are usually not recommended to have X-Rays unless absolutely needed and even then the woman must wear a lead shielding to cover her abdominal region so she is not being exposed to radiation. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent and again the parent must wear lead shielding so they are not being exposed to radiation. Our office provides the lowest amount of radiation in Manitoba and is the safest diagnostic imaging system in our region.

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