| Why chiropractic? |
| What is chiropractic? |
| What does the back anatomy consist of? |
| What is a subluxation? |
| What is an adjustment? |
| Does it hurt to get adjusted? |
| What causes the sound made during a chiropractic adjustment? |
| Is chiropractic care safe? |
| Is it bad to "crack" your back or neck a lot? |
| Once you see a chiropractor, do you have to go for the rest of your life? |
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 Why chiropractic? |
The benefits of chiropractic go far beyond relieving back and neck pain and can help people of all ages.
Chiropractic is proven effective in the treatment of many common ailments including, but not limited to: |
- Headaches
- Low Back Pain
- Mid and Upper Back Pain
- Neck Pain
- Shoulder and Arm Pain
- Leg Pain (Sciatica)
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Dizziness
- Joint Stiffness
- Muscle Spasms
- Numbness and Tingling
- Low Energy
- Stress
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What is chiropractic?
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Chiropractic is the science, art & philosophy of locating & correcting vertebral subluxation through gentle, specific chiropractic adjustments thus allowing your body to function at its optimum potential.
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What does the back anatomy consist of?
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The spinal column (or vertebral column) extends from the skull to the pelvis and is made up of 33 individual bones termed vertebrae. The vertebrae are stacked on top of each other grouped into five regions:
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| Term |
No. of Vertebrae |
Body Area |
Abbreviation |
| Cervical |
7 |
Neck |
C1 - C7 |
| Thoracic |
12 |
Chest |
T1 – T12 |
| Lumbar |
5 or 6 |
Low Back |
L1 - L5 |
| Sacrum |
5 (fused) |
Pelvis |
S1 – S5 |
| Coccyx |
3 |
Tailbone |
N/A |
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The cervical spine is further divided into two parts; the upper cervical region (C1 and C2), and the lower cervical region (C3 through C7). C1 is termed the Atlas and C2 the Axis. The Occiput (CO), also known as the Occipital Bone, is a flat bone that forms the back of the head.
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Atlas (C1)
The Atlas is the first cervical vertebra and therefore abbreviated C1. This vertebra supports the skull. Its appearance is different from the other spinal vertebrae. The atlas is a ring of bone made up of two lateral masses joined at the front and back by the anterior arch and the posterior arch.
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Axis (C2)
The Axis is the second cervical vertebra or C2. It is a blunt tooth–like process that projects upward. It is also referred to as the ‘dens’ (Latin for ‘tooth’) or odontoid process. The dens provides a type of pivot and collar allowing the head and atlas to rotate around the dens.
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Thoracic Vertebrae (T1 – T12)
The thoracic vertebrae increase in size from T1 through T12. They are characterized by small pedicles, long spinous processes, and relatively large intervertebral foramen (neural passageways), which result in less incidence of nerve compression.
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The rib cage is joined to the thoracic vertebrae. At T11 and T12, the ribs do not attach and are so are called "floating ribs." The thoracic spine's range of motion is limited due to the many rib/vertebrae connections and the long spinous processes.
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Lumbar Vertebrae (L1 – L5)
The lumbar vertebrae graduate in size from L1 through L5. These vertebrae bear much of the body's weight and related biomechanical stress. The pedicles are longer and wider than those in the thoracic spine. The spinous processes are horizontal and more squared in shape. The intervertebral foramen (neural passageways) are relatively large but nerve root compression is more common than in the thoracic spine.
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Purpose of the Vertebrae
Although vertebrae range in size; cervical the smallest, lumbar the largest, vertebral bodies are the weight bearing structures of the spinal column. Upper body weight is distributed through the spine to the sacrum and pelvis. The natural curves in the spine, kyphotic and lordotic, provide resistance and elasticity in distributing body weight and axial loads sustained during movement.
The vertebrae are composed of many elements that are critical to the overall function of the spine, which include the intervertebral discs and facet joints.
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Functions of the Vertebral or Spinal Column Include:
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| Protection |
- Spinal cord and nerve roots
- Many internal organs
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| Base for Attachment |
- Ligaments
- Tendons
- Muscles
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| Structural Support |
- Head, shoulders, chest
- Connects upper and lower body
- Balance and weight distribution
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| Flexibility and Mobility |
- Flexion (forward bending)
- Extension (backward bending)
- Side bending (left and right)
- Rotation (left and right)
- Combination of above
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| Other |
- Bones produce red blood cells
- Mineral storage
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What is a subluxation?
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The bones protecting your spinal cord are 24 moving vertebrae. When these bones lose their normal motion or position they can irritate the nervous system. This disrupts the function of tissues or organs the nerves control, this is called a subluxation. If your nervous system is interfered with, your body's natural ability to heal itself & function becomes impaired.
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What is an adjustment?
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A gentle, specific "thrust" delivered by hand or instrument. The purpose of the adjustment is to correct your spinal subluxation thus removing the nerve interference in your body and allows the body to heal itself.
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Does it hurt to get adjusted?
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No. Chiropractic adjustments feel great, once you begin receiving your adjustments, you will begin to look forward to them. When you allow the vertebrae in your spine to return to their proper position, you will notice much less stress and tension.
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What causes the sound made during a chiropractic adjustment?
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That sound is not your spine "cracking" or "popping" like most people, think. That sound is created by gas (in this case, nitrogen) rushing in to fill the space created when the joints are slightly separated. Not all adjusting techniques produce this noise. In fact, some adjusting techniques use little force and thus produce no noise at all.
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Is chiropractic care safe?
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Yes. Statistics prove that chiropractic care is one of the safest types of healthcare in the world. You only need to compare the malpractice premiums paid by chiropractors to those paid by medical doctors. Doctors of Chiropractic pay only a small fraction of the price medical doctors pay in malpractice premiums.
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Is it bad to "crack" your back or neck a lot?
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This question is asked because people associate the "cracking” of one's back or neck with a chiropractic adjustment. The two are not the same thing. If a person has a desire to "crack" their neck or back it is often because one area of their spine is fixated or jammed causing another area to move too much and "pop”, sometimes on it’s own. When you "crack" your back you may be relieving the tension for a little while. Do you notice how it keeps coming back? That is because you are not giving yourself a specific chiropractic adjustment. The cause of the spinal tension, the subluxated vertebrae, has not been corrected. Even chiropractors cannot adjust themselves.
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Once you see a chiropractor, do you have to go for the rest of your life?
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No. The extent to which you choose to benefit from your chiropractic care is ultimately up to you. We do strongly urge all practice members to consider lifetime, wellness chiropractic care. This is where the long-term, lasting benefits of maintained care are enjoyed.
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