Chiropractic Hangups
In the many years that I’ve been practicing, I’ve come across some real issues that many folks outside my practice have about receiving chiropractic care. Here are my thoughts on some common hang-ups.
I went once and I had a bad experience. – Chiropractic is a very personal profession. You just need to find the chiropractor who has a technique and personality that make you comfortable. When we go to a bad lawyer, we usually find another. When we go to a bad MD, accountant, bank, barber, or anyone else, we usually find another. Don’t write off the whole profession from one bad experience. You’re loosing out on some great life giving, and possibly life changing benefits.
If I get adjusted, I’ll need to be adjusted. - In all my years of school(>10 higher education) and practical experience(>30), my understanding of the spine and central nervous system is that everyone on this earth needs to be adjusted. This holds true if you’ve never been adjusted, or if you’ve been adjusted many times. This holds true if you feel the need to be adjusted or you don’t feel the need. Let’s put the 100 years of philosophical reasoning and scientific research aside. Just the physical law of gravity alone as it relates to the increased weight baring stress on the spine is enough common sense to make me not want to walk around with my nerves compressed and my joints all stuck together. Why would any one want to walk around like this? I can talk for another ten pages on this subject, but I’ll just make this one point.
I just don’t have the time. – Everyone makes time for things that are important to them. It takes about three to five minutes to have your spine objectively checked and adjusted only where needed. I’ll say no more.
I went for a while and I didn’t feel a difference. – I guarantee you that even though you didn’t feel a difference with regards to your primary health concern, your body still benefited in other areas from the adjustments. Everyone functions better on all levels when no nerve interference is present. That’s a fact. Maybe you needed give it more time to feel the changes you were looking for. Maybe you needed to follow your schedule for care a little closer. A hard concept for folks to grasp is that we can’t always feel all the positive changes our bodies are going through. Did you feel all those vitamins you took this morning?? We also can’t feel all the negative changes(high cholesterol, infertility, cancer, etc). Our five senses don’t always tell us everything. That’s why it’s so important to have a good understanding of what your chiropractor is doing and why. The education process is so vitally important when one starts their care.
That cracking noise sounds like my bones breaking. It surely isn’t. That’s just the sound very tiny gas bubbles exploding on a microscopic level. It’s the natural sound that occurs when tension is released from the joints. It actually feels pretty good.
My children are too young to be adjusted. My kids were checked and adjusted within one hour after they were born. The birth process, even under the most favorable conditions, is the most traumatic thing our spines will go through during our entire lives. Developing a good structure at an early age sets the stage for your child’s best possible nerve function and expression of life. Since we already know that brain and nerves signals control everything, optimal nerve system function will yield the best chance for good health in the future. Bring your children in to have their spines checked.
If I go, I’ll have to go the rest of my life. This is a silly one. No one in this world has to do anything except pay taxes and die. At least that’s what my grandmother told me. You can come for one adjustment or a lifetime of adjustments. Your health and life expression will improve either way proportionate to whatever commitment you choose. Getting your spine checked is just a good habit that we chiropractors like to promote. If I owned a gym, I’d tell you to exercise more. If I was a nutritionist, I’d tell you to watch what you eat. Brushing your teeth, drinking bottled water, wearing good shoes, taking a bath, and having a good outlook on life are all good habits to practice. So is getting your spine checked.
I’m too old. The damage is already done. You would be amazed how much the body comes back. Let’s try to better things or at least keep them in check rather than letting your body keep spiraling downward for the rest of your life.
That’s only for old people. I’m in good shape. I don’t need to be adjusted. I don’t have a bad back. – This is the young adult. The I’m indestructible, I’m perfect ego, usually found in athletic males 15-40 years of age. Here’s my answer. Chiropractic has very little to do with bad backs. Here’s a law of nature that never changes under any circumstance: STRUCTURE CONTROLS FUNCTION. If you improve your structure, you improve your nerve function. If you improve your nerve function, you will improve all the things you do, because brain messages and nerve impulses control everything. This includes ability to make money, ability to excel in athletics, health and immune function, personal relationships, nutrient absorption, quality of life, and the list goes on. I know you’re good now, but how about being better! Look at this as fitness…not treatment.
What kind of education do chiropractors have? – Chiropractors complete four years undergraduate college and three and a third full years of chiropractic education. Not to compare apples to oranges, chiropractic students complete more hours of musculo-skletal anatomy, neurology, joint physiology, and radiology than medical students. On the other hand, a medical student’s specialty requires more pharmacology and diagnosis.
I have so many health problems. I see too many doctors already. Will this interfere with what the other doctors are doing? It absolutely will not. Achieving better nerve function will always help the body work better under any circumstance. It will never hurt. Your chiropractor’s professional judgment may cause him to stay away from certain areas of the spine if he thinks that they may need to heal on their own for a while. Be aware that most other health professionals have very little or no understanding of chiropractic. They also have no education on subluxation analysis or correction. They may tell you not to seek chiropractic care according to their own guidelines, prejudices, or competition issues. Be a free thinker and make an educated decision on what’s right for you.
It just costs too much. – It really doesn’t. Most chiropractors are very sensitive to your financial needs. They will work with you the best they are able. Maybe folks need to cut back in other things that are counter productive to better living. Many people spend ~$50 a week on coffee and doughnuts. They’ll spend hundreds every week eating out. Who knows how much is spent on alcohol, cigarettes, gambling and other vices.
I just don’t believe in it. Chiropractic is based on common sense that follows laws of nature that we live by every day. If you took the time to look into it philosophically and scientifically, I’m sure you would have a better understanding. With better understanding comes belief.
Dr. Michael Caruso – Chiropractor – 919 Main Street – Belmar – 732-749-3098