Are Chiropractic Adjustments Safe?
Houston Chiropractor Comments: From time to time, I will still have people tell me that they refuse to try chiropractic because they are worried about being hurt or paralyzed. They will typically say that they heard something from someone about it being dangerous or they think that it “looks “ scary.
Chiropractic, as a profession, began in 1895. Currently there are over 100,000 chiropractors in over 100 countries. It is estimated that more than 35 million Americans are treated by Doctors of Chiropractic annually. That is a lot of people being treated by chiropractors.
Is there a chance of some adverse reaction, yes, but the likelihood is very small. Depending on which study you look at, it is anywhere from 1 out of 20,000 manipulations to 1 out of 6 million manipulations. And, not all of the manipulations are performed by chiropractors. Some of the adverse reactions are from manipulations performed by medical doctors, massage therapists or people who thought that they knew what they were doing.
Typically, the only reaction to a chiropractic adjustment is that of relief. Most patients have a decrease in their pain or discomfort.
The likelihood of an adverse reaction is greatly reduced with a proper examination and history. Look for “red flags” that might show underlying problems. If the exam shows the possibility of a fracture, take an x-ray. Doctors need to know when manipulation is contraindicated and know when to refer the patient out for a 2nd opinion.
If the proper steps are taken, chiropractic adjustments are very safe. At our clinic, thousands of chiropractic adjustments are performed each year without any known complications.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
The Difference Between Medical & Chiropractic Doctor’s
Houston Chiropractor Comments: At a recent deposition I was asked what are the differences between medical and chiropractic doctors for the treatment of neck and back pain. While the simple answer would be that medical doctors treat the pain with drugs or surgery and chiropractic doctors treat the back and neck pain with chiropractic treatment and therapy…that is not completely accurate. The answer that I gave was that medical doctors usually treat the symptoms and doctors of chiropractic treat the cause of the problem.
Typically when a patient goes to a medical doctor for back or neck pain they will be given medication for inflammation, muscle spasms and pain reduction. If the pain does not improve they will be given injections, told to go to physical therapy or advised to have surgery.
Since chiropractors don’t prescribe drugs we typically try and figure out what is causing the muscle spasm, inflammation or the pain. Once we figure out the cause of the back or neck pain we can alleviate the pain. If a joint is out of alignment, we can realign it. If there is inflammation, we can do therapy to reduce it. If the muscles have become weak or overused, we can show the correct stretches or exercises to fix it.
If you look at back or neck pain like a room full of smoke, you can do one of two things. You can use a fan to remove the smoke from the room (medicine) or you can put out the fire in the trash can before removing the smoke (chiropractic).
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
How Long Does It Take To Get Better With Chiropractic?
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: One of the common questions that I get as a chiropractor in Houston … sometimes the 1st question that I get … is “How long until I’m better or out of pain”? Usually, they ask this question before I even examine them. 🙂
This is actually a hard question to answer. There are a lot of variables to consider. One variable is how long has the problem been
there. Someone who slept wrong and awoke with neck pain might respond well with one treatment, while someone who slipped and fell a year ago and has gradually increasing low back pain might take a couple weeks to get relief. The longer that a problem has been present, the more the tissue and muscles around the problem have adapted to the change of the joint.
A second variable is the age or health of the patient. Typically I have found that the younger patients and healthier patients tend to respond quicker. The elasticity of the tissue in young people tends to allow them to respond at a faster pace. The health of the patient also needs to be taken in to account. People with arthritis and connective tissue disorders as well as diabetes tend to have a slower response to care. Special care has to be taken to prevent irritation of the joint or tissue while removing the cause of the pain.
The final variable is the fitness and follow thru of the patient. On some of the conditions, having good muscle tone and body awareness makes it easier to strengthen muscles that have become weak and to support the correction. I like to give my patients home-based exercises and stretches to aid in the correction and speed up the pain relief. Having a patient with flexible and pliable muscles makes it easier to manipulate the body. The patient benefits from following thru on the stretches and exercises on their time and not just performing them while in my office.
We will always try and alleviate your pain as quickly as possible, but not everyone heals at the same speed. You may also heal quicker or slower from a previous similar injury that you might have had. Your body changes every year.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Positional Vertigo Treatment – Epley Maneuver
Dr. Beecher shares some techniques for dealing with Vertigo.
What is that Cracking Noise During Adjustment?
One of the most common questions we get during a chiropractic adjustment is; “What is that cracking noise?” Watch the video below to learn more.
Top 3 Benefits of Chiropractic Care
There are numerous benefits to chiropractic care, but here are 3 of the most beneficial to patients.
Doctor of Chiropractic
Chiropractic professionals that receive a minimum of 7 years of higher education are Doctors of Chiropractic.
Reduced Medicare Costs With Chiropractic Care
More chiropractic care visits are associated with fewer visits to a primary care physician for medicare patients.
Chiropractors are Associated With Fewer Opioid Prescriptions
The more chiropractors per capita, the more access patients have to chiropractic care, which then leads to fewer opioid prescriptions filled. Call us today to discuss how chiropractic care can benefit you.
Chiropractic Care is Often More Effective for Older Adults
Chiropractic care offers a safe alternative to over-medication for older adults. Contact us today to discuss your spine or joint-related pain, we might be able to find a better solution.
