Common Chiropractic Myths

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Chiropractors only treat backs. Chiropractors are not well educated. Chiropractic is dangerous. There is no scientific bases to Chiropractic . All medical doctors are anti Chiropractic. The only diagnosis a chiropractor will ever give you is a vertebral subluxation. Once you see a Chiropractor you have to keep going back for ever. There is no reason a child should ever be adjusted by a chiropractor. That popping and cracking sound is really bad for you. All Chiropractors are anti Vaccination. Chiropractors are expensive.

Click here for the truth about "Cervical Adjustments".

Myth #1 All chiropractors' do is treat backs. Here is a list of some of the conditions we treat at our clinic.

Arthritis Achilles tendonitis Ankle Injuries Back Pain/Injuries Bicepital Tendonitis Bunions Bursitis Carpal tunnel syndrome Compartment syndrome (Chronic) De Quervains's tenosynovitis Dupuytren's contracture Foot pain/injury Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis Gait Imbalances Golfers/Tennis elbow (Tendonitis) Golf Injuries Hammer Toes Hand Injuries Headaches Hip Pain Ilio tibial band syndrome Impingement syndromes Joint dysfunction Knee meniscus injuries Knee Pain

Leg Injuries Muscle pulls or strains Muscle weakness Myofascitis Neck Pain Nerve Entrapment Syndromes Performance Care Plantar Fascitis Post surgical Repetitive strain injuries Rib Pain Rotator cuff syndrome Running Injuries Scar Tissue Formation Sciatica Shin splints Shoulder Pain Sports Injuries Swimmers Shoulder Tendinitis Tennis elbow Thoracic outlet syndrome Throwing Injuries TMJ Weight Lifting Injuries Whiplash Injuries Wrist Injuries

Myth #2 Chiropractors are not well educated.	Chiropractors who graduate today are well educated. A minimum of four academic years of study at a Chiropractic college, including practice in a teaching clinic, is required for the doctor of Chiropractic degree. This does not include undergraduate degree many chiropractors have before entering in their postgraduate education in Chiropractic . The purpose of Chiropractic education today is to give a student a thorough understanding of the structure and function of the human organism in health and disease. A well-balanced presentation gives the student an understanding of the essential features of the life processes: digestion, excretion, physical and mental growth, nutrition, metabolism, energy, nervous control, the significance of development defects, behavior, and other elements fundamental to the understanding of pathological conditions. An understanding of structure and function makes it possible for students to identify deviations from the normal and provides the essential facts required later for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of disease. The following list includes some of the basic foundations of a Chiropractic educations: Human anatomy: myology, osteology, arthrology, histology, angiology, genesiology, splanchnology; Neurology: central nervous system and peripheral nervous system; Embryology; Special senses; Human dissection and topographical anatomy; Biochemistry; Physiology: cellular physiology, general physiology, cardiovascular physiology, endocrine physiology, neurophysiology, digestion and nutritional physiology, renal and pulmonary physiology; Pathology: microbiology, general pathology, hematology, public health and sanitation, neuromusculoskeletal pathology cardiovascular pathology, gastrointestinal and urogenital pathology; Laboratory procedures; Roentgenology: physics, positioning and diagnosis; Diagnosis: roentgenological, physical, regional, neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis; Clinical human behavior; Obstetrics and gynecology; Pediatrics and febrile disorders; Geriatrics and cardiovascular disorders; Toxicology; Dermatology; Otolaryngology; Psychology; Dietetics; Orthopedics; Physical therapy (Yes we also study physical therapy) First aid and emergency procedures; Spinal analyses; Principles and practice of Chiropractic : manipulation, mobilization, manual therapy, adjustive techniques and clinic.
Myth #3 Chiropractic is dangerous.	Chiropractic spinal adjustments are extremely safe when performed by chiropractors. In fact, Chiropractic adjustments are among the safest treatments for most back and neck problems. According to a 1993 Ontario Ministry of Health commissioned study, "There is no clinical or case-control study that demonstrates or even implies that Chiropractic spinal manipulation is unsafe in the treatment of low-back pain. Some medical treatments are equally safe, but others are unsafe and generate iatrogenic (doctor-induced) complications for low-back pain patients. Our reading of the literature suggests that Chiropractic manipulation is safer than medical management of low-back pain." Lead investigator of the study, Pran Manga, Ph.D., however, did warn that spinal adjustments performed by health care professionals other than qualified doctors of Chiropractic were potentially harmful and less effective: "Indeed, several existing medical therapies of low-back pain are generally contraindicated on the basis of the existing clinical trials. There is also some evidence in the literature to suggest that spinal manipulations are less safe and less effective when performed by nonChiropractic professionals." On December 8, 1994, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) of the US Department of Health and Human Services released clinical practice guidelines for the management of acute low back pain. Their guidelines were developed after extensive study of the diagnostic and treatment methods used for acute low back pain. Their findings included: • The risk of serious complications from lumbar spinal manipulation is rare; • Conservative treatment such as spinal manipulation should be pursued in most cases before considering surgical intervention;
Myth #4 There is no scientific bases to Chiropractic .   Click here to review some of the Research on Chiropractic	Chiropractors have always sought to provide the safest and most effective healing methods for their patients. In order to achieve this, the Chiropractic profession has been dedicated to conducting scientific studies to improve their diagnostic methods and treatment techniques. In the last 20 years Chiropractic health care has established an impressive array of scientific research that demonstrates the efficacy, safety and cost effectiveness of Chiropractic care. There are many further studies currently underway, and several have been performed by medical doctors and government researchers in both the U.S. and a number of other countries. In fact, the Chiropractic profession has accumulated a greater number of scientific trials on Chiropractic than the medical profession has accumulated for many of the treatments rendered by medical doctors. According to David M. Edy, M.D., Ph.D., professor of health policy and management with Duke University, North Carolina, only 15 percent of all medical interventions are supported by solid scientific evidence. Paul G. Shekelle, M.D., M.P.H., of the RAND Corporation made the following statement on ABC's 20/20: "There are considerably more randomized controlled trials which show benefit of this (Chiropractic care) than there are for many, many other things which physicians and neurosurgeons do all the time."
Myth #5 All medical doctors are anti Chiropractic.   In our practice numerous physicians refer patients directly to us. We also refer patients directly to MD's. Our expertise is in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Many practitioners from a wide variety of disciplines now recognize this.	M.D.s now categorize Chiropractic manipulation with the highest rating: "Generally accepted, well-established and widely used." Spine, 1991. North American Spine Society. "Our trial showed that Chiropractic is a very effective treatment, more effective than conventional hospital outpatient treatment for low-back pain ... particularly in patients ... who have severe problems." T. W. Meade, M.D. "Ten years ago if you practiced manipulation ... you couldn't get published and were never invited to meetings. Now I can't keep up with the invitations." Neurologist Scott Haldeman. M.D.. D.C.. New York Times. 1991. "The only difference that I can see is that the patients at John F. Kennedy get Chiropractic manipulations. And in my experience, the patients at J.F.K. almost without fail get out of the hospital in a week. At Lutheran, it usually takes, oh, not uncommonly, 14 days." Per Frietag, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon, on why he prefers to admit his patients with back pain to John F. Kennedy Hospital, which has staff chiropractors, rather than Lutheran General, which does not have staff chiropractors. "Manipulative medicine is no longer a taboo topic." Norton Hadler, M.D., self-described "cantankerous doctor who would have never dealt with manipulation in the past," professor of rheumatology, University of North Carolina Medical School at Chapel Hill, Time Magazine, 1991. "A majority of family physicians (in Washington) admitted having encouraged patients to see a chiropractor, and two-thirds indicated a desire to learn more about what chiropractors do." The Journal of Family Practice, 1992.
Myth #6 The only diagnosis a chiropractor will ever give you is a vertebral subluxation. A large percentage our of practice is soft-tissue in connection with osseous (bone) adjusting. For example: carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ, rotator cuff syndrome, golfers elbow, Plantar Fascitis are a common diagnosis.	This nonsense, all chiropractors are trained in orthopedic and neurological evaluation. A specific diagnosis is arrived upon by drawing logical conclusions from specific tests.   Online Library
Myth #7 Once you see a Chiropractor you have to keep going back for ever.	This is nonsense if you review our treatment objectives you will soon see that our primary object is the resolution of your condition. The frequency of your adjustments is entirely dependant upon your individual needs. As you learn to 'read' and understand your body's requirements, you will find that you can identify when you need to come in for an adjustment. Symptoms such as restricted range of motion, headaches, high stress, and muscle/joint pain that does not resolve with exercise are all good clues and indicators that your sympathatic system is over-stressed and needs relief. Many patients choose to receive regular monthly Chiropractic adjustments because of the improvements they experience in form and function. Many patients are continually stressing their body to the maximum. Many of these individuals have indicated that regular Chiropractic care has been a major factor in their ability to cope with the daily stresses of their life. Other patients come in when they feel the need for care. A common comment from patients after a treatment include, "I forgot what normal range of motion felt like" or " I didn't realize how restricted I was". Chiropractic, besides being very effective at treating a wide range of conditions, is also a proactive treatment method as it helps to improve your overall health (as all the scientific evidence demonstrates). Patient decide when they need to be adjusted, based on individual needs.
Myth #8 There is no reason a child should ever be adjusted by a chiropractor.	When one considers all the trauma a child's spine goes through growing up, with the falls, bumps and jars from such things as learning to walk, then run, then ride a bicycle, it is easy to see how their bodies can be injured. Children have back pain and suffer from a wide array of injuries just as adults do. Doctors of Chiropractic are licensed and trained to treat children and utilize a gentler type of treatment that is appropriate to a child's size, needs and diagnosis. Children usually respond quickly to Chiropractic treatments and will feel little or no discomfort. Soft tissue treatments such as Active Release Techniques are very effect in treating sports injuries or soft-tissue problems commonly seen in chilren. Take a look at our children's health section, and our ART section to learn more.

Myth #9 That poping and cracking sound is really bad for you.	"The audible release is caused by a cavitation process whereby a sudden decrease in intracapsular pressure causes dissolved gasses in the synovial fluid to be released into the jointcavity. Habitual joint cracking does not correlate with arthritic changes. The cavitation process is generated by an elastic recoil of the synovial capsule as it "snaps back" from the capsule/synovial fluid interface. Simply put, cavitation causes the sound and it doesen't arthritis.
Myth #10 All Chiropractors are anti Vaccination.	Opinions will vary, Dr. Abelson is not anti-vaccination, he is actually pro-vaccination. He also thinks it is imporant to do everything you can to support your immune system.
Myth #11 Chiropractors are expensive.	Chiropractic care is not expensive, considering its effectiveness and the short time period that we need to achieve resolution of most conditions.

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