Frequently Asked Questions in Pleasant Hill MO

Chiropractic is a health science and art that focuses on treating impingements on the nervous system by misaligned joints causing pressure and strain to muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons. The art of the adjustment is to direct the correct amount of physical force into the joint to correct the misalignment and to relieve pressure on nerves and calm strain and tightness of muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Numerous soft tissue injuries caused by strain or sprain. Headaches, neck, mid and lower back pain. Shoulder, elbow, wrist, finger, hip, knee, ankle and foot pain. Complaints of numbness and tingling in arms and legs depending on the cause.

The art of the adjustment is a controlled force that is directed into the joint manually or with an instrument (Activator), by a Chiropractor, to correct a misalignment and improve joint mobility, relax tight musculature and reduce discomfort.

Chiropractic is very safe when performed by a Chiropractor who is trained and experienced in performing the adjustment. Before the adjustment happens, the patient is examined and orthopedic testing is done to insure that the adjustment will not cause harm.

This is a great question. The number of treatments depends on many factors. What is the condition, is it chronic or acute, patient’s life style-are the active of sedentary, what type of employment they are engaged in, is the complaint the result of an injury, and the base line they present with. The number of treatments depends on the complaint. Typically initially 4 -6 on average.

The benefits of chiropractic is better joint mobility, improved posture and off setting osteoarthritis and in accordance with chiropractic philosophy a healthier nervous system.

There is always a potential for risk to the patient. The adjustment can cause a strain to the joint and create a spasm. To eliminate risk as much as possible, the patient is examined carefully before the adjustment to ensure a successful treatment.

The adjustment is not painful if done correctly by an experienced and skilled Chiropractor. For a first time patient, their initial reaction is a “shocked look”, then a smile as they feel relaxed.

Why pick me as your Chiropractor? My answer is that I will treat you like a member of my family (and i love my family) meaning that you will receive an honest assessment of your complaint and treated accordingly. No games or gimmicks. I’ve been in practice for over 25 years, treated 10s of thousands of patients successfully, worked with and on athletes from amateur to professional. My clinic is outfitted with the latest technology to get faster results and stay competitive in my field.

An appointment can last between 20-60 minutes depending on the complaint.

Typically, a Chiropractor has a four year undergraduate degree in a health science program and then attends Chiropractic College for an additional four years of education to obtain a Doctorate of Chiropractic DC. While in chiropractic college they are educated in anatomy, physiology, neurology, radiology, geriatrics, and have extensive clinical training on how to perform spinal and joint manipulations and diagnostic assessments.

Yes, a pregnant woman can see a chiropractor. During the course of pregnancy a woman’s body produces a hormone called “Relaxin”, which helps to soften ligaments, tendons and muscles primarily the pelvic area to allow for easier delivery. Relaxin will affect all joints to some degree and that’s a good reason to have chiropractic treatment to keep all joints manageable and equal during the pregnancy. I suggest once a month in the first 2 trimesters and 2-3 times per month in the last trimester.

The adjustment can be addictive because it feels good to be adjusted. However, to much of a good thing is not helpful! When I observe a patient coming in too often without a significant issue, I will address the issue of creating hyper mobility in the joint by having to many adjustments close together. We will discuss stretching and resistance training to begin tightening tendons back. Healthy joints and muscles is a balance between mobility and stability.

The ‘Crack” people refer to is the gas that is released when the joint is opened up. This is a release of pressure in the joint that helps to improve the mobility and create less tension on ligament, tendon and muscle.

The body will naturally adjust itself. When you wake up and begin moving around and feel “pops and cracks”, this is you joints waking up. As for a true adjustment, you cannot really do this by yourself, you need a Chiropractor clinically skilled in manual manipulation to take the joint slightly passed its clinical integrity to cavitate it correctly.