What is chiropractic?
Chiropractic care is a type of health care that utilizes manual or instrument delivered adjusting techniques in order to correct joint dysfunction of the spine or other extremities. Chiropractic care may also include nutritional interventions and physiotherapies, such as ultrasound and muscle stimulation, as well as muscular stretching and rehabilitation. Chiropractic care does not include the use of drugs or surgery.
What is subluxation? My medical doctor said I didn’t have one.
According to the World Health Organization, a subluxation is “a lesion or dysfunction in a joint or motion segment in which alignment, movement integrity and/or physiological function are altered, although contact between joint surfaces remains intact. It is essentially a functional entity, which may influence biomechanics and neural integrity.”1 This essentially describes a joint dysfunction that may result in muscular imbalance or nerve irritation.
The current medical definition of subluxation describes the lesion as “a significant structural displacement” that is “visible on static imaging studies,” such as x-ray. These differences in definitions may explain why your medical doctor told you that you do not have a subluxation.
What is an adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment is a treatment utilized to correct joint subluxation. There are several different techniques that chiropractors use to deliver adjustments, using simply their hands or other instruments. Dr. May will discuss the best techniques for you while developing your treatment plan.
I can crack my own back, why do I need a chiropractor to do it?
Cracking your back by twisting or turning in certain directions may produce a popping noise, but might not be therapeutic. Chiropractors determine which direction specific vertebrae need to move and apply a directed thrust into the bone. This level of specificity can not be reached by simply cracking your own back.
Do I have to keep coming back?
Every patient responds differently to injuries and chiropractic treatments. After careful evaluation, Dr. May will determine the safest, most efficient method of treating your condition to avoid unnecessary costs and clinic visits.
What type of education do chiropractors receive?
In order to treat patients, a chiropractor must hold a doctor of chiropractic degree from an accredited chiropractic college. Admission to chiropractic colleges requires a minimum of 90 credit hours of undergraduate study including physics, chemistry, and biology. Completion of approximately 3.5 additional years of study is required prior to receiving the doctor of chiropractic degree. Subjects taught at chiropractic colleges include biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, pathology, microbiology, public health, chiropractic philosophy, neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis, neurology, general physical diagnosis, chiropractic technique, and physiological therapeutics. Prior to licensure, Dr. May was also required to pass five standardized national board examinations, including a practical exam.
As a student, Dr. May benefited from over a year of supervised patient contact and training to ensure the proper development of adjusting technique and practical skill.
Do I need a referral to visit your office?
No, a referral is not necessary to schedule an appointment with Dr. May; however, he will work with your medical doctor to ensure that you receive the best and most appropriate care for your condition.