Chiropractic FAQ
Is chiropractic effective?
Chiropractic helps to remove postural imbalances and structural misalignments that can accumulate in our bodies over time. Alot of time the first misalignments occur during birth, then with a little fall as a toddler, or later in life while playing say, a soccer game...Then as we age we may sit in a desk chair too long, or think we are young again and decided to play that tackle football game with our college buddies. Misalignments happen. Chiropractic works by restoring your own inborn ability to be healthy. For your body to remain healthy, your nervous system must function well. For your nervous system to function well it must be free of interference. With Chiropractic adjustments, we remove the interference of the misaligned vertebrae, and we then allow the nervous system to function properly, getting you ...Back to Life!
Why should I see a Chiropractor?
Seeing a chiropractor is not only for back pain and neck pain. Dr. Wikoff takes care of many different conditions. Our belief is that if there is a misalgnment or restriction on your nerve, there is a possiblity that organ that nerve is going to might not be working at top notch. Chiropractic care is an excellent way to keep your body at its peak performance through nutrition, adjustment and overall wellness. In addition, chiropractic care has been known to help a wide range of conditions from allergies and sinus problems to dizziness and stomach issues and more. We have several patient testimonials on conditions that have been helped from Chiropractic care, see our testimonial section or contact us for more information.
What is Subluxation?
When a vertebrae becomes misaligned or moves out of its normal position, this is referred to in the chiropractic profession as a subluxation. Subluxations can be caused by a wide range of issues ranging from a minor slip or bump to a car accident or any sudden trauma. When a vertebrae is subluxated, it begins to put pressure on nerves, blood vessels and everything around it. This pressure comes with a price, it can effect the area in your body it is going to. The subluxation interrupts the natural pathways that the messages sent from the brain need to be clear in order to be completed properly.
How does chiropractic care work?
Chiropractic is an overall way of looking at the human body. It's based on the idea that the body is self-sustaining and self-healing. Dr. Wikoff moves the bone and God does the healing. The body is in essence completely controlled by the brain through its connection via the spinal cord and the vast networks of nerves that make up the body. When this system is not functioning at its peak, the overall performance of the human body is lacking.
In the chiropractic world, drugs and medicine are not utilized as a form of treating a patient. While supplementation and nutrition are almost always a part of the bigger picture, drugs and prescriptions can be viewed as band-aids to treat symptoms rather than going to the source and treating the real problem.
While it's often perceived that the chiropractor is solely here to treat back and neck pain, this is simply a small piece of what the profession really is capable of handling. Chiropractors not only treat soft and hard tissue problems such as sciatica and joint pain, but are largely called on to deal with more significant issues. Some of these issues include asthma, allergies, dizziness or vertigo, insomnia, migraines/headaches, shoulder pain, extremities and many more.
What is a chiropractic adjustment? Is it safe?
Adjustments, or manipulation as they're sometimes referred to is the minor movement of vertebrae in the spine. Dr. Wikoff and the doctors at Back to Life work very hard to make patients feel comfortable if they are scared or concerned about adjustments.The objective of this movement is to realign vertebrae that have moved out of place for a number of reasons ranging from normal daily activity to trauma such as a car accident.
When these vertebrae are out of place, it has an overall systemic effect from muscular to the central nervous system. Without proper alignment and flow of all nerves and systems in the body from the brain, we can't function at our peak.
An adjustment is often a pressure from the chiropractor utilizing the hands or an instrument to move a vertebrae back into place. This happens with a quick movement and is often without discomfort. You may hear a noise that sounds like you're cracking your knuckles referred to as joint cavitation. It is the release of gases such as oxygen and nitrogen from the joint.
What can I expect from my visit to a chiropractor?
Going to the Chiropractor is a new experience for many people. Our office staff is friendly and inviting and is willing to help ease any concerns a new patient may have. Maybe you heard about Dr. Wikoff through a friend or have done some research online, we will be patient with you so that you understand your body. It's possible that you are just fed up with living in pain and it's time to do something about it. Regardless if it's for sickness, pain, or wellness we will tailor a chiropractic care plan for you.
What results can I expect from treatment?
Chiropractic is based on the idea of removing imbalances both structural and postural in an effort to allow our body to heal itself. For this to happen the network of nerves and signals from your brain, down your spinal cord, to the network of nerves must be allowed to flow freely without any interruption. Chiropractors have the ability and skill to remove these interruptions or misalignments and allow the body to perform as it was meant too.
If you've ever been in a car accident, played a sport, fell down or just bumped into something too hard, it's very possible that you are not functioning at your best due to a misalignment. While there are many potential mechanical or structural causes for misalignment, there are also chemical reasons. For instance, if you smoke or drink excessively or even just have a poor diet, the chemical issues in your body can eventually cause underlying conditions and disease to appear.
Dr. Wikoff and the staff at Back to Life Chiropractic will help you get back on track and back to life by bringing your body back to the proper state it should be in to perform at its peak.