Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What conditions do chiropractors treat?
Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on
disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the
effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is used
most often to treat neuro-musculo-skeletal complaints, including but
not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or
legs, and headaches.
2. Does chiropractic treatment require a referral from an MD?
There is no need for a referral from your MD, orthopedist, obgyn, or any other health care physician
3. Is chiropractic treatment safe?
The profession of chiropractic is non-invasive and drug-free.
It is widely recognized as remarkably safe. Most patients in our clinic
feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may
experience mild soreness or aching, just as they do after some forms of
exercise. Current literature shows that minor discomfort or soreness
following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours. Neck
pain and some types of headaches are treated through precise cervical
manipulation. Cervical manipulation, often called a neck adjustment,
works to improve joint mobility in the neck, restoring range of motion
and reducing muscle spasm, which helps relieve pressure and tension. You
will occasionally see popular press articles on chiropractic and
strokes. Research studies have failed to find a correlation between
adjustments and strokes. In fact some studies have shown that the
incidence of stroke in chiropractic patients is lower than the general
public average. Due to the nature our our legal system, chiropractic
will be blamed for the stroke even if the adjustment was two to three
weeks prior to the stroke and even if the the involved artery is deep in
the brain and couldn’t have been involved in any neck movement.
4. Is chiropractic treatment appropriate for children?
Yes, children can benefit from chiropractic care. Children are
very physically active and experience many types of falls and blows from
activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports.
Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck
pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort. Chiropractic care is always
adapted to the individual patient. It is a highly skilled treatment, and
in the case of children, very gentle.
5. Do insurance plans cover chiropractic?
You probably know this but insurance companies are helping
destroy health care in our country. This for-profit system responds only
to stockholders and are not concerned with your health in any shape or
form. Dr. Schlenger does not currently work with any insurance company
in any capacity. I encourage you to make your displeasure with the
medical insurance industry known to your elected representatives.
6. How is a chiropractic adjustment performed?
Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure
that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the intensive
years of chiropractic education. The actual adjustment can be fast or
slow, by hand or instrument. The purpose of the adjustment is to put
specific input into the joints or soft tissues of the body to activate
receptors that help normalize joint motion and stability. This change in
physiology is also registered in the autonomic system, the system that
helps control what we call, the homeostasis of the body, that is
temperature, blood supply, digestion etc. Chiropractic manipulation is a
highly controlled procedure and is not painful. The chiropractor adapts
the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients
often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following
treatment.
7. Why is there a popping sound when a joint is adjusted?
Adjustment of a joint may result in release of a gas bubble
between the joints that makes a popping sound – it’s exactly the same as
when you “crack” your knuckles. The noise is caused by the change of
pressure within the joint that results in gas bubbles being released.
There is no pain involved.
8. Can you help my disc herniation problem? I don’t want surgery.
Chiropractic can be very effective for the treatment of disc
issues. In addition to adjusting, in the office we have 10 years of
experience with axial disc decompression that has shown itself to be
effective in about 85% of cases. The cases that don’t respond often have
an underlying inflammation condition that limits healing. See our
gluten pages for some ideas on how to treat that.
9. Which bed is best for me?
In short we like latex mattresses. I have written my bed
recommendations in my blog. Click on the blog link at the bottom of any
page and search bed.