Five Things Your Chiropractor Wants You To Know


If you’ve never been to a chiropractor before but have wondered if it was right for you, you may have asked your friends or neighbors what their experiences have been like, and if they think you should see one as well.  Many of our patients at Augusta GA Chiropractors Georgia Clinic of Chiropractic often come in with differing perceptions, and are often relieved to leave our office with a satisfying and pleasant experience.  If there were only five things I could tell you about chiropractic –just five and nothing more, here is the rundown:

1) Chiropractors are just as knowledgable as medical doctors—they just treat symptoms differently.

It surprises most patients when they find out that the courses medical doctors and Chiropractors take in school are almost identical. Since medical doctors primarily prescribe drugs their course work and internships have a stronger focus on pathology and pharmaceuticals. Chiropractors treat primarily muscular and skeletal problems and focus more on anatomy and joint manipulation. Thus, the educational background of M.D.’s and Chiropractors are very similar. While medical doctors may prescribe medications in order to deal with your muscular skeletal symptoms, chiropractors excel in the diagnosis and treatment of muscular skeletal disorders and are able to treat the underlying cause of your symptoms rather than masking it with medication.

2) Doctors of Chiropractic practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to healthcare.

Doctors of chiropractic may assess patients through clinical examination, laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and other diagnostic interventions to determine when chiropractic treatment is appropriate or when it is not appropriate. If a patient is a good candidate for chiropractic care, instead of administering medications, adjustments are performed in order to “fix” the underlying problem. This drug-free approach allows the patient to reap the benefits of “fixing” the problem without the side effects and dependence that medications are known to cause.

3) Medical care and chiropractic care are not mutually exclusive.

Many people may falsely believe that you either fall under the medical care model or the chiropractic care model. Although there are many myths associated with either care, medical doctors and chiropractors are able to successfully work together for the best interest of the patient, and the patient can greatly benefit from the expertise of both types of healthcare providers. In general, M.D.’s are much better in the diagnosis and treatment of internal disorders or systemic disease, while chiropractors excel in the diagnosis and treatment of muscular skeletal disorders. Many Augusta GA patients that come to Georgia Clinic of Chiropractic are referred from their primary care physicians—and vice versa, if we feel it is in the best interest of our patient to see their primary care physician or another specialist instead, we will give them that referral.

4) Pain alone isn’t the only sign that you need chiropractic care.

Pain is often what first brings a person into a chiropractic office, however, if a condition is caught before this stage the amount of treatment required is often greatly reduced, and pain can probably be avoided. Conditions such as twinges, stiffness, pins and needles, headaches, poor posture, and an uneven gait (method of walking) can indicate a possible problem within the spine.

5) Chiropractic isn’t just for back pain.

Many patients who were previously unaware that chiropractic successfully treats a wide range of conditions such as headaches, vertigo and irritable bowel syndrome are pleasantly surprised to find out their symptoms improving in other areas when they had initially sought out care for back pain. While chiropractic has an excellent track record of treating back pain, it also has a vast array of research studies showing its effects for lesser known conditions. For example, Research studies into the effects of chiropractic care for infants with colic show excellent results. The most significant study of this condition showed satisfactory improvement in over 90 percent of the infants who received chiropractic care. In this study, conducted by Dr. Klougart, Dr. Nilsson, and Dr. Jacobsen, 316 infants with colic received chiropractic evaluations and were treated as necessary. Improvement was noted within a two week period in 94 percent of the infants treated, on average, after only three treatments.

 

 


The Georgia Clinic of Chiropractic Blog is written by Dr. Mark Huntsman.

Augusta GA Chiropractor Georgia Clinic of Chiropractic provides customized servicesVisit our main website at www.georgia-clinic.com for a chiropractor in Augusta GA and a chiropractor in Evans GA that provide customized care.

Choose several options to schedule your appointment: call (706) 814-5053 or use our online form.