96th Street Chiropractic Indianapolis Chiropractor
96th Street Chiropractic Indianapolis Chiropractor
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(317)598-9696

What is Chiropractic and Spinal Maintenance Care in Indianapolis

The What: "Chiropractic is a philosophy, science, and art of things natural; a system of adjusting the segments of the spinal column (vertebrae) by hand only, for the correction of the cause of dis-ease." - R.W. Stephenson 96th Street Chiropractic in Indianapolis offers this spinal maintenance treatment. Chiropractic is easily explained with three words that are distinct to the chiropractic profession which are 1) Chiropractic 2) Subluxation 3) Adjustment. Let's break down the meaning and purpose of each word. chiro * practic: the practical use of the hands chiro = hand practic = the practice of, the practical use of sub * lux * ation: a condition of less life in the body sub = less than, below lux = lumin, light or life ation = a state of, action process adjust * ment: to put a force into the body to release or remove the interference to mental impulse going to the cells, organs and tissues of the body adjust = move or alter ment = mental, brain Chiropractic is the practical use of the hands to identify and remove the condition of less life in the body by the act of moving or altering the interference in order to increase mental impulse to the body. What is Pain? Pain is the body's way of telling us that there is a problem and is merely a symptom. This is important to understand when talking about chiropractic and our health as most people present to a chiropractic office the first time to resolve pain. In time, most pain will eventually fade, become tolerable with or without the help of medication or will become a chronic cycle of pain. The underlying problem is that the source of the pain is often still there; however, once you are no longer experiencing any pain you mistakenly believe you are healed and healthy. Ignoring the cause of the pain leads to many people experiencing intermittent chronic pain that never truly goes away or a gradual decline in health and optimal bodily function. The result is often a larger problem over time that negatively impacts proper health and functioning of the cells, organs, glands and tissues of the body.. Chiropractic is a medical alternative and is gaining popularity as the prescription Opiod abuse crisis and the over the counter pain reliever usage increase that is now classified as an epidemic(1). Chiropractic is helpful with many types of physical pain but most importantly has been shown to improve overall health and function. Surveys show that chiropractors are visited more often than any other medical alternative provider group with a very high satisfaction rate and steadily increasing patient use which has tripled in the past two decades.(2) What is Chiropractic? Chiropractic focuses on a natural approach to healing by not adding any unnatural chemicals or taking anything away from the body but by working with the natural inborn capacity of the body to heal itself. Chiropractors remove the interference that is causing the health problem allowing the body to heal naturally over time. Non-conservative care tends to require a more invasive approach, such as surgery, injections or prescription medications that medical doctors recommend. In times of severe trauma or bodily injury, the disease or condition you may need immediate medical intervention or even surgery. This is a rare scenario but still needs to be addressed. Logically any condition not life-threatening should initially be treated with a more conservative approach and then move towards more invasive approaches if the conservative care isn't working in a reasonable time period. Chiropractors are focused on spinal, nerve and structural integrity and have expertise in caring for a variety of spine related conditions including neck pain, lower back pain and headaches. One of the main differences between chiropractors and other healthcare providers is their ability to correct a condition called a subluxation. A subluxation is a misalignment and restriction of the motion in the joint space that connects two spinal bones called the intervertebral joint space. This restriction can lead to loss of joint motion, muscle tension, nerve irritation and a host of symptoms that may accompany it, including pain. Our bodies are made to be adaptable and at times a subluxation may not initially be painful but rather develop pain over time. A subluxation may lead to array of health problem ranging from pain to impaired bodily function. Many research studies show the connection of the nervous system intereference with impaired health function. The research by Videman shows that a subluxation (restricted joint motion) left untreated can result in the development of adhesions in the stuck joint space (3) and evidence shows that the immobilized joints can also lead to premature osteoarthritis (degeneration).(4) If proper motion isn't restored within 2 weeks, then degeneration of the joint begins. This is why it's important to maintain the movement, posture and function of our spine and skeletal structure. What is an Adjustment? Chiropractors work to lessen and improve subluxated spinal bones by administering a specific force into the stuck spinal bones and joint spaces to unlock the restriction and increase the motion and in some cases even improve alignment. The force is called an adjustment. It is performed by hand with trained, skilled and measured pressure. The amount of pressure or force applied to the stuck spinal bones depends on the age and size of the patient as well as their overall general health. For example, the average pressure used to adjust a healthy adult may be 300 to 400 newtons. The adjustment force for a child is typically less than 30 newtons. As a reference point - the typical pressure used for typing on a keyboard is 13 newtons of force. It is important to understand that chiropractic is not the only strategy you should employ for conservatively improving spine related problems such as subluxations. Stretching and increasing muscular strength, improving diet, proper rest, reducing stress and improving posture are great examples of the steps to make lasting improvements in your spine. Chiropractic is a field that philosophically incorporates preventative or spinal maintenance care that is part of a healthy lifestyle. It takes time to learn and incorporate a new lifestyle to prevent subluxations in the future. Chiropractic care plans may require multiple visits to restore proper motion and then recommend continued care - at a lesser frequency - beyond this point to prevent future subluxations and joint degeneration to ensure the spine stays mobile and healthy. Chiropractic care is similar exercise, maintaining healthy teeth and maintenenace of your vehicle. We workout to get in shape, we eat healthy to maintain a proper weight and must continue these habits to maintain this health. To schedule a chiropractic evaluation at 96th Street Chiropractic call 317-598-9696. Sources 1. Unintentional Drug Poisoning in the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010. Prescription Drug Abuse. White House Office on National Drug Policy. Accessed November 2013. 2. Source: Meeker, Haldeman (2002), Annals of Internal Medicine 3. Cramer GD, Henderson CNR. Little JW, et al; Zygapophyseal Joint Adhesions after Induced Hypomobility. JMPT 2010;33(7); 508 4. Videman, Experimental models of osteoarthritis: The role of immobilization. Clinical Biomechanics, 2:223-229, 1987

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