What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic Care is Safe
The Influence Of Posture On Your Health
Why  Should I take my child to a Chiropractic Doctor?
Chiropractic Education and the Profession

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is based on the fact that your nervous system controls the function of every cell, tissue, organ and system of your body. Your nervous system consists of your brain, spinal cord and millions of nerves. Chiropractic care focuses on the relationship between the function of your spine and its influence on the function of your nervous system and how it relates to your overall health and well-being.

Many everyday activities can cause these spinal bones to mis-align and/or the joints to lose their normal movement,  together this can distort the spine’s normal curves. Spinal joints that are ‘locked up’ fixated or not moving correctly can affect your health by choking or irritating nearby nerve tissue. Chiropractic Doctors refer to this as the VERTEBRAL SUBLUXATION COMPLEX. The brain stem and spinal cord are the primary pathways for nerve impulses to and from the brain. Messages back and forth through these nerves control the health and function of virtually every other cell, tissue, organ and system of the body.

The practice of chiropractic is based on sound scientific principles.
The existence of the nervous system as the primary control mechanism of the body is an undisputed scientific fact. Its relationship with the spine is the focus of the practice of chiropractic. The spine provides two primary functions: (1) allow for freedom of movement and (2) house and protect the spinal cord. When the vertebrae of the spine become misaligned through trauma or repetitive injury, two major consequences will result: (1) the range of motion becomes limited and (2) spinal nerves emerging from the spinal cord are compromised. DCs use the term "subluxation" to describe such disruptions. Interruption of nerve flow can eventually lead to pain, disability, and an overall decrease in the quality of life. Conversely, the removal of that interference has been shown to have significant, lasting health benefits. Through the adjustment of the subluxation, the doctor of chiropractic endeavors to restore normal nerve expression. The body is then able to respond appropriately to any imbalance in the system, thus relieving symptoms and restoring health.
Whether you are a mother, or a new born baby, a small child who is about to enter a new growth spurt, a student preparing for exams, or an accountant who has just survived another tax year, your spine is susceptible to spinal SUBLUXATION. We should all see a chiropractor to screen for and correct spinal SUBLUXATIONS. The chiropractic approach to better health is to detect, reduce and improve nervous system function.

What do chiropractors treat?

Chiropractors don’t treat any specific disease or condition. We focus on identifying and correcting the source of your problem, rather than just eliminating your symptoms. As a result chiropractic helps the body heal itself from a wide range of conditions. That’s why you can enjoy long-term relief from sciatica, neck pain, back pain, arthritis headaches and much more!

Doctors of chiropractic provide effective, low-cost health care for a wide range of conditions.
Studies conducted according to the highest scientific standards and published by organisations not affiliated in any way with chiropractic institutions or associations continue to show the clinical appropriateness and effectiveness of chiropractic care. One of the most recent, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health, stated emphatically that:
"On the evidence, particularly the most scientifically valid clinical studies, spinal manipulation applied by chiropractors is shown to be more effective than alternative treatments for low back pain...There would be highly significant cost savings if more management of low back pain was transferred from physician to chiropractors."

The doctor of chiropractic is an effective source of preventative and wellness care.
The anatomical focus of the DC on the human spine has created the perception of the DC as just a "back doctor." Although this perception is not entirely incorrect, it is very much incomplete. Doctors of chiropractic are a highly appropriate resource in matters of work-place safety, stress management, injury prevention, postural correction and nutritional counselling."

CHIROPRACTIC CARE IS SAFE
Chiropractic adjustments are safer than aspirin, muscle relaxants and back surgery. Dozens of research studies have documented the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic treatment care. Millions of chiropractic adjustments are safely delivered to satisfied patients every day! Regardless of the technique, millions of patients have been delighted with the results of their chiropractic care since chiropractic was first discovered in 1895. Perhaps the best summary statement on the subject of was published in 1979 by the New Zealand Government, after a three year Commission of Inquiry into Chiropractic. They found ‘The conspicuous lack of evidence that Chiropractors cause harm or allow harm to occur through neglect of medical referral can be taken to mean only one thing: that Chiropractors have on the whole an impressive safety record.’ The International Chiropractic Association says, “cases have constantly shown that chiropractic is the safest portal of entry health care available to the public today. Although no healthcare procedures are 100% safe, chiropractic stands on its record of safety and effectiveness unmatched in healthcare.

Please visit

http://www.chiropractic.org/index.php?p=chiroinfo/main

Patients suffering low back pain benefited 29% more with Chiropractic than hospital treatment even after 3 years. States the British Medical Journal.

BMJ 1995;311:349-351 (5 August)

Why would I need chiropractic care when I’m not in pain?

Pain is often the last symptom to surface when you have spinal health problems just as it is with dental decay. Chiropractic Doctors are trained to detect early signs of spinal decay, long before any symptoms occur. That’s why you need chiropractic care even when you’re not in pain.

We can help detect areas of your spine that are out of alignment. Then we can correct these ‘problem’ areas before they lead to greater dysfunction.

The Influence of Posture on Your Health

Often, poor posture develops because of accidents or falls, but bad posture also develop from environmental factors or bad habits.

Today, posture-related problems are increasing:

In most cases, poor posture results from a combination of several factors, which can include:

1. Accidents, injuries and falls
2. Poor sleep support (mattress)
3. Excessive weight
4. Visual or emotional difficulties
5. Foot problems or improper shoes
6. Weak muscles, muscle imbalance
7. Careless sitting, standing, sleeping habits
8. Negative self-image
9. Occupational stress
10. Poorly designed work space

Poor Posture & Pain
A lifetime of poor posture can start a progression of symptoms in the average adult. It can start with…

• Fatigue - your muscles have to work hard just to hold you up if you have poor posture. You waste energy just moving, leaving you without the extra energy you need to feel good.

• Tight, achy muscles in the neck, back, arms and legs - by this stage, there may be a change in your muscles and ligaments and you may have a stiff, tight painful feeling. More than 80% of the neck and back problems are the result of tight, achy muscles brought on by years of bad posture.
  

• Joint stiffness and pain - at risk for “wear and tear” arthritis, or what is termed degenerative osteoarthritis. Poor posture and limited mobility increase the likelihood of this condition in later years.

Why Should I take my Child to a Chiropractic Doctor?
Just like dental and eye checks, spinal health check-ups can be essential to growing up healthy.

There is no such thing as being too young or too old for Chiropractic care. Chiropractic patients range in years from a few weeks to old age. Regardless of age, vertebrae can become misaligned, consequently this If a vertebra becomes misaligned it can cause pressure or irritation to nerves, thus causing them to malfunction.

This process is known as a ‘subluxation’.  For example, the birth process may cause trauma to the neck and spine. If left uncorrected, the vertebral subluxation may disturb the delicate spinal cord and nerves which control an infants muscles and organs. In some cases, an uncorrected subluxation may lead to a deformity of the spinal column.  An early chiropractic check-up may detect subluxations while they are still easily correctable. A Chiropractic Doctor should examine your child during that all important first year of life when spinal trauma can occur during birth, as well as from the tumbles while learning to sit up and/or walk.

Improper lifting or carrying of your child can also contribute to spinal stress. Your child's spine grows almost 50% in length during that first year (the equivalent of a six-footer growing to nine feet in just 12 months!). It's this kind of tremendous growth and developmental changes which make a complete chiropractic examination so important in the early stages of your child's life.

In Chiropractic we believe it's much more important to prevent diseases than wait till until some illness occurs. Through regular adjustments, counselling on proper diet, advice on exercise and posture, Chiropractic can help you raise a child whose body is structurally and functionally sound. Your child will also learn good health habits at an early age which can be very beneficial to him or her as an adult.

Youngsters suffer numerous accidents and falls while learning to walk, riding a bike, or even while jumping or running around. But after their tears have dried, underlying injuries can go undetected, such as a misaligned vertebra during the spine's most formative period.

Regular Chiropractic spinal exams can provide corrective and preventive care for your son or daughter and peace of mind for you.

It is especially important to have your child under chiropractic care when your child takes part in athletic activities. The collisions experienced in contact sports like rugby, soccer and netball could twist a young spine. A cricket bowler could throw a vertebra out of alignment. In Chiropractic we can do more than correct these problems; we can also help improve performance on and off the field by helping the body function at its optimum level, naturally without stress and without drugs.

Doctors of Chiropractic have been providing safe and effective care or children for nearly 100 years. There are several published studies conducted by researchers in Germany, Australia, Denmark and the United States which confirm the effectiveness of chiropractic care on a variety of childhood illnesses. The scientific evidence is growing every day.

CHIROPRACTIC EDUCATION AND THE PROFESSION
Becoming a Chiropractor requires a five-year of graduate-level instruction and internship at an accredited chiropractic institution, full time University Education with an emphasis in the biological sciences. Your Chiropractic Doctor has completed about the same number of lecture hours as medical practitioners do. However, since Chiropractors chose not to prescribe drugs or perform surgery their education emphasises neurology, diagnostic imaging, physiology, spinal adjusting techniques and clinical subjects.

There are currently 4 undergraduate Chiropractic programmes in the United Kingdom. The Anglo European College of Chiropractic, in Bournemouth, Dorset, The McTimoney Chiropractic College in Oxford, the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic, at Glamorgan University in Wales and the School of Chiropractic at Surrey University in Guilford. Graduates of these programmes are eligible for registration by the General Chiropractic Council, which regulates the profession in the U.K.

Doctors of Chiropractic, practicing in the UK are also able to obtain membership of the College of Chiropractors, which provides ongoing postgraduate professional education for chiropractors in private practice.

Chiropractic is the fastest-growing and second-largest primary health care profession in the US.
There are approximately 60,000 doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in active practice in the United States spread from rural areas to inner cities. More than 10,000 students are currently enrolled in chiropractic educational programs accredited by a federally-recognized body (CCE).

Chiropractic services are in high demand.
Tens of millions of Americans routinely opt for chiropractic services and this number is rapidly growing. In 1993, more than 30 million US consumers made chiropractic a regular part of their health care program.

Doctors of Chiropractic are licensed in all 50 US states.
DCs have been licensed and recognized for many decades in all states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Chiropractic is recognised by governmental health care programs.
Chiropractic is included in Medicare, Medicaid, Federal Employees Health Care Benefits Programs, Federal Workers' Compensation and all state workers' compensation programs. Chiropractic students are qualified to receive federal student loan assistance and Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) are authorised to be commissioned as health care officers in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Doctors of Chiropractic are primary health care providers.
According to the Centre for Studies in Health Policy, "The DC can provide all three levels of primary care interventions and therefore is a primary care provider, as are MDs. The doctor of chiropractic is a gatekeeper to the health care system and an independent practitioner who provides primary care services. The DC's office is a direct access portal of entry to the full scope of service."

*Disclaimer
The above links are to sites not related to The Chiropractic Centre  therefore in any way. The Chiropractic Centre therefore cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions on the above sites, to which links are provided purely for your convenience.