About Chiropractic

 

What is chiropractic?


Chiropractic is a type of health care that focuses on the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system and the relationship of those systems to a patient's overall health.  By addressing disorders and problems with the nervous system and musculoskeletal system, chiropractors are often able to relieve a wide variety of complaints both neuromusculoskeletal and otherwise.
Perhaps the best known form of chiropractic therapy is the spinal manipulation, sometimes called a spinal adjustment.  Doctors of Chiropractic such as Dr. Langel have received extensive training in the proper technique for performing chiropractic adjustments to achieve maximum benefit. 


What types of conditions can chiropractic effectively treat?


While many people think of chiropractic first when they are having back or neck pain, chiropractic can also be an effective method of treatment for a variety of other disorders including:

  • Allergies
  • TMJ disorders
  • Headaches
  • Migraine headaches
  • Sciatica
  • Back pain and stiffness
  • Whiplash
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Heartburn
  • Sinus troubles
  • Indigestion
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Bedwetting
  • And many others


These are just some of the symptoms and conditions resulting from subluxations.  Your body can heal itself without surgery or drugs in many cases, but only when the subluxation is corrected.
 
Be sure to inform Dr. Langel of any and all symptoms you are experiencing, regardless of whether they seem related to your nervous or musculoskeletal symptoms.  Many times seemingly unrelated problems are connected and the doctor may be able to address them with chiropractic treatment or lifestyle changes.  If Dr. Langel does not believe chiropractic therapy will be effective for your health problem, he will be glad to refer you to someone who can help.  The goal is to improve your overall health and wellness using the most effective treatment available.


Sometimes when I stretch my back/neck, I hear a popping sound.  Can I adjust myself this way?


Many people can stretch their spine in such a way that air pressure changes inside the joint, causing a popping sound that may sound a lot like the sound it makes when your chiropractor adjusts you.  This correlation causes some people to wonder if they can adjust themselves.  That pop indicates nothing more than that the air pressure in the joint has been temporarily changed by the stretching; it does not indicate a spinal adjustment.    A spinal adjustment requires actually moving the vertebrae back into their proper position, which requires a deep understanding of the structures of the spine and how to apply pressure so that the vertebra moves into the desired position.  It would be nearly impossible for someone without chiropractic training to correctly adjust himself or herself, and failed attempts could have serious health consequences.  This is not to say that stretching is bad for you.  After evaluating your condition, Dr. Langel may provide you with specific exercises to do to strengthen and stretch your muscles.  These exercises, however, are NOT intended to take the place of spinal adjustment, but rather to be used in conjunction with spinal adjustments to restore optimal health.


Why don't adjustments always "stick" the first time?


Most patients who come to Dr. Langel with a subluxation have had the condition for months or even years.  Over time, the muscles surrounding the subluxation adapt to the new position of the joint and act to keep the joint in that position.  In a healthy joint, this is a good thing because the muscles provide stability.  In a subluxated joint, the muscles have to be re-trained to accept and stabilize the new, corrected position of the joint.  This takes time, much as it takes time to correct the position of teeth with braces.


Can you still adjust me if I've had back surgery?

Yes.  We see a large number of patients who have had failed back surgeries and pride ourselves on helping these patients achieve better quality of life without drugs or invasive treatments.  Please call us for an appointment so that Dr. Langel can consult with you on your specific case.


Should children be adjusted?


Children experience subluxations just like adults.  Failure to correct subluxations can result in delayed or uneven development that may be irreversible.  We recommend bringing children in for regular adjustments so that any issues can be corrected as early as possible.  It's also critical to screen children for scoliosis.  If caught early, scoliosis can often be effectively treated without surgery, but the longer it goes unnoticed, the more difficult it becomes to treat.  Even young babies can be adjusted.  We employ a variety of techniques, some which exert very low force on the joint and are therefore appropriate for even very young patients.