Does it hurt to get adjusted? It certainly shouldn't, except for a small amount of discomfort on occasion, kind of like a massage can sometimes be temporarily uncomfortable until the body releases tension!
I've had surgery, can I still benefit from being adjusted? We'll need to consider your case specifically, but yes, you can get adjusted after surgery - just not exactly where you had the surgery. After you are sufficiently healed, areas above or below the post-surgical site may really benefit from gentle adjustment to restore freedom and neural control.
Does getting adjusted look like what I've seen on TicToc? Depends who you've seen, but probably not! Social media has a lot of over-glamorized exaggerations of what Chiropractic care looks like. Real chiropractic care, as compared to general mobilization or gross spinal manipulation, is much more precise and gentle than much of what can be found on social media.
I'm scared of being "cracked." Can you use another way? Yes! There are so many different ways to adjust the spine! Instruments like the drop-table, the Activator adjusting instrument (a.k.a. "the stapler," although this is a misnomer because it does not pierce the skin!!!), pelvic blocks, sustained specific contact pressure, and the "toggle" headpiece can all be used. How we choose to adjust you depends on what will work in your unique case - there's no one-size-fits-all. Some folks enjoy "audible" adjustments, others prefer for me to use the Activator or other approaches. To me, the outcome - the results of the adjustment - are far more important than the technical approach used to evoke those results.
How will I feel after receiving an adjustment? Most people feel more relaxed, move more easily, breathe more deeply, and feel like they've taken off a heavy backpack. A lot of people report better mental clarity after an adjustment.
I don't have any symptoms. Why should I be adjusted? Well, it's very possible that you might have a problem that's not creating dysfunction or discomfort just yet. If we find an imbalance that both you and I see very clearly (based on a "show and tell" method, so both patient and doctor can clearly perceive the results of testing), should we ignore it because it doesn't hurt...yet, or should we correct it? In my experience, an ounce of prevention is worth WAY more than a pound of cure. In fact, many of our long-time patients seldom have overt symptoms - we regularly clear out findings of vertebral and extremity subluxation before they manifest as problems that interfere with folks doing what they need to do, have to do, and want to do. My goal is to help restore function and promote adaptability and resilience, and that applies whether you have symptoms or not.
If I start chiropractic care, will I have to continue it forever? Health habits are always your choice - will you have to exercise forever to keep your body strong? Well, that's your choice! Will you have to eat nutritious food to stay healthy? Again, your choice. Many chiropractors find that patients CHOOSE to continue care, because they want to feel better and function better long term. You don't "have to" do anything - in fact, we only want you to stay under regular chiropractic care if you find it helpful and valuable.
I'm pregnant (or trying), is it OK for me to start chiropractic care? Yes, in fact, the best time to start care is BEFORE you get pregnant, to help prepare your body to adapt to the challenge that's coming! Different techniques and approaches are used on pregnant women, to help the body handle the stresses of pregnancy.
How can I tell if my dog would benefit from being adjusted? Uneven gait, sitting, or lying; inability to settle; "slowing down;" being hesitant to jump, do stairs, run, and play. More than that... it's "the look," the one that says, "I don't feel good." If the vet has confirmed that nothing pathological is going on, it's time for a trip to the doggypractor!
Do you adjust cats? Yes, very carefully, only if it's their idea, and only until 0.1 second before they change their mind.
Got your own questions? Email us at [email protected] and we'll do our best to help you find the answers you need!