Frequently Asked Questions in Thief River Falls MN

Chiropractors perform adjustments to the spine or other parts of the body. The goal is to correct spinal misalignments, alleviate stress on the nervous system, ease pain, and support the body's natural ability to heal itself.

Chiropractic is a health-care profession that focuses on the spine and other joints of the body, and their connection to the nervous system. The word “chiropractic” means “to be done by hand.” Chiropractors use adjustments to restore joint function and support the nervous system. They help patients maintain optimal health while avoiding unnecessary drugs or surgery.

Yes! Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C) attend graduate-level health colleges to treat disorders of the bones, nerves, muscles, and ligaments. They graduate with Doctor of Chiropractic degrees. While chiropractors are not medical doctors their education is comparable. Chiropractors are widely known for treating back and neck pain, they also treat bone and soft tissue conditions.

Chiropractic as a profession began in 1895 when its founder, Daniel David Palmer, “adjusted” the spine of a deaf janitor and restored his hearing. Spinal adjusting was not an unknown treatment in 1895, and Palmer never claimed to be the first to use adjustments for the cure of disease. Palmer founded the Palmer School of Chiropractic, in Davenport Iowa, where he taught his methods to the first chiropractors

Chiropractors treat conditions related to your brain, spinal cord, spinal nerves and body structure. Their goal is to relieve pain and improve overall function. They do not prescribe drugs or do surgery. Rather, they adjust your spine and other body parts to get them in the right position, or proper alignment. Chiropractic care is based on the idea that when your body is in proper alignment, you have a better chance of healing yourself.

YES! about 22 million Americans visit chiropractors annually. Chiropractic is an excellent, cost effective way to manage headaches, back pain, neck pain and improve function.

Chiropractic is the safest, noninvasive treatment for spinal and musculoskeletal complains. Millions of patients enjoy treatment for neck pain, back pain and headaches.

After getting adjusted many patients immediately feel relief. Some experience mild aching or soreness in the spinal joints or muscles. This feeling is like muscle soreness after exercise. Often the side effect of chiropractic are also the benefits including more mobility, more energy, better sleeping and improved overall comfort.

That depends on the person and their problem. With out a proper evaluation it is impossible to tell how much care a person may or may not need.

That depends on the severity of the problem. Without a proper evaluation it is impossible to tell how much care a person may need which will dictate the cost of care. But care can range from the cost of your copay to $250 depending on insurance coverage and payment arrangements.

All chiropractors have their preferences and may use specific techniques based on what they know about their patient and their condition. Flexion Distraction is a technique for several lumbar-spine conditions, including lower back pain, disc injuries, and sciatica. Gonstead technique is an adjustment method used to realign the spine. It is known as one of the most precise and effective methods to relieve pain and promote optimal alignment of the spine. Activator method technique is indicated for use to alleviate back and neck pain as well as pain in the areas outside of the spine that. To use this technique, the chiropractor uses a specific activator adjusting instrument. The idea behind all techniques is that taking pressure off the nerves and promoting healthy mobility, it will cause less stress on the spine and promote optimal health.

Chiropractors treat patients who are experiencing neck pain, headaches, migraine headaches, carpal tunnel, sciatica, dizziness, back pain, pelvic pain, arm and shoulder pain, leg and hip pain. Chiropractors are also educated to treat pregnant women when carrying a baby. Realigning the pelvis, helps the baby get into a good position for delivery. Chiropractors can treat conditions ranging from constipation to acid reflux.

Chiropractors rely on spinal adjustments and other therapies to reduced pain and inflammation after a car accident or work injury. Spinal adjustments make a substantial difference in how auto accident victims feel after their accident and how their injury will affect them in the future. Every body should have their spine checked for whiplash regardless of the severity of the injury. If the accident was bad enough to damage your vehicle it was bad enough to damage you.

Chiropractors treat auto injuries, sports injuries, work injuries, migraines and tension headaches, stress and anxiety, fibromyalgia, weak immune systems, flexibility, and pregnant women and babies.

During pregnancy, women will experience pelvic changes, postural and pelvic adaptations. Chiropractors are trained to treat these issues with the most effective and gentle techniques, that help with pain and discomfort due to pregnancy. Realigning the pelvis, helps the baby get into a good position for delivery. Chiropractors can treat conditions ranging from constipation to acid reflux.

Chiropractors may set up a treatment plan that may involve one or more manual adjustments in which the doctor adjusts the joints in the lower back, using a controlled technique to alleviate stress on the spinal nerves, improve range and quality of motion, therefore decreasing low back pain.

Chiropractic neck adjustments, loosen up the joints of the cervical vertebrae and take pressure off the nerves in the neck. This can reduce pain caused by irritated nerves, muscle spasms, strains, and other contributing factors. Most neck pain is associated with poor posture combined with age-related wear and tear or a trauma such as a car accident.

Chiropractic has been shown to be highly effective in treating sciatica by helping the body heal itself. It is non-invasive and does not use medications, making it an optimal choice for many patients. It also helps to reduce the pain that is associated with nerve inflammation, particularly that associated with sciatica. We also utilize computerized decompression to decompress the nerves that make up the sciatic nerve.

Patients may feel pops, but they should not feel any intense pain. Typically, if patients were not in pain prior to the adjustment, they would not be after. Some chiropractic patients do experience some mild soreness or minor aches after a visit.

The cold restricts blood flow and reduces swelling and inflammation. Chiropractors recommend using cold therapy to reduce pain and spasms allowing for better movement.

Chiropractic is one of the most safe, non-invasive treatments for musculoskeletal complains. Millions of patients enjoy treatment for neck, back and headaches with great reliable outcomes.

During an adjustment you may hear a popping sound or a “cavitation”. If you did not hear or feel a cavitation, it does not mean your adjustment did not work. We employ a lot of different techniques that some will cause a popping sensation, while others will not. It all depends on your comfort level and what technique is best for your condition.

No! Each patient’s spine and care plan is unique. Everyone has 26 moving bones in the spine that can each move in seven different directions. Each individual patient is analyzed and examined for his or her age, condition and health goals. There are several different chiropractic techniques and philosophies to choose from which will accommodate different types of people.

No not correctly. While anyone can “self-adjust” it is not nearly as beneficial as getting it done by a trained professional. The difference in how the adjustments occur is different. If you self-adjust there is a high probability in most instances will make the condition worse and are more than likely hiding an underlying problem.

You may be asked to place a gown on if the clothing you are wearing interferes with the examination or X-Rays.

Chiropractic is shown to be safe and effective for children. In fact, if you think of how many times a child falls down in a day the likelihood of them not having something wrong is nearly impossible.

Most chiropractors have a 4-year undergraduate degree, and then a 4-year Post-doctoral degree from an accredited chiropractic school. To get a D.C (Doctor of Chiropractic) degree a student must pass all 4 parts of The National Boards and have hundreds of hours of training adjusting the spine.

Each patient is unique, and each condition is specific. Therefore, exact time of relief will depend on the severity of a patient’s injury. You will typically notice a change in symptoms within your first 3-12 visits.

Yes! many chronic back sufferers have treated with us after having back surgery, with great results. We will conduct a proper examination and find out exactly what is the cause of your pain.

Feeling good, being pain free, are some of the results that you will see with chiropractic care and people choose to feel that way for life. So yes, if you want to feel amazing all the time you may become addicted to chiropractic. I know we are!