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Myths
Myths About Chiropractic
Chiropractic care is safe, comfortable, and benefits everyone - including infants, the elderly, and
pregnant women.
Question: I was told I should see a chiropractor, but I'm nervous about it. I mean, what exactly
are chiropractors?
Answer: Chiropractors are doctors who practice the art of healing by adjusting, or manipulating,
the spinal column. A healthy, well aligned spinal column moving with full range of motion allows
the nervous system to perform properly, which is vital because it controls every function of your
body. To be licensed, chiropractors must have completed three years of university followed by
four years at a chiropractic college.
Question: Does it hurt to get your spine adjusted?
Answer: Not at all. Chiropractic adjustments are comfortable and safe for the whole family,
from infants to pregnant women and the elderly. For hundreds of thousands of Canadians,
visiting a chiropractor is just routine - like regular dental check-ups.
Question: Do physicians recommend chiropractic care?
Answer: Most do, and many physicians are being treated by chiropractors themselves.
Question: If I go to see a chiropractor, will I be expected to keep going?
Answer: That's entirely up to you. Some people only want to be treated for a specific pain or
illness, and when the symptoms disappear they stop going. Others use chiropractic care to fully
correct the underlying cause of the symptoms and to remain feeling really well. Like a car, your
body has constant stress and wear, and it benefits from a 'tune-up'. However, which treatment
approach you want is always your choice.
Question: Doesn't it cost a fortune?
Answer: No. Many of the pain-killers and drugs you buy to treat pain and illness cost more than
chiropractic care. Yet chiropractic care treats more than the symptoms of poor health, it treats
the underlying cause. It also helps to restore and maintain good health - without using any
drugs.
Maintaining a car costs about $6,000 a year. Chiropractic care costs a fraction of that.
The Chiropractic Philosophy
The chiropractic perspective on health and disease emphasizes two fundamental concepts:
1.
the structure and condition of the body influences how the body functions and its ability
to heal itself; and
2.
the mind-body relationship is instrumental in maintaining health and in the healing
processes.
Although chiropractic shares much with other health professions, its emphasis and application
of philosophy distinguishes it from modern medicine. Chiropractic philosophy gravitates toward
a holistic ("total person") approach to healing which combines elements of the mind, body and
spirit and maintains that health depends on obedience to natural laws, and that deviation from
such laws can result in illness.
Chiropractic Philosophy includes:
•
emphasis on patient recuperative abilities rather than surgery
•
recognition that dynamics exist between lifestyle, environment and health
•
understanding the cause of illness in order to eliminate it, rather than simply treat
symptoms
•
recognition of the centrality of the nervous system and its intimate relationship with the
capacities of the human body
•
balancing benefits versus risks of clinical interventions
•
recognition of the primary importance of monitoring progress closely through appropriate
diagnostic procedures
•
a patient-centered, hands-on approach focused on influencing function through structure
•
focus on early intervention emphasizing timely diagnosis and treatment of conditions that
are wholly functional and reversible
Chiropractic philosophy blends an effective combination of conviction, critical thinking, open-
mindedness, and appreciation of the natural order of things. Chiropractic focuses on the
establishment and maintenance of a relationship between patients and their environment
which is most conducive to functional well-being.