Modern chiropractic treatment has been growing in popularity since the late 1800s, with more and more studies showing its effectiveness for treating back and neck pain, musculoskeletal conditions, and restoring and enhancing health. Even so, there are still many people who are doubtful, holding on to one or more of the following misconceptions about chiropractors and what they do.
Here are some facts about what we do here at Cameron Family Chiropractic, what we treat, and how you can enjoy all the benefits of this hands-on treatment method!
The Most Common Chiropractor Misconceptions
1) Chiropractic is a lifetime commitment…
Many people believe that, once you go to a chiropractor, you’ll have to keep coming back for the rest of your life. This simply isn’t true! It is absolutely your choice. What many patients have found is this: when they understand the importance of their nervous system – the brain and spinal cord – and start to live a pain-free, healthy life, they choose to continue adjustments to maintain that lifestyle.
Think of it like healthy eating or regular exercise. You shouldn’t just do it when you’re sick or when you want to lose weight; you should eat healthy and stay active all the time. It helps with mental, emotional, and physical health.
Simply put, patients come back on an ongoing basis because chiropractic adjustments help them function better. It changes from a reactionary treatment to a preventative one.
2) …but also, that it only takes one visit.
This is the flip side of the previous point. Some people believe that a single visit will fix all alignment issues and immediately solve the underlying problem that brought you in. You may start to feel relief, but as with any treatment, it’s unlikely that a single instance is enough to cause permanent change. This is why we recommend follow-up visits – so we can identify and deal with the root cause of your pain. Often, these problems and issues have been developing for a long period of time – sometimes, even as early as birth. They can also be caused by learned behaviours, dealing with stressful issues and events, repetitive movements, accidents, traumas, and more. It takes time and repetition to correct these patterns you have developed in your body.
3) Chiro solves issues that ‘just started’.
We’ve all experienced it – waking up one morning to a sore back or a throbbing headache. It seems like it comes out of nowhere, and suddenly it’s bad enough to seek chiropractic treatment.
We often find that even these “sudden” issues are anything but. While there may be an inciting injury, it’s more common to have a number of underlying conditions that have been present for a long time beneath the surface: poor posture, muscle imbalances, trapped nerves, repetitive movements, etc. It’s not until it is past your body’s adaptive range (meaning how much your body can handle before causing pain or stopping movement) where you notice the inflammation or pain and seek out assistance.
4) Chiropractic is just for adults.
Adults comprise a large portion of our client base. After all, modern life for many people involves a lot of stress sitting, repetitive motion, and less physical activity overall (a lifestyle which can then lead to further muscle injury when we do become active). However, chiropractic is not just for adults. Many parents actually prefer it for their children and babies because it is non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical, and non-painful. Especially for children who play sports, chiropractic can help manage muscular injuries and movement patterns, address postural changes due to sitting and technology use, and improve recovery. We also have a lot of moms bring their infants in to help with torticollis, misshapen heads, latch issues, irritability, and much more. Due to the relationships we develop with parents and infants alike, we can help monitor and assist these children as they reach their milestones.
5) It’s only for when you’re already in pain.
Many people think of chiropractic like a visit to the doctor when you’re already sick – you are going to solve a problem that is interfering with your quality of life. But did you know that it can be equally useful as a wellness or preventative visit?
Instead of going after the problem has already begun, you can schedule a visit to see if there are any issues that may arise if left untreated, including herniated discs, pinched nerves, muscular imbalance, or spinal structure compromise. Canadian chiropractors have extensive training and are licensed primary contact providers (more on that in #8), which means they can diagnose and treat chiropractic issues of the neuromusculoskeletal system.
6) An adjustment is scary, and it hurts.
Watching from the outside, it’s easy to believe that the loud “cracking”sometimes heard during an adjustment is bones grinding or moving against each other. That would indeed be painful! Luckily, the truth is a lot easier to handle (and a lot less scary).
The cracking noise from your joints – whether in your fingers, toes, or vertebrae – is not actually due to bones moving. It’s accumulated gases in the fluid between the bones, being released in bubbles that pop. These naturally build up over time and can be released with specific pressure placement (like when you crack your knuckles). While this may make for some dramatic noises, an adjustment may not make any at all, which leads to the next point.
7) Chiropractic isn’t effective if there’s no ‘cracking’.
Don’t get addicted to the crack! A lot of people think that they need to hear or feel a crack for something to have happened or changed. This is not true. We know that motion is king when it comes to every joint in the body, especially the spine, and there are many ways that a chiropractor can perform an adjustment on your nervous system. Here at Cameron Family Chiropractic, we primarily use a gentle, low-force technique that does not involve cracking, called the Network Spiral.
Now, you might be asking: how is it possible to use such a light touch to help with your pain, or even make a difference? When we apply a positive input – like a gentle touch – into your nervous system, it causes a global change in your body. It’s a cue to your nervous system and it helps your spine to communicate to the brain what is going on. Your brain can then process the information properly and send out the correct signals about how your body should react.
Chiropractic is about the physical touch and motion of the area, honed through years of experience and study. While the cracking sound can accompany our work, it’s not necessary for it – so if your adjustment is silent, you’ll still get all the benefits as someone who gets a loud response. If you are not a fan of having your neck cracked, there are other options for getting adjusted.
8) Chiropractors aren’t real doctors and there is no evidence of effective treatment.
This is probably the most common misconception of all. Chiropractic treatments have been around for over a century, with plenty of studies done to show the results it gets. Today, licensed chiropractors are strictly regulated professionals at both the national and provincial levels.
Canadian chiropractors must have at least seven years of post-secondary education, with over 4,000 hours of specialized chiropractic training, a year of clinical practice, and a passing grade on a standardized regulatory exam before they even begin their career.
Rest assured – with a chiropractor, you’re definitely in good hands!
Chiropractors in Calgary, Alberta
Do you still have questions about spinal health or how to get rid of the pain in your back or neck? Our team here at Cameron Family Chiropractic would be thrilled to provide the answers! Whether it’s your first visit to a chiropractor or you’ve had so many that you lost count, you can start your journey toward your healthiest, most satisfied, and most balanced self with an adjustment today!