March Mythbusting
I’m sure you’ve heard many opinions about what chiropractic is, and there are some pretty wild theories on it. This blog will help shed some light on a few of the most common misconceptions I hear about chiropractic.
Myth 1: Chiropractors align spines.
Often I’ll have patients ask me to “put their spine back in alignment”. I know the feeling they are talking about, since I too have felt that way, but it’s not really getting to the whole story.
Our bones rarely go “out of alignment”. We are much more resilient than that. Within our spines we have strong muscles, ligaments, and joint capsules that keep everything right where it needs to be. It takes huge trauma, such as a severe car accident, to actually move a bone out of place.
The feelings we associate with being “out of alignment” are coming from millions of tiny receptors in our skin, muscles and joints telling us that there is irritation or fatigue built up in the area. See my post on “ribs being out” to get an idea of what causes this sensation.
There are many ways to successfully treat irritation and fatigue, but they have nothing to do with alignment. Hands-on care and spinal manipulation therapy are effective tools for reducing irritation, and when combined with a plan to move well and sleep well we can often erase this feeling of being “out of alignment”.
Myth 2: You have to see a chiropractor forever.
Many patients are nervous they’ll have to keep coming back every week for the rest of their lives once they have their first treatment. I don’t even do this - and I’m a chiropractor!
The average patient who sees me for back pain or neck pain usually feels better within 4-8 appointments, and then follows up when things hurt in the future (this is typical for most sprains and strains). A great chiropractor will provide tools, exercises, and tips to manage pain and mobility that allows patients to be confident in their bodies and not need ongoing care forever.
There are certain conditions and situations that may be helped with ongoing care, but it’s not necessary for most. A few examples when ongoing treatment might have benefits:
Some patients with osteoarthritis find that they get pain relief with chiropractic care so it’s worthwhile to come in once in a while for some hands-on treatment.
I treat some teachers in Kanata who are stressed and busy throughout the school year. They feel benefit from a chiropractic treatment every 4-6 weeks, and then I don’t see them over the summer because they are able to manage their symptoms on their own.
Many patients with Fibromylagia come for chiropractic care when they flare up, knowing that they could wait out the pain but they would prefer to get some quick relief with a few chiropractic treatments here and there.
Myth 3: You have to see a chiropractor OR a physiotherapist.
This is probably the most common misconception of all. Any modern chiropractor or physiotherapist should be keeping an eye on new research and methods that become available every year. Both professions are experts at treating musculoskeletal injuries, and should utilize the same research and guidelines to inform their care. This overlap also helps patients get the best treatment possible (and often maximize their insurance benefits to ensure they have comprehensive coverage and treatment).
We have overwhelming evidence that shows hands-on therapies in combination with exercise and education are very effective for treating most aches and pains. As physiotherapy and chiropractic evolve and the research on pain continues to improve, I think we will see even more similarities between physiotherapy and chiropractic.
With today’s easy access to information and the high calibre of professional training programs in Canada, there are experts in both the fields of chiropractic and physiotherapy who I would be happy to see regardless of my injury.
The key to finding a good healthcare professional to help with your back pain and headaches is to find someone who can communicate well, values patient education and patient empowerment, and follows the evidence to provide the most effective treatments possible.
If you’re struggling with a sprain or strain, please get in touch. With mobile chiropractic visits in Kanata, Stittsville, Carp and Carleton Place you can get back to the important activities fast.
