Chiropractic Care - Dr. Michelle Coats
Chiropractic is a branch of the healing arts which is based upon
the understanding that good health depends, in part, upon a normally
functioning nervous system (especially the spine, and the nerves
extending from the spine to all parts of the body). "Chiropractic"
comes from the Greek word Chiropraktikos, meaning "effective
treatment by hand." Chiropractic stresses the idea that the cause of
many disease processes begins with the body's inability to adapt to
its environment. It looks to address these diseases not by the use
of drugs and chemicals, but by locating and adjusting a
musculoskeletal area of the body which is functioning improperly.
The conditions which doctors of chiropractic address are as
varied and as vast as the nervous system itself. All chiropractors
use a standard procedure of examination to diagnose a patient's
condition and arrive at a course of treatment. Doctors of
chiropractic use the same time-honored methods of consultation, case
history, physical examination, laboratory analysis and x-ray
examination as any other doctor. In addition, they provide a careful
chiropractic structural examination, paying particular attention to
the spine.
The examination of the spine to evaluate structure and function is what makes chiropractic different from other health care procedures. Your spinal column is a series of movable bones which begin at the base of your skull and end in the center of your hips. Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves extend down the spine from the brain and exit through a series of openings. The nerves leave the spine and form a complicated network which influences every living tissue in your body.
Accidents, falls, stress, tension, overexertion, and countless other factors can result in a displacements or derangements of the spinal column, causing irritation to spinal nerve roots. These irritations are often what cause malfunctions in the human body. Chiropractic teaches that reducing or eliminating this irritation to spinal nerves can cause your body to operate more efficiently and more comfortably.
Chiropractic also places an emphasis on nutritional and exercise programs, wellness and lifestyle modifications for promoting physical and mental health. While chiropractors make no use of drugs or surgery, Doctors of chiropractic do refer patients for medical care when those interventions are indicated. In fact, chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists and other health care professionals now work as partners in occupational health, sports medicine, and a wide variety of other rehabilitation practices.
What can I expect at my first visit?
The first thing Dr.
Michelle will do is ask about the
health complaints you are most concerned
with. The DC will also ask about your
family history, dietary habits, other care you may have
had (chiropractic, osteopathic, medical, etc.), your job, and other
questions designed to help determine the nature of your
illness and the best way to go about treating the
problem.
A physical examination will be performed in accordance with Dr. Michelle’s clinical judgment, which may include x-rays, laboratory analysis and other diagnostic procedures. In addition, a careful spinal examination and analysis will be performed to detect any structural abnormalities which may be affecting or causing your condition. All of these elements are important components of your total health profile, and vital to the doctor of chiropractic in evaluating your problem.
An "adjustment," as doctors of chiropractic use the term, means the specific manipulation of vertebrae which have abnormal movement patterns or those that fail to function normally. Doctors of chiropractic spend years learning motion palpation (the art of examining by movement or touch) and other forms of spinal examining procedures, so that they can administer specific and appropriate spinal adjustments.
Once Dr. Michelle has identified the problem, she will begin care by way of these adjustments or "manipulations." Particular attention will be paid to that area of your spine where a spinal derangement or "subluxation" has been detected. The adjustment is usually given by hand or by "activator" type instruments, and consists of applying pressure to the areas of the spine that are out of alignment or that do not move properly within their normal range of motion.
Doctors of chiropractic use many sophisticated and varied techniques, and the specific procedure to be used will be determined and explained completely to you following a careful evaluation of your radiographs and physical findings.
Under normal circumstances, adjustments don't hurt. The patient may experience a minor amount of discomfort during the adjustment which lasts only seconds. Adjustments or manipulations are extremely safe. The risk factor is estimated to be in excess of 1 million to 1.
What training do Chiropractors receive?
Stringent academic standards must be met to become a licensed
chiropractic physician. Currently an individual must complete the
following steps in order to become a licensed chiropractor:
- Complete two or more years of general college-level studies. A four-year bachelor's degree is required for admission to The National College of Chiropractic, in Lombard, Illinois.
- Obtain a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree and complete a clinical internship through an accredited four-year chiropractic college program.
- Pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners' and/or other state-required examinations.
- Satisfy any other individual state-specific requirements for licensure.
- Complete continuing education requirements, including weekend seminars, to keep license current.