Our Practice incorporates continuing patient education so that patients can take on responsible roles in their wellness campaign. Chiropractors teach their patients that getting well requires a "team-effort" in producing the results they want. Achieving maximum health potential requires raising awareness of proper body mechanics, nutritional intake, emotional and physical rest and recuperation, and physical activity.

In 2005, a medical study examined the effects of chiropractic benefits in the treatment of low back and neck pain. The following is a brief synopsis of the study, which demonstrated that treatment of low back and neck pain, the inclusion of a chiropractic benefit in a managed care program resulted in a reduction in the rates of surgery, CT and MRI imaging, inpatient care, and X-rays. Click here for the complete abstract at PubMed the National Library of Medicine (Nelson CF, et al. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. October 2005; Vol. 28, Iss. 8, pp. 564-569) The aim of this study was to measure the effects of a managed chiropractic benefit on the rates of specific diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for the treatment of back pain and neck pain. This study is a retrospective analysis of claims data from the American Specialty Health Plan plan over a 4-year period. The use rates of advanced imaging, surgery, inpatient care, and plain-film radiographs were compared between employer groups with and without a chiropractic benefit. The results indicated that for patients with low back pain, the use rates of all 4 studied procedures were lower in the group with chiropractic coverage. On a per-episode basis, the rates in the group with coverage were reduced by the following: surgery (-32.1%); computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (-37.2%); plain-film radiography (-23.1%); and inpatient care (-40.1%). On a per-patient basis, the rates were reduced by the following: surgery (-13.7%); CT/MRI (-20.3%); plain-film radiography (-2.2%); and inpatient care (-24.8%). For patients with neck pain, the use rates were reduced per episode in the group with chiropractic coverage as follows: surgery (-49.4%); CT/MRI (-45.6%); plain-film radiography (-36.0%); and inpatient care (-49.5%). Per patient, the rates were surgery (-31.1%); CT/MRI (-25.7%); plain-film radiography (-12.5%); and inpatient care (31.1%). All group differences were statistically significant.

Chiropractic Care is Based on the Medical Sciences of Anatomy and Physiology. Your body communicates in terms that you can respond to. When you are tired, you sleep; hungry, you eat; in pain, you stop whatever it is that's causing it. In today's society, more often than not, we pop a pill and keep on pushing. Because we ignore painful warning signals, we continue to batter and abuse our physical structure.

Symptoms such as

• Headaches
• Neck Pain
• Numbness, pins and needles in shoulders, arms, hands
• Mid and lower back pain
• Numbness, pins and needles in hips, legs, feet
• Fatigue, run-down, under the weather
• Dizziness, irritability, poor health
  
  ... are the body's way of letting us know we are off track and on the way to chronic pain and illness.

Take Your Back to School offers a comprehensive look at why back and neck problems became such a problem over the centuries. Download this seven page booklet for information on maintaining a healthy spine through stretching and strengthening exercises and "Dos & Don'ts" of lifting, pushing, sitting and standing. The last page of the booklet is a poster for the workplace. Please take note that you must speak with your doctor before you do any of the exercises in the booklet.

Your Nervous System is the commander-in-chief of all other systems in the body and manages all aspects of body functions so that coordination of the systems will yield a healthy result. The proper coordination of over 40 Quadrillion cells in a lifetime will result in a body that works right and fulfilled its genetic potential. Below is a diagram of the Autonomic System of the Nervous System. This division coordinates the delicate balance between all organs of the body.

Let's go back to the beginning, before you were an embryo. The fertilized egg begins to divide into a ball of cells that all look and function alike. After reaching the magical number dictated by the genes, the cells begin to specialize and the first specialized cells are the nerves and begin to form the spinal cord, brain and nervous system. The brain then sends signals through the complex nervous system to trigger the unfolding of the chromosomal wrappings in each of the primordial cells. This process will expose a portion of the genes and the various organs of the body begin to form.

Within 21 days after fertilization a heart is beating and blood vessels feed the developing organs throught the embryo. Within five weeks, there are fingers, finger tips, eyes, basic skeleton, and the embryo continues to grow rapidly. As long as there is no interference with the development, and no damaging chemical or physical harm, this development of human life should result in a healthy, fully functioning human being. It will have the potential to live to 100+/- years without illness or disease. It will have the capability to adapt to its internal and external environments with relative ease, as long as the nervous system is not tampered with by chemicals, or physical harm.

According to consensus, health is the state in which a human being has all the body parts and they are working properly. The full expression of the genetic material in a lifetime will allow a person to experience pure health and wellness, through physical, mental, and social well-being.

Your Spinal Column
houses and protects the spinal cord and nerve roots. The brain and nervous system are so important, that they are the only organs completely surround by solid bone. There are a total of 24 moveable segments and a solid triangular base. Between each pair of vertebrae are shock absorbing discs. As long as the joints of the spine are working right, the mechanics of the spine allows an individual to run, lift, push, pull and so much more. Also, as long as the soft discs are each in their central positions, and not bulging into the nerves or spinal cord, the nervous system sends and receives nerve impulses without interference, allowing these impules to continue to communicate with the other organs and systems.

These important nerve structures can become irritated by misaligned vertebrae and discs - the result of injuries, poor posture and poor sleeping habits, excessive and abusive push, pull and lifting activities. The complex known as "Subluxation" is a mix of mechanical mishaps in the spine that can result in poor spinal function, pain and confusing messages to the organs and systems. A Subluxation Complex is the result of the soft center of the disc bulging towards one side, altering the mechanics of the joints. The joints become "fixated" or stuck in a misaligned position. The muscles tense up as a result of reactionary nerve impulses and messages from the brain to balance the body.

The column of vertebrae is a fascinating structure. The vertebrae on the bottom are the thickest and strongest. As the vertebrae stack towards the top, they create curves towards the front and back. These curves allow the spine to act as a spring when landing from a drop. Over time, the decrease in circulation to the discs and wear and tear (Spinal Decay), permits the vertebrae to damage the sandwiched discs. The damage is in the form of compression and rupturing of the soft center towards the back and sides, where the spinal cord and nerve roots reside. This begins the subluxation complex.

In the short run, pain and numbness in the neck, back and extremities warn you of nerves being damaged. In the long run, your immunity to sickness and disease is significantly lowered, raising your chances of chronic pain and illness.

Conservative Chiropractic care should be considered first to determine if your problem is spine and nerve related. If your problem falls within the scope of chiropractic practice, chiropractic can offer you relief and good health for many years to come. Learn more about chiropractic through our interactive "Back to Basics" Movie.

For more detailed explanation of the Chiropractic Viewpoint to health, see our slide show here.

To learn more about exercises to strengthen your back and neck, go to: exercises.