Frequently Asked Questions

The most recent in-depth review of the relationship between stroke and chiropractic care was published in the February 15, 2008 issue of Spine Journal.  It looked at 10 years of hospital records, involving 100 million people getting adjusted per year.

The verdict?

There was no evidence of an increase in the risk of a stroke with chiropractic, compared with medical management.  In other words, the probability of a serious injury is practically non-existent.

By comparison, deaths in the United States by over-the-counter-pain-relievers ((Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, ketoprofen and tiaprofenic acid) range from 3,200 to higher than 16,500 deaths and 76,000 hospitalizations.  Deaths from prescription drugs and medical procedures is the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States.

Besides, in the United States, the premiums for malpractice insurance paid by chiropractors are a mere fraction of what medical practitioners must pay.

So YES - Chiropractic care is safe!

You can read more here: www.chiropracticissafe.org

A Chiropractic adjustment involves a gentle, specific thrust to a spinal joint that is out of alignment (called a subluxation) that can result in an audible 'click' and usually brings instant relief of symptoms and some practice members report an increased feeling of energy, happiness, and well-being.  The 'pop' is simply the sound of gas bubbles popping in the fluid of the joint as the pressure is released.  

Adjustments can also be applied to other joints of the body when bones move out of place, putting pressure on the surrounding nerves, muscles, and ligaments.  For example, when a small bone in the wrist moves out of alignment, it pinches the nerve that supplies the hand causing numbness and tingling, which is called carpal tunnel syndrome.

Dr. Shelly utilizes many techniques, ranging from the traditional chiropractic approach (highly-accurate thrust) to using an instrument that delivers carefully directed energy to light-touch and soft tissue approaches that address your muscles, ligaments, fascia, and cranium.  Adjustments are tailored to your age, size, and particular health issue.

A subluxation is the result of STRESS and is the natural process that the body undergoes to protect you from more damage.  Muscles tighten, bones lock up, and adjacent nerves are choked.  Messages that were coming from your brain and going to every cell, tissue, and organ system of your body are interfered, similar to a phone call with static.  

For example, interference along the nerve pathway that goes to your lungs affects the functioning of your lungs, which can eventually lead to lung problems, such as asthma, allergies, bronchitis, etc.  Distorted communication between your brain and body can be an underlying cause of many health problems beyond just headaches and back pain.  Having a body free of subluxations is required for optimal health.

By removing this interference with a chiropractic adjustment, your body can function at 100% again and your body's ability to heal itself is restored.

The same reason why you go for regular dental check-ups, except one can live without teeth, one can’t live without a neuro-spinal system and the life force that flows through it.  Health and well-being is your most precious asset – without it, you can’t enjoy life.  The moment one loses their health, there is nothing that they would not do to retrieve it.  One year of pro-active chiropractic care is cheaper than one day of sickness and disease care.  Health is wealth, but you can’t have wealth without health.

Chiropractic isn’t a quick-fix for your pain or symptoms, it is preventative care that leads to optimum health and wellness.  Since your brain controls everything, including your body's posture, how you interpret pain, how well you hold your adjustment, etc., it requires regular adjustments to change the wiring in your brain which will lead to a change in how your body functions, and that is the ultimate goal.

One adjustment may make the pain go away, but until your body has been restored to a state of homeostasis where it can fully handle the stressors you encounter on a daily basis, the first stressor that comes along may trigger your pain again.

"Pain is the last symptom to show up, yet the first to go away."

Regular chiropractic adjustments will keep your body in tune and functioning at 100%.

Chiropractic truly is a lifestyle choice; just like eating healthy, regular exercise, positive thinking, yoga and meditation are also personal choices to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Absolutely!  You don’t have to feel bad to feel better.

Pain is what you experience when you’ve entered a crisis phase in your body, which can appear overnight.  The underlying problem has been there for years, but pain is the last symptom to show up.  It's a warning signal that something is wrong.

You can live with subluxations and not feel anything - but anytime there is interference in your nervous system, that means your body is not functioning at 100%.

For example, sitting on your wallet in your back pocket may not be causing you pain right now, but did you know that it is misaligning your pelvis, creating a curvature in your lumbar spine, and can eventually lead to sciatica, low back pain, and shoulder problems?

We encounter a lot of physical stress, mental/emotional stress, and chemical stress on a daily basis.  At first, our body can handle the stress.  It leads to less than optimal function, which may or may not go unnoticed for many years.  Dr. Shelly considers this going from a state of ease to a state of dis-ease.  Stress that builds up over time turns into chronic stress which manifests as disease (pain and other symptoms).  Getting adjusted only when you have pain means you are bouncing back and forth between disease and dis-ease, yet you are never reaching a state of ease or optimal function.

Also, chiropractic is not just for neck pain or back pain - it is for whole-body health and wellness!

Pregnancy is a perfect time to get regular chiropractic adjustments.  The growing fetus is actually an ‘organ’ of the pregnant woman’s body.  It too deserves a nerve supply free of interference so it can develop properly.  Most women report greater comfort during pregnancy, decreased frequency of back pain and shorter, easier delivery as a result of chiropractic care.

Chiropractic care is safe for women as well, with the Webster Technique being a specific approach just for pregnant women.  It removes sacral misalignment providing adequate uterine function, pelvic contractions, and baby presentation (head down vs. breech).

Dr. Shelly is certified in the Webster Technique, which is a specific technique for the care of pregnant women to provide adequate uterine function, pelvic contractions, and baby presentation (head down vs. breech). and is equipped with pregnancy pillows that makes for a comfortable adjustment.

Learn more about why pregnant women need chiropractic here!

Most people ask 'why would a child have a spine and nervous system problem?'  

Well, for starters they undergo far more developmental stress than adults.  Traumatic births.  Learning to walk.  Slips.  Falls.  Bumps on the head.  The list is endless.  

For example, did you know that a toddler falls on average 17x/hour when learning to walk?

Yet, these problems are often brushed off as “growing pains” or just a “phase they’re going through.”  However, the more trauma they encounter that is left untreated, the more issues they will have as an adult.

“As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.”

Just like a young tree that is planted in the ground, if a windstorm blows and causes the tree to be crooked, how do you think it will grow?  That's right - crooked!

Chiropractic adjustments for children are very gentle, and require no more pressure than what you’d use to test the ripeness of a tomato.  And because a child’s physiology is so active (they grow new cells at a very fast rate), they respond better to chiropractic care and healing occurs faster.  Not only is it safe for your children, it is one of the best things you can do for them so they can develop properly.

Many parents report that chiropractic care has been helpful for colic, ear infections, erratic sleeping habits, bedwetting, scoliosis, “growing pains”, the common cold and many other childhood health complaints.

Dr. Shelly's youngest patient was 1-day-old.

Learn more about why children need chiropractic here!