Frequently Asked Questions

The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and help remove interferences to your natural state of being healthy. Chiropractic works by restoring your body’s own inborn ability to be healthy. When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissues and organs of your body are designed to resist disease and ill health.

A common location of interference to the nervous system is the 24 moving bones of the spinal column. A loss of normal motion or position of these bones can irritate or impair the function of the nervous system. This can disrupt the transmission of controlling nerve impulses.

With improved spinal function there is often improved nervous system function. Your chiropractor can help remove interferences that may be impairing normal health. Since the primary focus of your care is improved nervous system function, chiropractic care can have a positive effect on many health conditions not normally thought of as “back” problems.

After reviewing your case history and discussing your specific problem, a thorough orthopedic, neurological, and chiropractic examination is performed. X-rays may be taken to uncover structural and functional problems associated with the spinal column. These examinations help identify areas of spinal malfunction and resulting nervous system deficit.

The findings of these examinations are explained and a plan of chiropractic adjustments may be recommended. Progress is monitored with periodic examinations and follow-up reports.

Since the word “doctor” comes from the Latin word meaning “teacher”, the doctors at Grennan Chiropractic Injury Rehab have a strong commitment to patient education.

Have you ever wondered how much education your Chiropractor receives compared to a Medical Doctor? Many people are surprised to learn that the hours of classroom instruction are about the same.

Doctors of Chiropractic must satisfy a demanding academic course that leads to a professional degree requiring seven years of academic study – three years preparatory and four years professional. Chiropractors must also meet strict educational requirements, including approximately 600 hours of internship, which makes them eligible for licensure in all states and Canadian Provinces.

The science of chiropractic requires a special emphasis on anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology, biomechanics, X-ray, spinal adjusting techniques and related subjects. This demanding curriculum prepares chiropractic doctors to locate the Vertebral Subluxation Complex and help correct the resulting nervous system dysfunction.

To graduate with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, each candidate passes the demanding National Board Examination. Then, doctors apply to a governmental or professional licensing board and pass a still more difficult test before being granted the privilege to practice.

A chiropractic education never ends. Most doctors complete postgraduate instruction for license renewal and to stay current on the latest scientific research.

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixed, “locked up”, or not moving properly. This adds motion to the joint, helping the bones gradually return to a more normal position and motion. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is improved spinal function, nervous system function and health.

Usually, the doctor’s hands or specially designed instruments deliver a brief and highly accurate thrust. Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow and constant pressure.

After years of training and clinical experience, the doctors at Grennan Chiropractic Injury Rehab are highly skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches.

The doctor evaluates each patient’s unique spinal problem and develops an individual course of care. The resulting recommendations are based upon years of training and experience.

Some patients who complain of headaches may actually have a lower back problem that is causing a compensation reaction at the base of the skull. Other patients may be experiencing numbness and tingling in their fingers, when the actual problem is in the neck. Every patient presents a uniquely different spinal pattern.

Patients at Grennan Chiropractic Injury Rehab will notice that their chiropractic care is delivered with confidence and precision. Each visit builds on the one before. While visits may seem similar, each patient’s care is uniquely different from every other patient’s.

Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs. Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction, to a specific spinal joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself.

It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a “popping” sound, like the sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment. Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already unstable area of the spine even more unsteady.

The best way to enjoy the healthful benefits of chiropractic is to receive adjustments from a Doctor of Chiropractic. Even your doctor must seek out the services of another colleague to help restore and maintain his own proper spinal function.

Chiropractic has an excellent safety record. It is the result of a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs. A thorough case history and examination help reveal areas of the spine that may be causing nervous system malfunction. This information will be used to determine the best course of care for each patient.

Chiropractic care is a natural approach to better health that has been proven safe and effective.

While the term pinched nerve is often used by laymen to describe a variety of back pain, actual pinched nerves are fairly rare.

Because of the way your spine is designed, abnormal spinal function caused from physical trauma, emotional tensions, or chemical toxins can affect the delicate tissues of the spinal cord and nerve roots.

Research suggests that only 10% to 15% of spine related problems are caused by direct pressure of bone on nerve tissue (a pinched nerve). This can result in numbness, burning, or a “pins and needles” feeling.

However, nerves can be irritated more easily than “pinched” this is called a facilitative lesion. When nerve tissue is rubbed, scraped, stretched by a loss of spinal curve, or irritated by malfunctioning spinal joints, the result is an irritated nerve.

This is another commonly used phrase that is not as common as its usage would imply. The intervertebral disc is a pad of cartilage-type material situated between spinal bones. Each disc serves as a connector, spacer, and shock absorber for the spine. A soft, jelly-like center is contained by outer layers of fibrous tissue. Healthy discs help allow normal turning and bending.

Because of the way each disc is attached to the vertebrae above and below, a disc cannot “slip.” Trauma or injury to the spine, however, can cause discs to tear, bulge, herniate, or worse, rupture. This can be quite painful, as the soft center of the disc leaks, putting pressure on the adjacent nerve roots and spinal cord.

While results cannot be guaranteed, many patients have avoided needless surgery or a dependence on pain medication by seeking quality chiropractic care.

While there aren’t any shortcuts to speed your body’s natural healing process, there’s a lot you can do to give yourself the best chance of a quick recovery. Learn proper sitting and lifting methods. Specific exercises may be suggested to help retrain the muscles that support your spine.

Proper rest is an important aspect of the healing process, too. Get the appropriate amount of rest your body needs, and avoid sleeping on your stomach. During the healing process, proper nutrition is more important than ever. Make sure you get balanced meals, and if you’re overweight, now would be a good time to slim down and reduce unnecessary stresses to your spine.

Perhaps most important of all, keep your appointments and follow your chiropractic doctor’s recommendations for optimum results.

Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked for Vertebral Subluxation Complex.

Later, learning to walk, ride a bicycle and other childhood activities can cause spinal problems. While a bandage and some comforting words can help a skinned knee, the unseen damage to the child’s spine is the unique domain of a chiropractic doctor.

Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off as “growing pains” can often be traced to the spine. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify these problems and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults.

Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to a child’s spine. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and seem healthier than other children.

More and more people are consulting chiropractic doctors, especially in their later years. With growing concerns about over-medication and the side effects of combining various prescription drugs, safe, natural chiropractic care is growing in popularity.

Restoring better spinal function can help improve mobility, vitality, endurance and appetite. Many patients report improvement with arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the aging process.

The adjusting technique used by your doctor will be modified for maximum comfort and results.

As we get older and wiser, the simplicity and effectiveness of chiropractic care becomes more and more obvious.

Spinal problems, neglected since early childhood, may require ongoing supportive care for optimum spinal function. These longstanding problems are often associated with muscle weakness, soft tissue damage, and degenerative changes to the spine.

Most patients find that periodic chiropractic checkups help keep them in tip-top shape. Those who are active, have stressful jobs, or want to be their very best, find that a schedule of preventive visits is helpful in the maintenance of good health.

Some patients seek chiropractic care only when their ache or pain becomes unbearable. While this style of “crisis management” is usually more costly and time-consuming, Grennan Chiropractic Injury Rehab stands ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals.

How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you.