About Chiropractic Myths
I learned some really cool facts about Chiropractic I thought I would share them.
As successful as chiropractic has become, there are a lot of myths circulating among the general public. Times have definitely changed for the better, but the fact is that many people still do not understand what chiropractors do. Let’s talk about a few of the more common myths about chiropractic.
Myth #1 - Chiropractors are not real doctors.
A chiropractic college grants a D.C. or Doctorate of Chiropractic degree. Chiropractors are licensed as health care providers in every U.S. state and dozens of countries around the world. While the competition for acceptance in chiropractic school is not as fierce as medical school, the chiropractic and medical school curricula are extremely rigorous and virtually identical. In fact, chiropractors have more hours of classroom education than their medical counterparts. As part of their education, chiropractic students also complete a residency working with real patients in a clinical setting, supervised by licensed doctors of chiropractic. Once chiropractic students graduate, they have to pass four sets of national board exams as well as state board exams in the states where they want to practice.
Just like medical doctors, chiropractors are professionals that are subject to the same type of testing procedures, licensing and monitoring by state and national peer-reviewed boards. Federal and state programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Workers’ Compensations programs cover chiropractic care, and all federal agencies accept sick-leave certificates signed by doctors of chiropractic. Chiropractors are also commissioned as officers in the military.
The biggest difference between chiropractors and medical doctors lies not in their level of education, but in their preferred method of caring for people. Medical doctors are trained in the use of medicines (chemicals that affect your internal biochemistry) and surgery. Consequently, if you have a chemical problem, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, or an infection, medical doctors can be very helpful. However, if your problem is that your spine is mis-aligned or you have soft tissue damage causing pain, there is no chemical in existence that can fix it. You need a physical solution to correct a physical problem. That is where chiropractic really shines. Chiropractors provide physical solutions — adjustments, exercises, stretches, muscle therapy — to help the body heal from conditions that are physical in origin, such as back pain, muscle spasms, headaches, and poor posture. Another distinction is the fact that it is completely appropriate to receive chiropractic care even if you do not have symptoms. Unlike standard medical doctors, whom you visit when you have a symptom to be treated, chiropractors offer adjustments to improve spinal alignment and overall well-being before symptoms develop.
Myth #2 - Medical doctors don’t like chiropractors.
The American Medical Association’s opposition to chiropractic was at its strongest in the 1940s under the leadership of Morris Fishbein. Fishbein called chiropractors “rabid dogs” and referred to them as “playful and cute, but killers” He tried to portray chiropractors as members of an unscientific cult who cared about nothing but taking their patients’ money. Up to the late 1970s and early 1980s, the medical establishment purposely conspired to try to destroy the profession of chiropractic. In fact, a landmark lawsuit in the Supreme Court of Illinois in the 1980s found that the American Medical Association was guilty of conspiracy and was ordered to pay restitution to the chiropractic profession.
In the 20 years since, the opinion of most medical doctors has changed: several major studies have shown the superiority of chiropractic in helping people with a host of conditions, and medical doctors developed a better understanding as to whatchiropractors actually do. Many people have returned to their medical doctors and told them about the great results they experienced at their chiropractors office. Hospitals across the country now have chiropractors on staff, and many chiropractic offices have medical doctors on staff. Chiropractors and medical doctors are now much more comfortable working together in cases where medical care is necessary as an adjunct to chiropractic care.
Myth #3 - Once you start going to a chiropractor, you have to keep going for the rest of your life.
This statement comes up frequently when the topic of chiropractic is discussed. It is only partially true. You only have to continue going to the chiropractor as long as you wish to maintain the health of your neuromusculoskeletal system. Going to a chiropractor is much like going to the dentist, exercising at a gym, or eating a healthy diet: As long as you keep it up, you continue to enjoy the benefits.
Many years ago, dentists convinced everyone that the best time to go to the dentist is before your teeth hurt, that routine dental care will help your teeth remain healthy for a long time. The same is true of chiropractic care for your spine. It is important to remember that, just like your teeth, your spine experiences normal wear and tear as you walk, drive, sit, lift, sleep, and bend. Routine chiropractic care can help you feel better, move with more freedom, and stay healthier throughout your lifetime. Although you can enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care even if you receive care for a short time, the real benefits come into play when you make chiropractic care a part of your wellness lifestyle.
Peninsula chiropractic center
26685 Sussex Hwy.
Seaford Delaware
302.629.4344
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Please call Dr.T at 302.628.3488
Yours in health,
Dr. Triglia
Parents’ Supervision Key to Ensuring Safe After School Athletics Fun
By Dr. Michael A. Triglia,
Member of the International Chiropractors Association
With the start of a new school year, kids of all ages will be gathering before, during and after school to compete in a variety of sports and physical activities. Football, cheerleading, soccer, gymnastics and in recent years what was once a winter indoor sport but has now become a year-round phenomenon, basketball, will all be pursued with vigor and enthusiasm as kids get back together at school. From the most junior recreation leagues and school programs to informal “pick-up” games in the parks and playgrounds, indoor and outdoor athletics are a significant part of how young Americans spend their recreation time.
This is a wonderfully healthy trend, and even better if parents help by making sure that basic rules of safety and injury prevention are applied. Doctors of chiropractic everywhere encourage increased physical activity among people of all ages as part of an effective program of maintaining health and vitality the natural way. This is especially true in light of so many recent reports citing inactivity and childhood obesity among the nation’s most alarming health trends.
The following common-sense rules will help coaches, parents and young athletes enjoy safe, healthy competition and recreation, whatever the activity.
· For all sports endeavors, and particularly those involving high energy, rapid motion activities, a clean, safe playing surface is important. Parents and coaches must be alert and ensure that young athletes have safe places to play. Outdoor facilities are particularly prone to damage from seasonal temperature changes. Adult athletes and supervisors of younger players need to ensure that the surfaces they play on, whether indoors or outside, are free from obstructions and such dangerous situations as wet or uneven surfaces.
· Make the time to visit your child’s school, park or playground at the start of the school year to see for yourself the conditions of their play areas, and to let them know you care about their safety and their fun. Also, nothing means more to a child than to have their parents as regular spectators at their games or competitions.
· Safe sports activities require appropriate sports gear, and safe gear includes proper footwear. Proper footwear will help ensure needed stability and buoyancy, will minimize impact stress on the spine and supporting joints during running and jumping, assist in maintaining alignment and balance in movement, and reduce loss of balance and chance of injury from falls.
· Be sure to include an appropriate warm-up activity before playing in a game. This might include jogging or other aerobically oriented activities followed by gentle stretching.
· After any period of intense exercise, athletes should always have a cool down period, with gentle stretching of muscles. This will help to normalize cardiac function back to resting heart rate as well as have muscular benefits.
· Include both strength and flexibility training in your pre-game athletic training program. The human body was not necessarily designed to tolerate all of the stress and strain that fast moving and high impact athletic activities can place on complex structures. This is particularly true of the weight-bearing regions of the body, such as the joints involving the lower back, pelvis and knee.
· An adequate and balanced nutritional base is important to any extended period of intense activity. Difficult to digest foods and toxic substances should be avoided. Sufficient supplies of liquids should be on hand both throughout and following the period of activity, and utilized as needed.
· Encourage young people to pay attention when out playing on the court or on the field. Loss of concentration leads to increased chance of injury.
· Before beginning a program of exercise, visit your doctor of chiropractic for an examination and spinal screening. Healthy body systems, postural balance, muscular strength, flexibility, and neurological responsiveness are important components of your performance in both sports activities and in the “game of life.”
· Chiropractic care can add to athletic performance by enhancing balance, mobility and reducing distracting pain and restriction. Proper spinal alignment is an important component of good health as well as healthy athletic performance.
· Be sure your children and their coaches know who to call in the event of an emergency. This is one instance where cell phones can be a lifesaver.
· REMEMBER, PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUGS LIKE STEROIDS ARE NEVER THE ANSWER TO STRENGTHENING YOUR GAME. INSTEAD, THEY CAN HARM OR CAN KILL YOU!
Chiropractic care can make a significant contribution to athletic performance by keeping the athlete’s spine in proper alignment, avoiding harmful irritation to the nerves that control and coordinate the functions and movements of the human body. Nearly all world-class athletes have a doctor of chiropractic on their healthcare team.
Chiropractic is natural health care. Doctors of chiropractic provide a healthy alternative to pain medication, anti-inflammatory drugs, and other chemicals, which may address symptoms but not resolve the cause of a problem and expose the patient to potentially damaging side-effects of chemicals dulling the mind or slowing the body. Chiropractic is safe and effective for a wide range of health concerns for patients of all ages.
For more information on chiropractic care, injury prevention and maximum human performance, contact Peninsula Chiropractic Center, Seaford, DE.
302-628-3488.
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