| Many people want to know when to visit the | | | | 4. After an auto accident. After any accident for |
| doctor. Some may ask themselves, "Is it too soon | | | | that matter. Sometimes pain may not show up for |
| or am I being silly going to the doctor for this?" But | | | | days or even years after a serious accident. Make |
| sometimes they may be overlooking a serious | | | | sure there are no major problems after an accident |
| condition that needs the attention of a doctor. | | | | whether you are in pain or not. By getting checked |
| Once they decide to go to the doctor the next | | | | you may safe yourself a lot of trouble in the future. |
| question is, "what type of doctor do I go to?" | | | | 5. Prevent pain or future problems. Have you ever |
| Chiropractors are specialty doctors for | | | | wondered how degeneration happens to the spine? |
| musculoskeletal pain, mainly back pain. They | | | | When there is a misalignment to a joint, then there is |
| specialize in joint and muscle pain and have been | | | | a decrease in movement or range of motion which |
| mostly known for treating back or neck pain. | | | | over time will cause the joint to degenerate. Many |
| So you may now be asking, "when do I go to the | | | | years ago after a total knee replacement surgery a |
| chiropractor?" Here are a few good reasons to visit a | | | | patient's knee would be put into a cast immediately in |
| chiropractic physician. | | | | order to heal. What started happening to a patient |
| 1.Are you in pain? If you are, your body may be | | | | that had this done was there knee began to |
| trying to tell you something. Pain the in neck and | | | | degenerate due to the lack of movement. Today |
| back area are the most commonly treated areas for | | | | after a total knee replacement, a patient's knee is |
| chiropractors, but extremity pain is also in their scope | | | | put into a device that keeps the knee moving, |
| of practice. Extremity pain such as knee, hip, | | | | instead of a cast, in order to prevent this from |
| shoulder or wrist pain has been successfully treated | | | | happening. The reason is now we know that calcium |
| by chiropractic care for years. If it is a muscle or a | | | | deposits and scare tissue will form quickly in a joint |
| joint a chiropractor can most likely help. | | | | that is immobilized. When a segment of your spine |
| 2. Prevent a surgery. A recent WebMD article states | | | | is not moving, over time it will degenerate also just |
| that chiropractic care may reduce certain surgeries | | | | like the knee would in a cast. That is why it is good |
| by 32%. Low back pain that radiates into the leg is | | | | "spinal hygiene" to get a chiropractic adjustment |
| most likely caused from a disc impingement. While | | | | periodically. Three major things can happen to a joint |
| this condition may eventually need surgery a | | | | in the spine if it is misaligned for an extended period |
| chiropractor may be able to prevent the surgery | | | | of time. First atrophy will happen to the nerves. |
| altogether. | | | | Nerves will get smaller. Atrophy to the surrounding |
| 3. Get checked for scoliosis. This should be done in | | | | muscles tissue of the spine, muscles will get smaller |
| most schools but can sometimes be overlooked or | | | | and lose tonicity. The last thing that will happen is |
| missed. Chiropractors are trained to check even the | | | | an actual structural change to the bone itself, |
| slightest degree of curvature of the spine. This is a | | | | eventually fusion of the bones and loss of joint space |
| very important point for kids. Most scoliosis in adults | | | | can occur. |
| will not cause too many problems as long as it is not | | | | If you have never been to a chiropractic doctor |
| severe. Teenagers and younger children should be | | | | remember some of the things that may warrant a |
| checked regularly as there are many things they can | | | | visit. And you will be sure to have a healthy spine |
| do to help the scoliosis from becoming a major | | | | for years to come! |
| problem. | | | | |