Chiropractic Myth: Receiving regular chiropractic care loosens your spine.

Chiropractic Reality: Regular chiropractic care focuses only on the spinal joints that have a state of dysfunction and lack of mobility. Chiropractic adjustments restore proper function and mobility to the joints.Chiropractic adjustments stabilize normal function, they do not loosen function within the spine.

The misbelief about regular chiropractic adjustments loosening the spine stems from a misconception about the purpose of the chiropractic adjustment.

It’s important to remember that chiropractic adjustments follow two pivotal principles in health care ethics: nonmaleficence and beneficence. Nonmaleficence is an ethical principle within health care that means “do no harm intentionally.” Beneficence is an ethical principle within health care that means “do good or contribute to their welfare.”

In chiropractic, each adjustment follows the principles of doing no harm and contribute to the good or welfare of the individual who is receiving care.

To address the misconception about loosening the spine with regular chiropractic care, lets discuss the process of the chiropractic adjustment.

Chiropractors locate and facilitate the correction of spinal joints that have characteristics of misalignment compared to the joint above or below, loss of segmental range of motion, and neurological interference to the the surrounding nerve tissue. These dysfunctional joints are termed “vertebral subluxation.”

Subluxation can irritate the nerve tissue around the spine which can lead to a disruption in normal function within the neurological system. When subluxation is left uncorrected, it can disrupt normal function within the body, including the joint itself. When subluxation is located and the adjustment is facilitated, proper alignment, motion and protection of the delicate neurological system can be accomplished.

Chiropractic adjustments restore proper relationship within the spinal joints due to misaligned vertebrae that can negatively affect the functional state of the neurological system. The goal with chiropractic care is the process from adjusting to a negative functional state to a positive functional state with each adjustment.

Considering chiropractic? Schedule your first visit to consult with a chiropractor to help answer any question you have about the potential benefits that can be found within the chiropractic adjustment.

The information in our articles are not intended to diagnose, mitigate or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for any physical conditions, symptoms or diseases. Directly consult with a qualified health care professional for any chiropractic or medical advice. In addition to the benefits of chiropractic care, one should also be aware of the existence of some risks. Risks associated with some chiropractic care may include soreness, musculoskeletal sprain/strain, and fracture. In addition, there have been reported cases of stroke associated with chiropractic care. Research and scientific evidence does not establish a cause and effect relationship between chiropractic care and the occurrence of stroke; rather studies indicate that people may be consulting chiropractors when they are in the early states of a stroke. In essence, there is a stroke already in process. However, you are being informed of this reported risk.