Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

You may have some questions about what chiropractic care at The Spine Group involves.

We invite you to look through our frequently asked questions, or give us a call and we’ll discuss any concerns you may have.

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Can you make my headaches go away?

The most common causes of headaches are physical trauma, emotional stress, nutritional deficiencies and chemical toxins. Sometimes there may be a combination of these factors. Our thorough examination process will identify the most likely cause.

If you’re a good chiropractic candidate, chiropractic adjustments will help normalize spinal function, restore the spinal curves, improve your circulation and reduce nerve irritation. Our office has a high success rate with patients experiencing headaches.

Do I have to live with back pain?

Back pain is a warning sign. There is a cause for every ache and pain. Chiropractic will help you correct the cause of the problem instead of covering it up with medications. Our examination process will discover the cause behind your pain. From there, we can develop a plan to treat your individual causes of pain. You don’t need to resort to surgery, covering up the pain temporarily with drugs or prolonged bed rest. You don’t need to resort to surgery, covering up the pain temporarily with drugs or prolonged bed rest.

Chiropractic care is safe, natural and looks to correct the underlying cause of your back pain.

How do adjustments work?

Spinal joints can become locked up and stop moving properly. This lack of movement can affect your health by irritating nearby nerve tissues. Chiropractic adjustments add motion to these stuck areas. This helps restore nervous system integrity and can improve the healing process.

We’ll use the precise amount of energy needed, in the exact spot, in the right direction, at just the right time to get your spinal joints moving again. Chiropractic is truly an art, and Dr. Spence and Dr. J have become masters at many adjusting techniques.

Just about anyone can get adjusted. Newborns, infants, children, seniors and even failed back surgery patients can benefit. We’ll tailor your chiropractic care to your size, age and unique health problem. Chiropractic adjustments are specific, targeted and focused. It is this precision, combined with the purpose of reducing nervous system irritation, which has helped so many people.

What do adjustments feel like?

After the brief thrust that chiropractic adjustments involve, many patients report a sense of well-being, a feeling of calmness or improved mobility. Our chiropractors’ gentle, specific techniques make your adjustments comfortable and effective.

Are adjustments safe?

A New Zealand government study concluded that chiropractic adjustments are ‘’remarkably safe.” Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever is about 100 times more risky.

Will adjustments make my spine too loose?

No. Only the spinal joints that are ‘’locked up” receive adjustments. This precision allows weakened muscles and ligaments to stabilize and heal.

What makes that sound?

Lubricating fluids separate the bones of each spinal joint. Some adjusting methods can produce a sound when the gas and fluids in the joint shift. It’s much like opening a soda can or removing a suction cup. The sound is interesting, but it isn’t a guide to the quality or value of the adjustment.

Can I adjust myself?

No. Some patients can make their joints “pop,” but that’s not an adjustment. Even Doctors of Chiropractic cannot adjust themselves. Our chiropractors adjust several other local chiropractors so that they, too, can benefit from a properly working spine and nervous system.

Can you help my whiplash?

Whether or not your car has sustained damage in a car accident or fender bender, your head and neck can be moved beyond their normal limits. Pain pills won’t heal inflamed tendons and ligaments. Muscle relaxers won’t heal torn muscles. A cervical collar won’t restore the spinal curve.

Specific chiropractic adjustments and rehabilitation at The Spine Group can help restore the proper motion and position of individual spinal bones. We’ll ensure proper healing and help you stay well after the trauma of a whiplash injury.

How will I get relief from sciatica?

You may start experiencing an acute pain in the lower back that extends down the back of either leg. The pain usually worsens with long periods of sitting or standing. This sciatica is created when there is pressure on your sciatic nerves, resulting in swelling, inflammation and pain. Your Dr. will determine the exact cause and recommend the appropriate treatment that is geared toward relieving symptoms and preventing future occurrences.

How come I’ve never heard of subluxations?

You might have never heard of subluxations. There was probably a time when you hadn’t heard of AIDS or Alzheimer’s, either. You have more than 200 bones in your body. If bones get “stuck” and don’t move right, they can irritate delicate nerves. If a joint moves too much, spinal bones can press against nerve tissues. This pressure interferes with the vital life force transmitted over your nervous system that helps keep your brain in touch with your body. The result is the vertebral subluxation complex, or more simply, a subluxation.

Subluxations can affect your bones, nerves, muscles, discs, ligaments and other connective tissues. Bones spurs and arthritic degeneration can set in. The most important aspect of the subluxation, however, is its effect on your nervous system. Compromising the way your nervous system controls and regulates your body can have grave consequences. Distorted communications between your brain and body can cause all kinds of health problems beyond headaches and backaches.

Our chiropractors are the only licensed health care professionals dedicated to the detection, reduction and prevention of spinal subluxations. You’re in good hands!

How do you get subluxations?

There are three basic causes of subluxations. Physical causes include slips and falls, accidents, repetitive motions and improper lifting. Stress, anger and fear are examples of emotional causes of subluxations. Alcohol, drugs, pollution and poor diet can be chemical causes of subluxations.

How do I know if I have a subluxation?

You can have subluxations and not know it. Like tooth decay, heart disease or cancer, subluxations can be present before any warning signs appear. A thorough examination will show the location and severity of any subluxations you have.

Can children get subluxations?

Yes. Your first subluxation probably occurred from the birth process. Even modern childbirth methods can put tremendous pressure on an infant’s spine. Poor appetite, unexplained crying and sleeplessness can be signs of spinal subluxations.

Will you be our family doctor?

The Spine Group has been helping families for years. Many patients see us as their family doctors. That’s smart, because the cost of surgery is rising and adverse reactions to drugs are front page news. The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that approximately 107,000 deaths occurred from prescription drugs in 1999, and 7600 deaths were from ibuprofen. Families want safe, natural solutions and more are turning to chiropractic care first.

Family care can start from the very beginning. Babies can benefit when their pregnant mothers receive chiropractic care. Many mothers often report easier births.

Can I get chiropractic care if I’ve had back surgery?

Yes. Our doctors will avoid areas of your spine that have been surgically modified. However, surgery often causes instability above or below the operation site. These areas will be the focus of your chiropractic care.

Can patients with osteoporosis get chiropractic care?

Yes. Regardless of your age, size or condition, chiropractic can be helpful. The specific needs of each patient are considered. If yours is not a chiropractic case, we’ll refer you to the appropriate specialist.