Questions and Answers
The most frequently asked chiropractic questions our patients ask
are:
What is upper cervical chiropractic?
How do you get a misaligned (subluxated) spine?
How do I know if I have body imbalance and subluxation?
How is the spinal correction calculated?
Can body imbalance clear up on its own?
Are your methods safe?
Are all patients adjusted the same way?
How many adjustments will I need?
Are x-rays really necessary?
How long until I feel better?
Can I have adjustments after back surgery?
How long will I need chiropractic care?
What type of education do the Alpha Spine Center Doctors
get?
Will insurance cover chiropractic?
What if my policy doesn’t cover your services?
What if your methods don’t help me?
Does Medicare cover your chiropractic services?
Do you take care of children?
Can you have a subluxation without experiencing pain?
What is upper cervical chiropractic? Back
to Top
Upper cervical chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that
your body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism. The body’s
functions are controlled by the brain through the spinal cord and
all the nerves of the body. If the nervous system is impaired, it
can cause malfunction of the tissues and organs throughout the body
and is known as a subluxation. Upper cervical chiropractic is the
science and art of locating interference to the nervous system (subluxations)
and removing them so the body can function optimally, giving the
body a much greater chance for health restoration.
How do you get a misaligned (Subluxated)
spine? Back to Top
An accident or injury at some time in a person’s life causes
their spine to misalign. It is not necessarily an injury that you
would remember.
Examples of injuries are:
- A difficult or traumatic birth
- A fall as a child *
- Falling off a bicycle
- Bumping your head getting in or out of your vehicle
- Car accidents
- Twisting or popping your neck
- Roller coaster riding
- Bumper cars
- High school sports
- (Researchers have found the avg. child falls 30-40 times per
day)
The list goes on and on. Our clinical studies have shown us that
95% of the adult population has a misaligned spine.
How do I know if I have body imbalance
and subluxation? Back to Top
You can have subluxations and not even know it. Like the early stages
of tooth decay or cancer, subluxations can be present before warning
signs appear. Body imbalance is determined by leg length disparity,
postural measurements and computerized SEMG analysis.
How is the spinal correction calculated?
Back to Top
Once body imbalance has been determined, precise x-ray analysis,
using physics and mechanics is used to calculate a formula for each
spinal correction. Each formula is calculated for that individual
patient and no two spinal corrections are alike.
Can body imbalance clear up on its own?
Back to Top
We have never known of a case that has had their misaligned spine
correct itself. Today’s hectic lifestyles are a constant source
of body imbalance. Fortunately, our bodies have the ability to self-correct
many of these problems. But many times it doesn’t, and that’s
when we need to see an upper cervical doctor and have our body balance
restored. Once body balance is restored, the body has a much greater
ability to maintain this balance and clear problems up on its own.
Are your methods safe? Back
to Top
Yes. A New Zealand government study found that adjustments are “remarkably
safe.” By avoiding drugs and risky surgery, chiropractic care
enjoys an excellent track record. A thorough exam can identify the
rare person for whom chiropractic care might be unsuited. The precise
and gentle nature of our correction procedures require NO SNAPPING,
POPPING OR TWISTING OF THE NECK OR BACK. The adjustment is extremely
safe, gentle and effective.
Are all patients adjusted the same way?
Back to Top
It has been estimated that over 10,000 combinations exist of Atlas
misalignments. Each combination requires a different, precision
spinal correction, which is determined from the thorough analysis
of the patient’s x-rays.
How many adjustments will I need? Back
to Top
The number of adjustments needed from person to person varies. This
variance is caused by several factors, these include:
- Patient compliance (following the doctors recommendations)
- How much damage there is to the spinal structures
- Exercise habits
- Spiritual health
- Emotional and physical stress
- The shape of your spinal bones
Some patients never lose the initial correction, while others
may need weekly adjustments. Once the spine stabilizes (usually
within the first six months), the average person holds their correction
for 3 to 6 months at a time. Our corrections generally hold much
longer than non-upper cervical types of chiropractic adjustments.
Are x-rays really necessary? Back
to Top
Absolutely! Precise spinal x-rays are imperative for our adjusting
procedures. We are often dealing with mis-alignments as small as
¾ of a degree, which is 1/10,000 of an inch (The thickness
of a fingernail). With such small mis-alignments the precision x-rays
that we take, allow us to calculate the correct method to restore
the mis-alignment to a better position, thus allowing your body
to begin the healing process.
The radiation exposure is extremely low with our upper cervical
x-ray series, due to special lead filters that block out a majority
of the radiation. The NAS (National Academy of Sciences) considers
a single exposure of the whole body of 50,000 mrems (50 rems) to
be a high level dose.
| NUCCA x-ray series |
< .22 |
mrems |
| Flight from LA to Paris |
4.8 |
mrems |
| Dental x-ray (whole mouth) |
310 |
mrems |
| Apollo x moon flight |
480 |
mrems |
| Barium Enema (x-ray study) |
8,000 |
mrems |
| Radiation treatment for cancer |
6,000,000 |
mrems |
How long until I feel better? Back
to Top
Our average patient will experience some relief by the 4th week
of care. 50% of our practice members notice some relief in their
symptoms the same day as their initial correction. 90% of our practice
members can feel a difference in their posture the same day as the
initial correction. Many factors are involved with you feeling better,
including:
- Type and severity of the condition(s)
- How long you have had the condition?
- What other treatments you have had?
- Medications you are taking
- Compliance with the doctors recommendations
- Age
Can I have adjustments after back surgery?
Back to Top
Yes. Rest assured that your chiropractic doctor is specifically
trained to deliver a completely safe and gentle spinal correction
which requires no bending, twisting or cracking of the spine. Our
staff of doctors will also communicate with other health professionals
if there are any possible contradications that we are concerned
about.
How long will I need upper cervical chiropractic
care? Back to Top
The same amount of time that you will need to eat healthy, exercise,
practice good spiritual disciplines and other healthy lifestyle
choices. Our job is to offer you the very best care and we stand
ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals. How
long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to
you.
What type of education do the Alpha Spine
Center doctors get? Back to Top
Today’s doctor of chiropractic is well educated.
Chiropractic Compared
To Medical Education |
| |
Chiropractic
Classroom Hours |
Medical
Classroom Hours |
| Anatomy |
540 |
508 |
| Physiology |
240 |
326 |
| Pathology |
360 |
401 |
| Chemistry |
165 |
325 |
| Microbiology |
120 |
114 |
| Diagnosis |
630 |
324 |
| Neurology |
320 |
112 |
| X-Ray |
360 |
148 |
| Psychiatry |
60 |
144 |
| Obstetrics |
60 |
148 |
| Orthopedics |
210 |
156 |
| Total Hours |
3,065 |
2,706 |
To practice chiropractic, graduates must pass demanding National
Board Examinations. A chiropractic education never ends. Most doctors
complete postgraduate instruction for license renewal and to stay
current on the latest scientific research.
Will insurance cover my upper cervical
chiropractic services? Back to Top
We recommend that you don’t base your decision to get care
or not, on an insurance companies coverage. Your quality of life
is your responsibility not your insurance companies. All of our
practice members pay with cash, check or credit card at the time
of service. We give them a receipt with the insurance codes on it
to submit to their insurance company. All they have to do is address
the envelope and lick the stamp. If your insurance plan covers chiropractic,
then depending on the insurance company, there could be a good chance
that they will either cover some or most of your services during
the first few months of care. We always explain to our practice
members “Don’t expect anything back from your insurance
company and if you do get something, then think of it as a bonus”.
This way our practice members are never disappointed.
What if my policy doesn’t cover
your services? Back to Top
Your health affects everything you do and everyone you know. It
is your most valuable possession. Yet, each of us is free to place
a different value on our health. It’s convenient when an insurance
company or third party pay’s the bill. But be careful! Don’t
allow the profit motive of huge corporations to make the decision
about your quality of life for you. It is you that needs to live
with your body the rest of your life, not the insurance company.
Find out how we make our services affordable for anyone.
What if your methods don’t help
me? Back to Top
If we do not see indications that our methods are working we will
inform you as to what the next could be.
Does Medicare cover your chiropractic
services? Back to Top
Medicare does cover a large portion of the chiropractic adjustments
provided in the office. Our staff will submit the services to Medicare,
and Medicare will reimburse you directly.
Do you take care of children? Back
to Top
We take care of many children with a variety of conditions. In children,
we have seen results with the following: ADHD, colic, ear infections,
seizures, learning disabilities, autism, difficulty sleeping, neck
and back pain, and postural distortion just to name a few. Anyone
of any age can be a candidate for our services if their spine is
out of alignment.
Can you have a subluxation without experiencing
pain? Back to Top
Yes. Subluxation is known as a silent killer. It may be present
for decades before pain or symptoms show up. Two of our countries
biggest killers may also be present for years before they are symptomatic.
Many people are walking around with heart disease and cancer without
any pain or symptoms.
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