When I was a child, I would experience extreme pain in my legs on a regular basis, mostly at night. My parents took me to the doctor who told them it was probably just "growing pains". My dad would massage my muscles with rubbing alcohol and my mom would put a pillow under my calves to elevate my legs, and she gave me children's aspirin to help with the pain. They did what they thought would help me sleep. It didn't work. I usually just cried myself to sleep. After years of dealing with this, my dad finally broke down and took me to one of those, as he referred to them, quack doctors. At 14 years old, I was finally getting the help I needed. The x-rays explained it all. My sacrum was tilted and I had several vertebrates out of alignment in my low back. After several adjustments from the chiropractor (quack doctor), I stopped having aching in my legs at night and my heavy menstrual flows were normalized. Life was good and I was healthy, pain-free, and active. Until I was in a very bad car accident at the age of twenty-one.
Several months after the accident, pain began again in my legs and low back, but also my upper back, neck, and shoulders were added to the mess of pain and problems. At that time, I didn't know of a good chiropractor so I just lived with the pain for several years. After three more kids and two more bad accidents later, I was in constant pain and the unhealthiest I had ever been. (There were also other factors that attributed to my bad health but I will address that in a separate blog post) Thankfully, a friend told me about her chiropractor and how much she trusted her so in my desperation I made an appointment hoping to finally get some help. I was not disappointed. This is when I learned so much about the benefits and importance of correct spinal alignment and the healing that comes with it. My body responded quickly, and I became an instant "spokesperson" for chiropractic care. I also started working for my doctor. Hey! discount on treatments as well as helping others feel better? win/win.
Receiving treatment from a good chiropractor has been more beneficial to my health than any visit to a regular MD. During the last seven years that I lived in California, I had the best chiropractic doctor who really helped me actively pursue healing throughout my body. He was more thorough and caring than any medical doctor I have ever been treated by. His overall knowledge of the human body, compassion, and his desire to see his patients healthy, strong, and living with quality of life was the foundation of his treatments. I am forever grateful for him.
Many chiropractors treat their patients holistically and understand the importance of nutrition, physical activity, healthy sleep, and the mind-body connection. But, I must emphasize finding a good chiropractor because not all chiropractors are the same. Just as there are regular MDs that do not treat well, the same can be said for some doctors in the chiropractic field of medicine.
A few things to look for in a good licensed chiropractor are:
they want you to fully understand the importance of keeping your spine aligned and the benefit to your overall health.
they hold to a holistic view of healing the body
they ask you thorough questions about your current symptoms and concerns.
they inquire about your diet, physical activity, and sleeping habits.
they offer information to help you with supplements and strength exercises, as well as explain the benefits of massage, and other physical therapies.
They offer a range of treatments specific to your body's needs and comfort
Perhaps most importantly, make sure they aren't trying to get you to commit to a payment plan and/or a certain amount of visits per month for an undetermined amount of months. (making money should not be the goal of any health care provider) Meaning they are more than willing to work with you on what you are comfortable with as a treatment plan because everyone's needs are different.
To sum it up, Chiropractic care from a licensed, caring doctor is safe and effective and can be beneficial to people of all ages. The body can heal itself when all of the nerve pathways are unimpeded, blood circulation is flowing, and organs are functioning at optimal levels. Getting the spine aligned correctly is the first step to achieving healing throughout the body.
great information!