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Frequently Asked Questions

Davis Chiropractic in Greer, South Carolina offers therapeutic treatments to ease pain and promote healing. We’ve prepared an FAQ list on this page to answer your questions about chiropractic care and why you need it.

An MRI Shows I Have a Disc Problem. Do I Need Surgery?

Over half of normal adults with no symptoms will have a disc problem show on their MRI. Although each case is different, most problems respond well to conservative therapies such as chiropractic and massage. It's your body. View surgery as a LAST resort.

Research shows: A bad disc doesn't always mean back surgery.

What Is a Chiropractor?

Chiropractors are biomechanics. A chiropractor frees locked joints and restores balanced body motion.

Over time, poor posture and unbalanced joint motion cause joint stress, breakdown, arthritis, and pain. Chiropractors help problems in the musculoskeletal system (muscles, bones, and joints). Pain is reduced when we relieve and stress from nerves, muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissues. Our goal is to restore normal motion and reduce pain.

Besides treating patients for back and neck pain, many chiropractors believe in improving the body's motion and reduce irritation of the nervous system. Since the body is controlled by the nerves, a well-adjusted body functions better and healthier.

Do Adjustments Hurt?

Most patients find chiropractic treatment makes them feel great. Occasionally, there may be soreness similar to feeling after working out. Soreness from using muscle for the first time in a while is actually a good thing. The soreness is caused by the stretching of scar tissue and the improved motion of the joint.

Most people report greater flexibility following an adjustment. A spinal adjustment is extremely safe when performed by a qualified doctor.

What Is That Popping Sound?

The "pop" sometimes heard is caused by gas bubbles which form and pop as the joint moves fully during the adjustment.

Why Are So Many MDs Referring to Chiropractic Doctors Now?

A tremendous amount of research has shown the effectiveness of chiropractic care for conditions such as low back pain. Medical doctors who refer to chiropractors do so in the best interest of their patients.

Once I Am Adjusted by a Doctor of Chiropractic, Do I Have to Keep Seeing a Chiropractor?

NO! We care for problems in one of three phases of care. Patients always choose the level of care they desire.

1. AcuteCare Goal – Relieve Pain

Most patients show improvement within the first two to five visits. Initial treatment usually works best when care is done frequently for a short period of time.

2. RehabCare Goal – Correct Bio-Mechanical Problems

Chiropractors restore pain-free motion and improve strength with continued joint mobilization, muscle therapy, and posture exercises. Learning new body motion patterns helps change how you move so you can feel good.

3. WellnessCare Goal – Prevention and Performance

Regular therapy and intelligent life habits help people keep moving, stay active, and maximize their health span

What Is Health Span?

Life span is how long you live.

Health span is how long you live healthily.

Does Insurance Cover Chiropractic? Is Chiropractic Care Expensive?

Many insurance policies cover chiropractic services. Coverage varies from policy to policy.

Also, most doctors of chiropractic offer affordable payment plans.

Are Chiropractors Real Doctors?

Yes. The degree that chiropractors hold is "D.C.," which stands for doctor of chiropractic. Becoming a chiropractor takes on the average seven years of school in a curriculum, similar to a medical doctor's education. (Instead of pharmacology and surgery, chiropractors have more training in radiology, neurology, and spinal adjusting.)

Chiropractic colleges are accredited by the Council of Chiropractic Education (CCE) and are recognized by the Department of Education.

In order to receive a license to practice chiropractic, comprehensive state and national board examinations must be passed and continuing education must be earned each year.

What Do Chiropractors Learn in School?

Many people are surprised to learn that chiropractors’ extensive education requirements include over 4,000 anatomy, pathology, and clinical skills.

Prior to attending a chiropractic college, two to three undergraduate years with an emphasis in biological science is required. A typical chiropractic college requires a minimum of four to five academic years of professional involving not less than 4,000 hours.

Curriculum Includes

  • ANATOMY: Myology, Osteology, Histology, Embryology, Spinal Anatomy, Spachnology, Genesiology/Angiology, Central Nervous System Spe Arthology, Human Dissection, And Topographical Anatomy
  • CHEMISTRY: Biochemistry I, II, Chemistry Lab, Toxicology, X-Ray Introduction, X-Ray Physics, X-Ray Positioning, Diagnostic Radiology, Pat
  • DIAGNOSIS: Physical Diagnostic methods, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, Clinical Human Behavior, Neuro-Musculoskeletal Exams/Man Geriatrics/Dermatology, Visceral Disorders
  • PATHOLOGY: Microbiology, General Pathology I, II, Public Health, Hemotology, Neuro-Musculoskeletal I, II, Cardiovascular/Pulmonary Gastroinestinal/Genitourinary
  • PHILOSOPHY PHYSIOLOGY: General, Cellular Cardiovascular/Pulmonary, Endocrinology, Digestion/Nutrition, Renal, Physiology Lab
  • PRACTICAL PATIENT CARE: Clinic I, II, ID, IV, Emergency procedures, Jurisprudence, Research
  • TECHNIQUE: Biomechanics, Palpation, Specialized. Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, Pelvic, Principals and Practice​

The courses listed above represent a summary.

Should I Ask My Medical Doctor’s Opinion Before Consulting a Chiropractor?

You are certainly entitled to ask your MD’s opinion on chiropractic, but be aware that some general practitioners still have limited knowledge on chiropractic manipulative therapies.

Chiropractors are trained to recognize disorders beyond a chiropractic scope of practice and when to refer the appropriate medical specialist.

What Is a Typical Chiropractic Treatment?

First, the cause of your problem is determined with a complete examination including physical, orthopedic, and chiropractic tests. X-rays are taken if necessary.

The doctor will then explain your problem, tell you whether or not he/she feels chiropractic care is indicated, and appropriate treatment plan will be recommended.

Then gentle manipulation (or adjustments) to spinal or extremity joints are performed. Physiotherapy such as ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation, cryotherapy, hydrocollator, and/or intersegmental mobilization may be used.

In addition, massage can stretch tight muscles and personalized postural exercises retrain poor patterns.

How Does Chiropractic Help Athletes Improve and Maintain Their Best Performance? What Are Common Sports Injuries?

Chiropractors help athletes balance body and joint motion for optimal sports performance.

Chiropractic adjustments promote full-range joint motion, stretch overly tight muscles, work underused muscles, and reduce stress from overused tissues.

An athlete who can move fully, with balance, and in control can perform his best.

I Was in a Car Accident. Should I See a Chiropractor?

If you are involved in an auto accident, it is important to be evaluated to determine if there is a soft tissue injury.

Chiropractors focus on proper function of posture and the spine, nerves, muscles, and ligaments, so the first evaluated is evidence of serious trauma such as fractures, etc.

Because the symptoms from a soft tissue injury may not show up until 3-7 days after the trauma, a thorough examination is very important. Pain changes how a body moves, therefore after the initial pain improves, the body will adapt to moving differently.

Pain medication and muscle relaxers can mask the pain, but unless normal motion is restored, body motion will be unbalanced. Left untreated, the body adapts to the unbalanced pattern of motion, creating a chronic problem.

What Is a Disc?

The spine, or backbone, is made of the vertebrae separated by the discs (IVDs, or intervertebral discs).

A disc is a round pillow of cartilage between the vertebrae. The disc has a leathery outside and jelly in the part of the spinal joint which cushions the motion between each pair of vertebrae.

What Is the Difference Between a Slipped Disc, a Herniated Disc, or a Bulging Disc?

They are all the same thing. A herniated, slipped or bulging disc is like a bubble in the sidewall of a car tire. The center of the disc pushes the weakened part of the disc outwards, creating a bulge. This bulge can press or other delicate spinal structures.

Will I Be Able to Resume Normal Activity After a Disc Herniation?

Most likely, yes. Recovery time is often directly related to the amount of effort a patient puts into recovery.

Sticking with your treatment plan and doing your home exercise helps you move, feel, and be well faster.

Does Medication Help Low Back Pain?

Occasionally, yes. Frequently, the relief is only temporary. Unless the cause of the injury is treated, the anti-inflammatory medication provides short-term relief at the cost of continued tissue damage and patterns of motion.

Can Chiropractic Help My Golf Swing?

Chiropractic is effective in releasing tension from the low back, neck, shoulders, hips, groin, and legs, areas that frequently trouble golfers.

An unbalanced swing causes reduced clubhead speed. Unlocking body motion to improve flexibility and the body balance teaches golfers to move with more fluid movement.

Increasing flexibility and range of motion reduces the chance of injury, maximizes performance, and makes golf fun.

Can I Golf With a Bad Back?

You can reduce spinal stress by decreasing backswing and follow through. By reducing the “X-factor” in the opposite twisting motion between the hips and shoulders, most golfers can reduce spinal stress.

Golfers using Natural Golf and other techniques learn to utilize gravity to achieve the same if not more power to their swing.

Find a golf instructor who will work with you to make changes in your golf swing and motion patterns.

Can Chiropractic Relieve Back Spasms?

Just like a fever is the result of an infection and not the cause of the illness, back spasms are a symptom of a back problem.

The spasm is caused by irritation of nerves controlling the spinal joints and discs. These are the same nerves that control muscle contraction in the back. If the nerves are irritated, they produce pain and reflex spasm. A spasm is the body's way of stopping motion to protect an injured joint.

The body can sustain a spinal injury from one big trauma (such as an auto accident) or by the buildup of traumas (such as long-term unbalanced posture from working on a computer, lifting, or other activity).

Restoring normal motion and allowing the body to first heal, and then move differently, is the most effective.

Everyone Knows Chiropractic Is Effective for Low Back Pain. What Else Can Chiropractic Heal?

Doctors of chiropractic effectively treat headaches, neck problems, shoulder, elbow, and wrist problems. Ankle and foot conditions also respond well to conservative chiropractic manipulative therapy.

Chiropractors specialize in neuro-musculoskeleton (nerve-muscIe-bone) and motion conditions.

What Is Sciatica?

Sciatic is pain in the back which runs down the back of the leg. It is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve from pinching of the spinal nerves which form the sciatic nerve.

Chiropractic care is a logical conservative approach to this condition. Reducing the irritation of the nerve by the vertebrae helps many sciatic patients. Surgery is recommended when necessary, but can usually be prevented.

What Can Help Prevent Back and Other Joint Problems?

Focused motion exercises consisting of coordinated muscle strengthening exercises and preventive stretch before activity can keep motion balanced, reducing abnormal joint, and muscle stress and strain.

How Will Chiropractic Care Help Arthritis?

Osteoarthritis/DJD is a mechanical irritation of the joint, usually due to unbalanced motion. The joint responses to unbalanced and stressed motion with formation of bone spurs on the edges of the bone. Maintaining proper through a joint can reduce this mechanical damage.

Osteoarthritis is different than rheumatoid arthritis, which is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that attacks the synovium of the joint.

I Might Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Should I See a Chiropractor?

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) usually begins with occasional hand and wrist numbness. Most people ignore it in its early stages. Over time, the numbness persists and turns into pain and hand weakness.

People at risk for CTS include computer operators and anyone who performs a repetitive hand motion frequently.

Early detection and treatment are important. Since different people have different pain thresholds, it’s best to be treated by a trained professional. A doctor of chiropractic can help determine if a problem is on its way to carpal tunnel syndrome or a temporary, mild ache from overuse.

My Neck and Shoulders Are Constantly Tight. Can Chiropractic Help?

Long-term overload of the balancing muscles of the neck and back causes chronic tight muscles, as well as against vertebra of the neck causing nerve irritation, headaches, and other painful stress-related symptoms.

Chiropractic helps reduce and relieve stress caused by poor posture, continuous standing or sitting, from mental exertion.

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