Chiropractic care in SW Calgary is based on the premise that a properly aligned musculoskeletal structure will allow the body to heal from a wide variety of conditions without the need for surgery. The musculoskeletal structure that chiropractors are concerned with consists of the bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints, and connective tissues — but most particularly, the spine. Chiropractors perform adjustments to properly align the musculoskeletal system to relieve pain and restore mobility.
Every chiropractor in SW Calgary is regulated by the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors and under the same Health Professions Act that regulates optometrists, medical doctors, and dentists. According to the Canadian Chiropractic Association, there are approximately 9,000 licensed chiropractors in Canada who see roughly 4,500,000 patients every year.
For such a popular medical treatment with so many licensed practitioners and millions of patients nationwide, there are a surprising number of myths out there about chiropractic medicine. Let’s bust a few of them.
Myth No. 1: “Real” Doctors Don’t Trust Chiropractors
There was a time when some medical doctors had misconceived and ill-informed views of chiropractic medicine, but those days are long past. Prominent medical journals have published studies confirming the value of chiropractic treatment, including a study called “Association of Spinal Manipulative Therapy With Clinical Benefit and Harm for Acute Low Back Pain” in the February 2017 Journal of the American Medical Association.
No less an authority than the American College of Physicians now recommends that patients consider conservative therapies for back pain — including spinal manipulations — before opting for drugs.
Myth No. 2: Adjustments Performed at Chiropractic Clinics in SW Calgary Are Dangerous
Chiropractic adjustments are non-invasive, natural, safe, and often offer quick relief from symptoms — albeit relief that is sometimes accompanied by some soreness that fades quickly. Some people are curious about that “cracking” sound you may hear during an adjustment. What is it?
That sound is produced by dissolved gas being released from fluid inside your joints during an adjustment. As that gas is released, the air space left behind collapses with a click following which gas is slowly reabsorbed.
Myth No. 3: Chiropractors Are Not as Educated as “Real” Doctors
Chiropractors educated in Canada received a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from one of two institutions: Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College or Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. The Doctor of Chiropractic degree is a four or five-year program that students begin only after completing at least three years of undergraduate university education. Before a graduate is entitled to be licensed in Alberta, that graduate must pass a national examination conducted by the Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board.
Myth No. 4: Back Pain Is All That Chiropractors Treat
Roughly a third of patients who receive chiropractic care in Canada do so for back pain, but chiropractor clinics in SW Calgary treat a much broader range of conditions than that. Chiropractic treatment is commonly part of healthcare for back and neck pain, headaches and migraines, chronic and acute pain, whiplash, strains (including repetitive strains) and sprains, occupational injuries, sports injuries, and arthritis. Chiropractors often form part of treatment teams that also address issues such as nutrition, exercise, and ergonomics.
Myth No. 5: Chiropractic Medicine Isn’t Safe For Children
Adults are not the only ones who experience challenges with musculoskeletal functioning. The biological and physiological functions that underlie chiropractic care apply equally to adolescents, children, and infants as to adults. Chiropractors can and do safely provide care to children and infants for conditions within their expertise. Chiropractors are regularly involved in helping families and their children with posture-related issues, for example.
If you suffer from musculoskeletal symptoms or dysfunction, your medical practitioners may encourage you to consider an assessment by a chiropractor clinic in SW Calgary. If you wonder whether chiropractic care may benefit your health, ask your doctor for their advice or reach out to a chiropractor near you and ask for a consultation.