By Ken Freedman, D.C.
In a little more than 120 years, chiropractic care has grown to be the largest healthcare profession that helps people without drugs and surgery. Since I was licensed to practice chiropractic almost 40 years ago, I have witnessed tremendous growth in the public’s awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care. However, there are still many within the general public, and the medical community, who are missing out. When it comes to chiropractic care, here’s what you need to know to be well informed:
- Advertisement -
- 1) Chiropractic care isn’t just for sore backs and stiff necks. Chiropractic care has been proven to help people suffering with conditions that most people would not realize could benefit from chiropractic care: constipation, headaches, depression, immunodeficiency problems, organ and glandular dysfunctions, numbness, tingling, fertility challenges, colic, chronic recurring ear infections, visual disturbances and cancer. Chiropractic care is not a treatment for these conditions. However, chiropractic physicians recognize the essential role proper energy flow plays in the body’s ability to self-heal and function well.
- 2) Chiropractors are “real” doctors. Chiropractors are highly educated and trained doctors that are fully licensed in every state by the federal government. They are primary healthcare, portal of entry practitioners equal to and on a par with medical doctors. Doctors of Chiropractic receive an education similar to medical doctors. The typical applicant when entering a chiropractic college has a bachelor’s degree, including coursework in anatomy, biology, chemistry, psychology, math, communications, and other general topics. Once accepted into chiropractic college, students engage in four to five academic years of study in basic sciences, diagnosis, patient communication, patient management, business, and hands-on clinical training in teaching clinics. Students must then successfully pass multiple parts of national boards and sit for a state jurisprudence exam to obtain state licensure.
- 3) Chiropractic physicians are unique. Chiropractors don’t prescribe drugs or surgery. The primary form of care involves the detection, location and correction of spinal misalignments, called subluxations, which alter the quality of energy that communicates between the mind and body. Using a variety of techniques, we adjust these subluxations, enabling your body to heal faster and more completely.
- 4) You can be adjusted without having your spine “twisted and popped.” Fifty percent of the population does not want to be twisted and popped. In addition to the traditional methods, many chiropractors offer techniques that involve absolutely no twisting, popping or cracking of the spinal joints. Care can be personalized to each person’s clinical needs and personal preferences.
- 5) Numerous studies show that chiropractic care is very safe. In fact, chiropractors pay a fraction of the cost for the same level of malpractice insurance compared to medical practitioners. It is important to realize that the optimum safety in performing spinal adjustments has been shown to occur only with chiropractors – not other practitioners. Of all professions, chiropractors have the most extensive training in the art of spinal adjusting.
- 6) Chiropractic care is cost effective. Multiple independent studies have concluded the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of chiropractic care for the same diagnosis. What care will cost you depends upon a variety of factors: whether your condition is acute or chronic; if there are any complicating factors requiring specialized testing or supportive services; and of course the quality of your insurance policy. While most insurance carriers cover chiropractic care, some policies may have higher co-pays or deductibles. Many people use funds in a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to pay for their care.
- 7) The best time for a chiropractic checkup is at birth. The second best time is right now. The last trimester of pregnancy and the birth process typically cause the first subluxations. This negatively impacts the child’s development, immunity, athletic and educational performance. The saying goes, “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.” If you have never had a chiropractic checkup for subluxation, or it’s been a while, then make time for yourself to have a checkup. Regular, periodic checkups for subluxation, with adjustments when they are detected, will allow your entire body to function better. This enables you to move better, have stronger resistance to disease, age more gracefully and have the best lifestyle possible. It is always better to make time for wellness, or you’ll have to make time for illness!
Since 1979, Dr. Ken Freedman has offered natural health services and products focused on restoring health and improving quality of life. To schedule a free consultation, or for further information, call 732-254-6011, or email Ken@FreedmanChiropracticCenter.com. Freedman Chiropractic Center is located at Brier Hill Court D-6, East Brunswick. Day, evening and weekend hours are available, by appointment.
