I'm Feeling Much Better Now

By Dr. Dave Edenfield

When it comes to chiropractic care, most people wait until they are walking wounded to seek help.  But what I would like to point out is that this isn’t the only or indeed best time to work with a chiropractor.  Instead of looking at your friendly, local chiropractor as an ends to a means of dealing with pain or injury, I would like to recommend that you continue treatment once the pain is gone. 

Why?  Let me put it this way.  Do you take your car to an auto mechanic only after it breaks  down or is involved in an accident?  I hope not.  You also take the car in for routine and preventative maintenance, such as changing the oil, rotating the tires and inspections of various moving parts every 10,000 miles.  The reason you do this is to keep your car running better over the long haul.  A well-maintained car costs far less to operate than a poorly maintained one. 

In essence, the human body is a machine.  It has a lot of moving parts that can wear out over time.  Just like your car, it performs better if it is well-maintained.  Many people spend a lot of money on nutritional supplements, work out routines, organic vegetables and diet plans that are designed to improve the body’s overall performance and increase their longevity.  However, what most people do not take into consideration is the fact that every part of the body is ultimately controlled and regulated by the central nervous system. 

In a nutshell this is what chiropractic medicine is all about: repairing and maintaining a healthy central nervous system.  What patients see is that their chiropractor performs spinal adjustments along with muscle and tissue treatments that make the pain go away.  What they don’t realize is that by restoring better spinal health, their chiropractor has also made it possible for the nerves that carry signals to the entire body to perform their duties better.  This in turn assures that everything from chemical and hormone delivery, to cardiovascular regulation, blood sugar levels and immune response is also improved. 

This isn’t a mere medical opinion.  It has also been proven in a number of scientific studies.  In one study published in 2011 in the journal Spine, a placebo controlled, double blind study tracked the treatments of three groups of 60 patients for ten months.  All of the members of the group reported nonspecific low-back pain lasting at least 6 months prior to treatment. 

According to the article, patients “were randomized to receive either (1)12 treatments of sham SMT over a 1-month period, (2) 12 treatments, consisting of SMT over a 1-month period, but no treatments for the subsequent 9 months, or (3) 12 treatments over a 1-month period, along with “maintenance spinal manipulation”

Results revealed that “patients in second and third groups experienced significantly lower pain and disability scores than first group at the end of 1-month period.  However, only the third group that was given spinal manipulations (SM) during the follow-up period showed more improvement in pain and disability scores at the 10 month evaluation.”

The study’s authors conclude: “SMT is effective for the treatment of non-specific lower back pain, To obtain long term benefits the study suggest maintenance SM Therapy, after the initial intensive manipulation Therapy.”

Best of all, a preventative maintenance checkup by a chiropractor is a great way to nip potential 

problems in the bud.  A checkup will include everything from a spinal examination to a posture analysis that will identify any spinal irregularities that can restrict movement and nerve impulses.  While correctable, spinal misalignments can inevitably lead to everything from impaired motion to pain and other health problems.  Far from being expensive, having periodic preventative maintenance checkups can actually save you money, since ignoring potential health problems can result in loss of income due to time missed at work.

Plus, if you are into leading a healthy lifestyle, consulting a chiropractor can also have added benefits since chiropractors are also trained in nutrition and exercise. Who better to consult on lifestyle changes or nutritional supplements than a trained medical professional?    

So, if you are looking to improve your quality of life and are already investing time and money in creating an environment that helps you live healthier, call your local chiropractor to schedule a maintenance checkup today.  You’ll feel much better once you do.

Dr. Dave Edenfield  and Dr. Steven Warfield are part of the team of doctors and therapists at http://chiropractor-jacksonville-fl.com and http://endyourpain.orgwho are dedicated to helping you and your family lead  healthier, happier and pain-free lives.