Have you ever wondered just how much education your chiropractor has? The facts may very well surprise you.

Today at least six years of highly specialized college training are required to graduate and earn licensure, and chiropractic has gained recognition as a comprehensive, scientifically sound force among the healing arts.  Only chiropractic concerns itself with the interrelationship of structure and body functions, and only chiropractic effectively utilizes natural, drugless methods of treatment - primarily spinal adjustment.

The Doctor of Chiropractic readily acknowledges that the early, formative years of chiropractic education - like those of medicine - left much to be desired.  But this is true of every science and profession.

Look at these typical basic educational requirements for medical school graduates as compared to those of Doctors of Chiropractic.Spinal adjustments to correct subluxations are what make doctors of chiropractic unique in comparison with any other type of health care professional.

The term “adjustment” refers to the specific force chiropractors apply to vertebrae that have abnormal movement patterns or fail to function normally.

The objective of the chiropractic adjustment is to reduce the subluxation, which results in an increased range of motion, reduced nerve irritability, reduced muscle spasm, reduced pain and improved function.

The chiropractic adjustment is a quick thrust applied to a vertebra for the purpose of correcting its position, movement or both. Adjustments are often accompanied by an audible release of gas in the spinal joints that sounds like a “crack.”

The sound sometimes surprises people the first time they get adjusted, but the sensation is usually relieving. Occasionally, minor discomfort is experienced, especially if the surrounding muscles are in spasm or the person tenses up during the chiropractic procedure.

There are times when the audible “cracking” does not occur. This is often due to either significant muscle tightness or the person having a hard time relaxing during their adjustments. Some adjusting techniques are designed to move the spine in a way that does not produce the audible sound at all. Chiropractic is so much more than simply a means of relieving pain.