Chiropractic is a bloodless, drugless, natural health delivery system. Chiropractic is the science which concerns itself with the relationship between structure, primarily the spine, and function, primarily the nervous system, of the human body as that relationship may affect the restoration and preservation of health.

Chiropractors are educated in the detection of spinal vertebral mal-alignments with its negative effects on the nervous system.

Conditions and symptoms that respond to
chiropractic include but are not limited to:

- Pain (headache, neck, back, hip, shoulder, arm, leg) 
- Headaches
- Painful joints
- Bursitis
- Vertigo, Dizziness
- Childhood injuries
- Postural Analysis
- Nutrition
- Sports injuries
- Job injuries
- Auto accidents
- Rehabilitation
- Pain control
- Herniated or buldged discs

Pinched Nerves

The term "pinched nerve" is not a clinical term but helps to explain why the symptoms you have may be directly associated with the spine. Undue pressure on a nerve may cause an increase or decrease in normal nerve impulse transmission bringing about symptoms of headaches, stomach malfunction, and numbness in the legs. Since the nervous system is the first system formed in the embryo, every function of the body is related to the brain and the nerve pathways to the muscles, organs, and the bones.
Specific areas of the spine emit nerves to specific organs. When interference occurs at any specific level, various symptoms may occur. Here is a sampling of symptoms from different levels:

-Dizziness, headaches, nervousness, insomnia, allergies, sore throat, headcolds, ringing in the ears, etc.

-Stiff neck, asthma, arm and shoulder pain, etc.
Stomach and digestive disorders.
Kidney and urinary problems.
Bowel and female problems such as menstrual cramps and irregular periods.
Low back pains, sciatica, leg and knee pains, etc.
Swelling of the ankles and ankle discomfort.

Low Back Pain

Back pain is the number-one problem facing the workforce in the United States today. To illustrate just how big a problem low back pain is, consider these facts.

Low back pain is the second most common cause of missed work days
Low back pain is the leading cause of disability between the ages of 19 and 45
Low back pain is the leading impairment in occupational injuries
8 out of 10 people will have a problem with back pain at some time during their lives
YOU CAN, IN ALL PROBABILITY, END YOUR BACK PAIN NOW IF YOU MAKE THE EFFORT!

The overwhelming majority of people, whether suffering from chronic or acute back pain, have insufficient strength in the major muscle groups of their backs.

Disc Problems

The disc is a small cartilage pad that is situated between spinal bones. The soft jelly like center is contained by layers of fibrous tissues. Each disc serves as a connector, spacer, and shock absorber for the spine. When healthy, discs allow normal turning and bending.

Since spinal discs have a very poor blood supply, they depend upon the circulation of joint fluids to bring in nutrients and expel waste. If a spinal joint loses its normal motion and this pumping action is impaired, the health of the disc deteriorates. Like a wet sponge, a healthy disc is flexible. A dry sponge is hard, stiff, and can crack easily. This is how many disc problems begin.

Because of the way each disc is attached to the vertebra above and below it, a disc cannot "slip" as commonly thought. However, trauma or injury to the spine can cause discs to bulge, herniate, or worse, rupture. This can be quite painful, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots, interfering with their function.

The chiropractic approach to disc problems is to help restore better motion and position to the spinal joint. Besides reducing disc bulging, better spinal function helps reduce inflammation and begin the slow process of healing the surrounding soft tissues.

While results cannot be guaranteed, many patients have avoided needless surgery or a dependency on pain pills, by choosing conservative chiropractic care.

Head and Neck Problems

Do you have frequent headaches?
Do you have numbness or tingling of the arms or hands?
Do you have chronic tension in the shoulder area?
Do you have blurred vision or dizziness?
Do you have pain in between the shoulder blades?
Do you have sore throats frequently?
Are you frequently irritable or depressed?
Do you wake up with stiff and sore muscles?
Do you have jaw pain?
Do you have hearing problems?
Do you have poor posture?
If your answer to several of these questions is YES, you may be suffering from misalignment or subluxation in the head or neck areas. All the above are symptoms of head & neck problems, but are also common to other disease conditions. A chiropractic spine and nerve test are advisable to determine where the problem lies.

Whiplash

A frequent and overlooked cause of headaches is the malfunction of spinal bones in the neck and upper back.

When bones of the spine lose their normal position or motion, sensitive nerves and blood vessels to the head can be affected. When spinal nerves and related tissues are stretched or irritated they can produce throbbing headaches. Aspirin and medications may cover up these warning signs, but do not correct the underlying structural cause.

Many people find relief and correction with chiropractic care.

When the head is suddenly jerked back and forth beyond its normal limits, the muscles and ligaments supporting the spine and head can be overstretched or torn. The soft, pulpy discs between spinal bones can bulge, tear or rupture. Vertebrae can be forced out of their normal position, reducing range of motion. The spinal cord, and nerve roots in the neck can get stretched and irritated.

The resulting instability of the spine and soft tissues can result in headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, pain in the shoulder, arms and hands, reduced ability to turn and bend, and even low back problems. As the body attempts to adapt, symptoms may not appear for weeks or even months later.

The chiropractic approach to these types of injuries is specific chiropractic adjustments to help return spinal function. After a thorough case history and examination, the doctor will recommend a series of visits to help restore proper motion and position of spinal bones. If caught early enough, inflammation can be reduced and scar tissue can often be minimized.

Children and Chiropractic

There is no more important time in a person's life to maintain optimum health than when a child is still growing. The birth process may be one of the most traumatic events of our lives. Even so-called "natural" birthing methods can stress a still developing spine. The resulting irritation to the nervous system can be the cause of many newborn health complaints. Colic, unexplained crying, poor appetite, breathing problems, allergic reactions can often be traced to nervous system dysfunction caused by a malfunctioning spine.

Head support, followed by crawling, and a baby's first few steps should be followed by chiropractic checkups. If neglected, the bumps and falls during this period of rapid growth may lead to serious spinal deformities later in life. This can set the stage for scoliosis, "growing pains," and a weakened immune system response. Chiropractic adjusting techniques are modified to fit a child's size, weight, and unique spinal problem. Parents often report that their children seem healthier than other kids their age.

Many spinal problems seen in adults begin in childhood. Proper spinal hygiene is an important key to better health.Parents think about having their children's teeth, ears, and eyes checked, but many over look their child's spine. The spine houses the entire nervous system. Spinal check ups maintain proper alignment and optimal functioning of the entire body!

Some Questions About Your Child's Health

-Is your baby colicky?
-Does your child have chronic ear infections?
-Does your child complain of chronic tiredness?
-Does your child suffer from chronic colds or sore throats?
-Does your child have a poor appetite?
-Does your child complain of headaches or backaches?
-Is your child enthusiastic and active?
-Is your teenager excessively moody?
-Does your teenage daughter suffer from menstrual tension, blues, or cramps?
-Does your child have poor posture?

If your child is not healthy, why not try chiropractic. If your child has had more than his share of antibiotics, maybe you should consider a different approach. Your doctor of chiropractic concentrates on locating and correcting the causes of poor health. Doesn't this approach make sense for your child?

Insurance

Our office accepts most insurance plans including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Health Care, Cigna, and many others. If you have a question about your insurance, let us do the work. We can call your insurance company and verify your coverage for you. If you do not have insurance or chiropractic benefits, Columbia Chiropractic Health Center offers affordable payment plans to make chiropractic accessable to you. We treat job injuries/workers compensation, auto accidents and other common injuries also.