Frequently Asked Questions
1. How does chiropractic play a role in my health?
Everyone can benefit from chiropractic care, from the newborn baby to the aging. While chiropractic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches, chiropractic can also help reduce risks of degeneration and restore nervous system function. As a result, many patients will experience widespread improvements throughout their other bodily systems as well.
2. How long will I need to continue chiropractic care?
A chiropractor may provide you with acute, chronic, and/or preventive care thus making your required number of visits variable. Spinal problems, neglected since early childhood, may require ongoing supportive care for optimum spinal function. These long-standing problems are often associated with muscle weakness, soft tissue damage, and degenerative changes to the spine. Some patients seek chiropractic care only when their aches or pain becomes unbearable. While this style of “crisis management” is usually more costly and time-consuming, our office stands ready to help all patients, regardless of their health goals. How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you. However, most patients find periodic chiropractic checkups help keep them in optimal shape. Those who are active, have stressful jobs, or want to be their very best, find that a schedule of preventative visits are helpful in the maintenance of good health.
3. How is a chiropractic adjustment performed?
A chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractor typically uses his/her hands to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to reduce pain, and restore or enhance joint function. Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.
4. What type of education and training do chiropractors have?
Chiropractors are educated as primary contact health care practitioners, with an emphasis on musculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment. Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions. The typical applicant at a chiropractic college has already acquired nearly four years of pre-medical undergraduate college education, including courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work. Once accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, the requirements become even more demanding — four to five academic years of professional study are the standard. In total, the chiropractic curriculum includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience.
5. Will I receive any medication for my pain?
No. Chiropractic doctors do not dispense drugs. Our goal is to determine the cause of your pain and address the problem directly.
6. Why is there sometimes a popping sound when a joint is adjusted?
Adjustment of a joint may result in release of a gas bubble between the joints that makes a popping sound – it’s exactly the same as when you “crack” your knuckles. The noise is caused by the change of pressure within the joint that results in gas bubbles being released. There is no pain involved.
7. Why should I consider taking nutritional supplements?
The food consumed by most people these days is lacking in many important nutritional vitamins and minerals. Our hectic lifestyles, daily stresses, environmental stresses, genetic predispositions, smoking and second-hand smoke, as well as alcohol consumption can also contribute to us our bodies not absorbing the nutrients we need from the food. Americans as a society also frequently eat food on the run, and these foods too often are laden with sugar, fat, artificial ingredients, and are very refined and processed. Much produce is also grown in depleted soil lacking certain nutrients, so therefore the fruits and veggies are not as nutritious as they once were. At Santiago Chiropractic Associates, we would be happy to discuss with you your unique nutritional requirements as well as recommend for you supplements that will provide quality nutrients in natural forms readily absorbable by your body. These suggestions will not be a replacement for eating a healthy diet, but a supplement to a balanced diet and regular exercise.
8. Is Chiropractic treatment safe?
Yes, chiropractic treatment is safe and effective. While any form of health treatment contains a degree of inherent risk, there is little danger in chiropractic care when administered by a licensed practitioner. To assure competency, all states require that DCs be board-qualified, licensed and regulated according to stringent criteria. Statistics show that patient risk is substantially lower for chiropractic because the use of prescription drugs and surgery are not used. If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to ask Dr. Santiago.
9. What are your hours?
You can always call our office for latest schedule.
Monday: 3pm – 6pm
Wednesday: 9am – 1pm and 3pm – 6pm
Friday: 9am – 1pm
