CHIROPRACTIC
Chiropractic Facts
What is an Adjustment?
An adjustment at Marin Counties Adjusted Lifestyle Chiropractic refers to a precise movement of a joint or joints in your body as performed by Dr. Levesque. During an adjustment you will be placed in a comfortable position and movement will be induced into the problem joint. At the time of the adjustment you may hear a “popping” sound similar to someone “popping” their knuckles. The sound is produced as the joint is moved. A vacuum is produced in the joint and gas “pops” to the surface. The adjustment returns normal function to your joints which, in turn allows the body to begin the healing process.
Why should I see a chiropractor at Adjusted Lifestyle Chiropractic?
Other professions have created an importance in to why you should utilze their services. Dentist have shown you that a teeth cleaning or a check up is best if received 2 to 3 times a year. Mechanics have stressed the importance on an oil change every 3,000 miles, along with an occasional diagnostic check. When either of these are put off, the consequences can become catastrophic. Cavities or gum disease, poor gas mileage or broken down car. Regardless of the outcome, you understand that these scenerios could have been avoided. The same goes for chiropractic. We are in are body everyday! We test its limits and push ourselves well beyond our abilities. Yet we know little about how it functions and operates. Dr. Sean Levesque can help keep your system firing on all cylinders by showing you areas that need work and highlight those areas doing well. Health is what is sacraficed when we choose to ignore our bodies and allow our systems to shut down. Do yourself a favor and call Adjusted Lifestyle Chiropractic in San Rafael and ask for Dr. Levesque. The best thing about his care is that treatment is conducted without drugs or surgury, so their is no direct effects (not side effects).
Are there any side-effects that can be experienced from Chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care is a form of physical medicine and the side-effects are similar to those experienced with physical therapy. The most common are short-term increases in muscle soreness or stiffness that can range from extremely light to significant in intensity. These symptoms occur in a minority of patients, however. Most patients experience significant relief without any side-effects. A number of our patients inform us that their medical doctors, especially neurologists, tell them to never let a chiropractor adjust their necks due to the risk of stroke. Statistics show that you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than getting a stroke from chiropractic adjustments. Taking a drug for a headache is far more dangerous! Evidence in support of this can be found by looking at malpractice insurance premiums. We pay about $1,000/year while neurologists pay this amount for 2 weeks of premiums. In our sue anyone for anything society, our premiums would be outrageous if the claims of adjustments commonly causing strokes were valid. This recommendation to not seek chiropractic care is based on bias and lack of education about the profession. Next time ask your doctor if they have ever been adjusted or even personally viewed someone being adjusted. After they answer NO, you will know that their opinion is not based on experience or fact. The bottom line is that chiropractic adjustments are among the safest procedures performed in medicine today.
What type of pain does Dr. Sean Levesque manage at Adjusted Lifestyle Chiropractic?
Dr. Levesque has an expertise in caring for patients with back pain, neck pain, and headaches but is not limited to a wide variety of presenting symptoms. He regularly works with patients suffering from knee pain, foot pain, hip, leg & thigh pain. He has success with plantar fascittis, thoracic outlet syndrome and numbness and tingling in the arms and legs. He also works with sports injuries and other disorders involving muscles, ligaments and joints. The benefits of chiropractic care go beyond this and extend into general health as our core body structure affects overall function and health.
Should I go to Adjusted Lifestyle Chiropractic if I am pregnant? YES!
Many pregnant women find that chiropractic adjustments improve the pregnancy experience and make delivery easier. Dr. Levesque first hand watched the success of chiropractic during the pregnancy and delivery of his two children. He has had the privilege to work with many women during their pregnancy by offering them much needed relief. Another plus side to working with Dr. Levesque is the education that he shares with both the pregnant mother and partner. You will be sent home with simple ways to allievate stress in the pelvis and bring instant relief during this beautiful time.
Am I too old for chiropractic care? NO!
More and more people are consulting chiropractic doctors, especially in their later years. With growing concerns about over medication and side effects of combining various prescription drugs, safe natural chiropractic care is growing in popularity. Restoring better spinal function can help improve mobility, vitality, endurance, and patient appetite. Many patients report improvement with arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the aging process. The adjusting technique used at Adjusted Lifestyle Chiropractic will be modified for maximum comfort and result. As we get older and wiser, the simplicity and effectiveness of chiropractic care becomes more and more obvious.
Is it bad to “crack” your neck or back a lot?
The desire to “crack” or “pop” the neck or back is caused by tension from a jammed or fixed vertebrae, which causes another part of the spine to compensate by moving too much and “popping” or clicking a lot. The jammed part should be adjusted by a Dr. Levesque so that the rest of the spinal column will balance.
What’s the difference between a Chiropractor and a Physical Therapist?
Chiropractors are doctors who are trained in the diagnosis of disease in the human body. The vast majority of Physical therapists do not have a doctorate and they have not received the training for diagnosis of human disorders. Chiropractors and physical therapists are similar in that they work towards normalizing the function of the physical body. Physical therapists focus on the muscular system trying to re-establish normal strength and function. Almost all physical therapists have not received proper training in the manipulation of joints. Chiropractors, on the other hand, receive extensive training in both joint manipulation and in treating muscular dysfunction. Many patients can benefit from the utilization of both a Chiropractor and physical therapist when working towards improved health. We will not hesitate to refer you to a physical therapist if the need arises.
Is chiropractic similar to massage?
No. Chiropractic deals with the spinal column, nervous system, meninges and body structure. Massage therapists deal with muscle tension, circulation and body fluid drainage.
Can chiropractic care at Adjusted Lifestyle Chiropractic help with preventing pain in the future?
Prevention is the idea of taking action now to reduce the risk of future symptoms. Getting chiropractic care on a regular basis falls into this category. We have many patients who get adjusted to prevent future problems. When we ask them how they are feeling, they many times will say they have “NO PAIN.” They are typically amazed, during the course of our exam, how many areas in their back are very tender to light touch. If the lack of proper function exists long enough, the chances of experiencing an untimely symptom increases dramatically.
The solution is to be more aware of your lifestyle and the factors that may be casuing harm. At Adjusted Lifestyle Chiropractic we focus on educating the individual with exercises and proper body positioning, so that when you are adjusted, the adjustment will hold for a longer period of time. This preventative measure re-establishes proper movement in your spine to ensure proper health. How often you get adjusted depends on your specific needs and lifestyle. We have patients who get adjusted every month and we have patients who get adjusted four times a year. They get adjusted even when they are feeling “NO PAIN.”
Prevention makes much more sense than symptom chasing.