October = Chiropractic Awareness Month

Yes, not just a day or week but a whole month dedicated to learning more about chiropractic! Hopefully at the end of this month you will know just a bit more about what chiropractic is, why it is so important, and how it can help you and your family.

There are 24 bones, or vertebrae, that make up the human spine, that allow us to twist, bend and move in a variety of movements. These are typically the main focus in chiropractic adjustments.

• What is an adjustment? Will it hurt? An adjustment is a manipulation of the spine or other bony articulations which works to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that are either hypomobile or restricted in their movement. The adjustment itself should rarely cause discomfort but some patients may experience soreness or aching in the 12 to 24 hours following.

• How often will I have to go? I'm very busy. Because everyone has a unique spine and health history, everyone will vary on frequency of visits and duration of that frequency. It is common to get adjusted 3 times a week with periodic re-evaluations of how your spine is progressing to determine when to bump down frequency. When you are "maintaining" a healthy spine your visits could be as little as once a month. In our office these adjustments can take as little as five minutes, we understand you have your own schedule to keep and strive to work with that.

To put in perspective, the importance of dental hygiene was not fully understood until the 1900s. The role of a healthy mouth in overall body health is taken seriously now, twice a day it is recommended we brush and floss - and that's just for your mouth!

Subluxations, or misalignments of the spine, can occur in all stages of life. Some may be minor but others can manifest into serious problems. In our office we do a thorough intake of health history, diagnostic scans, and X-rays if we feel necessary; all to accurately access the condition of your spine before any manipulations take place.

To learn more about chiropractic or our office procedures call us at (208) 667-7434 or visit our website at www.CDAHealth.com, or find us on Facebook.