Perceptions on Pain
Pain is a huge theme tied in with chiropractic. Many believe chiropractic is only useful in helping pain and on the other hand, some seem to think that all chiropractic adjustments are painful.
Written by Gabrielle Cohen
As a chiropractor, I get a lot of questions about what I do and encounter a lot of misconceptions that go along with that. Let’s deconstruct some of these perceptions.
Chiropractic is holistic.
I don’t use that term as just a buzzword, rather holistic means that it can help treat the WHOLE body. The reason being is that one of the ways that adjustments work is by helping promote efficiency and better communication within your body’s nervous system.
Yes, we work on the spine, which just happens to be a giant house for our largest convergence of nerves (outside of the brain). This is the highway where all nervous traffic eventually leads. The nerves from your toes, your internal organs, your muscles, they all end up here. Many people end up in a chiropractor’s office for back pain and find, not coincidentally, that other issues they hadn’t related to their back before have now cleared up.
As a chiropractor I have seen success with headaches, migraines, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel, incontinence, vertigo, IBS, sciatica, anxiety, breech positioned babies, etc, etc, etc. Is chiropractic the miracle cure? I see it as a science which I was trained for years to understand, and for a lot of people, it’s the missing link in their health care.
“Chiropractic Adjustments hurt!”
Haha okay, let’s back up. And to be clear this post isn’t to abate anyone’s negative experience. First, there are over 100 different chiropractic techniques. Let’s let that sink in. There are many different types of adjustments and many different chiropractors out there who each practice anywhere from one to a dozen different techniques. Every chiropractors’ style is different which when you do the math results in infinitely unique experiences from one technique to the next and from chiropractor to chiropractor. This is confusing for folks.
How come there isn’t just one technique?
Well, we always joked in graduate school if there was ever a one–size-fits-all technique to fix every problem that would be the Holy Grail. This just isn’t the case. In truth, every technique out there helps someone, but each technique can’t help everyone. Some are gentle and some are more abrasive or jarring. Someone coming into the office in a lot of pain who then receives a forceful manual adjustment might describe it as a painful experience. You may have had an experience where the technique the doctor used has left you in pain on more than one occasion- please if this is the case have a conversation with your chiropractor.
It is normal to experience some discomfort after an initial first adjustment, but having pain for days after every time is not. This is when asking your doctor to use a different technique may be necessary. And let’s face it, some doctors will not want to change what they are doing and they might have their reasons. As the patient though I implore you to seek a second or third opinion after a “bad” experience. You may find the right chiropractor is out there, they just practice in an entirely different way than what you are accustomed to.
I hope this gives some answers about chiropractors and the pain game! Let me know what other questions you may have!
Doctor, Gabrielle Cohen
If you are interested in learning more about Chiropractic Work and the services that Dr. Gabrielle Cohen provides, you can reach out to her at The New Hampshire Holistic Health Associates center in Nashua, NH, or visit her website at drgabbymobilechiropractor.com.
Dr. Gabby has a passion for holistic wellness and empowering her patients to take charge of their own health and well-being.
Dr. Gabby values one-to-one personal care, and her passion for wellness is truly what makes her care second to none. She started her own practice for just this reason; because she wants to be able to provide the quality of care that she knows is best for her clients.
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