An alarming percentage of the American populace put off seeing a doctor long after the earliest indication of a symptom arises. The excuses for doing so are limitless, from, “I didn’t think it was serious enough to bother the doctor with”, to, “I was afraid he’d give me bad news.” However, even the earliest, seemingly mildest symptoms, can indicate a serious condition that requires a doctor’s attention. Once the decision has been made to schedule an appointment the next step is finding the type of doctor that’s right for you in correcting your particular issue.
You might be surprised to know that many issues that you may be experiencing can be corrected by a Chiropractor; while most commonly known for treating back and neck pain a Chiropractor also specializes in musculoskeletal pain as well as joint and muscle pain.
How do you know when to visit a Chiropractor? Below are a few reasons why Chiropractic care is right for you.

1. Are You in Pain? This is a message from your body to your brain telling you that something is wrong. However, pain is just a symptom and not cause. Not only is a Doctor of Chiropractic well equipped to handle the traditional neck and back pain, but he or she is also adept at handling extremity pain in both joints (knee, wrist, ankle, shoulder) and muscles.


2. Prevent a Surgery. A recent article on WebMD states that Chiropractic care may reduce the necessity of a surgery by as much as 32%. For example, lower back pain that radiates down through to the knee is most likely caused by a disc impingement. While in some cases, this condition may eventually lead to surgery, in many cases chiropractic treatment can repair the problem without surgery. Loss of disk space, slipped disks, bulging disks, and scoliosis are all spinal problems that have, in the past, been corrected by surgery but can also be prevented by regular Chiropractic care.


3. Be Checked for Scoliosis Regularly. Most schools do check for scoliosis on a regular basis but it can often be overlooked since the exams are often done by untrained hands. Since Chiropractors are specially trained to check even the slightest curvature of the spine, it is essential to the ongoing health of young children and teenagers that they be checked regularly as scoliosis can lead to major health problems in the future.


4. After an Auto Accident. Any accident that causes even seemingly minor physical impact, whether in an automobile or not, should be followed up with a visit to the Chiropractor as it is possible that the resulting pain may not present itself for days, even weeks, after an accident. By getting an examination as soon as possible after a physically traumatic event you may save yourself from unneeded pain or related health problems later on in life.


5. Prevent Pain or Future Health Issues. When there is a misalignment to a joint  there is a decrease in movement or range of motion, which, over time will cause the joint to degenerate. Three major things can happen to a joint in the spine if it is misaligned for an extended period of time. First, atrophy will begin to occur in the nerves as they begin to grow smaller. Then the atrophy will spread to the muscle tissue surrounding the spine which will also cause the muscle to shrink and lose tonicity. Finally, the bone will begin to undergo structural change leading to an eventual fusing of the bones and loss of joint space. Each of these can be prevented through simple Chiropractic treatments. This is why it is so important to take care of your spine through regular Chiropractic treatments.

With regular visits to your Chiropractor you are ensuring a healthier spine and a happier, pain free, life for years to come!