Chiropractic Services by Coastal Chiropractic Clinic, Brunswick and St. Simons, Georgia

Patient Education Series

Definitions

Brain: The control center for your body. It receives and sends regulating messages to all parts. When a part of your body is injured or just not working right, your brain must attempt to fix it by sending orders through the nerves.

Nerves: Special cells that carry sensations (full stomach, tired muscle, etc.) from the body to the brain, and orders (move arm, make eyes cry, etc.) from your brain to every part of your body.

Spinal Cord: The long cord of nerves that connects your brain to all the other nerves of your body. This cord runs through and is protected by the bones of your spine.

Spine: Your backbone. Actually, it is made up of 26 separate bones. These bones have a hole in the center and are carefully aligned by nature for your spinal cord to fit inside without being pinched. Each bone has notches on the sides that allow nerve roots to exit the spinal cord to other parts of your body.

Subluxation: The irritation of a nerve disrupting the regulatory control by your brain causing abnormal conditions. It is caused by the bones of your spine being out of alignment. A subluxation may or may not result in pain.

Chiropractic: The science, art and philosophy utilizing the use of the hands to put the bones of your spine back into their proper positions, to remove subluxations and permit the body to heal itself. Teaching lifestyle modification through diet, exercise, posture, spinal health and positive mental attitude as necessary directions for Wellness and Sickness care.

Adjustment: The action of putting the bones of your spine back into position to free your nerves from a subluxation.

The three phases of treatment: Relief care (relief from pain or abnormal conditions), Corrective care (correcting long-term problems of the spine), and Maintenance (regular adjustments to prevent or correct any new subluxation before it causes problems).

If you have an accident or wait until you experience constant pain before you start treatment, you will begin with Relief care. Relief care adjustments are usually done 3-6 times a week until you are out of pain or asymptomatic. At this point, the doctor will usually schedule your Corrective care adjustments 2-3 times a week and tapering off over a prescribed time period. When Correction is complete, you may be eligible for Maintenance.

Relief care: Often, the first stage of treatment. The goal of relief care adjustments are to relieve immediate pain or abnormal movement or symptoms.

Corrective care: After relief care, corrective care adjustments correct long-term spinal problems. When complete, you may be eligible for maintenance.

Maintenance: Regular adjustments to prevent or correct any new subluxation before it causes problems. Maintenance is done after the necessary corrective care. We have a Maintenance Plan to reward those patients who use chiropractic to stay healthy.