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What is
chiropractic?
What is
a chiropractic adjustment?
Chiropractic adjustments--how safe are they?
Do
chiropractic adjustments hurt?
What is
the sound that is heard during a chiropractic
adjustment?
Is it
ok to adjust my joints myself?
Should
newborns have chiropractic adjustments?
How
long will it take in order to feel better?
What is
the typical length of a chiropractic treatment
program?
Does
your office take health insurance or a letter of
protection if I am involved in a car accident or
slip and fall accident?
Will I
experience pain again in the future?
What is
chiropractic?
Chiropractic is the art, science and philosophy of
correcting problems that affect the function of the
human spine. The spinal column consists of 24
individual vertebra. In between those vertebra are
the intervertebral disc and spinal nerves. A
misalignment of the disc or vertebrae would be an
improper change in spinal alignment resulting in
abnormal spinal biomechanics. The end result remains
the same: pain, muscle spasms and a host of other
symptoms. Since "the nervous system controls and
coordinates all the functions of the body" (Gray's
Anatomy, 29th Edition, Page 4), misalignments can
lead to a host of symptoms, even leading away from
the spine. For example headaches, arm pain and even
lower leg pain. Of all the members of the health
care field, chiropractors are the only professional
that have the specialized training to diagnose and
treat these spinal misalignments and biomechanical
imbalances.
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What is
a chiropractic adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment usually involves a
specific, gentle, and quick thrust that helps to add
motion to joints that are not moving properly. An
adjustment helps to decrease muscle tightness and
pain, as well as improve ranges of motion within the
restricted joints. Dr. Brian Ruggiero is skilled in
providing adjustments which involve utilizing a
variety of techniques that include using his hands,
instruments, or special tables.
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Chiropractic adjustments--how safe are they?
Chiropractic adjustments are very safe. During the
first visit, Dr. Brian Ruggiero will perform a
thorough history and examination to determine if
chiropractic is an appropriate form of treatment.
Dr. Brian Ruggiero will refer the patient to an
appropriate specialist if warrented. As stated in
the previous question, there are a variety of
chiropractic adjustment techniques that are very
gentle and effective for patients of all ages and
conditions.
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Do
chiropractic adjustments hurt?
Joints are usually restricted due to muscular
tightness and pain. Therefore, most patients feel
relief after an adjustment as the muscular tightness
and pain quickly decreases. Dr. Brian Ruggiero
evaluates each patient just prior to administering
an adjustment in a specific region in order to
provide the most specific and gentle adjustment,
while avoiding movements that would trigger more
pain. Some patients note some residual tightness and
ache the following day after an adjustment (similar
to the feeling after performing a work out at the
gym), which is normal and usually resolves with the
use of ice/heat.
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What is
the sound that is heard during a chiropractic
adjustment?
All of the joints of the body are surrounded by
lubricating fluids that contain gasses in order to
help them to move properly. Some chiropractic
adjustments cause the release of the gas from the
joint which is a similar concept of hearing the
"popping" sound when opening a can of soda.
Chiropractic adjustments allow restricted joints
that were triggering pain to go back into their
proper position, which can offer relief of pain.
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Is it ok to adjust my joints myself?
When someone is able to "pop" his/her own joints,
they are moving the joints that move too much. Dr.
Brian Ruggiero palpates the joints that are not
moving enough, and by performing an adjustment,
helps the joint to move properly again. People that
adjust their own joints are setting themselves up
for musculoskeletal problems such as arthritis in
the future.
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Should
newborns have chiropractic adjustments?
Definitely. The birthing process is a traumatic one
typically for the neck region of newborns. Dr. Brian
Ruggiero has found that by utilizing specific and
gentle adjusting techniques, he is able to provide
relief for many newborns/infants/children that
suffer from such conditions as colic, ear
infections, and bed wetting.
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How
long will it take in order to feel better?
Many patients notice at least 50% relief of their
pain following their first adjustment. The major
factors that influence the time table for pain
relief includes how long the pain has been present,
how severe the condition is, whether or not the
patient is getting proper nutrition, rest, and
exercise, the overall physical condition of the
patient, and if the patient is following through
with the recommended treatment schedule in the
office as well as the recommendations made when out
of the office by Dr. Brian Ruggiero.
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What is
the typical length of a chiropractic treatment
program?
At Ruggiero Family Chiropractic & Rehabilitation
Center, LLC, the first goal is to help the patient
to obtain relief from his/her pain and improve
ranges of motion through the utilization of massage
therapy, physiotherapy modalities including
ice/heat/tens unit/electomuscle stimulation, and
chiropractic adjustments. The second goal of care is
to learn rehabilitation techniques that will
strengthen the core musculature of the back and
stomach, in order to stabilize the spine and
decrease the chance of the pain returning in the
future.
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Does
your office take health insurance or a letter of
protection if I am involved in a car accident or
slip and fall accident?
Yes, Ruggiero Family Chiropractic & Rehabilitation
Center, LLC participates in numerous health
insurance panels and also takes letters of
protection. Dr. Brian Ruggiero also has connections
with other specialist doctors in the area including
neurologists and orthopedic surgeons who also honor
health insurance and/or letters of protection.
Should you find that your health insurance plan is
not honored in our office, there are many ways that
can make chiropractic care affordable in order to
help relieve your pain and improve your health.
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Will I
experience pain again in the future?
As stated above, many factors determine how well
patients will respond to chiropractic treatment.
Many people respond very well, noting relief of pain
and an improved quality of life. The patients that
have neglected and/or delayed treatment will
typically respond at a slower rate. Many patients
note that after properly healing from an injury,
periodic chiropractic treatments and continued
performance of stretches and exercises as instructed
at home help to avoid triggering an exacerbation in
the future.
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