Why chiropractic? Good question! Chiropractic care is not only beneficial but also crucial to a person’s health and well-being!
The spinal column is comprised of five regions, that consist of muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Together, they allow the body to stand, bend, and twist and protect the spinal cord, one of the main components of the body’s central nervous system (CNS). Made up of a bundle of nerve fibers, the spinal cord is responsible for relaying messages back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body. Therefore, the spinal cord plays as big of a role as the brain in both voluntary and involuntary activity that our body is involved in daily, and efficient movement and functioning of each vertebrae apart of the spine is absolutely essential.
So, why choose chiropractic care?
Chiropractors are skilled practitioners in maintaining and restoring your spine to good condition.
About 80% of adults report back pain at some point in their lifetime, and more than a quarter of adults have experienced low back pain within the last three months (that’s 1 in 4!). Most of this pain is due to mechanical issues, meaning that there is a dysfunction in the way the parts of the back fit together and move. This dysfunction of the joints is referred to a subluxation , which is a misaligned vertebrae or joint. This can result in pain, lack of range of motion, tension or tightness in muscles, and nerve pain, which often radiates throughout the body.
What is a chiropractic adjustment? How does it help?
A chiropractic adjustment, also called a chiropractic manipulation, manual manipulation, or spinal manipulation, helps restore function to the joints in the body. This allows the nervous system to communicate at optimal levels. The result of this force is an audible release of gas — specifically, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide — which releases joint pressure. These gases are a product of synovial fluid, or the fluid that lubricates the body’s joints, and they will accumulate when out of alignment.
What causes a person to experience spinal misalignment?
There are three ways that a person can get out of alignment: trauma, poor static posture, and repetitive stress.
- Trauma: For most, trauma is the most obvious way that a person’s spine can become damaged. Instances of trauma are described as a slip, fall, whiplash, crash, or impact to the entire or one part of the body.
- Poor static posture: Your spine is most vulnerable during long stretches of time when your body is performing improper posture. For example, if a person is slouching while sitting for hours on end, neck and upper back muscles become overworked and lead to misalignment. Sleeping in an awkward position can also result in your spine getting out of alignment, especially since many people stay in one position for either hours or the entire night of sleep.
- Repetitive stress: Doing an activity or continuing a habit that favors one side of the body over the other can lead to joint dysfunction. Some examples are crossing your leg on the same side or putting your purse on the same shoulder.
The good news is that you can be out of alignment and not experience any symptoms. It usually takes about 60% of pressure on a nerve before symptoms become present. Although this is the case, SFCC doctors practice a holistic and proactive approach so that they may alleviate any dysfunctional joints before they become a bigger problem.
Why choose chiropractic first?
Why choose a chiropractor as your first treatment option? Well, it is often a good place to turn first for pain management. The U.S. epidemic of opioid overuse and abuse to treat pain and symptoms is an increasingly prevalent issue. We encourage people to use more conservative forms of pain management, starting first with our chiropractic care.
Chiropractors worldwide distinguish themselves from medical doctors in that their practice is founded on holistic care. Doctors at San Francisco Custom Chiropractic (SFCC) look at more than just your spinal alignment — we address dietary, exercise, postural, and sleeping habits.
As sports chiropractors, the doctors at SFCC specialize in treating extremities and soft tissues on top of spinal care. In other words, they can help you with your shoulder, wrist, hip, knee, and foot pain. One of the soft tissue techniques that the doctors use is Active Release Technique, or A.R.T., which is the gold standard of soft tissue treatment. A.R.T. is comparable to a deep tissue massage in that it incorporates motion to break up scar tissue, knots, and fibrous adhesions, restoring normal blood flow and alignment to the soft tissue. Sports chiropractors also prescribe exercises and stretches to strengthen areas of the body that have become weakened and prone to injury.
Why else should I see a chiropractor? Chiropractic benefits also include:
- Treats cause, not just symptoms, of pain
- Complements other forms of pain management
- Customizes treatment plans
- Presents low risk
- Offers new hope for chronic conditions, such as fibromyalgia
- Prevents joint dysfunction
- Treats without being invasive
- Improves posture
- Is preventative and proactive, not reactive
- Shares ergonomic ideas
- Teaches exercises and stretches
- Provides nutritional advice
- Increases energy levels
- Improves athletic performance
- Can save money
How do I start chiropractic treatment in the San Francisco bay area?
Of course, the obvious is that you can receive an evaluation and treatment with us at any of our four offices in San Francisco and the South Bay. However, we offer bigger opportunities for those that are looking to bring chiropractic treatment to their communities or office.
For employers, investing into one or more of the services that SF Custom Chiropractic offers is a way to ensure the health and productivity of a company. Yelp is only one of many of SFCC’s partners that has taken advantage of the accessibility of our doctors. Dr. Jacobs has visited their San Francisco office weekly in order to treat its employees on an individual basis.
Here is a look at the services that SFCC offers onsite:
- Chair massages → schedule one of our licensed massage therapists to come over to the office to administer therapeutic deep tissue manual therapy. Each chair massage is between 10 to 20 minutes long, depending on the event scheduled for
- Ergonomic evaluations → evaluation process includes collecting personal history of each employee, customizing the workplace accordingly, and correcting the issues presented in the recorded histories. Customization may include suggestion of specific equipment
- Onsite chiropractic treatment → SFCC chiropractors can come onsite to perform thorough examination and treatment as well as can create exercise plans when requested and/or needed
To schedule an individual an appointment at one of our San Francisco area clinics, click here. Or, for inquiries and price estimates on our corporate wellness offerings, call our office at (415) 788-8700 or fill out the form on our website.
