Dive Chiropractic Centre

What is subluxation?

A subluxation occurs when one, or more vertebrae (spinal bones), misaligns and loses its proper motion. When this occurs, pressure may be placed on the nerves carrying information between the brain and body, ultimately affecting the body's performance. The ends result is usually sickness and disease, such as the headaches you suffer, or asthma you thought was due to climate change.

Can I adjust myself?

Although some patients try to administer a self-adjustment, it only increases their problems long term. The joint becomes hypermobile and extremely unstable. A chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, in a specific direction to a specific joint. This is why adjustments should be left to your One Way chiropractor who is highly trained and skilled, through years of university training, to not only locate the 'correct' subluxation, but to also adjust it.

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

An adjustment, or adjusting technique, is the means by which your chiropractor corrects spinal subluxations. There are many and varied techniques your chiropractor may use, depending upon his examination results and whether he's adjusting a baby, the elderly, a pregnant woman or a normal sized adult. Some techniques involve applying a very quick, gentle and extremely specific thrust to the vertebrae.

What is chiropractic?

Chiropractic is Greek ‘to do by hand’. It is the science, art and philosophy of removing subluxations of the nervous system, thus helping the body remain in a state of homeostasis, or a state of equilibrium, that is self-healing and self-regulating. The brain and nervous system control and regulates every cell, tissue organ, system and function of our body.

What is a slipped disc?

It is a condition where discs can bulge and herniate due to injury or the ongoing effects of subluxations and degeneration. It's often a case of 'the straw that broke the camel's back'. When subluxations have been present for some time, it often only requires a simple bending over or lifting a light object for the back to let go and you're stuck in a bent over position. The sooner you get to your One Way Chiropractor the sooner you'll be back to normal.

Can adjustments wear out the spine?

No. Quite the opposite. If you have a subluxation and you don't adjust it, research has shown that the discs will eventually wear out and the spinal bones will fuse together, causing major spinal nerve entrapment and damage to cells and organs. Bones, muscles and ligaments need to be exercised to stay healthy. Besides removing the subluxation, the adjustment is the best form of exercise you can give your spine.

What do chiropractors do?

Our chiropractor firstly reviews your case history, taking into account any health concerns such as accidents, or surgery, and specifically, what brought you into the clinic. He or she will carry out a thorough neurological, orthopaedic and chiropractic examination and take spinal x-rays where indicated. You'll then receive your 'Report of Findings' outlining the problems chiropractic can help you with and a recommended plan of care, or adjustments, to correct your spinal subluxations.

How many adjustments will I need?

The number of adjustments varies from patient to patient, depending on the severity of their problem and their individual health goals. Symptomatically, chiropractic works extremely quickly, with most patients experiencing a rapid change in their symptoms after only a few adjustments up to a few weeks. Because human beings are unique and individual, no two patients respond exactly the same. As the body heals and stabilises over a period of weeks or months, visits become less frequent.

What makes the sound during an adjustment?

The popping sound is caused by gases in the joint, namely oxygen and nitrogen, mixing together. It's the same sound you get when you 'crack' your knuckles, or when you lift a plain of glass off a wet bench and it causes a popping sound. The sound is not painful and is not necessarily heard with each adjustment.

Why are x-rays used?

To see is to know. Imagine your dentist doing work on a decayed tooth without taking an x-ray, or images, to see the condition of the tooth before deciding on a course of action. No doubt you'd be horrified and wouldn't want any work done on your tooth until proper images had been taken. The same is true with your spine. The importance of x-rays is that they give an inside look at the condition of your spine, the spinal curves you should or may not have and any spinal decay.