What Chiropractic Care Is

Chiropractic care is a drug-free, hands-on profession built around one simple truth: when your spine moves the way it was designed to move, every system and organ in your body works better. Our doctors use gentle, precise adjustments (sometimes aided by instruments or soft-tissue work) to restore motion in stuck joints, soothe irritated nerves, and kick-start your body’s natural healing responses.

The result is less pain, easier movement, and a sturdier foundation for long-term wellness. Think of it as a quick “tune-up” that helps your body feel, and heal, better!

How Chiropractic Care Works

Your first visit begins with listening. We take a full health history, examine posture and movement, and review digital X-rays to see what’s happening beneath the surface. Once we’ve identified the source of a patient’s discomfort, we use targeted adjustments (a quick, controlled thrust or lighter tool-assisted method depending on your comfort level) to restore healthy alignment of bones and nerves.

Finally after we move internal structures, we help integrate the change to your body with targeted stretches, ergonomic tweaks, and simple exercises so your body “learns” this new, healthier pattern.

What Chiropractic Care Treats

Chiropractic is helpful for a wide range of conditions and life stages:

• Low-back strains, lingering neck tension, headaches, or sharp sciatic pain
• Pregnancy-related shifts in posture and balance
• Old injuries that never healed correctly (such as whiplash)
• Arthritic joints, sports-related issues, or desk-bound posture problems
• Children with heavy backpacks, or seniors looking for easier mobility

Whether it’s a new injury brought on by simple house work, or long-standing stiffness that finally caught up to you, chiropractic care helps almost anyone move and live better!

Frequency of Treatments

Most patients progress through three phases:

• Relief Phase: Frequent visits (2-3 times per week) for a couple of weeks to calm inflammation and reduce pain.
• Corrective Phase: Visits taper to once or twice weekly as we retrain posture and muscle patterns.
• Wellness Phase: Ongoing care to keep you tuned-up, every 2-4 weeks or seasonally, depending on your lifestyle and goals.

What to Expect

Your first adjustment is all about comfort and choice. We’ll explain the technique we recommend- whether that’s a gentle low-force instrument, our drop-table, or a traditional manual adjustment. That way you know exactly what to expect before anything happens. During the adjustment you might hear a small “pop” or feel a light release of pressure; many patients describe instant ease of movement. Afterward we’ll walk you through simple hydration, stretching, or ice/heat tips to enhance the benefits and let you know that mild soreness (like post-workout muscle fatigue) can be normal for a day or two. You’ll leave with a clear roadmap of next steps and an open invitation to contact us with questions- because your comfort, safety, and results are our top priorities.

Every adjustment past your first is typically in-and-out within 15 minutes! Think of it like filling up your car’s gas tank; once you know where your gas tank is and what fuel you’re filling it up with, the whole process happens in a flash!

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it hurt?

Most people are surprised by how gentle the experience actually is. During the split-second thrust your chiropractor delivers, pressure inside the joint drops, dissolved gases in the joint fluid rapidly form a bubble, and you may hear that familiar “pop” or “crack.” This phenomenon (called cavitation) is simply physics at work, not bone grinding or anything breaking. The adjustment itself usually feels like a firm but brief nudge, often followed by an immediate sense of release and improved movement.

Will you take X-rays?

The simple answer is “yes”. Because the true story of your spine is written beneath the skin, digital X-rays give us a clear immediate look at the bones, discs, and joint spaces we can’t feel with our hands alone. By seeing the exact alignment of each vertebra, spotting hidden degeneration or past injuries, and ruling out fractures or anomalies, we can design a care plan that’s truly tailored to you- not just your symptoms. Our clinic uses state-of-the-art, low-dose digital equipment, which emits about the same radiation as a cross-country flight. The images appear in seconds, letting us walk you through what we see, answer questions, and explain precisely how (and why) each adjustment will help restore healthy movement. In short, X-rays move your care from educated guesswork to evidence-based certainty.

*Children and early teens likely not need x-rays unless there is a serious concern or history of physical traumas.

Is it safe for children and seniors?

Infants & Children

Birth, even the smoothest delivery, can place up to 70 lbs of pressure on a newborn’s neck. We use feather-light fingertip contacts (no more force than you’d use to test the ripeness of a peach) to ease tiny misalignments that can interfere with feeding, sleep, and early motor milestones. As kids grow, backpacks, sports collisions, and endless screen time test young spines. Pediatric adjustments stay playful and gentle: the table often resembles a ride more than a treatment, and most children giggle through the visit. Parents are always welcome to stay chair-side, ask questions, and even feel the pressure we’ll apply before we begin. We want to make sure everyone feels safe and secure with that’s about to happen!

See our Pediatrics tab for more information.

Adults 60+

With age come arthritic joints, thinning discs, and for some, reduced bone density. That’s why we perform a thorough health history, review medications, and review X-rays before the first adjustment. Techniques then shift to match the patient’s physiology:

• Low-force instruments (such as an Activator) deliver acute spring-loaded taps to targeted area so there’s no twisting, cracking, or sudden thrusts.
• Drop-table sections allow gravity to do most of the work, so adjustments feel more like a soft nudge than a “pop.”
• Flexion-distraction tables gently stretch degenerative or stenotic lumbar spines without compressive forces.

Many seniors report better balance, easier walking, and deeper sleep after care, because freer joints let muscles engage again and nerves fire accurately.

See our Healthy Aging tab for more information.

Is it safe during pregnancy?

Absolutely! We take extra steps to be certain it stays that way because we hold Webster Certification, a specialized qualification that focuses on balancing the pelvis and easing tension in the surrounding ligaments. The Webster Technique involves a gentle, targeted adjustment paired with specific muscle-release work. By encouraging symmetrical pelvic motion, it can reduce low-back and sacral pain, lessen round-ligament pull, and may even create more space for your baby to settle into an ideal head-down position as delivery approaches.

Every visit is set up for comfort. We keep a variety of memory-foam belly pillows on hand for added support so you can even lay face-down without pressure. Adjustments themselves are lighter than your typical “pops”- often performed with a handheld Activator or a drop-table that lets gravity do most of the work.

Patients frequently tell us the relief is immediate: walking feels smoother, sleep comes easier, and that deep, achy pressure at the base of the spine finally lets up- often without resorting to pain medication. We coordinate with your OB or midwife when needed, and if you’ve had a high-risk pregnancy or specific medical concerns, we tailor both positioning and technique so you stay within your physician’s guidelines. From first-trimester fatigue to that third-trimester waddle, chiropractic care can help you stay active, comfortable, and confidently prepared for birth!

See our Maternity tab for more!

When will I feel better?

Acute cases often improve in 2-3 visits. Chronic, life-long issues usually take a few weeks of care plus at-home exercises. The larger the issue, the more time it takes to typically feel relief. We provide exercises, posture tips, and lifestyle changes to help you feel better as soon as possible.

Whether you’re nursing a sprain, recovering from pregnancy changes, or just looking to move easier, chiropractic care helps restore motion, reduce pain, and unlock your body’s natural healing.