Can a chiropractor harm your throat?
Anything is possible when you are actually touching the body. However, this would be very unusual. If you think something your chiropractor did harm your throat in some way, you should talk to them. Most nerves that innervate the throat come from the head, but some come from the neck. There is a small chance that nerve irritation has something to do with it, but I would need more information about what happened. Talk to your chiropractor about your symptoms and whether it was and unintended effect from the treatment or not, they can probably help to resolve the issue.
Can a chiropractor correct rounded shoulders?
Chiropractic adjustments help to improve your posture, but if you're in the habit of letting your shoulders round forward, they will continue to do so. Ask if the chiropractor provides any patient education/home exercises to help improve your posture and the functionality of your joints and muscles. I give my patients exercises and other things to practice on their own, which really help make more permanent changes to their posture when added to my adjustments and other treatments.
How often should I see a chiropractor for hip pain?
There is no simple answer for how often you need to see your chiropractor. A lot depends on your specific issue and your response to treatment. One thing I have noticed in my practice, however, is that the patients who come in more frequently, improve more quickly than those who come in less. Often, I will recommend a frequent visit schedule in the beginning stages of treatment, say 3 times per week for instance, and then reduce the frequency as the patient improves (2 times per week, 1 time per week, every other week, and so on). Whatever the recommendation, it is nearly always beneficial to be treated more in the beginning, because symptoms return more quickly in the initial stages of treatment. For example: let's say you come to see me for hip pain. I assess you and find that what you are experiencing as hip pain is actually referred pain from your SI (sacroiliac) joint, a common condition. This joint is in your low back, between the sacrum (the large triangular bone at the base of the spine) and the ilium (the part of the bony pelvis commonly called the hip). I provide treatment (chiropractic adjustments and possibly some soft tissue work) and your pain is relieved. You leave my office feeling better, but 2 to 24 hours later, that same pain returns and may even feel a little worse now. You get frustrated, but decide to return for more treatment in one week. You suffer through another agonizing week in pain and then return. I treat the same area and again you feel better. You walk out without pain, but in a day or 2, it comes back. You get upset and say to yourself, "This chiropractic stuff doesn't work! It only lasts a short time and then the pain comes right back!" But the issue is that you haven't given it enough time or enough treatment. You can't tell that the symptoms are staying away longer after each treatment, because you have only been treated 2 times in 2 weeks. Now let's look at another example: The scenario is the same, except that this time you believe me when I say that you should come in 3 times a week for 2 weeks. Again, after the first visit, you leave feeling better but have the return of pain in 2 - 24 hours. However, this time you return within 48 hours for your follow-up treatment. This time, after the second treatment, you leave with no pain and stay that way for 2 days. You notice some pain return the afternoon before your third treatment, but it isn't too bad and after your treatment, you feel great again. Your fourth visit is after a weekend and you are feeling some pain that morning, but again, the treatment takes care of it. Your other two visits that week you are pain-free and I recommend 2 visits a week for the 2 following weeks. This time, after 2 weeks, you are totally out of pain. You may think you are done but stick with it. The pain may return if you discontinue your care at this time. The absence of pain doesn't necessarily mean that your problem is fully resolved. In both of these scenarios, the problem was the same, the treatment was the same, and the response to the treatment was the same. The only thing that was different was the frequency. Your body is constantly adjusting and adapting to your environment (inside and out). It needs time to fully "adapt" or respond to the treatment you receive. It took some time for your pain to start and to build up to where you felt that you needed to get some help for it. It would not be realistic to assume that the issue(s) would fully resolve with one treatment. Now, I do sometimes have patients who respond much better to treatment than average. They might, for example, have no pain after the first treatment and none returns later. After the first week, I may suggest 2 visits for the following week, then one visit the week after, and then try going two weeks for the next. We’re all different and our treatment plans should be adaptable too. Discuss your situation with your chiropractor. Ask them what their treatment plan is for you. If you’re unsure, ask them why they feel that is the best course of care for you. Then, *trust them to do their job* and help your body to not only feel better but to heal and function better too.
Do chiropractors treat muscle pain?
Yes, chiropractic adjustments relieve tension in the joints, thereby allowing muscles to relax and alleviating muscle pain. Now, the type of practice from one chiropractor to another varies quite a bit. Therefore, some chiropractors do things that other chiropractors do not. Some only adjust the joints of the spine, while others adjust the joints of the extremities as well. Some only do adjustments, while others use physio-therapies such as electrical muscle stimulation, which can help relax muscles and reduce inflammation (another common cause of the pain). Some chiropractors incorporate massage or other soft tissue techniques, along with their other treatments, which can also be very helpful. I recommend that you ask whether they do extremity adjusting, use physiotherapy modalities, and/or massage techniques when you call to make an appointment. While the spinal adjustments will help a great deal, I believe you will see more improvement, more quickly if other techniques are also utilized.
Can I get adjusted without an underlying condition?
Chiropractic care can be quite effective for pain relief but has many more benefits from a wellness perspective. Improving the motion of your spinal joints helps you move better, relieves strain on the muscle, and improves the conduction of your nervous system. Being adjusted by a competent doctor of chiropractic can only be beneficial to you. I recommend that my pain-free patients come in on a monthly basis. Absolutely try it and see what you think. As with any type of professional, find a chiropractor that you feel comfortable with.