Chiropractic Care

After establishing the presence of subluxation, your BWC chiropractor will perform a procedure called a chiropractic adjustment. The adjustment is the key to chiropractic care. Chiropractic adjustments are gentle. Your doctor applies a sustained light pressure or gentle force to the subluxation, allowing the body to unlock the vertebrae from its malposition. BWC employs several different techniques, some delivered manually with his hand’s others through the use of specialized tables, or tools. Similar to straightening teeth, correcting subluxations requires time for the surrounding tissues to accept this newly corrected position as normal. Correcting the subluxation provides proper alignment to the spine, improves neurologic function, and restores proper spinal range of motion. Do you want to see it?

Sometimes. A subluxation is like a dental cavity – you may have it for a long time before symptoms appear. That’s why periodic spinal checkups are so important.

Although it may be possible to know you have spinal dysfunction, it is rarely possible to be sure you don’t. Regular spinal checkups are always a good idea, and they promote good health from the inside out.

No. Just as each person is unique, the care that each person receives should also be unique. Your doctor evaluates each person and develops an individualized care plan. He takes into consideration many factors and attempts to accommodate individual preferences.

One thing is certain each chiropractic adjustment builds on the one before, so despite some differences, there are similarities to everyone’s care.

Yes. Chiropractic has an excellent safety record. It is the result of a conservative and natural approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs.

As proof, one merely has to compare malpractice rates between chiropractors and other health care professionals. Chiropractors’ malpractice premiums are only a fraction of those for medical doctors.

Remember, adjustments do not always produce a sound. Many techniques within chiropractic do not cause this sound (called cavitation) at all.

When this “cracking” or “popping” sound is heard it is caused by gas rushing in to fill the partial vacuum created when the joints are slightly separated.

This harmless and painless sound is not always a good indicator of the success of the adjustment. Hearing or not hearing this sound should not be a goal when you visit a chiropractor; correction of the subluxation is.

Adjustments help by removing nerve irritation, restoring range of motion, and improving spinal joint integrity. The adjustment is not what heals your body; it is actually you that heals you. The adjustment facilitates your body’s own healing mechanisms.

No, it is a common misconception that your joints must make a noise to be properly adjusted. Rarely does the vertebra make a noise when it becomes misaligned, so why would it have to make a noise in the process of re-alignment?

There are times when your spine is adjusted that a sound will be created. This sound means little and is a poor indicator of the success of your adjustment. BWC chiropractors employ several techniques that do create this sound and several techniques that do not.

No. Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction to a specific joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself correctly and accurately.

It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a “popping” sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment. Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already unstable spine even more unstable, and can sometimes be dangerous. Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs!

No. (If only it were, there would be many more healthy people around!)

Although it is possible to get used to feeling more balanced, less stressed, and more energetic as a result of regular chiropractic care, it is impossible to become addicted to chiropractic care. So, unfortunately, chiropractic is not addictive, but good health is.

Yes. It’s an unfortunate fact that up to half of those who have had spinal surgery will return to their original symptoms months or years later. They then face the prospect of additional surgery. This common occurrence is known as “Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.”

Although techniques may need to be modified to accommodate a person who has had surgery, chiropractic may help prevent repeated back surgeries. In fact, if chiropractic care is utilized initially, back surgery can often be avoided in the first place.

The lack of symptoms does not equal health. For instance, the American Heart Association calls hypertension (high blood pressure) the silent killer, as thousands die every year who feel just fine.

Just as regularly checking your blood pressure is important, having a scheduled check-up for your spine and nervous system is vital – even if you feel fine!

Chiropractic care is successful with a wide variety of health problems not necessarily considered “back” problems because the focus of chiropractic care is the improvement of nervous system function.

While no guarantee can be given that chiropractic will “cure” any specific condition, with improved nervous system and spinal function the body’s natural healing capacity impacts countless health problems.

Any time is a good time to improve the functioning of your nervous system. Pregnant mothers find that chiropractic adjustments improve their pregnancy and make delivery easier for themselves and their babies. Treatment tables and chiropractic techniques can be adapted to a patient’s size, weight, age, and condition of health.

See more information about chiropractic and pregnancy featured in the tabs above.

Chiropractor Services work by restoring your body’s inborn ability to be healthy. When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissues, and organs of your body are designed to resist disease and ill health.

The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and treat insults to your spinal and nervous system function. With improved spinal function, there is improved nervous system function. The goal of the chiropractor is to remove the irritation that may be impairing normal health through specific chiropractic adjustments, allowing your body to heal itself.

A healthy spine and a healthy lifestyle are your keys to optimal health!

Because chiropractic adjustments are primarily applied to the spine, many individuals incorrectly assume that chiropractors treat only back and neck ailments.

While we do quickly and effectively eliminate back and neck pain, it’s not the only goal. The objective is to restore and optimize human health. In fact, according to a statement from The Association of Chiropractic Colleges, “The purpose of chiropractic is to optimize health.”

Yes. Chiropractors do not include medication or surgery in their treatment program. Chiropractic is based on the fact that the body has a built-in capacity to restore health from within, and base their care on this principle.

Occasionally, the use of medication can interfere with the body’s healing mechanisms, produce side effects, create dependence, and lead to drug-caused disease or complications.

The first response in most illnesses and injuries should be conservative care. Chiropractic’s principles make it possibly the safest and most appealing of the healing arts.

Chiropractors base their care on the detection correction and prevention of vertebral subluxations. We use specific spinal adjustments to correct the spine, improve nerve system functions and reduce nerve interference.

Osteopaths use drugs, surgery, and other traditional medical therapies and only occasionally use manipulative procedures.

Chiropractors take x-rays to reveal the internal structure and alignment of the spine. We are also concerned about underlying disease processes and disorders of the spine such as spinal deterioration, arthritis of the spine, abnormal development, bone spurs, disc disorders, tumors, and spinal curvature.

X-rays also provide a blueprint for correcting the spine back to optimal health and alignment. Much the same way a dentist may utilize x-rays, a chiropractor finds x-rays invaluable in determining how well your skeletal system has been cared for or neglected over the years.

No. Exercise is an important part of good health, yet without normal spinal function, a physical workout merely puts additional wear and tear on improperly functioning spinal joints.

Chiropractors have always sought to provide the safest and most effective healing techniques for their patients. In order to achieve this, the chiropractic profession has been dedicated to conducting scientific studies to improve their diagnostic and adjusting techniques.

In the last 20 years, the chiropractic profession has established an impressive array of scientific research that demonstrates the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of chiropractic care. In fact, the chiropractic profession has accumulated a greater number of scientific trials on chiropractic than the medical profession has accumulated for many of the treatments rendered by medical doctors. According to David M. Edy, M.D., Ph.D., professor of health policy and management with Duke University, North Carolina, only 15 percent of all medical interventions are supported by solid scientific evidence.

“There are considerably more randomized controlled trials which show benefit of chiropractic than there are for many, many other things which physicians and neurosurgeons do all the time.”

Paul G. Shekelle, M.D., M.P.H., of the RAND Corporation, interviewed on ABC’s 20/20So as you can see chiropractic is extensively supported by scientific research.

Yes and No…

Most health insurance companies provide coverage for chiropractic care in their policies. The policy limits vary widely.

Bloomington Wellness Center (May still be listed as Bloomington Family Chiropractic) is an “In-Network Provider” for virtually all Twin Cities metro area health plans (Blue Cross, Medica, Health Partners, Preferred One, Aetna, Medicare, and Medicaid, etc.). There is rarely any network restriction to those who have been injured in an auto accident or at work, therefore you may see any provider you wish. Ultimately the best way to find out the details of your insurance coverage is to call them.

This is something we’d be happy to help you with. Please see our insurance information on patient options, contact us, or ask about insurance coverage at your next visit.

Without knowing the specifics of your policy, it is difficult to determine how much coverage you will receive for care at BWC. We are happy to work with you and your insurance company to secure the maximum possible coverage for your care.

For those of you with limited or no insurance coverage, we offer a discounted fee schedule for advanced or same-day payments. Please contact us for more information about costs and insurance.

Childhood activities can jar the spine and cause vertebral subluxations, which can cause many of the health concerns that children experience. Often these complaints are brushed off, or children are expected to “grow out of” them. Kids need chiropractic care throughout childhood to correct spinal problems before they “grow into” larger ones or more significant health problems. Many health problems that emerge in adulthood can be prevented by having your child’s spine checked by a chiropractor. Infants, young kids, and growing adolescents can all benefit from chiropractic care to keep their nervous systems working smoothly.

Immediately following birth. Birth can stress a child’s developing spine, and the resulting irritation to the nervous system may result in health complaints. Unexplained crying or colic, poor appetite or feeding problems, poor sleep patterns, breathing problems, and allergic reactions can all often be traced to nervous system dysfunction.

An infant’s spine grows almost 50% in length in his or her first year. If the child has a small problem it will become a larger problem they grow.

Absolutely. Chiropractic is safe for children at all stages of development, evidenced by the fact that chiropractors have the lowest malpractice premiums of all the health care professionals. In the nearly 130-year history of chiropractic, during which millions of children and babies have received care, there has not been a single research paper published on harm done to a child.

Parents often report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and are healthier than their peers.

Most people understand that it is important to have their eyes checked by an optometrist and their teeth checked by a dentist. But has your child’s spine and nervous system been checked? If not, your child is missing one of the most important checkups he or she could ever have.

It is vitally important that your child’s spine is forming properly, and misaligned vertebrae can prevent the proper formation of the spine. Although your child may seem healthy, underlying nervous system dysfunction may prevent optimal health as she or he grows. Chiropractic checkups are an important factor in your child’s growth and development.

Recognition for chiropractic as a preventative measure and as a treatment for existing conditions is growing within the medical community, but there is still a lack of understanding about chiropractic medicine. Our medical doctors are busier than ever, and their time and resources are limited. Many medical professionals do not have time to read medical literature, and much of the research medical doctors are exposed to is provided by pharmaceutical companies. Needless to say, this research does not speak about chiropractic.

Often medical doctors do not know how safe chiropractic is, nor are they informed about its benefits. Many doctors think that chiropractic is an approach to treat preexisting problems, and has nothing to offer if a patient is not currently suffering pain. However, chiropractic takes a preventative approach and corrects vertebral subluxations before pain or illness emerges.

How does chiropractic help children suffering from a condition which does not seem related to their back? (e.g. asthma, colic, ear infections, ADHD, Crohn’s disease, etc.)

You may be surprised to learn that chiropractic care is not the treatment of any particular condition. The purpose of chiropractic is to make sure that the body functions smoothly. Chiropractic operates based upon the following principles:

1. The body is designed to heal itself.
2. These healing mechanisms are controlled by the nervous system.
3. We experience optimal health when nothing interferes with the nervous system. If something does interfere, the body’s ability to heal itself is interrupted.
4. The mission of chiropractic is to remove interference, optimize function, and restore health.

In dealing with children who are affected by conditions such as asthma, colic, ADHD, or ear infections, our primary mission is to help the child’s body function optimally by restoring nervous system function. Chiropractic is not always directed at the symptom, rather, it is directed at spinal dysfunction that alters neurological health, and ultimately disrupts the child’s overall health.

No. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Children, like adults, should live a balanced life for optimal health. Many factors determine overall health, including diet, exercise, proper rest, and emotional and spiritual support.

Chiropractic can improve your child’s overall health. A study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Research has found that there is a “definite correlation between chiropractic care and superior health.” In fact, this study:

“has shown that children raised under chiropractic care are less prone to infectious processes such as otitis media and tonsillitis, and that their immune systems are better able to cope with allergens such as pollen, weeds, grasses, etc. compared to children raised under allopathic care. There is also a significant decreased history of antibiotic therapy use among the ‘Chiropractic’ children, this indicating a lower susceptibility to bacterial infections as a result of greater immune system response.” —Van Breda and Van Breda, “A Comparative Study of the Health Status of Children Raised Under the Health Care Models of Chiropractic and Allopathic Medicine,” Journal of Chiropractic Research, Summer 1989

Additional observations included a more rapid recovery period from illness for children under chiropractic care.

It’s important for both the mother and the baby. Dramatic changes are occurring in the woman’s body. Not since she was in the womb herself did her body experience such drastic changes in such a short amount of time.

The following are some of the aspects of pregnancy that can lead to subluxation:

• Rapid increase in weight
• Postural changes
• Changes in sleep patterns & positions
• Altered appetite and eating habits
• Loosening of body ligaments to allow for growth and delivery
• Flat feet due to weight gain or loose ligaments
• Hormonal and emotional changes
• New family stress

All of the above and many more can cause subluxation, and this doesn’t include any of the changes Mom and Dad will experience after the arrival of the baby.

With the countless changes occurring in your body and in your family, there is no better time to receive chiropractic care. The focus of chiropractic during pregnancy is not to simply help manage the symptoms of pregnancy. The role chiropractic can play is the optimization of the mothers’ body to accommodate the growing child within.

The technique used to help facilitate this mechanism is called the Webster Technique (see below). This technique is commonly thought of as the breach turning technique, but is quite simply a technique that helps to optimize the mother’s body to better accommodate the baby, doing this has resulted in many breech babies to turn. Our doctors are in a select group of chiropractors certified and experienced in this incredible technique. Mothers who have utilized chiropractic throughout their pregnancy have also reported a decrease in labor time over women who have not (24% decrease for first-time pregnancies and a 39% decrease for multiple pregnancies). This fact alone is enough for many women to explore chiropractic while pregnant.

Studies have shown that women who have consistent chiropractic care throughout their pregnancies have shorter and less painful labors with fewer complications and fewer interventions. Of course, techniques are very different for pregnant women, and our doctors are specially trained to ensure you the safest and best possible care throughout your pregnancy.

As for the baby, the developmental time in the womb is the most important formative time in your child’s life. It is often during this time lifelong health patterns are established. Thus giving children the best start in life begins in pregnancy. Utilizing the Webster Technique is of vital importance in providing your baby with an optimal opportunity to grow and develop within the womb, providing a safe and healthy delivery and a healthy life outside the womb.

Remember, the subluxations you have during pregnancy don’t just affect you – they affect your unborn baby too! Your baby needs your nervous system to be fully functioning in order to develop correctly.

Pregnant? Is your baby breech? Maybe you are simply looking for ways to increase comfort during pregnancy Round ligament pain? Is there a way to decrease labor time and therefore the chance of delivery interventions?

Are those questions yours? Chances are good that the Webster Technique is what you are looking for!

Our doctors are certified by the International Pediatric Chiropractic Association in the Webster Technique and have performed the procedure thousands of times.

While there is no guarantee that a breech baby will turn head-down no matter the intervention, the Webster Technique is a safe and comfortable procedure proven to work for many women carrying breech. Webster Technique is not just a breach ‘turning’ technique, it is ultimately a technique valuable for all pregnant moms and their babies. By reducing the forces on the uterus both baby and mom are able to go through pregnancy in improved comfort and mobility.

The Webster Technique

Dr. Larry Webster, Founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) discovered this technique as a safe means to restore proper pelvic balance and function for pregnant mothers. In expectant mothers presenting breech, there has been a high reported success rate of the baby turning to the normal vertex position. Research studies have and continue to document the success the Webster Technique has on safely restoring breech babies into a normal uterine position.

Webster Technique Defined:

Chiropractic care benefits all aspects of your body’s ability to be healthy. This is accomplished by working with the nervous system-the conduit of intelligence and communication between your brain and body. Doctors of Chiropractic work to correct subluxations of the spinal bones. When subluxated, these bones put pressure on the spinal cord and the spinal nerves – this can cause a malfunction in countless areas of the body and imbalance in the surrounding muscles and ligaments.

Subluxation of the sacrum (a large triangular-shaped bone at the base of your spine) causes a tightening and torsion of specific pelvic muscles and ligaments producing uterine torsion or constraint. It is these tense muscles and ligaments and their constraining effect on the uterus which prevents the baby from comfortably assuming the vertex, or head down position required for proper growth and development as well as birthing. The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment which removes interference to the nervous system, balances out pelvic muscles and ligaments which in turn removes constraint to the woman’s uterus and allows the baby to get into the best possible position for development and for birth.

Any position of the baby other than vertex may indicate the presence of sacral subluxation and therefore result in intrauterine constraint. It is strongly recommended by our doctors at BWC and the International Chiropractic Pediatric Chiropractic Association, that this specific analysis and adjustment of the sacrum be used throughout pregnancy, to detect imbalance and prevent intrauterine constraint, rather than used as a corrective technique after a problem has developed.

Because of the effect, the chiropractic adjustment has on all body functions, pregnant mothers should have their spines checked regularly throughout pregnancy, allowing for safer, easier deliveries and optimized health benefits for both the mother and baby.

The importance of chiropractic care during pregnancy cannot be understated, for both mother and developing baby. Our doctors are well trained and very experienced to help you through this exciting time of life. Please contact our office to answer any further questions you may have, or to experience the benefits of chiropractic first hand.

“Study Shows Chiropractic Technique Effective In Breech Turning”

A study published in the July/August 2002 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics shows the chiropractic technique known as the “Webster Technique” for managing the musculoskeletal causes of intrauterine constraint, is effective in cases of pregnancy with women experiencing breech presentation which can lead to a cesarean section birth.

According to the published study, “Intrauterine constraint is defined as any force external to the developing fetus that obstructs the normal movement of the fetus.” Intrauterine constraint can prevent the developing fetus from moving into the normal head-down position needed for normal vaginal birth. When this happens this is called a “breech presentation”. This situation plays a critical role in how the mother delivers her baby. According to the statistics published in the article, in the United States 86% of all infants with breech presentations are delivered by cesarean section.

The JMPT article indicates that the Webster Technique is a chiropractic technique designed to relieve the musculoskeletal causes of intrauterine constraint. This technique is also known by names such as Webster’s In-Utero Constraint Technique or Webster’s Breech Turning Technique. The Webster Technique was developed by Dr. Larry Webster in 1978. Dr. Webster was often referred to in the chiropractic profession as “The Grandfather of chiropractic pediatrics.” Additionally, the technique is presently taught in many chiropractic colleges and postgraduate chiropractic education courses.

The study was done by surveying a large number of doctors of chiropractic who use the technique to see the percentage of results they obtain on real patients. The survey required detailed information to verify the accuracy of the responses. The results showed that 82% of the doctors surveyed reported a high rate of success when using the Webster Technique. The results from the study suggested that it may be beneficial to perform the Webster Technique in the 34th week of pregnancy if it has been determined that the child is in the breech position. This timing is important because from that point on, a breech presentation is unlikely to spontaneously convert to the normal head-down position.

The study concludes by saying, “when successful, the Webster Technique avoids the costs and risks of cesarean section or vaginal trial of breech. In view of these findings, the Webster Technique deserves serious consideration in the management of expectant mothers exhibiting adverse fetal presentation.”

“The Webster Technique: A technique for pregnant women” By The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association

You have seen the Webster Technique—that Chiropractic technique to help pregnant mothers with breech babies—featured on The Learning Channel’s hit series “A Baby Story.” You have read about it in Mothering magazine and Midwifery Today. You have seen it on the internet. You have heard it talked about by birthing professionals. But what is it?

The Webster Technique, discovered by Dr. Larry Webster, founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA), is a specific chiropractic adjustment for pregnant mothers. It is a technique designed to relieve the causes of intrauterine constraint.

Formerly known as Webster’s In-Utero Constraint Technique or Webster’s Breech Turning Technique, the Webster Technique was developed by Dr. Webster in 1978. It has been highly successful in relieving intrauterine constraints and helping to convert breech presentations to cephalic presentations for more than 20 years.

What is intrauterine constraint? Intrauterine constraint is defined as any force external to the developing fetus that obstructs the normal movement of the fetus. Intrauterine constraint can prevent the developing fetus from attaining a head down vertex position and achieving a vaginal birth, resulting in cesarean section delivery. Today, nearly 13% of all cesarean deliveries performed are due to breech presentation.

In 1985, the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed 15% as the highest acceptable limit for cesarean section rates. This figure was based on the cesarean section rates of countries with the lowest prenatal mortality rates in the world. In 1991, the figure was adopted as a goal for the year 2000 by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Currently, approximately 4.6 % of all singleton pregnancies develop into a breech presentation and the incidence of prenatal mortality with breech presentation is approximately four times that of a vertex presentation. While many infants in a breech presentation before 34 weeks will convert spontaneously to a cephalic presentation, few will do so afterward.

Decreasing the number of caesareans for breech presentation has been offered as a strategy to reach the Healthy People 2000 goal of 15% cesarean section rate. The importance of preventing intrauterine constraint and subsequent cesarean section delivery is apparent, considering in the United States approximately 22% of all births were cesarean section deliveries. In Canada, the incidence of cesarean section ranges from 15%-22%, depending on the province. The Webster Technique is a chiropractic means of decreasing the number of caesareans for breech presentation.

Performance of the Webster Technique involves analysis of the relationship of the bones of the pelvis, and correction of aberrant biomechanics through the use of a light force chiropractic adjustment of the sacrum (Step 1). It also involves analysis and relief of specific abdominal muscle tension or spasm (Step 2). Both steps are intended to relieve the musculoskeletal causes of intrauterine constraint that may lead to cesarean section delivery.

It is important to stress at this time that the Webster Technique is not to be misconstrued as the practice of obstetrics. The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic technique intended to relieve a specific musculoskeletal condition and is well within the chiropractor’s scope of practice. At no time does the chiropractor attempt to change the position of the fetus as is done in external cephalic version (ECV). Untrained individuals should not attempt the Webster Technique.

In addition, the Webster Technique should not be confused with other unproven or unsafe “chiropractic breech turning” techniques.

The ICPA, founded by Dr. Webster, maintains the only database of chiropractors certified in the proper performance of the Webster Technique. In addition, the ICPA currently offers the only courses to certify chiropractors in the proper performance of it.

Growing awareness of the Webster Technique is demonstrating the increased demand for doctors of chiropractic trained to perform it. Because of its ability to facilitate easier, safer deliveries for both mother and baby, many birth care providers are actively seeking doctors of chiropractic with the skills in this technique. Daily, the ICPA receives many requests for referrals.

For more information please visit the ICPA website at www.icpa4kids.com