FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CHIROPRACTIC CARE
La Jolla Chiropractor Dr .Michael Ackerman helps patients to understand and release the emotional stress patterns underlying their physical
problems and disease.  Dr. Michael Ackerman has been in practice as a chiropractor in La Jolla, California, for 11 years of his 23 years in practice.  
Being a La Jolla Chiropractor has been extremely rewarding for Dr. Michael Ackerman, and he is unique among the chiropractic doctors in La Jolla
in that he has worked with professional athletic teams, such as the New Orleans Saints, the Delta Festival Ballet Company, as well as collegiate and
amateur athletes from most sports backgrounds.  Dr. Michael Ackerman enjoys practicing as a chiropractor by the sea in such a beautiful town as
La Jolla, California, but he also does healing consultations by phone with people from all over the country.  If  you are looking for chiropractors in
La Jolla, call Dr. Michael Ackerman first for a consultation.
PLEASE CLICK ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TOPICS OF INTEREST:
    ARE CHIROPRACTIC DOCTORS SIMILAR TO PHYSICAL THERAPISTS OR MASSAGE THERAPISTS?

Chiropractic doctors undergo a course of training after college which includes 4 years of chiropractic medical schooling, followed
by 1 year of internship, and then often by 1 or 2 years in an associateship or preceptorship to further learn a specialty.  They have a
license similar to a medical doctor, dentist, or osteopath, etc., who are all primary care physicians.

Physical therapists usually have a minimum of 2 years of college, followed by 2 years of physical therapy school.  They then become
licensed “therapists” who require the orders of a medical doctor, a chiropractic doctor, or osteopath, etc., to legally treat patients.  

Massage therapists are not required to have a college degree, and currently there is no statewide requirement in California for
certification.  Different cities have their own licensing requirements, ranging from a minimum of 100 hours in Northern California to a
minimum of 500 hours of massage education for most of Southern California.  
    WHAT TYPE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING DOES A CHIROPRACTOR HAVE?

After college, it may require as much as 5 to 7 years of further study before a Chiropractic Doctor enters into private practice!   The    
education process for a Chiropractic Doctor (D.C.) is much like that of Medical Doctors (M.D.), Dentists (D.D.S.), or Osteopaths (D.O.).
After college, the Chiropractic Doctor completes 4 years of education at an accredited chiropractic university.   This is followed by 1
year of internship at a university affiliated clinic.  After graduating, Chiropractic Doctors must pass several stringent National Board
Examinations, then take oral, written, and practical examinations for the states in which they choose to practice.  Oftentimes,
Chiropractic Doctors will then decide to enter a 1 or 2 year associateship or preceptorship in an existing clinic which emphasizes
treatment methods in which they wish to specialize.   This does not mark the end of the education process!  Chiropractic Doctors are
required to complete yearly postgraduate courses for license renewal and to stay current on the latest scientific research.
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                         WHAT DOES A CHIROPRACTOR DO?

There is archeological evidence that ancient cultures have been using manipulative therapy for treating pain for over 5000 years!  
These practices eventually evolved into the art of “bone-setting” which became widely used in Europe for many centuries -- even
the Queen of England had her own 'bone-setter'.

History was made however, in 1896, when a medical doctor by the name of Daniel David Palmer performed a bone-setting treatment
and surprisingly restored the hearing of a patient who had been deaf for 17 years!  The news of Dr. Palmer’s cure spread far and
wide, and large numbers of people began coming to him not only with back pain but with many kinds of internal illnesses such as
asthma, stomach ulcers, menstrual cramps, etc., and he was found to have success with many conditions which had been resistant
to other medical cures. Because of his medical background, he was the first person to combine his knowledge of the nervous
system with bone-setting into the art of “chiropractic” medicine—the “practice” (praktikos) of medicine done by “hand” (chiro).  He
realized that treating the spine was the avenue to opening the blocks in the nervous system to potentially cure disease!  Soon his
success became so widespread that other medical doctors and aspiring healers pressed him to learn his methods, and within 1 year
(in 1897) he founded the first chiropractic college, whereafter soon many other colleges were founded throughout the United States.

Today, chiropractic doctors are trained to identify the root cause of your pain and symptoms by skillfully locating areas in your spine,
shoulders, arms, hands, hips, legs, and feet  that are not functioning properly.   When joints of the spine and other regions are not
working properly, the health of the bones, muscles, ligaments, and nerves are affected .  Over time, such imbalances can result in
often preventable degeneration, arthritis, and disease.  Chiropractors use “spinal adjustments” or joint mobilization to restore the
normal function and health of the spine and surrounding tissues, unblocking the nervous system, and slowing down or even
reversing the process of degenerative change.  In addition to manipulation, doctors prescribe various stretching and strength-
ending exercises, massage, physical therapy modalities, nutrition, and corrective postural recommendations to support the healing
process.   The popularity of chiropractic medicine has made it currently the second largest healing profession in the world, and it is
covered by most health insurance, automobile insurance, and state worker's compensation insurance throughout the United States.
                                                 WHAT IS AN ADJUSTMENT?

A “chiropractic adjustment” is the art of imparting a specific movement in a precise direction to restore motion and balance within a
or degeneration due to past injuries or improper use.  An adjustment or manipulation serves to interrupt this cycle of deterioration
the body.  When the spine is free of inflammation, channels of normal communication in the nervous system are restored to all of
the body's systems from head to toe.  After years of training and clinical experience, each chiropractic doctor becomes highly
skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches to treat the spine, shoulders, arms, hands, hips, knees, feet.  Based
upon the age, size, and health of a patient, a chiropractor adapts the adjusting procedure to be more comfortable and to meet their
specific needs.  Patients often note a reduction of pain with noticeable improvement  immediately following treatment.  
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          IS CHIROPRACTIC CARE SAFE?

Insurance companies do extensive research, and they base their premiums on how much risk there is to insure a person or a
profession.  My malpractice insurance premiums, for example, run about $1,000 per year.  A family practice M.D. spends about
$25,000 per year, while an orthopedist spends in the neighborhood of $70,000 per year for malpractice coverage.  My automobile
insurance actually costs more than my malpractice insurance!  Based on these figures, it is obvious that chiropractic treatment is
very safe as compared to medical care.

Chiropractic medicine has such an excellent safety record because of its conservative, yet powerfully effective, approach to
health.  As a profession, chiropractic doctors have chosen to not rely on surgery, invasive procedures, or potentially harmful drugs
to treat their patients.  Chiropractic care is safer than most medical treatment options including back surgery, taking muscle
relaxants, anti-inflammatories, and even using common pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol! (Click here if you want
the hard-to-believe truth about the side effects of aspirin, ibuprofen, and Tylenol.)
                    WHAT CAUSES THE SOUND OF AN ADJUSTMENT?

Actually, not all adjusting techniques produce the sound associated with "popping” knuckles.  Some techniques create no sound at
all, some a little...  What causes this?  The mystery may have been solved by a British research team that took x-ray movies of
people "popping" their knuckles.  The sound is caused by gas rushing in to fill the partial vacuum created when the joints are
slightly separated.  This release of pressure in the joint is also associated with a release of tension.  These factors are partly
responsible for the relief people feel from having an adjustment.
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                    IS IT BAD TO CRACK YOUR BACK AND NECK A LOT?

The desire to “pop” the neck or back is caused by a feeling of irritation or muscle tension surrounding a joint.  This irritation and
tension is usually most present where the spine is repeatedly strained or being asked to try to move beyond its normal limits.  When
one area of the spine is jammed or moving too little, it causes the neighboring joints to have to compensate by moving too much.  
Too much movement forces the ligaments around these joints to loosen, making the area easy to “pop” by one's own minimal self-
effort.

Some people form a habit of “adjusting” themselves many times a day.  However, by adjusting these overly loose and irritated areas
of the spine, they are repeatedly treating the wrong joints.  What actually must be treated are the stuck or jammed areas of the spine
which are adjacent to it.  So, although someone may feel momentary relief from their tension after adjusting an irritated area of their
back or neck, etc., within a few minutes they feel like they need to adjust themselves again.  A chiropractic doctor is trained to
locate and treat the appropriate joints of the spine--so as not to aggravate existing instabilities--in order to restore delicate balance
to the spine and nervous system.  Often people with even long term habits of self-adjusting will find they no longer feel the urge
after proper chiropractic care has been received.
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    CAN I ADJUST MYSELF?

I wish the answer were “yes”, I would love to be able to treat myself!  However even chiropractors with years of expertise in spinal
manipulation need to see a colleague for their own treatment.  For one thing, it is very difficult to diagnose which joints of the spine
require manipulation.  Some joints are painful due to too much movement, others are painful due to being jammed or fixated. Once a
jammed or fixated joint is located by a skilled doctor, a chiropractic adjustment must be applied using a specific force, in a specific
direction, trying to affect only the specific spinal joint in question… So it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself.

It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a "popping" sound, like the sound that sometimes accompanies a
chiropractic adjustment.  Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already
unstable area of the spine even more unsteady.   Thus, self-adjusting usually results in an aggravation of one’s underlying condition
rather than a cure.
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            CAN I DO YOGA OR ANY EXERCISES INSTEAD OF SEEING A CHIROPRACTOR?

Attempting to treat spinal problems primarily with yoga or exercise is often unsuccessful and at times very dangerous.  Yoga and
exercise are designed to restore movement and function to the spine as a whole, but research has shown that individual jammed,
fixated, or degenerating joints of the spine may persist and even be worsened by attempted stretching or strengthening
exercises.  Once a skilled stretches and exercises can then be very beneficial and supportive to healing.  Chiropractic care,
proper stretching and strengthening, and massage are each vital parts of a "holistic" approach to successfully treating spinal
conditions.    
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     CAN I TELL IF I  NEED ANY SPINAL CARE WITHOUT CONSULTING A CHIROPRACTOR?

Not Always.  A problem with the vertebrae of the spine leading to spinal nerve stress is like a dental cavity--you may have it for a
long time before symptoms appear. That's why periodic spinal check-ups are so important.  Although it may be possible to know you
have spinal nerve stress when you are in pain, it is rarely possible to be sure you don’t have nerve stress in the absence of pain.  
An occasional spinal check-up is always a good idea for preventing small problems from turning into much larger and harder to
treat conditions.
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             DO MOST INSURANCE PLANS COVER CHIROPRACTIC CARE?

Many people do not realize that most insurance plans cover chiropractic care.  We are non-network providers for most health
insurance plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Humana, just to name a few.  If you have any
questions about whether your insurance will cover your care in our office, we can verify your insurance for you before your visit.

There are NO out-of-pocket costs at all for patients seeking care due to automobile accidents or work-related injuries.

La Jolla Chiropractic Health Center also offers customized care plans for patients without insurance.  Depending on the amount of
chiropractic care we determine you will need in our office, we will create a customized care plan for you which offers a discount on
services.  This is done in order that patients can follow through with their care and treatments, assuring maximum results for each
and every patient.  What is the discount?  We will look at how many total treatments are necessary in your individual case and then
we can offer a discount based on how many payments you would like to make (pay in-part monthly, pay in full, etc.)
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    IF I HAVE BEEN IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT SHOULD I SEEK CHIROPRACTIC CARE?

Often accident victims don't realize the extent of their injuries. The majority of the detrimental effects of motor vehicle accidents
manifest later and with possible greater degrees of severity.  This is much like athletes who have played a rough or contact sport:
oftentimes many days, months, or years later the effects of their past injuries come back to haunt them.  If the problems created by
the trauma of a motor vehicle collision are identified and treated properly in the early stages, the potential for long-term pain and
suffering is greatly reduced.  Research has shown that five years following motor vehicle injuries, about 40% of people usually
develop arthritic degenerative changes in their spines.  Chiropractic care can especially help prevent this type of arthritis.
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    WHAT IS A "SLIPPED DISC" AND HOW CAN IT BE TREATED?

The discs of the spine are like shock absorbers.  They occupy the spaces between the spinal vertebrae, and have many layers of
attaches to the spinal bones above and below it.  However, a disc can tear, bulge, herniate, thin, dry out, or collapse causing an
irritation of nearby tissue. Most disc problems result from long term spinal imbalances.  Chiropractic treatment, whose goal is not
only to relieve pain but also to normalize these imbalances, has a high degree of success in the management of disc problems.  
Only 1 in 100 herniated discs require a surgical intervention, and most orthopedic surgeons will suggest obtaining at least 3 months
of conservative care first before even considering a spinal surgery!
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          IF I'M AN ATHLETE HOW CAN I BENEFIT FROM CHIROPRACTIC CARE?

Chiropractic treatment helps athletes operate at peak performance, have safer workouts, increase flexibility and stamina, and
recover more quickly from training and injury.  Most professional and Olympic sports teams have chiropractors on staff and many
other people whose professions depend on fitness regularly utilize chiropractors.  I have worked with many professional and
amateur athletes who would rarely consider going into an important competition without first receiving chiropractic treatment.  
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AT HOW EARLY OF AN AGE SHOULD I TAKE MY CHILD FOR A CHIROPRACTIC CHECK-UP?

When you want to give your child a head start in good health and all the benefits of a conservative, drugless approach to health
care, you should take your child to a chiropractor.  It is important to have a chiropractic exam early in a child’s life as spinal trauma
can occur during birth, as well as from tumbles while learning to sit up or walk. Your child’s spine grows almost 50% in length
during the first year. This is equivalent to a six-footer growing to nine feet in just 12 months!  It is this kind of tremendous growth
and developmental changes which make a complete chiropractic examination so important in the early stages of a child’s life.  
Later, learning to ride a bicycle, playing sports, or other childhood activities can cause spinal problems.  Many childhood health
complaints that are brushed off as "growing pains" can often be traced to the spine. Regular chiropractic check-ups can identify
these problems early and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults.
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                             AM I TOO OLD FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE?

Probably not…the oldest patient I ever treated was 96 years young!  He was an ex-jazz musician who always brightened up the
office with his wit, vitality, and charm whenever he came in.  I have seen that older people--in general--respond very quickly to
chiropractic treatment.   People often experience a relief of their pain, a decrease in stiffness, and a return of a greater range of
motion in their necks, backs, shoulders, arms, hips, etc.  It is wonderful to offer older patients a natural and effective approach to
healing which helps them to become more self-reliant and less reliant on drugs for relief of their pain and symptoms.   
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                            CAN A PREGNANT WOMAN GO TO A CHIROPRACTOR?

Yes... and sometimes they make the most grateful patients when they finally can experience some relief from the extra burden of
their aches and pains.  Chiropractic adjustments can reduce the incidence of discomfort in the lower back, legs, and between the
shoulder blades due to the stresses of pregnancy.  In some cases, fewer headaches and problems with nausea and elimination
may also result.  Pregnant women whom I have treated said that chiropractic care made their deliveries much easier than their
previous experiences in child birth.  Achieving greater freedom from spinal nerve interference can lead to a more comfortable
pregnancy, a healthier and more supportive environment for the development of the baby, and an easier delivery.   
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    CAN A PERSON WHO HAS HAD BACK SURGERY SEE A CHIROPRACTOR?

Yes... It's an unfortunate fact that half of those who had spinal surgery discover a return of their original symptoms months or
years later.  They then face the prospect of additional surgery. This too common occurrence is known as the "Failed Back Surgery
Syndrome."  Chiropractic treatment may help to relieve pain and stiffness and thus work to prevent repeated operations.
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    CAN A PERSON WHO HAS HAD A BROKEN BACK OR NECK SEE A CHIROPRACTOR?

After full healing of the fracture, the answer is “yes”!  A broken bone forms a callus or bone scar when it heals that makes it often
stronger than the previously existing bone.  However, healing is not complete after immobilization and removal of the brace or
cast.  Where spinal joints are concerned, a fracture is usually accompanied by serious injuries to muscles, ligaments, discs, and
surrounding nerves.  Chiropractic care can be an integral part in the rehabilitation and restoration of normal function in these
tissues which are adjacent to the site of fracture.  Oftentimes, the stages of rehabilitation which begin after the fracture heals are
the most critical and important for insuring a good, long-term, healthy outcome.
    SHOULD I GO TO A CHIROPRCTOR IF I FEEL FINE?

In most cases, by the time we feel symptoms, the detrimental effects of spinal problems have already resulted in some degree of
damage…  A similar example of this is that by the time significant tooth pain develops, we may have developed a deep cavity.  
Using how we feel as our health barometer, instead of regular check-ups, can be a very  unpredictable and even dangerous
practice.  A chiropractic doctor can detect and help prevent spinal problems very early before they cause lasting harm.  
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                               HOW LONG UNTIL I FEEL BETTER?

Many patients experience almost instant relief, while others discover it can take a few weeks.  Numerous factors affect the healing
process.  Within 1-3 treatments, most patients see enough progress to encourage them to know their plan of care is working.  
While pain management or getting rid of the outer symptoms is important, after the pain goes away, the primary goal of chiropractic
care is to treat the underlying cause of your problem.  This prevents further degeneration, disease, and irritation of your nervous
system.  Repairing the cause helps insure a healthier function of the spine and nervous system for years to come, allowing you to
stay pain-free in your normal daily lifestyle, participating in the sports and recreational activities of your choice.
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    WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I STOP TREATMENT TOO SOON?

When a program of care is stopped too early, many of the benefits which accrued from care stand to be lost.  Even after an entire
course of orthodonture (which is often 2-4 years wearing braces) patients are cautioned that if they don't wear their retainers,
many teeth will revert back to their previous condition. This illustrates that tissue patterns are deeply ingrained in the body and
hard to overcome without considerable effort.

The treatment goal in chiropractic is to restore normal movement and alignment to restricted and degenerating areas of the spine.  
As normal mobility and function are restored, the spine begins to heal itself.   Discontinuing care too soon can cause the areas of
the spine that were healing to revert back again into misaligned, immobile and inflamed joints.  Nerve interference and the cycle of
degeneration will resume.   Keeping the joints functioning properly and the spine free of nerve irritation is not only important to
keeping you out of pain, but also helps to avoid degenerative problems and arthritis which wear away the bones, muscles, and
joints of the body.  With patience and adherence to a good treatment program, it is possible to achieve the long-term results you
desire for maintaining a more active and pain-free lifestyle.
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       IS THERE ANY WAY THAT I CAN SPEED UP MY HEALING PROCESS?

There are many things you can do to give yourself a better chance for a quicker recovery!  Certain forms of exercise, good
nutrition, proper rest, and trying to reduce tension and stress in your life are especially important to aid the healing process.  
You can definitely help speed-up healing and reduce your need for care if you...

•   Use proper sitting and lifting methods and modify your physical and work habits to reduce spinal stress to avoid re-injury.  
•   Follow the doctor’s recommendations for stretching and (later) strengthening exercises to help retrain the muscles and
....tissues to better support your spine.
•   Try to reduce your tension and stress levels and get the appropriate amount of rest that your body needs.
•   Avoid sleeping on your stomach, and use appropriate pillows for your head and knees with a good supportive mattress.
•   Maintain proper nutrition with balanced meals and consider additional vitamin and mineral supplementation, especially
....Calcium and Magnesium.
•   Consider sliming down if you're overweight -- it might be a good time to think about reducing any unnecessary added
....stress upon your spine and body.
•   Keep your appointments and follow your doctor's recommendations in the spirit of a true “team” approach for sharing in the
....responsibility of achieving better health and your desired goals.
LA JOLLA CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CENTER
    DONT OSTEOPATHIC DOCTORS ALSO DO MANIPULATION?

Osteopathic doctors used to specialize in manipulation, but since adopting pharmacology into their curriculum,  their practice
began to gravitate more and more away from manipulation and toward resembling traditional Western medicine.  
In reviewing the osteopaths listed on American Osteopathic Association Web site, one can't help but notice that the majority don't
list Osteopathic Manipulation as their "Primary Specialty."  Most position themselves as specializing in "Family Practice," "Internal
Medicine," or something else.  When reviewing a listing of osteopathic doctors in California, it was noted that only four (2%) of the
first 200 listed Osteopathic Manipulation as their primary specialty.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association provides interesting insight into the current
status of osteopathic manipulative treatment.  Compared to nearly 1400 clinic hours that chiropractic doctors receive in spinal
manipulative therapy, some osteopaths have undergone only 26 clinic hours.   Thereafter, chiropractic doctors engage in a daily
practice specializing in manipulation and musculoskeletal medicine, while the vast majority of osteopathic doctors engage in
various other medical specialties.  
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