Frequently Asked Questions

Chiropractic care focuses on the relationship between the spine, joints, muscles, and nervous system. When joints are stiff, irritated, or not moving properly, it can contribute to pain, muscle tension, reduced mobility, and difficulty performing normal activities.

Chiropractic adjustments and other conservative techniques are designed to improve joint motion, reduce mechanical stress, and help you move and function more comfortably.

At Beyond Wellness Chiropractic in Mt Pleasant, we evaluate each patient individually and recommend care based on their examination findings, symptoms, health history, and goals.

Maybe you’ve never heard of subluxations. That’s OK. There probably was a time when you’d never heard of AIDS or Alzheimer’s.

You can have subluxations and not even know it. Like tooth decay or cancer, subluxations can be present before any warning signs appear. The results of a thorough examination can show the location and severity of any subluxations you may have.

Sometimes. Today’s hectic lifestyles are a constant source of subluxations. Fortunately, our bodies have the ability to self-correct many of these minor problems as we bend and stretch, or when we sleep at night. When subluxations don’t resolve, you need a chiropractic doctor!

Many first subluxations occur from the birth process. Even “modern” childbirth methods can put tremendous pressure on an infant’s spine. 

There are three basic causes of subluxations. Physical causes could include slips and falls, accidents, repetitive motions and improper lifting. Emotions, such as grief, anger and fear can cause subluxations. Chemical causes could include alcohol, drugs, pollution and poor diet.

Some chiropractic adjustments produce a popping or cracking sound. This usually occurs when pressure changes within a joint cause dissolved gases in the joint fluid to rapidly change.

An adjustment does not have to make a sound to be effective. The sound itself is not an indication of whether an adjustment was successful.

You may be able to twist or move a joint enough to produce a popping sound, but that is not the same as receiving a chiropractic evaluation and a targeted adjustment.

Repeatedly forcing your neck, back, or other joints to pop may also irritate the surrounding tissues.

A chiropractor examines how a joint is moving and determines whether treatment is appropriate before performing an adjustment.

Between each pair of spinal bones is a disc. Its fibrous outer ring holds in a jelly-like material. This soft center serves as a “ball bearing” for joint movement. Because of the way a disc attaches to the spinal bones above and below it, it can’t actually “slip.” However, a disc can bulge. It can tear. It can herniate. It can thin. It can dry out. And it can collapse. But it can’t slip.

Bulging or herniated discs can sometimes irritate nearby nerves and contribute to back pain, neck pain, sciatica, numbness, tingling, or other symptoms.

For appropriate patients, conservative chiropractic care may be used to help improve mobility, reduce mechanical irritation, and manage pain and functional limitations. We may use techniques such as chiropractic adjustments, flexion-distraction, spinal decompression approaches, stretching, or rehabilitation recommendations depending on the individual patient.

Not every disc problem should be treated the same way. Your examination helps determine whether chiropractic care is appropriate or whether additional imaging, medical evaluation, or referral is needed.

No. However, many disc problems are the result of years of neglect. Many spinal problems are non-symptomatic until the advanced stages of degeneration. Many elderly patients who have maintained their spines throughout their lives continue to enjoy excellent spinal health and function.

Many pregnant patients experience back, hip, pelvic, and other musculoskeletal discomfort as their bodies change during pregnancy.

When appropriate, chiropractic techniques can be modified for pregnancy and positioning can be adjusted for comfort.

Pregnant patients should also maintain regular prenatal care, and significant or unusual symptoms should be discussed with their obstetric health care provider.

Not every patient automatically needs X-rays.

Whether imaging is appropriate depends on factors such as your symptoms, age, health history, examination findings, previous injuries, and the possibility of underlying conditions.

When X-rays are clinically appropriate, Beyond Wellness Chiropractic offers convenient on-site X-ray services so we can obtain additional information about your spine when needed.

Yes. Children and teenagers can experience problems related to sports, falls, posture, backpacks, repetitive activities, and other physical stresses.

Pediatric chiropractic care should be based on the child’s age, size, symptoms, health history, and examination findings, with techniques modified appropriately.