A subluxation is a misalignment of one or more of the moveable bones in your spine. These happen when your bodies capacity to adapt to stress is surpassed. The stresses that can cause subluxations to be present in the body are:

Physical – little falls, car accidents, sitting at a desk all day, being a ‘weekend warrior’, poor posture

Chemical – improper nutrition, artificial sweeteners, too much caffeine, environmental pollution, workplace exposure

Emotional – poor sleep, loss of loved one, financial concerns, unhealthy relationships

As you can see, many aspects of the ‘modern life’ leave your body susceptible to living in a subluxated state. Only a chiropractor is training to accurately detect and successfully correct subluxations.

The nervous system controls and regulates every function in the body – how much the muscles pull, the position of the bones in the spine, the smells you smell, the sights you see! The spine houses the delicate nervous system, protecting it with bone, bones which can move out of place from too much stress. We adjust the bones of the spine to ‘reset’ the nervous system, much like you have to flip a breaker switch to restore power when you overload the electrical outlet. Through making adjustments to the spine, we are able to have an effect at a deeper level in the body.

This is the biggest objection we hear from people – and I would love to know where it started! There are so many great analogies to counter this argument, and I think they help to show the weakness of this argument, so here we go:

• If you eat a really healthy meal for lunch, does that mean you don’t have to eat anything nutritious for the rest of your life? Of course not! It’s about lifestyle choices – day in and day out.
• If you go to the dentist for a cleaning, does that mean you never have to go back again? No! Spinal hygiene is just as important as dental hygiene – you can get a new set of pearly whites with dentures, but have you ever heard of someone getting a new spine? You only get one spine, please take care of it!
• If you get the oil changed in your car, is that something you only do once? You seem to grasp the importance of keeping your vehicle tuned up, but the idea of keeping your spine in check and tuned up takes some serious thought. Without regular chiropractic care – your alignment goes off kilter (leg length/hip height discrepancies), your fuel efficiency plummets (poor stress management), and you will never pass an emissions test (ability to properly rest, digest and eliminate toxins are compromised).
  Hopefully after reading these, you can recognize the faulty argument. Chiropractic is a part of a healthy LIFESTYLE – a series of choices that you have to make on a daily basis – eating well, exercise, being in healthy relationships. People FEEL better when they get adjusted, so yes, most people keep coming back. This is by choice, not by force!

Yes. Since chiropractors use only their hands (and the occasional instrument) to make changes to the body, it is very safe. We don’t have to worry about the harsh toxic effects of long term drug use, or drug reactions. Insurance premiums are based on the likelihood of a claim being made, the higher the premium, the ‘riskier’ you are to the insurance company. Chiropractors have the lowest malpractice insurance premiums of any widely utilized group of doctors.

Someone asking a chiropractor to ‘crack’ their back is synonymous to nails on a chalkboard for a chiropractor! The sound you frequently hear with an adjustment is gas being released from the joint. It isn’t your bones crunching together, or anything cracking! The adjustment should not hurt, some temporary discomfort is possible when first starting care, but the vast majority of the time people report feeling fantastic.

Dr. Courtney uses an assessment technique where she can detect imbalances in the spine and nervous system by looking at the length of your legs. As you move your head from side to side, it changes the signals going to your brain and then from your brain to the postural muscles in the back, and can actually have an effect on the apparent length of your legs. When your legs balance, she knows everything is in better alignment and function will begin to normalize – just wait, your shoulder will feel better soon.

First, congratulations on having such a healthy lifestyle! There are stresses that overwhelm the body’s ability to adapt, resulting in subluxations. No matter how much kale you eat, or how many miles you run in a week – nothing but the chiropractic adjustment will restore proper tone to the nervous system. Chiropractic might be the last missing piece in your healthy lifestyle!

Because we love you! The chiropractic philosophy is preventative and pro-active, meaning we want to keep you feeling great (and out of pain) rather than stop a vicious cycle of pain once it has started. Caring for your spine, and getting regular ‘wellness checks’ from your chiropractor is the best way to keep you functioning at your peak.

No, you can see a chiropractor without a referral. You can give us a call at 519-755-7736 to book your consultation, most times available within the same week!

No, OHIP does not cover chiropractic care anymore. The vast majority of supplemental health plans offer coverage for chiropractic – limits and deductibles vary. Call your insurance company to ask what benefits are available to you and your family.