chiropractic

Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC

When choosing healthcare, people need to know the risks involved. Chiropractors appreciate a high level of safety and patient satisfaction and, for this reason, are increasingly the first choice of healthcare for many people seeking relief from back or neck pain, headaches, or other conditions. But what are the risks involved? Read more to learn if it is safe to visit a chiropractor.

Chiropractors utilize spinal adjustments (aka manipulation) to mobilize spinal joints, impacting posture, pain, and the nervous system throughout the body. By reducing interference to the nervous system, chiropractors help patients attain equilibrium without drugs or surgery. The chiropractic adjustment is a very safe first-choice option for care because it is noninvasive and helps the patient’s body heal itself.

Side effects of manual adjustment do exist. Occasionally, some patients will experience soreness at the adjustment site or headaches. Neck manipulation has caused vertebral artery dissection in rare cases; most chiropractors mitigate this risk by examining the patient before providing the manual adjustment or using other adjustment options, such as the Activator Technique.

Other healthcare practitioners, such as medical doctors, orthopedists, and nurse practitioners, depend more heavily on drugs and surgery to make changes in the body. While these more invasive approaches can sometimes be necessary, for most musculoskeletal or stress-related aches and pains, the adverse side effects of these heavy hitters may not be as desirable. Adverse drug reactions are a significant concern ranging from mild to severe; the more drugs a person takes, the worse the problem. Surgical risks carry risks of complications such as bleeding, infection, or anesthesia-related issues.

At our chiropractic and acupuncture office in Chapel Hill, NC, Dr. Lisa Oskardmay begins each office visit with a conversation about the treatment plan, a review of symptoms, and hands-palpation of problem areas. As patients rest comfortably on the padded table, she performs massage before applying spinal adjustments to areas of subluxation or slight spinal dislocation. Patients can inform Dr. Lisa of any area of discomfort, and they can provide input into their care. Some patients receive acupuncture after adjustment; resting on a warm table for 20″ is a great way to relax and further support healing.

After treatment, Dr.Oskardmay answers questions and generally provides suggestions for exercises and nutrition to help patients at home between treatments. At the front desk, Debbie helps patients schedule their next appointments and helps with insurance questions. We strive to help people receive gentle, effective chiropractic care in a safe, supportive manner. Call today at 919-929-1400 to schedule your healthcare appointment or visit our website at acudocnc.com.

Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC

Clinical science demonstrates several crucial benefits patients receive from chiropractic adjustment to the spine and extremities. These benefits include pain reduction, lessened muscle spasms, improved joint biomechanics, and an easing of inflammation. Additionally, patients see improvements in their posture and overall body balance and strength. Patients who get regular chiropractic care stand taller with less pain. There is more than adequate science to demonstrate various conditions for which chiropractic care may be beneficial, such as back pain, headaches, numbness, shoulder pain, hip pain, and fibromyalgia. There are many benefits from spinal adjustment, aka manipulative therapy, provided by chiropractic physicians. Osteopathic doctors and physical therapists take post-graduate weekend seminars to learn how to adjust patients to offer this advantageous treatment to their clients. Millions of patients worldwide receive hands-on adjustment therapy; most insurance plans cover this.

Chiropractic Adjustment

Doctors of Chiropractic are the primary health source for spinal adjustments. Their training emphasizes spinal adjustment therapy to help resolve health problems throughout the body. They are proficient in other areas, such as exercise and nutrition, and applying physical therapy modalities such as TENS and therapeutic ultrasound. Still, chiropractic adjustment is the primary treatment they study and use to treat their patients.

DCs or doctors of chiropractic understand that spinal subluxation or vertebral misalignment results in a panoply of pain and inflammation that, over time, will degrade the spine and affect the nervous system. Chiropractic adjustment is a vital treatment tool for correcting spinal subluxation, which helps patients get better naturally, reducing the need for other interventions. Nonetheless, doctors who do chiropractic refer to their medical colleagues when needed, just as they appreciate referrals from other health practitioners. Increasingly, chiropractic care is the first choice for many patients who recognize treatment can help prevent specific common future health problems.

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center in Chapel Hill, we offer chiropractic and acupuncture care to our patients. Licensed in both aspects of alternative medicine, Dr. Lisa Oskardmay, DC, LAc.understands the value of preventive care. Treatments always begin with taking a patient history, reviewing outside tests, postural evaluation, manual palpation of the spine and extremities, range of motion and neurological testing, and other assessments particular to the patient’s needs. Following a review of findings, treatment of affected areas starts with massage, followed by the application of gentle spinal adjustment to areas of subluxation. Many patients feel relief immediately as their nervous system incorporates beneficial changes; for others, change may take days to weeks to notice.

Dr.Oskardmay prescribes changes in activities of daily living to help patients progress more quickly and maintain spinal alignment adjustments. These changes may include ergonomic changes, exercise suggestions, or nutrition prescriptions. Since we started helping people look and feel better in 1995 through gentle, effective, hands-on, and Activator chiropractic adjusting, many people have come in for regular care because chiropractic works for them.

Planning your visit to Acupractic Natural Healing Center is easy. Our office is conveniently located in Eastown Hills, just across from Wegmans. We offer free parking for our patients’ convenience. Rest assured, we participate with most major insurance plans, including BCBS, UHC, Aetna, Medicare, Cigna, and others. Simply ask at our front desk for more information.

Chiropractic care is a natural and proactive approach to health. At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, we are dedicated to helping you take control of your health and well-being. We look forward to the opportunity to assist you on your journey to better health.

Call (919) 929-1400, email schedule@acudocnc.com or visit our website acudocnc.com to schedule your appointment today.

Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC

Doctors of Chiropractic, with their extensive training and expertise in diagnosing and caring for the spine, are adept at treating patients of all ages for various health concerns. They provide expert care for conditions such as back pain, neck pain, headaches, and posture imbalance. With their skillful application of chiropractic adjustments, they can restore vertebral positioning and correct spinal subluxations, thereby reducing pain and improving nerve flow and balance to the back and extremities. Chiropractic care, a safe and effective alternative to surgery or drugs, is covered by insurance and cost-effective, offering treatments that not only alleviate pain but also provide lasting benefits. What conditions do chiropractors treat? Read more to find out.

Conditions Chiropractors Treat

Chiropractic care is not limited to just back and neck pain. It is also helpful for conditions such as shoulder pain, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, bursitis, hip pain, knee and patella disorders, plantar fasciitis, foot pain, and musculoskeletal disorders. When a DC adjusts the spine, this impacts distal areas because of attached spinal ligaments and muscles and nerve flow arising from the inner spinal cord through nerves exiting between spinal segments. Thus, a chiropractic adjustment to the cervical spine can impact the neck, head, shoulders, hands, and other areas. When your chiropractor adjusts the lower back, that adjustment likely affects the hips, knees, and feet while positively impacting additional regions.

Chiropractic care goes beyond just addressing pain. It can make positive changes to spinal biomechanics, musculoskeletal attachments, and body tissues, leading to reduced pain and improved healing throughout the body and mind. The effects of treatment extend to sleep and hormone production, digestion, and overall body stress, all of which are crucial for maintaining good health. The ultimate goal of chiropractors is to help patients achieve their lifestyle goals. Patients often report improvements in pain and stress management, as well as in their ability to sleep, digest, and perform other daily activities.

Following a series of chiropractic treatments at our chiropractic and acupuncture office in Chapel Hill, patients report they are better able to turn their head while driving, sleep on their side at night, put on their shoes in the morning, attach their bra, play pickleball or golf or other exercise, bend over to lift a baby or carry a gallon of milk. Your healthcare needs may differ, but at Acupractic Natural Healing Center in Chapel Hill, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay since 1995, we will strive to help you attain your healthcare goals naturally. Dr. Oskardmay takes the time to understand patient needs and goals, does a thorough physical examination and helps patients feel better naturally. Call today to schedule your healthcare appointment or go online 24 hours a day to schedule online and to learn more about alternatives to drugs and surgery, including natural chiropractic and acupuncture. (919) 929-1400. acudocnc.com

Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill, we offer care that helps you look and feel better. When one has good posture, this means that they can stand with their back straight, shoulders back, and abdominals engaged. This supportive posture allows the body to move freely with strength and balance. This attractive posture emits confidence and strength. Additionally, good posture reduces wear and tear on the joints and has other health benefits. Dr. Oskardmay helps people achieve better posture using chiropractic adjustments to the spine and extremities.

A healthy spine has three natural curves that, from the side, appear as a long ‘S’ shape. A healthy spine has shock absorption built in, forward at the neck, backward at the upper back, and forward at the lower back. Activities of daily living- sitting too much, working bent over or twisted, and non-supportive sleep positions, all contribute to postural deviations that, over time, impair one’s ability to stand with good posture. Genetics can also affect posture; scoliosis, body weight distribution, and muscle tone affect posture. At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, Dr. Oskardmay considers all of these when assessing individual needs and developing a treatment plan for each patient.

Poor posture contributes to spinal misalignment or subluxation because muscle and ligamentous vertebral attachments pull unevenly against gravity and other influences in ways that need not happen with good posture—ligamentous strain, muscle weakness, and hypertonicity result, causing pain, inflammation, and deformity. Over time, vertebral bony remodeling occurs, resulting in changes that can be seen on X-rays if not MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging).

Dr. Oskardmay uses palpation and posture inspection tools as early detection methods to determine the presence of subluxation, often before X-ray changes occur. Nerves from each vertebral segment send nerve messages to local and distal body regions, including muscles and organs. Longstanding spinal misalignment can result in altered nerve transmission to many areas; it is crucial to uncover areas of subluxation early. Back pain, neck ache, shoulder and hip pain, and headaches can all be precursors of deeper issues to come if spinal misalignment is left untreated.

Spinal mobilization helps restore good spinal alignment and create a balanced posture. Dr. Oskardmay uses activator Adjustment methods or hands-on diversified vertebral adjustment techniques. Combined with massage and sometimes acupuncture if desired, treatment is gentle, effective, and safe for people of all ages and impairments.

Chiropractic helps people stand taller and have better posture while improving nerve flow. Call today to schedule your spinal health checkup and treatment.

Trusted in the Triangle since 1995 to provide high-quality alternative medicine care, we are here for you. Schedule online at acudocnc.com or call 919-929-1400.

Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC

People have many important questions related to chiropractic care. Some of those questions about chiropractic include: why do medical doctors disagree with chiropractors? Is there such a thing as going to the chiropractor too much? How healthy is chiropractic? Is chiropractic spiritual? Are chiropractors doctors?

Why do medical doctors disagree with chiropractors?

I will tackle the first question about chiropractic in this blog; stay tuned for upcoming blog posts for answers to some of the other questions. Why do medical doctors disagree with chiropractors? The question assumes that medical doctors DO disagree with chiropractors, an assumption that is not necessarily accurate these days. A primary adage of all healing practitioners- medical and alternative, is DO NO HARM. Most medical doctors recognize that chiropractors have an incredible safety record. Compared to the medical profession, chiropractic services are incredibly safe and have superior clinical effectiveness for many conditions. It is not uncommon for medical doctors to refer to chiropractors and other alternative healing practitioners for conditions such as back pain, headaches, stress-related symptoms, neck pain, and others when they recognize that what they have to offer- medications and surgery, aren’t helping and can have problematic side-effects.

Nonetheless, some medical doctors disagree with chiropractors because medical doctors do not know what chiropractors do nor understand the science behind chiropractic care. Chiropractors emphasize hands-on palpation and a holistic understanding of patients’ problems. While chiropractors use medical imaging – x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, for example, and can order lab tests and interpret them, chiropractors depend on hands-on diagnostic methods, patient inspection, and patient input to get to the root of the problem. Patients like this healthcare method, but medical doctors are less familiar, so they sometimes express suspicions regarding it.

Regarding the science behind chiropractic care, ample evidence shows the connection between various muscles, bones, and internal organs with the spine and nervous system. Most everyone understands the concept of a ‘pinched nerve’ as it relates to pain. Medical doctors use different methods- drugs to fight pain and relax muscles, for instance, when a patient presents with back or neck pain, headaches, shoulder aches, or wrist pain. But when the problem is a pinched nerve stemming from spinal misalignment, which is common, the chiropractic adjustment works better and faster with fewer adverse side effects.

It is fair to say that medical doctors disagree with chiropractors who say they can cure every disease using spinal adjustment techniques. Just like every ache and pain will not resolve using pain medications or surgery, other conditions- heart blockages or flu, for instance, are better managed with drugs and surgery. Patients can choose care providers to help them get and feel better. Nowadays, insurance companies cover medical and alternative medical procedures and treatments for many conditions. Patients do better when their providers are willing to help them find the best care.

There is a place for both medical care and chiropractic alternative medical care. Both medical physicians and doctors of chiropractic want patients to get well quickly and stay well safely. At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay, we invite our medical colleagues to learn more about alternative and complementary healthcare, and we appreciate referrals. Call today at 919-929-1400, visit us online at acudocnc.com anytime, or email schedule@acudocnc.com to schedule an appointment.

Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC

Regular chiropractic care benefits patients in many ways. Your spine carries the vital spinal cord from your brain, emanating nerves to every part of the body. Disruptions in the flow of nerve information impact your balance and strength, as well as your pain level and ability to function in the environment. Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) are the best-qualified healthcare professionals to evaluate the spine and related areas; Americans receive more than one million chiropractic adjustments every day, and more than thirty-five million of us are treated by a chiropractor annually. Read more to learn about the question “How often should I visit a chiropractor?”.

The question of how often to visit a Doctor of Chiropractic is vital to ask yourself, and the answer depends on various factors.

Most everyone could benefit from an initial visit to a chiropractor. Regular spinal checkups help to ensure a sound functioning nervous system from the spine out, as well as help to improve posture and muscle balance from head to toe. Chiropractors often palpate or feel vertebral segments (spinal bones along the neck and back) to determine where irritation may reside before the patient knows the problem. In this manner, like when you visit your dentist or medical doctor, problems can be averted before they become more significant.

For instance, the nerves in the neck travel to the shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, and hands, supplying nerve input to these regions. A subluxation (misalignment) in the cervical spine will affect nerve flow to the upper extremity, affecting one’s ability to write, type on a computer and carry items with the hands and shoulders. Left untreated, spinal vertebrae misalignment can turn into thoracic outlet syndrome, brachial plexus impingement, worsened carpel tunnel syndrome, and other disabling manifestations. Your chiropractor will help to avert this and many conditions with periodic regular checkups and care.

When starting a new treatment plan, having several weekly adjustments is typical. As healing occurs, that number will decrease to once a month. Many people prefer to come in for chiropractic care once or twice a month to maintain a pain-free and active lifestyle. Alternately, others come in ‘as needed’ but schedule a ‘checkup’ less frequently, once or twice a year.

Chiropractors assess your backbone, which protects the spine, provides attachment to crucial muscles and ligaments, and helps you stand upright and move quickly. Contact the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill to see how natural medicine can help you function and feel better. Serving the Triangle area since 1995 with quality alternative medicine practices, we are here for you and look forward to assisting you with your healthcare needs. We participate with most major insurance plans and strive to take the stress out of everyday life with beneficial healing practices you can understand. Call (919) 929-1400 today to learn more or visit us online 24 hours a day at acudocnc.com.