The chiropractic profession was founded in 1895 by a man named D. D. Palmer, who developed the concept that the body has an internal power to heal itself.

By choice, chiropractors do not use drugs or surgery, and instead utilize natural approaches to allow the body to heal. Chiropractors treat primarily the spine and its attachments to restore function and health. They are facilitators of health and utilize a variety of approaches, including adjustments, physical therapeutic modalities, exercise routines, nutritional recommendations, orthotics and daily living modifications. Chiropractors treat a variety of conditions, ranging from Back, Neck and Shoulder pain to Neuralgia, Colic, Asthma. Doctors of Chiropractic (DC's) are fully accredited and licensed in every state and have become well-accepted as a complimentary health care providers.

Chiropractic philosophy differs dramatically from the traditional medical philosophy of health. The medical establishment believes that drugs can bring a body back to a healthy state. Organs are sometimes removed or transplanted to keep the system ‘functioning’. This approach to health is termed an 'OUTSIDE-IN' approach, because external factors such as drugs and surgery are used to treat a condition.

In contrast, chiropractic philosophy proposes that your body’s intelligence system flows via the nervous system to organs, tissue, and every last cell of your body. Since the human body is designed to self-heal and self-regulate, a blockage in the nervous system, in the form of subluxation; will impair the “signal flow” along the nerve paths. This causes malfunction in the body, eventually resulting in disease. Hence, the Chiropractic approach is to stimulate the body – through adjustments – to correct itself naturally and without the sometimes harmful external influences. This approach to health is termed an 'INSIDE-OUT' approach.

Here at Stringer Chiropractic & Massage, we Specialize in Pettibon Technique.  Through the use of Gentle Chiropractic Adjustments and Specialized Exercises/Rehabilitation we work with the Biomechanics of the Spine and Nervous System to achieve Relief of Symptoms and Permanent Spinal Correction, rather than short term relief.

Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) care for patients of all ages, with a variety of health conditions.  DCs are especially well known for their expertise in caring for patients with back pain, neck pain and headaches…particularly with their highly skilled  manipulations or chiropractic adjustments. They also care for patients with a wide range of injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, involving the muscles, ligaments and joints. These painful conditions often involve or impact the nervous system, which can cause referred pain and dysfunction distant to the region of injury. The benefits of chiropractic care extend to general health issues, as well, since our body structure affects our overall function. DCs also counsel patients on diet, nutrition, exercise, healthy habits, and occupational and lifestyle modification.

One of the best ways to locate a doctor of chiropractic (DC) near you by using Find a Doctor offered by the American Chiropractic Association. You can also select a DC is by getting a referral from a friend, family member, colleague, or another health care provider. 

Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive treatments available for neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Although chiropractic has an excellent safety record, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects. The risks associated with chiropractic, however, are very small. Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may experience mild soreness, stiffness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise. Current research shows that minor discomfort or soreness following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours. 

A referral is usually not needed to see a doctor of chiropractic (DC); however, your health plan may have specific referral requirements. You may want to contact your employer’s human resources department—or the insurance plan directly—to find out if there are any referral requirements. Most plans allow you to just call and schedule an appointment with a DC.

Yes, children can benefit from chiropractic care. Children are very physically active and experience many types of falls and blows from activities of daily living as well as from participating in sports. Injuries such as these may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort. Chiropractic care is always adapted to the individual patient. It is a highly skilled treatment, and in the case of children, very gentle.

Chiropractors are being recognized to admit and treat patients in hospitals and to use outpatient clinical facilities (such as labs, x-rays, etc.) for their non-hospitalized patients.  Hospital privileges were first granted in 1983.

Yes. Chiropractic care is included in most health insurance plans, including major medical plans, workers’ compensation, Medicare, some Medicaid plans, and Blue Cross Blue Shield plans for federal employees, among others. Chiropractic care is also available to active-duty members of the armed forces at more than 60 military bases and is available to veterans at more than 60 major veterans medical facilities.

Doctors of chiropractic educated as primary-contact health care providers, with an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the musculoskeletal system (the muscles, ligaments and joints of the spine and extremities) and the nerves that supply them. Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions.

The typical applicant for chiropractic college has already acquired nearly four years of pre-medical undergraduate college education, including courses in biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, psychology and related lab work. Once accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, the requirements become even more demanding — four to five academic years of professional study are the standard. Doctors of chiropractic are educated in orthopedics, neurology, physiology, human anatomy, clinical diagnosis including laboratory procedures, diagnostic imaging, exercise, nutrition rehabilitation and more.

Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the doctor of chiropractic’s intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractic physician typically uses his or her hands–or an instrument–to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore or enhance joint function. This often helps resolve joint inflammation and reduces the patient’s pain.

Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.

The hands-on nature of the chiropractic treatment is essentially what requires patients to visit the chiropractor a number of times. To be treated by a chiropractor, a patient needs to be in his or her office. In contrast, a course of treatment from medical doctors often involves a pre-established plan that is conducted at home (i.e. taking a course of antibiotics once a day for a couple of weeks). A chiropractor may provide acute, chronic, and/or preventive care thus making a certain number of visits sometimes necessary. Your doctor of chiropractic should tell you the extent of treatment recommended and how long you can expect it to last.

Adjustment (or manipulation) of a joint may result in the release of a gas bubble between the joints, which makes a popping sound. The same thing occurs when you “crack” your knuckles. The noise is caused by the change of pressure within the joint, which results in gas bubbles being released. There is usually minimal, if any, discomfort involved.