Why I chose to become a Doctor of Chiropractic
There have been several medical doctors in my family.
I have a good understanding of the medical approach to treating sickness and disease. We are all fortunate to have the skills and technology that “modern medicine” has to offer us when necessary.
My neck hurt constantly during teenage years. The family doctors were not familiar with the benefits that Chiropractic offers. They would examine my neck but find no “medical pathologies”.
They reported, “There’s nothing medically wrong with you, just take pain meds as needed.”
I sensed there had to be a better way to treat my condition besides taking pain meds and anti-inflammatory drugs.
They don’t fix the cause of the problem and can cause long term harm.
I later received Chiropractic care thanks to a friend who referred me to his Chiropractor. Chiropractic corrected the cause of my pain and I could move my neck freely for the first time in years!
I chose to become a Doctor of Chiropractic to help heal these and other spinal related conditions.
Dr. Michael Koplen, M.T., D.C., Q.M.E.
Diplomat National Board of Chiropractic Examiners
National Chiropractor of the Year Recipient
Practice Philosophy and Approach
Whether you have experienced Chiropractic previously or this is your first visit, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this important information describing how Chiropractic can help you.
Here’s What Chiropractic Care Provides
The primary focus of Chiropractic care is to detect and correct spinal vertebrae that have become stuck in misaligned positions and are causing nerve impingement (“pinched nerves”).
Nerves pinched by misaligned vertebrae cause many different symptoms, including pain, numbness, muscle spasm, loss of normal movement, weakness, organ dysfunction, and fatigue.
Nearly ninety nine percent of nerve impingement occurs at the spinal level.
How Do Nerves Become Pinched?
Nerves exit from your spinal cord through openings created by the normal alignment of your vertebrae. When one or more vertebrae slip out of their normal alignment due to stress, injury or repetitive causes, the normal openings where nerves exit the vertebrae become compromised or closed. This causes nerve compression or pinching, preventing your nerves from feeling and functioning normally. You may experience pain and lack of normal movement in the affected areas.
Your nervous system not only alerts you of problems by causing pain or other symptoms, it also plays the most important health role – regulating and controlling the function of every bodily system – including your organs, glands, muscles and immune system!
To be pain free and experience optimum health and mobility, it’s important that your spine and nervous system functions without pressure or interference!
Spinal misalignments, when left uncorrected, also cause disc deterioration and degenerative arthritis, which cause further pain and immobility, especially as we age.
Your Chiropractic Evaluation will be straightforward.
You will be examined to determine if you have misaligned vertebrae causing nerve impingement.
If you have misaligned vertebrae causing nerve impingement, you have a condition that Chiropractic can help. The goal of care is to restore your spine and nervous system to a pain free and healthy state.
Three Phases of Care
The first phase of care focuses on providing you with as much RELIEF as possible from what is immediately bothering you. Your relief care will begin to release pressure from your nerves that’s being caused by misaligned vertebrae.
Please note that during your initial spinal adjustments, you may experience temporary soreness. Although most people start feeling better immediately, soreness can also be experienced. This is normal and can occur because the body is shifting and changing as ligaments, tendons and fascia that have adapted to abnormal holding patterns are now releasing from their steadfast positions. They are transitioning and returning toward normal position and movement. This is similar to the soreness that you may experience if you start a new exercise program that demands use of areas that have become tight or weak.
If at any time you are uncomfortable or nervous about your spinal adjustments, please let us know. Every effort will be made for your treatments to be comfortable.
The Second Phase of Care is Corrective Care.
Corrective care helps CORRECT the deeper underlying causes of your spinal instabilities by restoring your spine and surrounding soft tissue to their proper healthy state. Your surrounding supportive muscles, ligaments, and fasciae are corrected along with your spine, achieving a healthier and more stable situation.
Following a course of corrective care, periodic supportive treatments will allow your spine to maintain its corrective changes. This Third Phase of Care is called MAINTENANCE Care. Periodic maintenance care helps you maintain your corrective changes and helps prevent your spine from destabilizing.
You are encouraged to enjoy the longer lasting health benefits that corrective care offers, followed by periodic maintenance adjustments to help you maintain the benefits achieved.
The amount time required to relieve your condition depends on several factors, including:
• Severity of Spinal Misalignments
• Severity of Holding Pattern Development
• How Long the Problem has Persisted
• History of Injuries
• Stress Accumulations
• Your Age
• Your Overall Health Status
• Work or Other Activity Demands
The Self Care Strategies Listed Below
Help Your Treatment Progress
1) Exercise
Specific exercises will be prescribed to help speed your healing process. You are also encouraged to participate in broader exercise programs that help facilitate overall health improvements, such as strengthening, stretching and cardiovascular exercises.
2) Nutrition
Proper nutrition strongly affects spinal stabilization and general health. We are here to help encourage and guide you towards quality nutritional choices.
3) Massage Therapy
Massage and related soft tissue therapies help to release muscle spasm and underlying soft tissue holding patterns. While massage is not mandatory for treating your condition, it is highly beneficial and recommended.
4) Proper Sleep Patterns
Proper sleeping patterns and good mattresses are essential for good health because they affect your spine and muscles. You are encouraged to use a high quality mattress and orthopedic type pillow.
5) Stress Management
Managing the various areas of stress in your life is essential for good health. The word “stress” has become a cultural buzz word and is viewed as one of our “modern sicknesses”. Stress negatively affects our bodies.
One way stress affects your spine is by causing muscles that attach to your spine to become tense and spasmed, pulling your spine out of alignment.
Whether you have a single stressful event or repetitive occurrences, either situation can pull your spine out of its normal alignment.
Thank you for taking the time to read this important information about Chiropractic care. Should questions arise, please feel free to ask the Doctor or ask the Staff for assistance.
Yours In Health,
Dr Michael Koplen & Staff