Have you by chance been to more than one chiropractor? Let me tell you, we are all different – different hands, different adjustments, different offices. The first thing that many patients tell me is that our office is different. Of course we strive to be clean, efficient, pleasant, and respectful of every patient’s time. But I think there is one aspect of my practice that people notice more than any other; we take x-rays.
X-rays are my favorite tool to assess the spine. Of course I can feel the muscles of the spine and determine generalized tightness just like other chiropractors, but nothing beats seeing, because seeing is believing! Of course we won’t take x-rays of very young kids or our pregnant patients.
What can we see? For one thing, we can see what is normal. If things are normal on x-ray, then we know that is a short-term problem that won’t need a lot of care. We can see curves, like scoliosis, or loss of curve in the neck or back, indicating a whiplash injury. Most importantly, we can see areas of long-term stress, also known as degeneration, or arthritis. That’s the stuff that will make life miserable later, so if we find it early, we can fix it before it becomes a bigger problem. I don’t know how many times I’ve been surprised by something (not always bad of course!). I also can’t count how many people are relieved to know what their problem is after many years of not knowing.
And x-ray is super safe! There is a common misconception about in-office x-rays being dangerous, but new research is showing that they are incredibly safe. If you have never had x-rays of your spine, give us a call. To see is not to guess, and we won’t guess about your health.