FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

About Chiropractic
What is an "adjustment"?
When chiropractors find an area of your skeleton that is not moving properly, we apply a small, focused impulse into that area to restore natural movement. We may do this with our hands, with a handheld instrument (much like a stapler without the staples), or we may employ the principle of momentum by cocking the table under a part of your body, and then releasing it. The treatments are quick and painless.

Does it hurt?
Under normal circumstances, adjustments do not hurt at all; they feel more like the sense of release associated with a good stretch. If the body part is painful to begin with, the adjustment might feel sore for a quick moment, but you will probably experience a great deal of relief before leaving the office. In fact, most patients comment that they are feeling "much better than when I came in," even before they get off the table.

How safe is chiropractic treatment?
Very safe. Of all the possible treatments for the kinds of conditions that chiropractors treat, chiropractic care is by far the safest. I always use an appropriate amount of force for your body type and tailor the adjusting technique to your personal preference. Also, I explain to you, at every step of the way, what it is that I am doing.

What is the cost?
Initial visits vary based on complexity, but are on average, $140. Subsequent appointments vary between $70 and $115, but are generally $70. One-hour CranioSacral Sessions, which can include chiropractic adjustments, are $140. The extra services I provide (posture and exercise consultation, therapeutic massage, etc.) mean that you will heal faster, and in fewer treatments with me as your chiropractor.

How long will I have to keep coming back?
Only as long as you want to. Just like dentists, chiropractors do their best work preventatively. Choices you make for your health such as eating food without pesticides or drinking pure water are activities you need to maintain in order to reap their benefits. Most chiropractors recommend that you come back in order to maintain the benefits you have both worked to create. The choice is up to you.


Pregnancy Care and Newborn Care
What is pregnancy care?
During pregnancy the rapidly increasing weight, change in center of gravity, and the relaxing of your body's ligaments, all cause you to be more susceptible to aches and pains. I treat these problems as they occur, and also employ the Webster Technique to give your uterus the most possible room. By doing this, the odds of your baby being caught in a breech position are lowered.

Is chiropractic care safe for pregnant women?
Yes, chiropractic care is safe for pregnant women. Chiropractors gently use their hands to align people's bodies. Through years of training and practice, we learn how to use the right amount of force. I specialize in caring for pregnant women and adapt my adjusting to your body's special needs.

How do you turn a breech baby?
Technically speaking, I do not turn breech babies. I make more room for your uterus, which gives your baby more room in which to move. Your baby is the only one turning his or her self.

How do you make more room for the uterus?
We all have asymmetrical patterns in our bodies that reflect our behaviors. Most people prefer to stand with their weight on one leg, or they cross a favorite leg over the other the majority of the time. These behaviors lead to a slight twisting of your pelvis. Your uterus is held in place by ligaments that attach to your pelvic bones. My job is to align the bones of your pelvis, and gently massage the stressed ligaments to remove the twisting or torsion on the uterus. During this treatment, if your baby needs to shift to another position, she or he now has the room to move.

Why offer newborns CranioSacral Therapy (CST)?
For a more detailed description of CST, please see the CST page.

A newborn may be subjected to certain stresses that come from forceps, vacuum extraction or surgery but even the most gentle and natural of births exposes the baby to many new sensations at once. Their eyes have only seen light muted through their mother's abdominal wall, their heart has had 2 of its 4 chambers inactive until the moment of birth, and their lungs have never felt the sting of oxygen before. From their protected womb, they are expelled via waves of contractions with prolonged squeezing, and suddenly, their eyes, lungs and heart all have to begin working in new ways at once.

By giving your newborn CST, you welcome him or her into the world with a gift of bodywork that follows the baby's natural rhythm. This allows the body to self-correct in any way in which it needs.