Tag Archives: chiropractic care

Do people sometimes feel worse after a chiropractic adjustment?

This is a common question we get asked in our office.

ANSWER: As deep stress is released people may experience “retracing.”

retracing

Retracing is a beneficial healing phenomenon that is seen when there is deep stress release.  It may make patients think they are getting worse – they are, in fact getting better. Chiropractic care wakes up your inner healer and that often results in relaxation, a decrease in pain, comfort, balance, and more energy. Retracing may cause the patient to think they are getting worse when the opposite is happening.

For example, old injuries that haven’t healed completely may “reawaken” for more complete healing.  

As your body rebalances it begins to use muscles differently and you might temporarily feel “charley horse” or muscle soreness.

Some people may experience diarrhea or even a dormant cold may come to the surface. This is usually a cleansing (detoxification) of the body which is a good (though temporarily uncomfortable) reaction. An extra glass or two of water, a bath with Epsom salts, or a sauna may help flush the toxins. 

Memories and feelings associated with an injury may come to the surface. 

Dreams may be unusual, intense, or revealing aftercare. 

The Most Important Benefits

The true benefits of the adjustment are usually found below the level of consciousness. It is when the nerve communication to the heart, lungs, joints, sexual organs, skin, eyes, ears, and the brain itself are improved that the true benefits of chiropractic are experienced.

Call us to make an appointment today!

(517) 627-4547

Are you adapting? What is adaptation? 

Have you ever coughed or sneezed? Did you ever have a fever? Do you sweat when hot? Shiver when cold? Do you get out of breath after you run? Do you get hungry? Thirsty? Do you run from danger?

What are these questions about?

Adaptation.

adaptation

Adaptation is your ability to respond to changes in the environment physically and mentally, internally, and externally to maintain your balance or homeostasis (a word coined by the great American physiologist Walter Canon.) (1)

Adaptation is terribly complex and can involve all your organ systems. It is of supreme importance. Your ability or inability to adapt can make the difference between health and sickness, even life and death. Some of the ways you adapt are by ridding your body of toxins, (coughing, sneezing, fever).  Another way you adapt is by utilizing oxygen and food for energy, digestion, ridding your body of wastes, and hundreds if not thousands of other day-to-day functions you probably don’t think about.

You don’t have to, your body’s wisdom takes care of your many needs. Simply put, the better you can adapt to change the better off you are in
every aspect of your life.

Your nervous system

The key to adaptation is your nervous system. Your brain, spinal cord, and nerves are the most sophisticated communications system in the universe!

Every moment billions of messages are streaming into your brain and spinal cord from the world around you and from the world inside you – cells, pores, blood, glands, muscles, joints, organs, and other body parts.  At the same time, billions of messages are being sent out from your brain and spinal cord along your nerves to every cell, pore, gland, muscle, joint, organ, and body part.

The better you are at adapting to change, the healthier you are. That means higher resistance to disease, better ability to neutralize germs, viri, poisons, drugs, pharmaceuticals, cancer cells, malformed cells, genetic mutations, and more!

Keep your nervous system free of stress.

Chiropractic care helps keep your communication lines open and free from stress, so messages can travel without interference. Your ability to adapt is at its optimum. Adaptation is the key to health and life.

The Subluxation

There is a condition that causes stress to your nervous system and prevents it from communicating, it’s called the subluxation. Subluxation is a distortion that can cause nerve interference, “static” over your communication lines (nerves). Subluxations can be due to a difficult birth, chemicals, toxins, drugs, pharmaceuticals falls, accidents, or emotional stress.

Chiropractors spend years learning how to locate and correct (adjust) subluxations.

Come in for a chiropractic check and correction (adjustment) and bring your family too so you all can adapt as fully as possible to all the stresses in your life.

Call us to make an appointment today!

(517) 627-4547


  1. What is homeostasis? Scientific American.  Jan. 3, 2000. 

Researching Chiropractic: Migraines & Asthma

How many people suffering, on drugs, or facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care? Probably most of them.

Chronic Migraines in a 15-Year-Old

A 15-year-old boy came to the chiropractic office complaining of migraine headaches.  They began when he was three years of age! At that age, he was involved in a motor vehicle accident. When he came to our office, he was averaging one migraine every 3 weeks. Research has revealed that 10% of school-age children and 28% of adolescents (i.e., between 15-19 years of age) experience migraine headaches.

X-rays revealed a possible upper cervical (upper neck) vertebral subluxation involving C-1, the first vertebra beneath the skull, and C-2, which lies below C-1. 

On the first visit, the patient was adjusted to remove/reduce his subluxations. Immediately the sharp pressure he was experiencing prior began to alleviate. Over the next 24-months, he experienced only 5 migraine headaches. (1)

Asthma in a two-year-old

Asthma in children is very prevalent in the general population with 9 million U.S. children under 18 being diagnosed with asthma. In 2005, an estimated 22.2 million people in the U.S. suffered from asthma. Asthma is the leading cause of school absence in the United States.

 

In this case, a twenty-four-month-old boy suffering from asthma, chronic colds, and respiratory issues since birth was brought in by his mother for a chiropractic evaluation.  When he came in for care he was taking two medications prescribed by his pediatric pulmonologist, Flovent and Singulair, daily. 

The child was delivered prematurely at 31 weeks by emergency cesarean section. 

At the initial chiropractic examination, the patient was “fully vaccinated.” 

Both upper and lower spinal areas showed evidence of subluxations. 

Multiple subluxations and the subluxations were adjusted. The child’s care plan was initially set at 2-3 times a week for the initial four weeks however after the 4th visit, the mother stopped giving her son the prescription medications due to his improvement in symptoms. As of this writing in the past two years, the child has had no asthma symptoms and has reported only one cold. (2)

Numbness and Burning in the Arm, Stiffness in the Neck

The patient suffered from chronic progressive cervical radiculopathy (pain and numbness radiating from the neck) for two months prior to seeing a chiropractor. The patient had numbness and a burning sensation in the right arm and stiffness in the lower cervical spine.

The patient received chiropractic care to adjust vertebral subluxations. After 11 visits the patient reported a significant improvement in numbness and tingling in her arm and an improvement in quality of life. (3)

If you know anyone who may be experiencing these issues, please share this article with them and encourage them to make an appointment with us. Call 517.627.4547 today!


  1. Esarco J, Alcantara J. Resolution of Chronic Migraines in a 15-Year-Old Male Following Chiropractic Care: A Case Report & Review of the Literature. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research ~ Volume 2022 ~ January 11, 2022  ~ Pages 1-6. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research, Volume 2022
  2. Davis H, Barley A. Correction of Subluxation and Alleviation of Asthma Symptoms in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Study. Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health – July 19, 2012
  3. Davis H, Barley A. Correction of Subluxation and Alleviation of Asthma Symptoms in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Study. Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health – July 19, 2012.  Lorigan AL, Smith S, Bennett JL. Resolution of Cervical Radiculopathy in a 61-Year-Old Female Receiving Subluxation Based Chiropractic Care: A Case Report. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research ~ September 9, 2015 ~ Pages 154-156.

Why is Your Nervous System Important?

The goal of Chiropractic is to locate and correct subluxations to release stress from your nervous system. Why is that important?

Why is your nervous system important?

Without it you’d be in the ultimate sensory deprivation tank – not be able to connect with anything or anyone not seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, or moving. You’d be completely alone inside yourself. 

It’s your connection to your inner and outer worlds – to all your body parts.  You need it so all your body parts and cells (billions and trillions of them) will work together in a coordinated, harmonious manner.

Your nervous system is made up of your brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves, and more!  You’ve got billions of nerve fibers – and they make up the most powerful communications system in the universe – and it’s inside you.

A healthy nervous system is needed for your entire body and mind to work at their optimum. A subluxation is a distortion in your body structure that stresses your nervous system and interferes with its function. This interference can cause dis-ease (body-mind-energy malfunction) and dis-ease can in time result in disease. Your Doctor of Chiropractic is an expert at locating and correcting (adjusting) subluxations helping your nerve system/communications system function without interference. The result is an improved function in every system of your body.

Call us to make an appointment today!

(517) 627-4547

Researching Chiropractic – Food Intolerances, Seizures, Ear Issues

There seems to be no end to the conditions that respond to chiropractic care – physical as well as psychological conditions.

That is because chiropractic does not “treat” a particular condition. Chiropractic care “corrects” a serious interference to the brain, nervous system, and energy function known as the subluxation. 

No matter what condition you or a loved one may have, you and they will always function better when free from subluxations. Chiropractors are uniquely trained to locate and correct subluxations. Enjoy this month’s cases and see more next month. 

Resolution of Food Intolerances in a 24-Year-Old Male

A 24-year-old male with low back pain and food intolerances to wheat, garlic, onion, and dairy began chiropractic care.  In the past, he had been hospitalized due to digestive issues, abdominal pain, bloated abdomen, excessive hunger, and depression.

Chiropractic analysis revealed subluxations at C1 and C5 (neck/cervical vertebrae).  The patient had a series of corrections/adjustments. By his 9th visit, after three months of care, he had no more digestive issues and was able to eat foods that were previously deemed intolerant. In addition, his mood had also improved. (1)

Seizure Reduction in a Two-Year Old

A two-year-old boy with seizures, and hypotonia (weak muscles or lack of muscle tone), diagnosed with MMPSI (similar to infantile spasms) was brought in for chiropractic care. He was on numerous prescription drugs.

He was having 15-20 seizures per day and exhibiting poor eye gaze/tracking, arms flailing, screaming, and uncontrolled movements. He was not able to hold up his head, sit up, and vocalize. 

Spinal and cranial examination revealed multiple areas of vertebral subluxation that were addressed (adjusted).

Over the 13-month period of being checked and adjusted for vertebral subluxation (22 office visits), there were significant improvements his quality of life and function. A 24-hour EEG reported ZERO seizures, and under the guidance of his primary care physician, he stopped all medications. (2) 

Ear Surgery Scheduled for A Four-Year-Old

It is estimated that approximately 40% of children suffer from ear infections (otitis media or OM) before the age of five. OM is often recurrent, and pediatricians often put the suffering child on numerous antibiotic prescriptions and sometimes do ear surgery and put tubes in the child’s ears (which often fail).

In this case, a four-year-old boy with a history of failed ear-tube surgeries, and numerous ear infections was scheduled for yet another surgery. His parents decided to first bring him in for chiropractic care. 

The chiropractor located vertebral subluxations and adjusted the child’s cervical and thoracic spine. 

After the first adjustment, the child felt immediately better. He was also sleeping better and in a better mood. By the 3rd visit, the mother canceled her son’s scheduled surgery her child’s ear pain, fever, and hearing resolved. (3)

If you know anyone who may be experiencing these issues, please share this article with them and encourage them to make an appointment with us. Call 517.627.4547 today!


  1. Herman D, Allen T. Resolution of Food Intolerances in a 24-Year-Old Male Undergoing Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Case Report & Review of the Literature Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research ~ August 4, 2020 ~ Pages 15-27
  2. Turo D, Demczar C. Significant Motor Development and Quality of Life Improvement in a Rare Seizure Condition (MMPSI) Following Vertebral Subluxation Reduction: A Case Study.  Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health Chiropractic Vol. 2022.
  3. Feranti, M, Alcantara J, Brinkley C. Chronic Otitis Media, Failed Tympanostomy Tube Surgery & Resolution Following Adjustment of Vertebral Subluxation. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health – Chiropractic ~ Volume 2016 ~ Issue 1 ~ Pages 5-8  

Chiropractic for the Entire Family?

Absolutely! Infants, babies, pregnant women, young, old, athletes, students – everyone can benefit from chiropractic!

It’s easy to see. Walk into the waiting room of a busy Doctor of Chiropractic and you’ll notice a surprising variety of people coming in for care; people suffering from nearly every condition under the sun.  

You may meet a woman telling you her headaches, migraines, or menstrual problems cleared up or that chiropractic helped her with fertility. You’ll meet others whose neck and back pain, digestion, and elimination were helped.

You’ll hear parents tell you their child’s asthma, ear infections, dyslexia, allergies, attention deficit disorder, or other conditions improved or completely resolved!

Others may tell you their athletic workouts are easier, and they have better balance and coordination. (Note: That is why many professional athletes including golfers, tennis, football, soccer, etc. Chiropractic improves their game, helps prevent injuries, and speeds recovery from injuries.)

Why do so many varied conditions respond to chiropractic care? The reason is that chiropractors do not treat individual conditions. Chiropractic works on your entire body to release deep stress from the nervous system. The result: your body functions betters, your brain works better, you heal quicker, have more energy, and are more connected. It’s been said that DC can also stand for “Doctor of Cause” as well as Doctor of Chiropractic.

Now you know why chiropractic has become the most popular drug-free, non-surgical healing profession in the world today. Most people notice positive, even dramatic changes after their very first visit. If you feel no change that does not necessarily mean you are not receiving any benefit; healing may be occurring under the surface. 

Millions of people visit their neighborhood Doctor of Chiropractic for hundreds of different reasons. Is anyone you know missing out on this safe, effective, and gentle art, science, and philosophy? Please have them contact our office. 

Call us to make an appointment today!

(517) 627-4547

Researching Chiropractic – High BP & Poor Posture

There seems to be no end to the conditions that respond to chiropractic care – physical as well as psychological conditions.

That is because chiropractic does not “treat” a particular condition. Chiropractic care “corrects” a serious interference to the brain, nervous system, and energy function known as the subluxation. 

No matter what condition you or a loved one may have, you and they will always function better when free from subluxations. Chiropractors are uniquely trained to locate and correct subluxations. Enjoy this month’s cases and see more next month. 

High blood pressure, pain, and loss of smell after auto accidents.

A 58-year-old woman developed high blood pressure as well as right shoulder, right shoulder blade, and mid-back pain after a car accident a month before her visit. The case history revealed that she also had lost her sense of smell (anosmia) nine years earlier, after a previous auto accident. 

She was under chiropractic care for six months during which time she had 84 visits. Her sense of smell returned after five months of chiropractic care. In addition, she reported a significant decrease in pain from her original chief complaint of right shoulder, right scapular, and mid-back pain since her previous auto accident. (1) 

Poor posture in an 85-year-old man.

An 85-year-old male patient presented to a chiropractic office with a chief complaint of difficulty walking and poor posture. He had difficulty standing up from a chair with no arms and was also unsteady on his feet. The patient was receiving medical care from various physicians for pre-existing health problems. 

Various chiropractic techniques were used to analyze and correct subluxations found in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions. Over the course of chiropractic care, the patient was able to get up from a chair with ease and had noticeable improvements in posture, gait, balance, and coordination. He was able to decrease his prescription medication usage. (2)

If you know anyone who may be experiencing these issues, please share this article with them and encourage them to make an appointment with us. Call 517.627.4547 today!


  1. Carney CL, MacCarthy M, Girdis DC. Resolution of post-traumatic anosmia following Network Spinal Analysis care: a case study. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research. February 27, 2017:8-14.
  2. Moseson N. Improved gait, balance, and coordination in an 85-year-old male undergoing subluxation-based chiropractic care: a case study. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research. February 9, 2017:1-4.

Why stay subluxation-free?

Questions and Answers About Chiropractic

Why stay subluxation-free?

The chiropractic profession that was founded by Dr. DD Palmer in 1895 is based on the fact that internal structural distortions called subluxations can cause serious health problems. 

Subluxations stress your nervous system and interfere with communication among your organs, glands, muscles, and other body parts – including your brain and your immune system. 

Subluxations can be caused by any trauma: difficult birth, falls, accidents, emotional upset, chemical toxicity, overwork, or a combination of factors (i.e. physical, chemical or emotional stress while you are tired, overworked, malnourished, etc.).

 People sometimes ask how chiropractic can improve their health. The answers depend on whom you ask. For example, a woman now free of monthly pain may say, “Chiropractic is for menstrual problems.” A pregnant woman may say, “Chiropractic is for a comfortable pregnancy.” A mother whose child was helped may say, “Chiropractic is for ear infections (or fevers or asthma or colic).” A teacher may say, “Chiropractic is for dyslexia, vision, and learning disorders.” Another person may say “Chiropractic is for headaches,” while still others may declare chiropractic is for backaches, hearing problems, disc problems, arthritis, high or low blood pressure, or a host of other problems.

Others use chiropractic as a way to maximize sports performance, improve overall health, and enhance balance, strength, and fitness. 

In addition to all of the above, chiropractic can help everyone live a drug-free, healthy lifestyle.   Subluxations are epidemic in our society; most people have subluxations and don’t know it. For that reason, everyone needs periodic chiropractic checkups.

Call us to make an appointment today!

(517) 627-4547

Chiropractic – Many Levels of Healing

Chiropractic care can help your body function in many ways. Chiropractic can help promote detoxification, relaxation, emotional healing, and a deeper connection to oneself and others.

Chiropractic care helps people become more physically balanced. This often increases their energy and permits them to relax – both physically and emotionally.

The mental/emotional benefits of chiropractic have been noticed since chiropractic’s inception. Correcting subluxations was noticed to improve mental function and relieve depression. 

One of the most powerful phenomena of healing is retracing, – where old pains, diseases, or trauma come “to the surface” to be released. Retracing is one of the signs of complete healing and even though it may be (temporarily) uncomfortable, it leaves in its wake a stronger, healthier, happier person.

Start (or jump-start) your healing journey with chiropractic to begin a healthier all-around lifestyle. Let your chiropractor be your healthy lifestyle coach.

Call us to make an appointment today!

(517) 627-4547

 

Researching Chiropractic: Balance, trigeminal neuralgia, & lower back pain

Chiropractic clinical case histories have been a regular feature of our patient newsletter since its inception. There seems to be no limit to the health problems that respond to chiropractic care. How many people suffering, on drugs, facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care? 

Probably most of them.

Balance, coordination, and neurological problems

A 65-year-old retired man was suffering from balance and coordination problems. He was given neurological tests that confirmed nervous system stress.  

He sought out chiropractic care where he received a spinal analysis. It revealed the presence of vertebral subluxations. The patient received chiropractic adjustments to release/reduce his subluxations and began to show immediate improvements in balance, coordination, and ability to complete neurological tests. He had been unable to complete the tests during the initial exam. (1)

Woman with trigeminal neuralgia

A 30-year-old woman was suffering from trigeminal neuralgia (also known as tic-douloureux). Trigeminal Neuralgia is an extremely painful condition in which the facial nerve is highly inflamed. It has been called the “suicide disease” because the extreme pain has led some sufferers to take their own lives!

The patient visited a chiropractor that reduced her vertebral (atlas or C-1) subluxation. The patient reported that by her tenth visit she was no longer suffering from TN. (2) 

Lower back pain and degenerative joint disease

A 59-year-old man diagnosed with degenerative joint disease and suffering from chronic lower back pain visited a chiropractor. The Doctor of Chiropractic used various spinal adjustment techniques to correct his subluxations. The patient showed improvement in all his subjective and objective findings within six visits, better immune function, increased energy as well as an increase in his disc height at multiple spinal levels. (3) 

If you know anyone who may be experiencing these issues, please share this article with them and encourage them to make an appointment with us. Call 517.627.4547 today!

 


  1. Scheer A. Improvement in Balance and Coordination in an Elderly Patient Following Chiropractic Care: A Case Report & Review of the Literature. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research ~ Volume 2021 ~ December 6 ~ Pages 68-75.
  2. Sweat M & McDowell B Reduction of Trigeminal Neuralgia Symptoms Following Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractic Care: A Case Report. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research ~ June 23, 2014, Pages 34-41.
  3. Syn G, Harper JD, Fedorchuk C. Increase in Disc Height and Autonomic Function in a 59-year-old Male Undergoing Chiropractic Care. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research ~ April 13, 2015, Pages 34-38