Why does it hurt? The answer is for protection and as a warning.  The body produces pain so that you will understand that there is something wrong and to protect itself.  But pain is not the first symptom to show up when there is something wrong.  In fact, pain is the last symptom to appear and the first symptom to leave.  Pain is the final way of your body telling you "Hey, I am not doing well here."  Pain is not a very good indicator on how a person is doing.  Pain shows up when the body is no longer able to control what is going on and needs to be taken care of.  That does not mean that we should wait until the pain shows up, because that could mean it is too late. 

Depending on the situatuation pain could appear as soon as the injury occurs or it could take months to develop.  For example:

• The pain starts right after you twist your ankle.  When the ankle is sprained the ligaments are damaged and produce instant pain. 
• When you start to feel a sore throat, the infection has already been there for a few days and maybe even a few weeks.  The infection was able to grow faster than what the body could fight off.  So the pain shows up later. 

In both of the examples once treatment is started the pain is the first symptom to go away.  So if the pain is gone then that does not mean that the healing is complete.  That means that the treamtent needs to be continued to further the healing process. 

Subluxation is the word that chiropractors use when there is a breakdown in the normal function of any joint in your body.  When it occurs in the spine it is called the vertebral subluxation complex (VSC).  Every joint in your body is basically designed the same way.  A joint is composed of two bones that come together to perform some type of movement.  The joint is covered by ligaments to hold it together and is surrounded by muscles to facilitate the movement.  There is a capsule that covers the joint that has fluid inside to cushion the joint and provide nutrients.  There is also nerve inervation to the joint capsule that will produce pain when the joint is irritated or damaged.  This same joint design occurs in the spine where two vertebra come together.  Also in the spine, there is a cartilaginous disc that is between the two vertebra that allows for movement of the spine.

The five components of the VSC are listed below:

• Osseous Component (bone/vertebra)
• Nerve Component
• Muscle Component
• Soft Tissue Component (ligaments, tendons, and other tissues)
• Chemical Component

When a vertebra has misaligned it can irritate or put pressure on a nerve that is coming from the spinal cord.  The muscles that surround the joints can become tight and will not allow movement of the spine.  The ligaments and other tissue that surround the joint become irritated and can become pain producers.  Inflamation (chemical component) will then develop within the joint.

Chiropractors are trained to find and treat subluxations in the spine and other joints of the body.  The subluxations are treated with adjustments and working with the muscles that surround the area. 

When the majority of people think of chiropractic they think of lower back pain. It is true that chiropractors do treat the lower back and have great success treating it, but there are many more things that we are able to treat and relieve. At the Boise Spine Center I specialize in four different aspects of health: skeletal, muscular, nutritional and educational.

A few of the conditions that chiropractic can treat include: headaches, earaches, neck pain, whiplash injuries, jaw problems, sprains, strains, sinus congestion, lower back pain due to pregnancy and bedwetting. In addition I can help to relieve the symptoms of some conditions including: arthritis, asthma, colds, fibromyalgia, and so much more.

What I do is remove the subluxations that occur in any joint in the body and work with the muscles to function properly. This allows the body to work as it is designed. I will develop a treatment plan that is designed specifically for you, because everyone is unique in how their body works. I will develop your treatment looking at the four aspects of health: skeletal, muscular, nutritional and educational. Since the treatments are centered on these aspects, this allows me give you the best care. These are some of the things that are included in your treatment:

• Adjustment or Manipulation
• Myofascial Release
• Rehabilitative Exercises
• Nutritional Counseling
• Trigger-Point Therapy
• Therapeutic Modalities
• Massage Therapy

The care that you recieve will be specifically designed for you.