Birch Lake Chiropractic Clinic

Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction, to a specific spinal joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself.

It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create “popping” sounds, like the sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment.  Unfortunately, this type of join manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already unstable area of the spine even more unsteady.  Adjusting the spine is for professionals!

The best way to enjoy the healthful benefits of chiropractic is to receive adjustments from a Doctor of Chiropractic.  Even your doctor must seek out the services of another colleague to help restore and maintain proper joint function.

No, a patient does not need referral by an MD before visiting a doctor of chiropractic. Chiropractors are first contact physicians, and are so defined in federal and state regulations. Following a consultation and examination, the doctor of chiropractic will arrive at a diagnosis. Either a chiropractic treatment plan or a referral to the appropriate health care provider will be recommended.

Chiropractic works by restoring your own inborn ability to be healthy.  When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissues, and organs of your body are designed to resist disease and ill health.  The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and help remove interferences to your natural state of being healthy.

A common interference to the nervous system are the 24 moving bones of the spinal column.  A loss of normal motion or position of these bones can irritate or impair the function of the nervous system.  This can disrupt the transmission of controlling nerve impulses.

With improved join function, there is often improved nervous system function.  Your chiropractic doctor can help remove interferences that may be impairing normal health.

Since the primary focus of your care is improved nervous system function, chiropractic can have a positive effect on many health conditions not normally thought of as “back” problems.

Multiple Studies have shown that Chiropractic is an effective way to treat many types of symptoms.  In a study by the British Medical Journal, Korthals-de Bos et al. (2003),  a randomized controlled trial was performed of 183 patients with neck pain.  These patients were randomly allocated to manual therapy (spinal mobilization – chiropractic), physiotherapy (mainly exercise – physical therapy) or general practitioner care (counseling, education and drugs – medical doctor) during the 52-week study. The clinical outcome measures showed that manual therapy (chiropractic) resulted in faster recovery than physiotherapy and general practitioner care. Moreover, the total costs of the manual therapy-treated patients were about one-third of the costs of physiotherapy or general practitioner care.

Yes, both children and seniors both can benefit from chiropractic care. Children are very physically active and as a result can injure themselves.  Seniors may not move enough and may overexert themselves in the activities of daily living.  In either case, these injuries may cause many symptoms including back and neck pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort.  Since Chiropractic care is a highly skilled treatment, and adapted to the individual patient, it can be made very gentle to suit the patient’s needs.

“Chiropractic is the largest, most regulated, and best recognized of the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professions. CAM patient surveys show that chiropractors are used more often than any other alternative provider group and patient satisfaction with chiropractic care is very high. There is steadily increasing patient use of chiropractic in the United States, which has tripled in the past two decades.”

– Annals of Internal Medicine, Meeker and Haldeman (2002)

You choose the extent of your chiropractic care.  Many patients have found that ongoing care is best for their well-being.  As well, some patients just come in for an acute problem,  and with a few visits they have relief.

It is you who makes the decisions about your health.  We do recommend regular visits for spinal well-being.

We will never pressure you to schedule appointments.  Your care is always up to you.

A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixated, “locked up”, or not moving properly.  This adds motion to the joint, helping the bones gradually return to a more normal position and motion.  The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is improved joint function, improved nervous system function, and improved health.

There are many ways to adjust the spine.  Usually, the doctor’s hands or a specially designed instrument delivers a brief and highly-accurate thrust.  Some adjusting methods are quick, whereas others require a slow and constant pressure.

After years of training and clinical experience, each chiropractic doctor becomes highly skilled in the delivery of a variety of adjusting approaches.

Chiropractic health care is based on the scientific fact that your body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism.  These important functions are influenced and controlled by the brain, spinal cord, and through the nerves of the body.

The skull protects the delicate tissues of the brain.  The moving bones of the spine protect the vulnerable communication pathways of the spinal cord and nerve roots.  If the nervous system is impaired, it can cause malfunction of the tissues and organs throughout the body.

Chiropractic is the science of locating malfunctioning joint structures, the art of reducing their impact to the nervous system, and the philosophy that, when working properly, the body has the potential to heal itself.

Chiropractic uses non-invasive means to restore and improve health.  It’s tools include manipulation/adjustment of joints, physical therapy modalities, stretches, exercise, acupuncture and nutrition.

Chiropractors treat more than just back and neck problems.  We provide treatment for all kinds of soft tissue problems, such as discomfort of the shoulders, elbows, hands, hip, knees and feet.

We also have had success treating non-soft tissue issues like headaches and problems related to nutrition.

You can always call and ask about your condition.  Based on your condition, we will advise you on an appropriate health care provider for your care.  No one can claim a cure, however, as a top tier insurance provider, we have had a lot of success.

Today’s Doctor of Chiropractic is well educated.

The science of chiropractic requires a special emphasis on anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology, biomechanics, X-rays, spinal adjusting techniques, and related subjects.  This demanding curriculum prepares chiropractic doctors to provide conservative care to help your body heal.

Dr. Grant Erickson attended Texas Chiropractic College which requires 4,830 hours of education to graduate.  He graduated in 1992.

After graduating with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, each candidate passes multiple, demanding National Board Examinations.  Then, doctors apply to a state governmental or professional licensing board and pass a still more difficult test before being granted the privilege to practice.

A chiropractic education never ends.  Most doctors complete postgraduate instruction for license renewal and to stay current on the latest scientific research.  Dr. Erickson also has certificates of education in Nutrition and Acupuncture.  He completed training from the Spine Research Institute of San Diego for injuries related to motor vehicle collisions.