Frequently Asked Questions

How does chiropractic work?

Chiropractic comes from the Greek words meaning “done with the hands”.
In 1895, Daniel David Palmer discovered the principles of chiropractic. He found that the messages sent from the brain through the spinal cord and nerves to the rest of the body were essential for proper body function and self-healing. In the years since his discovery, science continues to validate this fundamental truth about how healing occurs in the body.
When the bones of the spine shift out of alignment messages from the brain to the rest of the body get choked, leading to malfunction, poor healing and disease. Left untreated, these misalignments (or subluxations) can go undetected without symptoms for years, even decades, causing spinal arthritis and degeneration.
A chiropractic adjustment corrects or reduces these subluxations to restore nervous system function. With the choking reduced or removed from the spinal cord and nervous system, your body’s ability to heal itself is restored. You’ll feel better, move better, and best of all, your body will be healing better.

In our office, most adjustments are done with the hands and involve an audible ‘click’ or popping noise. The popping noise of a manual chiropractic adjustment is gas being released from a joint as it is realigned.
We use a wide variety of adjusting methods depending on which one will lead to the best results. Dr. Colin is trained in several light force adjusting methods and is able to use those for those patients who are best suited to a lighter adjustment.
Adjustments can also be performed with an instrument or a special adjusting table.
We choose the method of adjustment after getting to know you, choosing the one that will best fit your individual situation and needs.
We wouldn’t do a type of adjustment you weren’t comfortable with and we’ll definitely explain what we do before we do it.
Children as young as newborns can be adjusted, using much lighter methods. Dr. Colin has been a certified pediatric chiropractor since 1997.
Adjustments do not hurt! In a small number of cases, your body may react to the first few adjustments with a small amount discomfort like muscle tightness or irritation. If these reactions occur at all, it is usually only after the first few adjustments and the application of a cold pack will relieve this minor discomfort easily.

A common misconception is that only people with back pain or damage to their spines should see a chiropractor. See ‘How Does Chiropractic Work?’ at the top of this page. Because chiropractic is super natural, it can help you address other health issues that are interrupting your life without the negative effects of painkillers or medication.

Spinal misalignments can begin early in life, even during birth. Eighty percent of babies delivered during simple, routine births have spinal misalignments. With invasive procedures like forceps or c-sections, the occurrence of misalignments gets higher.
Babies with spinal misalignments from birth can have difficulty breast-feeding, be colicky, and spit up frequently. They can also experience frequent colds, flus and ear infections.
As children grow, common activities like learning how to walk, falling off a bike, playing video games or wrestling with siblings can also cause subluxations that accumulate and cause spinal degeneration with time. This can lead to asthma, growing pains, headaches and digestive problems.
A simple, painless exam by a certified pediatric chiropractor will determine if your child’s spine is misaligned.
We match the adjustment with the patient. Small, light adjustments used on newborns, for example, are so gentle they often fall asleep in their mother’s arms during the adjustment. Child-friendly adjustments have been proven safe and effective for children of all ages. And, of course, chiropractic is drug-free and super natural.

Yes. During pregnancy, physical and hormonal changes happen quickly and can easily lead to discomfort and disability.
Chiropractic adjustments will help keep you active and comfortable. Chiropractic is effective drug-free care, and adjustments are modified to ensure comfort for both you and your baby.
Since the nerves in the lower spine send messages that control uterine contractions, misalignments in this area of the spine can choke those nerves and lead to weak, ineffective pushing on the day of delivery. Chiropractic adjustments keep the joints of the pelvis supple and better able to handle the demands of birth.
Many pregnant women under chiropractic care report shorter labour and an easier, more natural delivery.
Dr. Colin has been providing pregnancy chiropractic care since 1997 and has developed modifications to typical adjustments to ensure they are comfortable and easy no matter how far along you are.