SCHMIDT CHIROPRACTIC
Schmidt Chiropractic opened in Flourtown June of 1985 on Sunnybrook Road and move to the corner of Bethlehem Pike
and Mill Road in 2004. There are two chiropractors in the office, Dr
Lynn Schmidt and Dr Scott Schmidt. They both attended Palmer
Chiropractic College in Davenport, Iowa. They have four children
and they all have been under chiropractic care since birth.
Chiropractic is the fastest growing natural health care profession
in the world. It was discovered in 1895 in Davenport, Iowa, U.S.A.
D.C.'s (Doctors of Chiropractic) specialize in locating and
correcting a serious condition known as Vertebral Subluxation. A
vertebral Subluxation is a misalignment of one or more of the
twenty four moveable bones of the spine. They are commonly
caused by stresses and impacts to the body from poor posture,
poor sleeping habits, slips and falls, vehicular accidents, sports impacts, strenuous exercise, work injuries, childhood falls, even the birth process. Subluxations cause dangerous stress to the spinal chord and the delicate spinal nerves which exit the spine between the spinal bones. This causes irritation to the nerves and interferes with their ability to function properly. This nerve interference causes the body to lose it's ability to function optimally and ill health eventually results. Though serious even in their early stages, subluxations are often not painful.
It may be obvious that you need to see a Chiropractor if you are experiencing neck pain, back pain, hip pain, headaches, numbness or curvature of the spine. However, many people don't realize that chiropractic care has an excellent record of success helping many health conditions. Maintaining a healthy and well-aligned spine is extremely important and is the most often overlooked key to staying healthy.
Chiropractic treatments called spinal adjustments are comfortable, safe, and highly effective. People of all ages can receive chiropractic care to stay healthy, including infants and the elderly. Years of training, education, and experience enable your Chiropractor to determine if chiropractic care can benefit for you and your family. Chiropractors are highly educated, caring professionals sensitive to the natural health care needs of your family.
3D Spine Simulator
Children and Chiropractic
Right from birth, your child's spine is subjected to daily stresses. The birth process is one of the most traumatic experiences many of us will ever go through. An infant's neck must be bent one way and then the other in order to pass through the birth canal. This can leave a baby's neck with subluxations, or misalignments which reduce nerve system function. Yes, even a one day old infant can be adjusted! Our Children are living proof of that. As we watch them grow and develop we are amazed at how many things that put stress on there spine. Sleeping on their back with their head turned to one side all night long - which is common for all infants - is a good example. Thankfully, we can check them regularly to make sure none of these one-sided stressors create problems in their spine.
As your children grow it is important to have them checked to make sure their nerve system is functioning at it's maximum potential. Studies show us a much higher prevalence of back pain in children than previously thought. In a study of kids aged 12-15 years old (Olsen et al., 1992, Am. J. Public Health) 30.4% reported a history of low back pain. Mierau and Cassidy (1984) found that 22.8% of elementary school and 33.3% of secondary school aged children complained of low back pain. So don't simply pass off a child's complaint of aches and pains as "growing pains" because there may very well be something real causing his or her pain. It is also important to remember that pain is often the last symptom to appear. With that said, there are also many instances in which there is no pain experienced, even though the body is malfunctioning. This is why it is important to take a proactive approach to your child's life.
Nowadays parents do not think twice about the importance of regular dental visits for their kids. Check-ups are scheduled every six months to help prevent cavities. When you consider that children use their teeth only when they eat, yet they use their spine every time they sit, stand, run, crawl, play and move. Shouldn't they receive regular check-ups for one of the most important structures in their body? Remember, "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."
FAQ
What Is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that your body is a self-regulating, self-healing organism. These important functions are controlled by the brain, spinal cord, and all 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. Doctors call this the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. Vertebral, meaning the bones of the spine. Subluxation, meaning less than a total dislocation. And Complex, meaning consisting of more than one part.
Chiropractic is the science of locating offending spinal structures, the art of reducing their impact to the nervous system, and the philosophy of all things natural. Back to FAQ
How Does Chiropractic Work?
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 is 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 spinal function there is often improved nervous system function. Your chiropractor can help remove interferences that may be impairing normal health/life expression.
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. Back to FAQ
What Type of Education Do Chiropractic Doctors Get?
Today's Doctor of Chiropractic is well educated.
The science of chiropractic requires a special emphasis on anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology, biomechanics, X-ray, spinal adjusting techniques, and related subjects. This demanding curriculum prepares chiropractic doctors to locate the Vertebral Subluxation Complex and help reduce the resulting nervous system dysfunction.
To graduate with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, each candidate passes the demanding National Board Examination. Then, doctors apply to a 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. Back to FAQ
What Is An Adjustment?
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 thereby, effecting the function of the nerve system. 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 spinal function, improved nervous system function, and improved health/life expression.
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. Back to FAQ
Can you adjust yourself?
No. Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction to a specific joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself correctly and accurately. It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a "popping" sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment. Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already unstable spine even more unstable, and can sometimes be dangerous. Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs! Back to FAQ
Can I tell if I have a subluxation?
Not always. A subluxation is like a dental cavity--you may have it for a long time before symptoms appear. That's why periodic spinal checkups are so important. Although it may be possible to know you have a subluxation, it is rarely possible to be sure you don't. Regular spinal checkups are always a good idea, and they promote good health from the inside out. Back to FAQ
Are all practice members adjusted the same way?
The doctor evaluates each practice member's unique spinal biomechanics and develops an individual course of care. The resulting recommendations are based upon years of training and experience.
Practice members notice that their chiropractic care is delivered with confidence and precision. Each visit builds on the one before. And while visits may seem similar, each practice member's care is uniquely different from every other practice member. Back to FAQ
What can I expect after an adjustment?
What you can expect from your adjustment is a feeling of peace and relaxation that can last from a day to a week. Practice member's often comment that they experience a better night's sleep and increased energy.
Some practice member's may feel discomfort after their first adjustment, ranging from a headache to just general fatigue. In almost every case, this feeling goes away within the next couple adjustments.
This discomfort is often due to a detoxification of the body after adjustments. As poisons leave the system, they could create a headache or slight head cold, even a slight fever and a feeling of lethargy.
These symptoms of detoxification generally last no more than a day or two, and then you should see steady improvement. Back to FAQ
Can I Speed The Healing Process?
There are many ways to help your body heal from within and become more balanced.
Learn proper sitting and lifting methods. Specific exercises may be suggested to help retrain the muscles that support the spine.
Proper rest is an important aspect of the healing process, too. Get the appropriate amount of rest your body needs and avoid sleeping on your stomach.
Proper nutrition is always important. Sticking to foods that are in their most natural state are always better than those that have been processed, bleached, canned, or frozen. When grocery shopping check out the organic section. Depending on where you shop the prices are sometimes lower for organic. Paying more for your organic meats and produce may not be as bothersome when you realize the benefits provided are enormous.
Perhaps most important of all, keep your appointments and follow your chiropractor's recommendations for optimum results. Back to FAQ
Why Do Children Need Chiropractic Care?
Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked for the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Later, learning to walk, ride a bicycle, poor nutrition, and other childhood activities can cause problems. While a bandage and some comforting words can help a skinned knee, the unseen damage to the child's spine and nerve system is the unique domain of a chiropractor.
Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off as "growing pains" can often be traced to the spine. Regular chiropractic checkups can identify these problems and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults.
Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are modified to a child's spine. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and seem healthier than other children. Back to FAQ
Am I Too Old For Chiropractic Care?
No way! Yes, it is ideal to be checked at birth, but it's never too late. More and more people are consulting chiropractors, especially in their later years.
Restoring nerve system function can help improve mobility, vitality, endurance, and appetite. Many practice members report improvement with arthritic symptoms and other chronic ailments often associated with the aging process.
The adjusting technique used by your doctor will be modified for maximum comfort and results.
As we get older and wiser, the simplicity and effectiveness of chiropractic care becomes more and more obvious. Back to FAQ
How Long Will I Need Chiropractic Care?
How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care is always up to you. Our office is committed to the education of our practice members. We hope that we have educated you well enough for you to understand that regular care is the best choice. Back to FAQ
Is chiropractic care addictive?
No. If only it were, there would be more healthy people around and chiropractors would not get patients who last saw a chiropractor "a few years ago when their back went out." It is possible to get used to feeling more balanced, less stressed, and more energetic as a result or regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic is not addictive, however, good health is.
CHIROPRACTIC MYTHS and FACTS
As successful as chiropractic has become, there are a lot of myths circulating among the general public. Times have definitely changed for the better, but the fact is that many people still do not understand what chiropractors do. Let's talk about a few of the more common myths about chiropractic.
Myth #1 - Chiropractors are not real doctors.
A chiropractic college grants a D.C. or Doctorate of Chiropractic degree. Chiropractors are licensed as health care providers in every U.S. state and dozens of countries around the world. While the competition for acceptance in chiropractic school is not as fierce as medical school, the chiropractic and medical school curricula are extremely rigorous and virtually identical. In fact, chiropractors have more hours of classroom education than their medical counterparts. As part of their education, chiropractic students also complete a residency working with real patients in a clinical setting, supervised by licensed doctors of chiropractic. Once chiropractic students graduate, they have to pass four sets of national board exams as well as state board exams in the states where they want to practice.Just like medical doctors, chiropractors are professionals that are subject to the same type of testing procedures, licensing and monitoring by state and national peer-reviewed boards. Federal and state programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Workers' Compensations programs cover chiropractic care, and all federal agencies accept sick-leave certificates signed by doctors of chiropractic. Chiropractors are also commissioned as officers in the military.
The biggest difference between chiropractors and medical doctors lies not in their level of education, but in their preferred method of caring for people. Medical doctors are trained in the use of medicines (chemicals that affect your internal biochemistry) and surgery. Consequently, if you have a chemical problem, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, or an infection, medical doctors can be very helpful. However, if your problem is that your spine is mis-aligned or you have soft tissue damage causing pain, there is no chemical in existence that can fix it. You need a physical solution to correct a physical problem. That is where chiropractic really shines. Chiropractors provide physical solutions -- adjustments, exercises, stretches, muscle therapy -- to help the body heal from conditions that are physical in origin, such as back pain, muscle spasms, headaches, and poor posture. Another distinction is the fact that it is completely appropriate to receive chiropractic care even if you do not have symptoms. Unlike standard medical doctors, whom you visit when you have a symptom to be treated, chiropractors offer adjustments to improve spinal alignment and overall well-being before symptoms develop.
Myth #2 - Medical doctors don't like chiropractors.
The American Medical Association's opposition to chiropractic was at its strongest in the 1940s under the leadership of Morris Fishbein. Fishbein called chiropractors "rabid dogs" and referred to them as "playful and cute, but killers" He tried to portray chiropractors as members of an unscientific cult who cared about nothing but taking their patients' money. Up to the late 1970s and early 1980s, the medical establishment purposely conspired to try to destroy the profession of chiropractic. In fact, a landmark lawsuit in the Supreme Court of Illinois in the 1980s found that the American Medical Association was guilty of conspiracy and was ordered to pay restitution to the chiropractic profession.
In the 20 years since, the opinion of most medical doctors has changed: several major studies have shown the superiority of chiropractic in helping people with a host of conditions, and medical doctors developed a better understanding as to what chiropractors actually do. Many people have returned to their medical doctors and told them about the great results they experienced at their chiropractors office. Hospitals across the country now have chiropractors on staff, and many chiropractic offices have medical doctors on staff. Chiropractors and medical doctors are now much more comfortable working together in cases where medical care is necessary as an adjunct to chiropractic care.
Myth #3 - Once you start going to a chiropractor, you have to keep going for the rest of your life.
This statement comes up frequently when the topic of chiropractic is discussed. It is only partially true. You only have to continue going to the chiropractor as long as you wish to maintain the health of your neuromusculoskeletal system. Going to a chiropractor is much like going to the dentist, exercising at a gym, or eating a healthy diet: As long as you keep it up, you continue to enjoy the benefits.
Many years ago, dentists convinced everyone that the best time to go to the dentist is before your teeth hurt, that routine dental care will help your teeth remain healthy for a long time. The same is true of chiropractic care for your spine. It is important to remember that, just like your teeth, your spine experiences normal wear and tear as you walk, drive, sit, lift, sleep, and bend. Routine chiropractic care can help you feel better, move with more freedom, and stay healthier throughout your lifetime. Although you can enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care even if you receive care for a short time, the real benefits come into play when you make chiropractic care a part of your wellness lifestyle.
