WHAT IF…?
…I told you that by age 45 you’d already have so many problems with your teeth that you’d have trouble speaking and eating and require major dental surgery costing thousands of dollars?
You’d tell me I’m being silly because you visit your Dentist twice a year for check-ups and cleaning, and you brush your teeth twice a day, floss, and use mouth wash to avoid such a catastrophic health problem.
…I told you that by age 45 you’d have trouble with your eyes causing you to be unable to read, watch a movie, drive a car, and enjoy the beauty of world?
You’d tell me I’m being silly because you avoid this health crisis by visiting your Optometrist regularly to ensure no degenerative changes have occurred and/or to investigate if prescriptive eye glasses are required to maintain proper vision.
…I told you that by age 45 you’d already developed arthritis of your joints, weakness and tearing of your muscles, and softening of your bones resulting in physical pain, limitations to your activities of daily living, and possibly needing surgery and intensive rehabilitation?
You’d tell me I’m being silly because you avoid this health crisis by visiting your Chiropractor regularly to ensure your muscles and bones stay strong, your joints stay mobile, resulting in a healthy neuro-musculoskeletal system.
RIGHT?
We are facing a crisis. I’m not talking about global warming, terrorism, or other scary global issues. I’m talking about our individual health. We seem to have accepted the necessity of maintaining the health of our eyes, teeth, heart, and lungs. Science is very clear about how to accomplish these health goals.
- Brush your teeth, floss, mouthwash, visit the Doctor of Dentistry
- Visit the Doctor of Optometry to assess for degenerative and prescriptive changes to our eyes
- Visit the Medial Doctor to assess blood pressure, heart rate, listen to your lungs and heart to assess for illness of these vital organs
But, we seem to be doing a very poor job at avoiding illness to our musculoskeletal system. Personally, I don’t understand why. But, stepping back, I respect that the other parts of our body seem to have more dire consequences when they become sick: Loss of vision; inability to speak or eat; lung disease; or a heart attack are all incredibly scary health consequences. It almost seems petty to put back pain or headaches into that category of health concerns.
This attitude, however, is costing us more money than any other health problem. And the consequence on our lives is devastating. Shoulder, spine, hip, and knee surgeries are occurring at staggering rates. Arthritis of our joints has become so common we actually call it “normal”. It is not normal. It is a slow disease process of our musculoskeletal system. It is avoidable, much like tooth decay and atherosclerosis. And, unlike visiting the Doctor of Medicine or Dentistry or Optometry, visiting the Doctor of Chiropractic is quite enjoyable.
Spinal adjustments to ensure healthy spinal joint function are not only safe and pain free, they provide relaxation and relief to our fatigued musculoskeletal system. When injuries and pain occur, visits to the chiropractor help your body heal these problems quickly to avoid developing chronic pain and degeneration. Use of massage, laser, and evidence-informed care including exercise advice are all part of the visit to this chiropractor. Sure, it costs you some time and money (usually insured money), but the alternatives down the road (surgery, medication, canes, wheelchairs, etc.) are so much more expensive and disruptive to the quality of your life.
Science is very clear about how to care for the muscles and joints. We just seem to be slow on the uptake of this science. Perhaps this article will convince you that trips to the chiropractor is not about pampering your body. Having a massage and an adjustment is not a ‘day at the spa’. It is a necessary part of every individual’s health care. To lead a happy, healthy, full life, we have responsibilities to our body. Here’s the short list:
- Regular Medical Check-Ups
- Regular Dental Check-Ups
- Regular Eye Check-Ups
- Regular Chiropractic Check-Ups
- Exercise
- Read & Learn & Challenge your brain
- Sleep
- Eat Healthy
As always, comments, questions are welcome. I look forward to your next visit!