Absolutely. With the development and growth of the baby and mama over the course of 3 trimesters, the body can and usually shifts out of position. There is a chiropractic technique called Websters which is part of the pregnancy protocol to assist to keep the pelvis aligned working with the round ligaments and pelvic adjusting. Pregnancies can proceed easier when we can ease body discomfort and promote proper baby positioning with chiropractic adjusting during the pregnancy.

Chiropractors are doctors, but we don't practice medicine. We don't prescribe medications nor perform surgeries, but, we do have extensive schooling taking 1000s of hours of education earning a Doctorate of Chiropractic after completing a bachelor's degree. We do have to pass National Boards to become a chiropractor, much like many other doctors you may visit.

During your exam, we look for subluxations, misaligned bones, and joints of the spine. Chiropractors remove those subluxations to restore the patient to the best working version of themselves. The body is a self-healing, self-regulating mechanism when optimized. A properly functioning body is capable of healing and recovering from many ailments and sicknesses.

"While other professions are concerned with changing the environment to suit the weakened body, chiropractic is concerned with strengthening the body to suit the environment" — B. J. Palmer

Of course, our children and babies can get adjusted! Again, the profession is based on communication and the performance of the human body. Babies and children have brains, spinal cords, and nerves which communicate and coordinate all functions. One of the first traumas we experience that shift our bodies out of position is the birth process. It would be ideal if everyone saw a chiropractor shortly after birth to make sure the stresses of the birthing process were removed to restore our optimal functioning selves. I wish every birth was ideal and easy, but 1 in 3 births in the US is through C-section or assisted with vacuum, forceps, or hand extraction, placing excess stress on the head and neck of the newborn. A check-up by a chiropractor can help restore their body to recover from birth traumas.

Chiropractic can be equated to a car tune-up. We don't do one tune-up on our car and expect that to last the entirety of the life of the car. The human body is no different and needs tune-ups especially after dealing with physical stresses, environmental stresses, and emotional stresses. Most people understand the physical stresses that come from a fall or accident, but most people don't realize physical stresses can also come from sitting or standing all day. Environmental stresses are the ones we get exposed to with what we put into our bodies. Unfortunately, we don't always eat the best foods for healing and repair. Emotional stresses are the ones placed on ourselves with family, friends, relationships, work, and life. All these stresses eventually can run down the body and sometimes we need a tune-up to help our bodies return to peak performance.

I also use IASTM (instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization) technique in my office. I use a beveled edge piece of metal to go over soft tissue to break up myofascial adhesions or scar tissue that may have developed over time, injury, or repetitive overuse. It helps to get to deeper muscle issues that may not alleviate on their own through adjusting by itself. The adjustments usually are easier to perform and hold for longer durations after the fascial restrictions have been removed. All patients are encouraged to discuss any level of comfort they have with this technique and their treatment will be adjusted to their liking.