Chiropractic Handbook FAQ's

1. What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a science, healing art, and philosophy founded in America.  Its practical principles are easily understood. The Brain and Spinal Cord integrate, control, and maintain every organ, tissue and cell of the body.  (Innate) is the inborn Intelligence and Force, which is present in every cell, tissue, and organ of your body.   The presence of the innate intelligence force in any cell, tissue, or organ, separates the living from the dead.The impedance of Innate will cause pain, dysfunction, ill health, disease, and ultimately premature death.
Chiropractic treatment restores the body to optimum health.  The chiropractic treatment does not heal; chiropractic treatment sets the stage for healing to occur from within your body at the cellular/tissue/organ level.

 2. When to choose Chiropractic?
Chropractic offers benefits for health, wellness, and optimum physical function.  Health and wellness are life-enriching benefits that more and more people are obtaining through their chiropractic doctors.  Still, one of the primary reasons people seek chiropractic care is for relief from pain. Discomfort and pain are symptoms of changes and/or malfunctions in your body. Ohio State Chiropractic Association doctors are committed to correcting the causes of such problems, returning you to full health and vitality.

Select from the menu below for a more complete explanation of some of the physical issues that can be overcome by chiropractic care.

3. Why Choose Chiropractic?
Some scientists say that we are here for no particular reason and that all of us just happened by random and chance.  These scientists state that we do not have a purpose and all of us are accidents, which is demoralizing to human existence. While another scientist spends all of his life researching and teaching self-esteem trying to revalue human existence.  

Only the love of a creator can explain us.  You do have a purpose here.  You are here to grow in wisdom, strength, compassion, and mercy; and to share your thoughts, experiences, ideas, and your very presence with your family, friends, co-workers, and associates.  You are to pursue happiness by realizing your true self and your relationship with your God, family, teacher, community, and country.

You are on your own journey and yet your journey is among us all. You are not alone. There are times when anyone of us seem insignificant to ourselves. However, when a small pebble is thrown into a pond it makes a ripple to every shore. From the greatest to the least of my sisters and brothers of mankind in every race, religion, ethnicity, and economic privilege, I act as a chiropractor by interacting with patients trying to alleviate the impingement of their nerves so that the correct and normal transmission of intelligent impulses may reach every cell tissue and organ in your body so that you the human being will have life in abundance. Chiropractic treatment should add years to life and life to years. Why? You the patient and person with a complete expression of health within you are able to fulfill your mission, talent, and destiny in life.

I hope that this web page has brought a little gold into life and like any treasure, what good is it if you don't share it? Please recommend to others to read this site.   

 4. Who can be seen by the Chiropractor?  
 Almost any person will benefit from Chiropractic Care.  Chiropractic Care is designed to treat patients of all ages from infancy to senior, both male and female.  All people experience life and stress and will develop subluxations.

5. How does the Brain and Spinal Cord integrate, control and maintain every organ in your body?
There are two parts to your Nervous System: The Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).  The CNS is composed of the Brain and Spinal cord, while the PNS is composed of the Peripheral nerves which are the Cranial nerves, and Spinal Nerves.

In every part of your body there are sensory nerves.  These nerves are constantly receiving information from your body and from your environment and relaying it to your CNS.  These impulses can carry information regarding body temperature, touch/pressure, chemistry and more!

The CNS sends exact electric signals out to the body in response to the sensory signals.  The electric signals travel through nerves from the CNS to the body.  The CNS response is so specific and perfect that the body is left in a balanced state called homeostasis.
Homeostasis is the role Innate to maintain a proper balanced environment.

6. What is Innate Intelligence Force?
One knows nature of the world by looking at the big picture of the universe. That is, the entire universe is in motion.  The astronomers today reveal that the universe is really not random, but is in order.  Therefore, all is in motion and all is in order.

Our bodies are a reflection of the universe.  Everything in our bodies is in motion and when that is so, our bodies are also in good working order.  When there is a reduction in motion, there is a reduction in order.

Innate Force maintains the motion seen in the body.  The beating of the heart, bowel movements, and blinking of the eyes are all examples of Innate Force.

Innate Intelligence is the order seen in the body.  Examples of this order are human body temperature at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, heart rate of 72 beats per minute, blood pressure at 120/80, and digestion.  Innate Intelligence can be seen in every cell, tissue, and organ of the body, which is expressed as the order in the human body.

 
7. How does the expression of the Innate separate the living from the dead?
When Innate Intelligence Forces are restricted from an area of the body, there will by a reduction in motion.  This reduction of motion will cause a reduction in order.  A disorder in a human body is referred to as a disease.  The prefix "dis-" means "not," and the root word "-ease" means to move.  The word "disease" then translates as a lack of mobility.

A disease occurs when, at the cellular, tissue, and organ levels, things do not move easily.  Doctors call this congestion.  Congestion is the first sign of disease.  The expression of Innate allows the body to function normally.  The non-expression of Innate is the beginning of the dying process at the cellular, tissue, organ, and eventually organism level.

8. How is Innate Intelligence Force Restricted?
First one must know the routes that Innate uses before one can know how it is restricted.  The route is as follows; "From the above down and from the inside out!" (D.D. Palmer)

This big idea explains how electric nerve impulses travel from the brain above, down to the spinal cord, from the spinal cord to the spinal nerve, out from the spine to every cell, tissue, and organ of the body.

 If a person experiences a physical trauma to his/her body, the body will react by compensating and adapting. The reaction to trauma will be seen as a change in the normal posture. The body compensates by leaning away from pain and adapts by keeping the eyes level and forward for safety and survival.  

A person's posture is a reflection of his/her health.  A person will maintain a posture that has the least amount of pain.  This is termed compensation.  Compensation means that the body will not be centered with equal weight on either side.  When the body is not centered, abnormal muscle tension, called spasms, occur.  Spasms occur most frequently in the legs, buttocks, low back, shoulders, neck and head.  After this occurs, there will be muscle tension in the muscles that are attached to the vertebrae of the spine.  The abnormal tension of the muscle pulls the vertebrae out of the normal position.  The abnormal position of the vertebrae will cause:

    * Misalignment of the joints of the spine
    * Swelling of the ligaments of the spine
    * Compression of the discs between the vertebrae
    * Inflammation and swelling of the tissue around the spine at the points of misalignment.
    * Abnormal tension or pressure on the spinal nerve
    * Disruption of normal electrical impulses

The greater the state of compensation, the higher degree of ill health in the body.

The compression of the discs, swelling of the ligaments and tissues, and the misalignment of the vertebrae will put abnormal pressure on the spinal nerve.  This is called Subluxation. Subluxation then upsets the flow of the normal electrical impulses that travel through the spinal nerve. So, the wrong signals (electrical impulses) will have a direct and negative effect on the cells, tissues, and organs of the body that the nerve supplies.

Subluxation is the cause of the restriction of the Innate Intelligence Force, which in turn causes disease, pain, dysfunction, and premature death of the organism.

9. How does Chiropractic treatment restore Innate Intelligence Force?
A Chiropractor is a doctor who has been trained to properly locate and correct or reduce Subluxation.  The doctor must consider the variables in order to address the problem with precision and accuracy.  They are as follows:

    * The muscle tone; Are there spasm, flaccidity, strength, or weakness?
    * The joint - degree of degeneration, pathology, and direction of misalignment have to be determined.
    * The motion of the joint - Is there normal, too much, or too little motion?
    * The soft tissues including the disc of the spine, tendons, ligaments of the involved area of complaint can have the following symptoms including swelling, degeneration and inflammation.
    * The nerve - Is the nerve sensation that of hot, cold, inflammation, tingling, dullness, or pain.

After careful consideration, the doctor will determine a treatment plan that will address the above findings to most effectively take pressure off the nerve and allow the electrical impulses to be restored to normal.

10. What are the agents that the Chiropractor employs with his patients to find subluxations?    
    The chiropractor will use a(n):

1.  History
           The history gives the doctor a broad picture of the patient as well as an explanation as to what happened that brought the patient to the office.

2. Examination
     The exam consists of:

    * Posture analysis - the distortion pattern displayed by the individual's body
    * Range of motion of the spine or any joint
    * Palpation, which helps to find muscle spasms, atrophy, swelling, and determine joint motion
    * Muscle tension

3. Diagnostic media - X-ray, M.R.I
           Diagnostics:  Most doctors will order an X-Ray to visually see the condition of the spine or extremity and the misalignment of the vertebrae.  However, additional tests are often ordered such as MRI and lab work.

4. Nutritional Evaluation
         Nutritional evaluation can render valuable information on the patient's condition.  Nutritional supplements often play an important roll in the restoration of health.
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11. What will the doctor use to reduce or correct your subluxation?
 Each doctor may practice differently.   However, the doctor, within his scope of practice, may use the following:

    * The spinal adjustment
    * Disc Decompression(Cervical and Lumbar)
    * Activator Adjustment
    * Passive and Active traction
    * Trigger point therapy
    * Cranial Adjustment
    * Heat/Ice
    * Inferential therapy
    * Extremity adjusting
    * Laser Therapy
    * Visceral manipulation
    * Nutritional therapy
    * Exercise
    * Rehabilitation

All of the above methods can be used by the doctor to correct or reduce your subluxation.

12. What conditions are treatable by Chiropractic?
If you have read this booklet, perhaps by now you may realize that you have discovered Gold.  You have found a reason for the source and cause of disease.  By law, in the State of Ohio, the Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) cannot treat infections, disease or cancer.  However, some of the more common conditions seen at the chiropractic office are:

    * Anorexia
    * Anxiety
    * Arthritis
    * Asthma
    * Atrophy
    * Blood Pressure
    * Bell's Palsy
    * Breathing Difficulty
    * Cerebral Palsy
    * Colds
    * Congestion
    * Constipation
    * Convulsions
    * Deafness
    * Diabetes
    * Ear Aches
    * Edema
    * Epilepsy
    * Equilibrium
    * Exhaustion
    * Extremity Problems
    * Fainting
    * Glaucoma
    * Hay Fever
    * Headache
    * Herniated Disc
    * Hiatal Hernia
    * Hormone Imbalance
    * Hypothyroid
    * Impotence
    * Inflammation
    * Insomnia
    * Low Back Pain
    * Low Vitality
    * Menstrual Pain
    * Migraine Headaches
    * Multiple Sclerosis
    * Nausea
    * Numbness
    * Parkinson's
    * Photophobia
    * Slow Reflexes
    * Respiration
    * Retardation
    * Schizophrenia
    * Sciatica
    * Shock
    * Sinusitis
    * Torticolis
    * Spasticity
    * Stroke
    * Swelling
    * Tension
    * Tics
    * Tinnitus
    * Tiredness
    * Toxemia
    * Vertigo
    * Visceral Disorders
    * Weakness

13. What are the main objectives of the Chiropractic treatment?
The main objectives are to:

     1. Relieve pain
     2. Restore function
     3. Strengthen the immune system
     4. Bring about the balance, harmony, and integrate function of the organs with each other, rendering a whole healthy person internally and enable them to live a higher quality of life externally.

14. How does Chiropractic treatment work?
 When a joint of the body is not in proper alignment, the patient feels the discomfort and exhibits symptoms. These are all signs of nerve impingement.  By properly addressing the spinal misalignment, that is rendering care for the muscle, the motion of the joint, the joint itself, the surrounding soft tissue and adjusting the joints, will take pressure off the nerve and reduce swelling and inflammation restoring nerve impulses and transmission to normal so the body can heal itself.  This is the chiropractic treatment.

15. What should I expect with Chiropractic treatment?
First, one should realize that if they have not been a chiropractic patient up until now, their condition, generally, did not occur overnight. Research has shown that from the time a nerve is first abnormally tensed or pressured, it takes 14 days to cause a breach in the tissue that is supplied by the nerve.  Many people do not even feel the pain right away!

In fact, many start to feel the pain weeks, months, and even years after it has occurred.  So expect the treatment to be repetitive and that it will take time. The body has to de-compensate and de-adapt to all of life stressors up till the date of their first treatment.  One can expect routine visits with a spinal check, adjustment, therapy, nutrition, and exercise.

16. How long will it take?
Your treatments at the Chiropractors office will usually only take 10 minutes.   Your treatment frequency will vary from 2 to 3 times a week.  Everyone is different! The doctor will treat your subluxation according to severity.  One visit may take more time than another.  Your treatment program is determined by your age, length of time of your condition and rate of severity.  Treatment will change as conditions improve.

Follow up visits will consist of re-examination to allow treatment programs to change.

17. How do we gauge your care?
There are three phases of care:

                1. Acute Care
Acute care is from the first treatment until the pain subsides.  That is, just because a person has no pain does not mean he/she is well. The absence of pain only indicates a person has reached a sub-pain threshold but not yet healthy. Once the patient is out of pain, the doctor reevaluates and may change treatment protocol and treatment frequency and changing the patient status to the second phase of care.

                2. Reconstructive Care
Reconstructive care commences.  The goal of reconstructive care is to see the patient until normal function is restored.  Once normal function is restored, the patient can then elect to take Wellness care.

                        3. Wellness Care

18. What is Wellness Care?
Wellness care is an active plan that the patient takes in his life to help maintain a state of homeostasis in the body and the optimal health.

The doctor of chiropractic will help his patient through nutrition and exercise and the benefit of regular chiropractic treatment.

As mentioned earlier, research has shown the subluxation in the spine can cause tissue destruction in the body in about 14 days.  A wellness program is tailored for the patient that might consist of spinal checks every 2 to 4 or 6-week intervals to check for and treat reoccurring subluxations.  A wellness visit is a preventative check for subluxations that might occur in the body to prevent the formation of disease and help maintain health.

19. What about nutrition?
Many chiropractors are highly trained in nutrition. Your chiropractor may make  recommendations to your diet as well as using nutritional supplements.  These nutrients will  help to reduce the stress, reaction to a chemical imbalance caused poor diet or toxicity  and  assist in digestion and supply the body with food that it may be lacking.

20. What is the cause of Subluxation?
Subluxation is caused by life.  The one guarantee that life offers is change.  The world is constantly moving and constantly changing.  The change in our environment is stress.  There are many stresses in everyone's personal lives.  The stressors cause our overworked, traumatized bodies to react.

The stresses we have now are:

    * Dietary
    * Emotional
    * Chemical
    * Physical
    * Mental

Examples:

    * Dietary - food preservatives
    * Emotional - relationship problems, death of relatives or friends
    * Mental - over studying, computer work/paperwork
    * Chemical - tobacco, alcohol, drug, pollution
    * Physical - auto accidents

Regular check ups with your chiropractor are needed to battle the effects of stress and its damage on the body.

21. What About Payments?
 Our office is equipped to easily meet your financial needs.  All you have to do is call and make an appointment. Upon arriving at our office and filling out the usual forms our accounts manager will assist you with in finding a means of payment. Just ask how.

Co-pays are due at time of appointment.  Our office accepts Checks, Cash,  Master Card, Visa, Discover and Care Credit.  For information on Care Credit ask our accounts manager.

A recent study with over 70,000 patients in a 5 year period showed they required 60% fewer surgeries, 60% fewer hospitalizations, and 80% fewer pharmaceuticals.
                       CHIROPRACTIC DOES NOT COST, IT SAVES!

22. What is required to be a CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIAN?

FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY

A Doctor of Chiropractic degree requires seven years and four months of secondary education course work to complete.

Three years of undergraduate study consisting of the pre-med courses are required, including one year of each, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and physics. In addition other courses are taken so that one will have a full three years of undergraduate college.   Dr. Mark Dumas has his B.A. in biology from the University of Toledo, of Toledo, Ohio, having graduated in 1982.

The Doctor of Chiropractic Degree requires four academic years and four months to complete. The course work requires 308 credit hours including anatomy, dissection, hematology, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, public health, radiology, pathology, diagnosis, ob/gyn, ENT, pediatrics, dermatology, neurology, orthopedics, psychiatry and, chiropractic technique.

Dr. Mark A. Dumas graduated in 1985 from Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa

In addition, the Doctor of Chiropractic must fulfill 24 hours of continuing education credit every year.

Dr. Mark A. Dumas is Board certified in Sacral Occipital Technique and is a Board certified Craniopath through Sacral Occipital Research Society International.  This certification takes a total of five years to complete including three written and practical examinations administered by the governing board body.

Dr. Mark A. Dumas is a member of the Ohio State Chiropractic Association, The American Chiropractic Association, The Northwest Ohio Chiropractic Association and SORSI.

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