Category — Chiropractic

Sciatica can be a terrible and disabling pain that begins in the lower back and travels down into one or both legs.  The pain can be felt in the lower back, buttocks, hamstrings, thighs, behind the knees, calves, and even feet.  Chiropractic care and massage therapy (our integrative concept) has proven to be quite helpful.  We have had great success handing many cases of patients with sciatica.

Before you submit yourself to dangerous and irreversible surgery, more and more patients are seeking a natural approach offered by the chiropractic care!

The typical person who suffers from sciatica is over 40 years old and overweight.  It typically begins as acute lower back pain and then travels down the back of either lower extremity.  When really “fired up”, you may feel a burning pain extending from the back, through your buttocks and down your leg.  The pain is generally aggravated by bending, sitting, or standing.

Like a tree’s branches extending from the trunk, five pairs of nerves exit the spine in the lower back to form two sciatic nerves.  These nerves are the largest peripheral nerves in your body - about as thick as your thumb!  The discs of your spine are regular culprits when it comes to sciatica.  You have a soft, pulpy disc lying between each of your spinal bones.  While a disc can’t “slip”, it can bulge, herniate and rupture.  The causes can be acute trauma, repetitive micro-trauma (i.e. bending, twisting and lifting), or spinal degeneration/decay.  The injured disc can put direct pressure on nearby nerves.  The result?

Swelling. Inflammation. Pain.

You may suspect a disc injury involvement if you have more pain when you cough, sneeze, have bowel movements, or extend your back.  To be sure, I can perform a thorough examination in our office and detect sciatica caused by disc injury or other causes.  Sometimes I may prescribe an MRI if more information is needed.

Sciatica tends to worsen when you ignore it.  Extended bed rest makes it worse too.  Dangerous pain pills and muscle relaxers don’t correct the cause.  They just act to cover up the symptoms, and give you a false sense of healing.  Chemical fixes don’t get to the root physical cause.

Surgery often involves cutting away disc tissue or removing bone to make room for the inflamed nerve. Sadly, outcomes of spinal surgery are not very good statistically.

Fortunately, Sciatica Often Responds To Natural Therapy… Chiropractic Care, Massage Therapy, Laser Therapy, And Core Rehabilitation!

Our approach focuses on improving your body function.  Our techniques help improve joint motion, relax tight muscles, stabilize the body, and stimulate healing.  Millions of people worldwide have experienced good results from the type of care we provide.  Many of our patients have reported a freedom from their sciatic pain and an ability to resume their lives without resorting to drugs and surgery.

There is hope!  For a free introductory evaluation to determine if I can help your sciatica, please contact our office today.

We are approaching a crossroads in our country’s health care system.  President Obama is pushing Congress to make some major changes by the end of the summer. You can make your voice heard and influence the decision makers.

From ChiroVoice.com…

Health care reform shouldn’t be about politics – instead, the focus should be on ways to keep people well. Currently, our health care system is based on responding to acute problems, urgent needs of patients, and pressing concerns, and as a result we spend minimal time working to prevent illness and disease. Chiropractic, however, focuses on prevention. Not only does your doctor of chiropractic want to keep you pain free, he or she also wants to focus on preventive care, like smoking cessation, eating better and getting more exercise. Without the inclusion of chiropractic care in any reform plan, people will take more medications, undergo more unnecessary surgeries and suffer more pain. That is not a solution.

President Obama has reaffirmed his desire for Congress to pass a comprehensive health care bill by the end of the summer. Now is the time for your elected officials to hear from the people they serve – YOU – that chiropractic is an essential component to any health care plan.

Please encourage your friends and family to join ChiroVoice, and then suggest they contact Congress to share their support for chiropractic.

ChiroVoice is the voice of patients – people like you – who care about real health care reform. Thank you for your continued support.

Chiropractic care has proven to be a very safe and effective health care system for the entire family.  While no health care system is completely free of risks, few can equal chiropractic’s safety.

Chiropractic Is Gentle, Non-Invasive, Drug-Free, And Can Benefit People Of All Ages… From Newborn Infants To The Elderly!

For decades, organized medicine attacked the chiropractic profession.  Thanks to millions of people who ignored this harassment…

Chiropractic Has Become The Largest Natural, Non-Drug Healing Art In The World!

And today, many M.D.’s are chiropractic patients, and even refer their own patients to chiropractic doctors.  For over 100 years now, chiropractic has had an excellent safety record backed up by modern research.  This is the result of a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or dangerous drugs.

Chiropractic care is far safer than…

• Back surgery
• Muscle relaxers, and even…
• Common aspirin!

We help our patients to…

Experience Superior Health Through Natural Therapy!

We accomplish this through a holistic approach and integrative care - combining chiropractic, massage, exercise, nutritional counseling, and laser therapy techniques. This strategy sets us apart from many other health practitioners, and gives you the best opportunity to experience superior health!

Being healthy is usually one of the highest priorities to each of us. Living to a “ripe old age” in good health is also important to most people.

Unfortunately no one, doctors of chiropractic included, can guarantee that you will live to be 100 or that you will live even one day in perfect health.

But while there are no guarantees, there are things that you can do to increase your potential to be healthier and to live longer.

Things like:

• Eating a whole food plant-based diet
• Getting regular moderate exercise
• Managing your stress (we all have it!)
• Getting the proper amount of rest and sleep
• Drinking clean water
• Breathing clean air
• Getting the proper amount of sunshine
• Maintain the integrity of your nervous system

Making These A Regular Part Of Your Life Will Increase Your Potential To Be Healthier, More Productive And To Enjoy Life More!

Maintaining the integrity of your nervous system is something else that’s essential to your  health in general.  When your nervous system is working properly, you have the greatest potential to have superior health. Without a working nervous system you cannot live… and if it’s not working properly, you cannot experience superior health.

You Can’t Even Receive The Maximum Benefit From Good Food, Exercise And Rest Unless Your Nervous System Is Healthy!

This is why doctors of chiropractic (like me) place such a great emphasis on taking care of the nervous system. Chiropractic doctors can improve the function of your nervous system by removing interference caused by subluxations (misaligned bones).

I use a highly effective “whole-body” adjusting approach to improve joint biomechanics and reduce nervous system interference. The approach we use is based on our judgment and years of experience.

Do You Have Any Concerns That Your Body Isn’t Working At Its Optimal Level, And You Want To Experience Superior Health?

Not sure what to do?

I can help! To find out more, please give us a call or just stop by our office.  I can provide you a FREE introductory exam and consultation.  You can ask me anything.  I’ll do a brief assessment to see if care at our office would be appropriate.  If I can help you, I’ll let you know within 15-30 minutes.  And you decide to start care… then we’ll take it from there!

Our Wellness Programs Are Each Individually Designed And Well-Balanced To Help You Achieve Superior Health!

Don’t be satisfied with:

• Chronic back pain
• Low energy or fatigue
• Headaches
• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Sciatica
• Being overweight
• Knee pain
• OR WHATEVER ELSE IS BOTHERING YOU!

We may be able to provide you with a NATURAL and PROVEN solution!  Contact us today to schedule your exam and consultation!

Mostly all of us have been taught to view symptoms as bad.  And when you have spinal pain, headaches, or just feel rotten, you’re told to get rid of the symptoms as fast as possible. But usually this is done without regard for your own health and without understanding the role of symptoms in your health.

When we are suffering we are told to take aspirin, or Tylenol, or to TAKE MORE AND MORE CHEMICALS!  Listen.  First of all, health can’t be found in any bottle!  Second, symptoms and pain are NOT always bad!  Your body was designed with a special warning system to let you know if something is harming you.  Pain is a way that your body talks to you.  Back pain may be your body’s way of telling you that you’re injured and need rest.  In many ways, pain helps you prevent injury and harm to your body. 

Covering up the pain can be DANGEROUS and can even invite the possibility of further injury.  It’s like having a really expensive fire alarm system in your home…and then disconnecting it before you go to bed so that it doesn’t wake you up in the middle of the night!  BUT THAT IS ITS JOB!

If you injured your back, can imagine the damage you could do if you used a simple pain-killing drug that allowed you to forget the pain.  You might begin lifting again, which could very easily cause severe muscle and joint damage worse than the first injury!

There’s another aspect of symptoms that we need to look at.  Sometimes your symptoms are an indication that your body is doing its job perfectly.  Vomiting and diarrhea are natural body functions that could save your life!   If you’ve eaten bad food, you want your body to do its best to flush out the toxins you just ate!  These types of symptoms are your body’s own defenses working to keep you as healthy as possible!  Trying to remove these types of symptoms would be just plain harmful to your health!

Now let’s look at this from a different angle.  Most of us believe that if you feel good then you are healthy.  Let me explain why this is a very dangerous way to measure your health.  First, we already saw that symptoms aren’t always bad.  Sometimes they’re present when your body is working fine… as warning signs of damage, or as natural defense mechanisms.  Secondly, many times symptoms are the LAST stage of a disease. 

Did you know that the FIRST symptom of high blood pressure is often a DEADLY STROKE?  The first symptom of heart disease could be a FATAL HEART ATTACK!

You see, heart disease is a process - it takes time before your heart gives way.  By the time you feel it, it may be too late.  To put it simply, symptoms are a terribly inaccurate measurement of your state of health.

This is why I take a different approach to health care.  I won’t put my focus on your symptoms… I’ll put 110% of my focus on your health!  I understand that if your health is good then you are less likely to get sick. And my techniques are guaranteed to help you be healthier!  Let’s face it, what you really need to do is this:

TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH NOW BECAUSE BY THE TIME YOUR SYMPTOMS WARN YOU OF A PROBLEM, IT MAY BE TOO LATE! 

You’ll be much less likely to be sick and suffer from symptoms if your body is really healthy!  

Since TRUE HEALTH IS NOT DETERMINED BY HOW YOU FEEL, then how do you really know if you’re healthy?  You’re probably thinking, “What determines health, if it isn’t determined by the absence of things like symptoms and pain?”  The answer is…

SUPERIOR HEALTH IS DETERMINED BY THE PRESENCE OF THINGS - NOT BY THE ABSENCE OF THINGS SUCH AS SYMPTOMS OR PAIN!

Health is determined by the presence of all of your body parts functioning at their optimum levels.  In other words, when all of your body parts are working at 100% - you are 100% healthy.  It’s that simple!  If there were one thing I would want you to remember from this article, it’s this:

HEALTH IS THE NORMAL STATE OF YOUR BODY!

You need to view your health as something that can be created, enhanced, destroyed, and lost. You can picture your health like the contents of a bucket.  Doing the right things adds to the contents of the bucket and increases your health.  Doing bad things lessens the contents and may bring about disease.  Unfortunately, there’s an inherent problem with the bucket… it has holes at the bottom through which the contents continually leak.  Some of the holes are due to things you can’t change such as: aging, unavoidable stress and previous injuries.  But remember, there are many things that are in your control that cause holes.  So what are you to do when the contents leaks out all over the floor?   Should you spend time mopping up the floor?  NO!  This is just taking away the symptoms of a possible deeper health problem.  And we already discussed that this is taking a dangerous risk with your own health.  To really make a positive change in your health, you need to continually add to the contents of the bucket and to avoid things that cause more holes in your bucket.  You can’t do much about the past.  But remember:

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO BEGIN TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT AND BEGIN DOING WHAT IT TAKES TO EXPERIENCE SUPERIOR HEALTH!

And remember that I’m here to help!  I’ll work with you one-on-one and help you with your individual needs.  I promise to do my best to guide and encourage you to get on and stay on the road to good health!

Your focus then moves from treating symptoms, to actively doing the things necessary to EXPERIENCE SUPERIOR HEALTH!  If you make the effort to stop chasing your symptoms and start moving towards optimum health then you’ll be truly practicing preventative health care.

Why be content to be merely free from symptoms when you can ensure better health & vitality for yourself and your whole family for your entire lives?

How Common Are Shoulder Problems?

Shoulder pain is a common complaint that is often associated with neck pain and upper back pain.  The only complaint we see more frequently in our office is low back pain.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 13.7 million people in the United States sought medical care in 2003 for shoulder problems.”

When you think of shoulder injuries, you probably think of sports-related injuries seen in baseball or tennis.   However, shoulder injuries can be easily caused by many normal everyday activities. The shoulder is so  susceptible to injury because it has the greatest range of motion of all the joints of the body.  And with increased motion, you have less stability.

To appreciate the incredible design of the shoulder itself and to understand the complexities in caring for shoulder problems we have to first take a look at the basic anatomy of the shoulder.  The shoulder consists of three major bones and over twenty different muscles.

Basic Shoulder Anatomy

The two main bones of the shoulder are the humerus and the scapula (shoulder blade).  The joint cavity us cushioned by articular cartilage covering the head of the humerus and face of the glenoid.  The scapula extends up around the shoulder joint at the rear to form the roof called the acromion, and around the shoulder joint at the front to form the coracoid process.  The end of the scapula, called the glenoid, meets the head of the humerus to form a glenohumeral cavity that acts as a flexible ball-and-socket joint.  A ring of fibrous cartilage surrounding the glenoid is called the labrum, which stabilizes the joint.  Ligaments connect bones of the shoulder and tendons join the bones to the surrounding muscles.

Two major tendons of the shoulder are the biceps tendon, which attaches the biceps muscle to the shoulder and helps stabilize the joint, and the supraspinatus tendon, which helps form the rotator cuff.  Four short muscles originate on the scapula and pass around the shoulder where their tendons fuse together to form the rotator cuff.

Other major muscles that make up the shoulder girdle are the deltoids, the biceps, the triceps, the pectoralis, the rhomboid, the trapezius, the latisimus dorsi, the teres major, the levator scapula, and others.

All of these anatomical components, along with the muscles of your upper body, work together to manage the stress your shoulder receives as you lift, extend, flex, and throw.

Common Shoulder Problems

• Tendonitis:  Inflammation of a tendon.  Commonly affecting the biceps tendon at the front of the shoulder.  Symptoms include painful shoulder motion and increased pain at night.
• Rotator Cuff Strain or Rupture:  Injury to the muscle and tendon that covers, rotates, and raises the shoulder.  Symptoms include shoulder pain and difficulty raising the shoulder.
• Impingement Syndrome: Rubbing and clicking of the shoulder on overhead motions.  The ball of the shoulder joint rubs against the ledge (the Acromium) over the shoulder.  It is frequently associated with tendonitis and rotator cuff problems.  Symptoms include pain during movement of shoulder and increased pain when raising shoulder approaching 90 degrees.
• Subluxations: Bones shifting from their normal place and becoming “stuck”.  Symptoms include joint stiffness and weakness. Pain may or may not be present.
• Bursitis: Inflamed bursa sack.  Symptoms include painful to the front or side of the shoulder and pain at night.
• Myofascial Pain: Muscle inflammation involving any of the shoulder muscles.  Symptoms include local and/or referred pain in the shoulder, the upper back, the neck, the head, the shoulder blade area, or in the arm.
• Nerve Irritation: Inflamed or irritated nerves originating from cervical spine or the brachial plexus.  Symptoms include shoulder pain, neck pain, arm pain, shooting or burning pain traveling from neck to shoulder, to arm, and to the hand.

Our Approach To Shoulder Problems

First we would start with a thorough case history, consultation, and examination.  I may recommend diagnostic studies (x-ray or MRI) if I need more information. At this point, if I determine that care is appropriate and you decide to begin care, I will design a treatment plan for you.  If at any time I discover something beyond the scope of my practice, I won’t hesitate to contact your primary care provider to discuss a possible referral to another healthcare provider.

We follow a very effective  treatment strategy based on the letters ASR.  They stand for:

• A - Adjust (whole-body adjustment techniques)
• S - Support (spinal pelvic stabilizers and other joint supports)
• R - Rehabilitate (targeted exercise therapy/physical rehab)

My approach that works so well with the spine can be applied to other joints of the body. Virtually every articulation of your skeletal system is susceptible to fixations that can impair function and range of motion.  We have a variety of other treatment options to help you recover quickly and completely.  Some of our other treatment options could include:

• Massage therapy
• Laser therapy
• Electrostimulation treatment
• Home TENS unit
• Therapeutic taping
• Targeted rehabilitative exercises for the shoulder
• Exercise modification
• Home exercise program
• Nutritional supplementation and dietary modification

We don’t want you to have to resort to dangerous medicines, injections, or surgery.  Our approach is to use chiropractic care and other natural therapies (such as massage or rehab exercises) to correct your shoulder problem quickly and  naturally.

Plantar fasciitis is a common condition that affects the section of soft tissue on the bottom (plantar surface) of the foot.  It is considered a stress irritation to the sheath (plantar fascia) of elastic (connective) tissues running nearly the entire length of the foot.  These connective tissues provide the primary support for the undersurface of your foot.

If the three arches of your foot drop too far or collapse (through time and stress), the plantar fascia becomes abnormally pulled and  stretched out.  This pulling can lead to inflammation and pain in your heel, your arch, and even in your forefoot.  The level of discomfort can range from mild to severe.  In severe pain cases, a burning sensation can be felt going across the bottom of the foot, and walking would be very painful and difficult.  For some the pain is felt every time they stand up.

By the age of 20, nearly 80% of us has some kind of foot problem, and by age forty almost all of us do.

http://www.footlevelers.com/conditions/foot_problems.php

The most common cause of plantar fasciitis is excessive pronation, which is considered the most common of all foot problems. In excessive pronation, some of the bones of the foot drop to a less stable position due to a structural weakening and misalignment of the foot arches and bones of the foot. The arches themselves may be unnaturally stretched causing a flattening of the feet.  This results in abnormal stress on the entire foot, which leads to abnormal biomechanical stress on the ankle, knees, hip, sacroiliac, and spine.

From the time you learn to walk, your feet assume three crucial functions: they support your body whenever you stand, walk, or run; they assist you in achieving movement from one place to another; and they help protect your bones and soft tissues from damaging shock stress as you move. Being overweight, having minor structural defects in the feet, or injuries — all of these factors can contribute to additional foot and body stress. So even though one-quarter of all the bones in your body are in your feet, having to perform these three strenuous tasks day after day can (and often does) lead to some type of foot and/or body problem. It’s not too surprising to learn, therefore, that by the age of twenty, nearly 80% of us have some kind of foot problem, and by age forty almost everyone does.

http://www.footlevelers.com/conditions/foot_problems.php

If plantar fasciitis or excessive pronation aren’t treated, they can lead to progressive development of foot malfunction and discomfort. Your feet can become “tired and achy” or you may experience burning pains.  Your walking may begin to feel “clumsy” as you try to move your foot in a way that avoids further pain.  Left untreated for a long time can result in the formation of a heel spur.  Heel spurs are small deposits of bone-like calcium on the heel bone (calcaneus), usually on or near the bottom of the foot where the long tendons of the arches (plantar fascia) insert into the bone.

Some experts believe that a spur is the body’s attempt to strengthen its foundation. Being overweight, having abnormal foot biomechanics, or running regularly on hard surfaces can cause excessive stress on the foot, which may lead to the production of a spur. Other authorities contend that spurs are a normal part of the aging process: some studies have shown that calcaneal spurs are more frequently found in people after age 50. The best data currently available projects that between 11% and 16% of the population have heel spurs. It is also interesting to note that spurs occur almost twice as often in adult females as they do in adult males.

http://www.footlevelers.com/conditions/heel_spurs.php

Foot pain means that you should make an appointment to be evaluated in our office right away.  But most problems of the feet are symptom-free (painless).  Even if your feet don’t hurt, the structural imbalance and weakening of your foundation can have a serious impact on the rest of your body. If you are currently having pain in your knees, hips, low back or neck, the reason may be because you have excessive pronation.  Your feet may not be properly supporting the rest of your skeleton.  The abnormal stress will work its way up into the rest of your of your body.

If you are having pain in your ankles, knees, hips, back or neck, contact our office to discover if your feet could be a contributing factor.

We follow a very effective  treatment strategy based on the letters ASR.  They stand for:

• A - Adjust (whole-body adjustment techniques)
• S - Support (spinal pelvic stabilizers and other joint supports)
• R - Rehabilitate (targeted exercise therapy/physical rehab)

Maybe you’ve never heard of subluxations before. That’s okay.  If you’re a chiropractic patient, you probably have.  

A subluxation is a condition where a joint (the place where two bones meet) becomes jammed.  The bones become stuck and don’t move right, which causes nervous system interference.  This interference distorts the communication between your brain and your body, and can cause all kinds of health problems.

Subluxations causing nervous system interference can occur at any joint in the body. The core of your body (the spinal joints or vertebrae) frequently subluxate.  Subluxations are also common in the extremities.  The foot, knee and hip joints can subluxate.  The hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints can subluxate.

The body is complex.  A subluxation doesn’t just involve two bones and some nerves.  Muscles can become abnormally tight or weak.  Pain patterns develop.  Connected discs, ligaments, and other tissues can become damaged and inflamed.  Over time, degenerative changes can occur.  Bone spurs, arthritis, and other forms of decay can set in.

Subluxations are serious!

Joint subluxations are caused by three basic factors:  physical stress, chemical stress, and emotional stress.  Physical stress includes slips and falls, car accidents, repetitive motions, sprains and strains, sports injuries, improper lifting, and the like.  Emotional stress includes mental stress, anger, fear, unforgiveness, and the like.  Chemical stresses include smoking, alcohol, drugs, pollution, poor diet, and such.

You can have subluxations and not even know it.  Like tooth decay or cancer, subluxations may be present before any warning signs appear.  How can you know if you have a subluxation?  The best way to know is to be evaluated at our office by myself (or by another chiropractor).  

I use several different evaluation techniques to determine the presence of subluxations.  I check bone and muscle symmetry, test joint motion, and use a series of other indicators to evaluate each patient.  The results of a thorough examination can reveal the location and severity of subluxations you may have.

Chiropractic doctors (like myself) are the only licensed health care professionals dedicated to the detection, reduction, and prevention of subluxations.  I use a highly effective whole-body adjusting approach to improve joint biomechanics and reduce nervous system interference.  

Learn More About Dr. Ken Goldman’s Techniques

If you wonder how much your lifestyle affects your health, you have to read this article.  According to this latest research, diet appears to be the most influential factor in regards to cancer.

LONDON (Reuters) - Healthier living could prevent about a third of the most common cancers in rich countries and about a quarter in poorer ones, international researchers said on Thursday.

Better diets, more exercise and controlling weight could also prevent more than 40 percent of colon and breast cancer cases in some countries, according to the study which urged governments and individuals to do more to cut the number of global cancer deaths each year.

“At the time of publication, roughly 11 million people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer and nearly eight million people die from cancer each year,” said Michael Marmot, who led the study from the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research.

“However, cancer is mostly preventable.”

The study involved 23 experts who analyzed both the incidence of 12 common cancers across the world and data on diet, exercise and weight to see how these factors contributed to kidney, mouth, lung, gallbladder and the other cancers.

The researchers found that healthier living would prevent 43 percent of colon cancer cases and 42 percent of breast cancer cases in Britain, and 45 percent of bowel cancer and 38 percent of breast cancer cases in the United States.

The findings follow the same groups’ study in 2007 that showed how quickly people grow and what they eat are both significant causes of cancer.

They recommended — in line with what health experts, including governments and the U.N. World Health Organization, have long been advising — that people follow diets based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains and go easy on red meats, dairy products and fats.

The team also looked at China and Brazil as representatives of low- and middle-income countries, respectively.

Overall improving diet, exercise and weight would in the United States prevent more than a third of the 12 most common cancers — which also included stomach, womb (uterus), prostate, pancreas and esophagus tumors.

This amounted to 39 percent of the cancers in Britain, 30 percent in Brazil and 27 percent in China.

“This report shows that by making relatively straightforward changes, we could significantly reduce the number of cancer cases around the world,” Marmot said in a statement.

“On a global level every year, there are millions of cancer cases that could have been prevented and this is why we need to act now before the situation gets even worse.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51P2P920090226

The lesson here: if you want to have superior health, you must have a healthy lifestyle, which should include a whole-food plant-based diet.  A healthy lifestyle also should include regular moderate exercise, stress management, and getting sufficient rest among other things.

Many of our patients include regular chiropractic checkups and massage therapy as part of their healthy lifestyle because they know that it contributes to their health and well-being!

I just discovered a site by the ACA (American Chiropractic Association) that seems to be taking some good steps to fight for your freedom to have access to chiropractic in the new proposed national health care system.  Get involved.  Every voice counts.

From www.ChiroVoice.org…

The chiropractic advocacy network is a dedicated group of national volunteers who educate policymakers about the value of chiropractic and work to positively impact any legislative efforts to reform the current national health care system. Through the chiropractic advocacy network, patients and chiropractic supporters can stay informed about important health care issues and help ensure that:

• Congress does not restrict your ability to access essential chiropractic services.
• Congress does not limit – but instead expands – coverage for services provided by Doctors of Chiropractic within Medicare.
• Insurance and managed care companies do not deny patients’ access to the essential chiropractic services they need.

Your involvement makes a tremendous difference. 
Each active member of the chiropractic advocacy network brings us one step closer to our goal of assuring full-scope access to chiropractic services. Chiropractic patients and supporters who are interested in serving as advocates may sign-up to receive special e-mail alerts about advocacy issues and important legislation. Network members will also receive a monthly e-newsletter.