Frequently asked questions

It is natural to be uninformed about Chiropractic as it may be unlike other medical care you have received.  That is why it is our mission to inform as many people as possible about the benefits of chiropractic care. In the following  paragraghs you hopefully will find the answers to frequently asked questions.

What is chiropractic care?

Chiropractic is a philosophy of health care that focuses on helping the body heal itself.  Nervous system interference caused by improper alignment of the vertebrae in your spinal column can cause ill health . This is called a subluxation.  Experiences in life cause circumstances that interfere with the normal functioning of our bodies and nervous system interference . These can be severe circumstances such as an automobile accident or sports injury or an everyday repetitive movement that over time can cause strain to the musculoskeletal system.  Excessive lifting or twisting are examples of this.

What is a Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation and how will I benefit from it?

Through proper alignment of the vertebrae,  subluxations  can be corrected.  The objective of the chiropractic adjustment is to reduce spinal misalignment, which will result in increased range of motion, reduced nerve irritability and muscle spasm and reduced pain.  The Chiropractic adjustment is a gentle, purposeful movement of the vertebrae in your spinal column through carefully applied pressure . This manual manipulation of the spine  allows the body to return to its natural state of balance  allowing the bones in the spine  to move back to their proper position achieving normal nerve flow. This allows the healing process to begin.  Nerve and muscle pain is reduced and proper body functioning can resume.

Why does Chiropractic care require frequent treatment visits?

Other natural treatment modalities require frequent visits as well, such as physical therapy. Our society has become accustomed to quick fixes but in actuality when you consider them they are not.  Using an analogy, may be the best way to answer this. When you have an infection and go to your medical doctor  he most likely will prescribe an antibiotic. They may be prescribed for ten days twice a day.  Antibiotics taken for an infection for ten days, twice a day is the equivalent of twenty treatments, however it seems like only one because you made only one visit to his office.  This is generally far more treatments than you would receive in our office for your care.

Once my pain is relieved will I need to continue seeing a Chiropractor?

Many people choose to continue chiropractic care after their pain is relieved because they feel better from it. Additionally, some people due to the physical demands of their occupation or choice to live a very active life style of sport activities or hobbies  will find themselves misaligned at times and require periodic spinal adjustments.  In some cases, patients with structural anamolies will need the support of chiropractic  care for an indefinite period of time.  While this is not the norm, it does happen.

You mentioned sports injuries and automobile accidents as incidents in which Chiropractic care can help, are there others?

There are a wide variety of conditions chiropractic care can be of help , these include but are not limited to:  Headaches, arthritis, bursitis, sciatica, tendonitis, whiplash and other traumatic injuries, nerve disorders, disc disorders, and chronic muscle pain.  Dr. Hegseth has been in practice for over thirty years and the wide variety and number of patients he has seen have given him an abundance of experience and knowledge.  Be assured if he is unable to help your condition, he will refer you to a specialist that can.  He works closely with neurologists,  physical therapists, orthopedists and neurosurgeons in the Tampa Bay community.