Spinal Health

Occasionally your spinal column becomes unbalanced. When this occurs it may put stress on your bones, spinal cord, brain and other nerves and cause pain, fatigue, weakness and disease (loss of health or wholeness).

Dr. Hakes is able to locate this unbalance (called a vertebral subluxation complex) and will gently re-align your spinal column to remove stress from your nerves and bones, thus helping to restore health and wholeness to your body.

Scoliosis

In 85% to 90% of cases the cause of scoliosis is unknown and the vertebrae, discs, ligaments, tendons and muscles all appear to be normal (although as the scoliosis worsens one or more of these parts may develop abnormalities).

In 10% to 15% of the cases the cause of scoliosis is tumor, infection, a neuromuscular disease such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy, a birth deformity or disc problems.

Further deepening the mystery of scoliosis is the fact that no one knows why some minor curves get worse whereas about 90% do not.

However, it should be pointed out that it is not true, as commonly thought, that poor posture is a cause of scoliosis or that women with scoliosis have more problems carrying babies to term than women who do not have the disease.

Chiropractors do not treat the disease, scoliosis included, but they do correct the vertebral subluxation complex (a condition that interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system and body as a whole).

A body without subluxations is in a better position to resist abnormalities and disease of all kinds, including scoliosis.

Recent research suggesting that scoliosis may be caused by a neurological defect reinforces the validity of the chiropractic approach; the nervous system must remain free of structural damage in order to be healthy.

One report of about 100 chiropractic patients revealed improvement in 84%: 6.8% total correction, 35.6% significant correction, and 41.2% small correction, while 16.4% showed no change or worsening of curves.

Chiropractic research however, has not been limited and the final word is not in on this mysterious condition. However, the evidence increasingly tells us that many scoliosis sufferers could benefit from chiropractic care.

Mid-Back Subluxations

Unnatural movement or locking of your thoracic vertebrae and its related tissues can restrict movement of your heart, lungs, and other organs in your chest cavity and also prevent the proper draining of fluids from your head, brain, throat, heart and lungs which may cause congestion of body fluids and affect the proper flow of blood to these organs.

Also, the vertebral subluxation complex can irritate the nerves coming from your spine to your sympathetic chain, affecting the blood supply and proper function of your internal organs.

Because unhealthy spinal function in the thoracic area can affect so many organs, when your chiropractor releases pressure in this area the benefits can be both physically and psychologically profound.

Spine and Disc Degeneration

Degeneration Phase 01

First your spine loses its normal balance. There may be a loss of normal spine curves. Your nerves may be affected and the vitallife energy that flows over them is interfered with.

Also your joints, discs, nerves and posture are stressed and age more quickly.

Surprisingly, there may be no pain other than occasional minor discomfort.

Also present may be a slight lessening of energy and slight height loss.

Response to spinal care is generally good.

Degeneration Phase 02

Here there is a much greater degree of decay, disc narrowing and bone spurs (deformations); postural changes are much worse.

This condition is very common (by age 40, 80% of males and 76% of females exhibit moderate disc degeneration). Spinal canal narrowing or stenosis may also occur.

This phase is characterized by more common aches and pains, fatigue and a diminished ability to cope with stress. Height continues to decrease.

With chiropractic care significant improvement is possible.

Degeneration Phase 03

Here there are more postural imbalances, increased nerve damage, permanent scar tissue and advanced bone deformation.

Also found in this phase are permanent loss of height and loss of energy.

With care some reversal is possible.

Degeneration Phase 04

This is the most advanced stage of subluxation degeneration. The postural imbalance is severe and motion is limited. There is severe nerve damage, permanent scar tissue is formed and the bones may begin to fuse.

In this phase we find pain, various degrees of physical or mental disability, and continued loss of energy and height.

By now the condition is considered irreversible, although chiropractic may give some symptomatic relief.

See your chiropractor regularly to keep your spine free from
subluxations and free from spinal degeneration.

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