Is it safe?
Chiropractic is very safe. Since he began practice in 2004, Dr. Moss has performed over 1,000,000 adjustments without even one injury. Chiropractors have the lowest rates for malpractice insurance because it is the safest profession in health care.

Is it going to hurt?
Dr. Moss uses the same gentle techniques on adults as he does on children. When families come in together, the younger children often want to go first. If adjustments hurt them, they wouldn't want to get adjusted first. Sometimes after an adjustment, you can feel sore as you would after a particularly good workout. This is normal and will happen less as you get better. Pain during an adjustment is rare and light and passes quickly.

What about that popping sound?
In your joint there is a membrane with fluid inside. There is gas dissolved in that fluid, kind of like the gas in a soft drink or bottle of wine. When the membrane is stretched, it becomes more leaky and if there is a difference in gas pressure from one side of the membrane to the other...then pop, just like opening a pop bottle or wine bottle. If there is no difference in gas pressure, then there isn't any noise. Many of my patients report to me that they like it when it when adjustments are noisy.

Should I ask my Medical Doctor?
Medical Doctors provide a valuable service, but they do not have any training about Chiropractic. In 1976 Chester Wilk D.C. led a successful lawsuit against the American Medical Association and 10 other medical organizations. The landmark decision in 1990 found the AMA guilty of trying to destroy Chiropractic as a competitor in health care. Up until that decision, there was a systematic effort to prevent Medical Doctors from referring to Chiropractic Doctors. Since the public is demanding safer alternatives to drugs and surgery, referrals to Chiropractors are becoming more common. Our office has had Medical Doctors and their families as patients. We have also had Medical Doctors refer patients to us.

What if it's a herniated disc?
Dr. Moss has helped many patients with disc problems. Discs are damaged by improper muscle support of the spine. Restoration of proper spinal muscle support is key to stopping the damage to the disc. The first step to repair anything is to stop the damage because you can always damage something faster then you can repair it.

What if I have arthritis?
Arthritis means inflammation of the joint. Inflammation is the body's response to damage. In osteoarthritis, joints are damaged by improper muscle support to that joint. What Dr. Moss does is test for muscle malfunction. Then we test to see what is causing the malfunction. Once the cause is determined, the appropriate care is then provided.

What if I am pregnant?
Chiropractic has long been shown to be helpful for pregnancy. My pregnant patients have been relieved of nausea and have reported easier labors and deliveries while under my care. We also have been successful turning breach babies by restoring support to the uterus and supporting ligaments in preparation for labor and delivery. Techniques will be modified so that there is not any excess pressure on the belly.

Do you take newborns?
The youngest patient I have adjusted was an hour old. Labor forces have been measured to be anywhere between 80 to 150 lbs. of pressure to push the baby out. All that force pushes on the baby's head to open the cervix and to get through the canal. All that pressure on the baby's head is transmitted to the baby's neck which is smaller than my little finger. That's from a normal birth. The forces during a forceps birth, vacuum extraction or a Cesarean section are much greater. We have helped infants with many health problems, but some parents bring us their newborns, just to get checked. I consider it an honor to care for newborns.

What is Applied Kinesiology (AK)?
Applied Kinesiology is a system that doctors with advanced training can use to determine what parts of your body are malfunctioning, why, and what to do about it. The system is taught through the International College of Applied Kinesiology. Doctors who receive a minimum of 100 hours of training that pass both written and hands-on testing examinations are called Professional Applied Kinesiologists (PAK). For more information on Applied Kinesiology and its history, visit the Wiki Chiro page.

Does Adjustment = Manipulation?
The terms Adjustment and Manipulation are often used interchangeably but they couldn't be more different. To explain the difference I'm going to use the example of the radio in my Plymouth. I have the original AM radio which has a knob on the left to turn it on and control the volume. The knob on the right is used to tune in the station. Manipulation of the knob means to just turn it. If I turned the tuner knob and then turned on the radio, it's pretty unlikely that I am going to get a clear radio station signal. To adjust the knob means to carefully move it while I compare what I hear to properly get the signal through as clear as possible.

When we adjust our patients, we will use something we can monitor, such as a malfunctioning muscle or area of altered sensation (such as numbness), or reduction of pain to help determine just how to get the proper nerve signal through.

We do not manipulate in our office. Doctors of Osteopathy and many Chiropractors do manipulate. We are not saying that manipulation is bad. It serves its own purpose. It's just very different from what I do.

Do I have to wear a gown?
Many patients tell me that they are afraid to come to the office because they think they will have to wear a patient gown. Unless you are seeing us for a condition where the doctor will have to examine your skin that is usually covered, you are able to wear normal clothes in our office.

When do I need to come back?
This is often the most misunderstood aspect of chiropractic care and a common source of fear. People are afraid that you become "addicted". Or that they heard that Chiropractors want you to go "forever". To understand the need for follow-up care, you first need to know how Chiropractic works.

Many people believe Chiropractic care to be similar to taking your car to the car wash. You arrive at the car wash dirty. You leave the car wash clean. Out in the world, things happen to dirty your car, then you bring it back. Chiropractic doesn't work this way.

Chiropractic care is more like a health club plan. You go to the club and exercise, but you aren't stronger when you leave. The benefit of exercise is only realized over time, and it's related to everything else you are doing. If you go to exercise once and then overeat bad food, drink diet pop, and smoke, you haven't accomplished much. To get the best results, you need to put in a certain amount of exercise in a certain amount of time and take care of your body when you leave.

To get the best results in our care, our office will recommend a plan of care that is based on how well YOUR body holds an adjustment. The goal in our office is to help you establish spinal stability. Your spine is held upright by muscles. To achieve spinal stability will take a plan of care which restores the ability of those spinal muscles to hold and support your spine. It must be noted that exercise alone will not likely restore the function of spinal muscles. Your unique treatment recommendations will consist of a plan that estimates just how much care it will take to achieve stability in your case. It's relatively easy to maintain stability once it's achieved, you just have to get there first.