It's easy to understand why a person would visit a chiropractor when they have an ache or pain resulting from hundreds of causes. In these cases, the doctor can determine whether a course of care is appropriate and Initial Intensive Care can be initiated to reduce or eliminate the symptomatic problem. Pain however is only one of seven reasons for consulting a chiropractor. Interestingly, the other six usually have little or no pain associated with them. Here's a condensed explanation of the other six.

1. Stabilization:
   During Initial Intensive Care, relief may be obtained in a few visits depending on the problem and how well you follow the doctor's recommendations. But, relief is only half of Initial Intensive Care. In order to assure the problem doesn't immediately reoccur, the period of care to stabilize the spine is necessary.
   
   
2. Reconstructive Care:
   Following years of nerve damage and spinal malfunction with the eventual appearance of symptoms; rehabilitation of the spine is necessary once the symptoms have been eliminated. This can last a few months or longer depending on · whether the spine is simply misaligned and malfunctioning or if there is tissue decay and bone fusion. Results depend, of course, on the severity of the problem and your response to care.
   
   
3. Prevention:
   The scenario is played out every day; a minor rear-end collision with only a little stiffness for a day or two. A few weeks or months later you wake up with headaches, a frozen neck and acute pain. In most cases this latent reaction could have been avoided if you would have addressed the problem immediately. Get checked immediately anytime your body is victim to trauma. 
   
   
4. Maintenance:
   It would be nice if once you were healthy, you could stay that way, and unfortunately the world is not always a healthy place. Therefore, a regular course of maintenance check-ups will help you do battle with a hostile environment. Maintenance is designed to keep the spine functioning at its optimum once spinal rehabilitation is complete. 
   
   
5. Normal Structural Growth:
   The process of cartilage turning into bone isn't complete in your body until your 20's. If a child has spinal malfunction and misalignment the normal weight bearing centers of the spine are shifted and the spinal bones can form abnormally causing permanent scoliosis and a weakened spine, setting the stage for a permanent vertebral subluxation complex. 
   
   
6. Vertebral Subluxation Complex
   Spinal malfunction and misalignment, also known as Kinesiopathology, is one of five factors that make up a most serious threat to health and survivability, the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. The others are: Neuropath physiology - reduced function and damage of the nerve system due to spinal malfunction; Myopathology - Muscle changes causing spasm or paralyzed muscles; Histopathology - degeneration of spinal discs and ligament stretching or tearing; Pathophysiology - Permanent abnormal changes in the appearance and function of the body and spine.

If it doesn't hurt, why fix it?
Simply, because you can have a serious health problem with little or no pain.  Dorland's Medical Dictionary says that health is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, but rather optimum physical, mental and social wellbeing (proper function of your body). Chiropractic is dedicated to your body's proper health and not just eliminating pain.

From the Raytown | Brooking Eagle

Chiropractor Dr. Gary Boring was slowly dying of heart failure and given a 2% chance of survival. Doctors told him they couldn’t do anything for him. “Find a heart if you can,” then patted him on the back on his way out the door.

“I was turning purple and gasping for air. When God humbles you so you cannot take a breath without Him giving it to you then you’re ready,” recalled Gary.

He traveled to the renowned Mayo clinic in Minnesota where the head cardiologist told him to go back to Kansas City. “You’ll never get one here. The public there is better educated about donating organs so your chances are greater at St. Luke’s.”

Gary learned that hearts are very hard to come by on the east and west coast but Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute has performed 600 heart transplants since it began its program in 1985. Doctors there determined that Gary was a good transplant candidate and three compatible hearts were available in 2011.

“I had surgery 21 days later and they kicked me out in ten days,” laughed Gary. “They even let you see your old heart and show you what went wrong.”

Gary’s wife, Sandy, remarked, “They can’t give you the donor’s name but we think Gary has a woman’s heart because the doctors told me after surgery that he’ll probably be doing more shopping now.”

Gary sold his 39 year-old practice a year later figuring it was time to retire and savor whatever years he had left. He bicycled 300 miles that summer, worked up to 50 lapses in the pool and got stronger and healthier. Then one day he ran into a former patient who greeted him with a big hug.

“I realized then what had always kept me going. Loving on my patients and them loving on me,” said Gary. “I decided then what I was going to do the rest of my life with my Gift of Life and that was to pass it on by helping people. I decided to reopen my practice.”