About Countryside Chiropractic
EXPERIENCE
Dr. Giovatto has been practicing Chiropractic since 2001. He is Certified as a Sports Physician and held team doctor roles in NJ. He obtained his Bachelors of Science Degree between the schools of William Paterson Univeristy and Montclair State University in NJ. Following his university studies, he received his Doctorate Degree in Chiropractic from New York Chiropractic College which he finished in 2001. In 2004, Dr. Giovatto along with one of his soccer teams went to Sicily, Italy to compete against other professional soccer teams. Since his graduation, Dr. Giovatto has been able to treat over 70,000 visits between offices in NY and NJ.
OUR MISSION
To give our patients the best possible care in a relaxed, healing atmosphere. In order to achieve this, we utilize the most advanced techniques, procedures and therapies. Each patient is treated with the utmost respect and courtesy. You will receive the specialized care you need and deserve. The treatments and therapies utilized will accelerate the healing process, so you may return to your daily routine and work-outs as fast as physiologically possible. In addition, you will be educated on how to do home rehabilitation (eg. stretching and strengthening exercises) and what steps you will need to take to keep you in optimal health. All of our patients do extremely well, and we know you will as well.
The Adjustment
The key to chiropractic care is the spinal adjustment. This is the way doctors of chiropractic correct subluxations. The goal of the chiropractic adjustment is to correct the spinal subluxations detected during the examination. To do that, the doctor applies pressure to the bone and “unlocks” it from its improper position. The bone will then be free to align itself correctly. Many people think that the chiropractor forces a vertebra back into its “proper” place. But only the individual's own Innate Intelligence knows for sure what the proper place for each bone is. The role of the chiropractor is to free up the vertebrae. Then, the body can do its job and put them back in the correct position. Unfortunately, the muscles connected to subluxated vertebrae get used to their positions and have a tendency to pull the bone back out of place. It may take several adjustments before the adjustment “holds,” and the bone settles into its proper alignment.
Adjusting Techniques
If you ask 100 patients to describe their adjustments, you may get 100 different answers! That's because there are many adjusting techniques for the chiropractor to choose from.Some doctors have their patients sit up for certain adjustments. Others tell them to lie down. Some use elaborate tables with moveable head or foot rests while others use stationary tables. A chiropractor may use a certain technique on one visit and a totally different one the next. Chiropractic colleges teach their students many adjusting techniques. They realize each doctor and patient is different. In fact, each subluxation is different and may require a separate approach. Even the size, weight, and muscle structure of the doctor and patient must be taken into consideration when choosing a technique. Chiropractors select the technique which will most effectively correct subluxations with a minimum of force. The “art” of adjusting requires skill and training rather than brute strength. That's why even slightly built doctors can perform excellent adjustments on all patients regardless of their size.
Will it Hurt?
Generally, a chiropractic adjustment does not hurt when carried out by a qualified practitioner. If you have acute muscle spasm in the area being treated, you may experience some temporary discomfort or if you have had a condition for a long time, you may feel soreness the next day as your body starts to heal. To better understand why you may feel soreness after your initial treatment, just picture yourself running a mile on your first day out. You will typically feel sore because your neuro-skeletal-muscular system is being stimulated for the first time! Or if you have never received a massage and you have your first one, typically the next day you will feel a mild bout of soreness. Your chiropractor will advise you if this is likely to happen and will tell you how to minimize any discomfort or soreness.
How many treatments will I need?
That depends on the nature and severity of your injury. Some conditions can resolve in one or two treatments. Others may require weeks or months of treatment and rehabilitation. A general guideline for an acute episode of low back pain of mild to moderate severity with no complicating factors is 6 to 12 treatments over 2 to 4 weeks. There are instances where maintenance or follow up care is recommended however is not always indicated.
Chiropractic Myths
As successful as chiropractic has become, there are a lot of myths circulating among the general public. Times have definitely changed for the better, but the fact is that many people still do not understand what chiropractors do. Let's talk about a few of the more common myths about chiropractic.
Myth #1 - Chiropractors are not real doctors.
A chiropractic college grants a D.C. or Doctorate of Chiropractic degree. Chiropractors are licensed as health care providers in every U.S. state and dozens of countries around the world. While the competition for acceptance in chiropractic school is not as fierce as medical school, the chiropractic and medical school curricula are extremely rigorous and virtually identical (The textbooksmy wife, who is an M.D., and I used were identical throughout our clinical sciences!!!) In addition, chiropractors have more hours of classroom education than their medical counterparts. As part of their education, chiropractic students also complete a residency working with real patients in a clinical setting, supervised by licensed doctors of chiropractic. Once chiropractic students graduate, they have to pass four sets of national board exams as well as state board exams in the states where they want to practice.
Just like medical doctors, chiropractors are professionals that are subject to the same type of testing procedures, licensing and monitoring by state and national peer-reviewed boards. Federal and state programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Workers' Compensations programs cover chiropractic care, and all federal agencies accept sick-leave certificates signed by doctors of chiropractic. Chiropractors are also commissioned as officers in the military.
The biggest difference between chiropractors and medical doctors lies not in their level of education, but in their preferred method of caring for people. Medical doctors are trained in the use of medicines (chemicals that affect your internal biochemistry) and surgery. Consequently, if you have a chemical or metabolic problem, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, or an infection, medical doctors can be very helpful. However, if your problem is that your spine is mis-aligned or you have soft tissue damage causing pain, there is no chemical in existence that can fix it. You need a physical solution to correct a physical problem. That is where chiropractic really shines. Chiropractors provide physical solutions -- adjustments, exercises, stretches, muscle therapy -- to help the body heal from conditions that are physical in origin, such as back pain, muscle spasms, headaches, and poor posture. In addition, chiropractors offer adjustments to improve spinal alignment and overall well-being before symptoms develop.
Myth #2 - Medical doctors don't like chiropractors.
If this were true, I would not have married a Medical Doctor!!!
The American Medical Association's opposition to chiropractic was at its strongest in the 1940s under the leadership of Morris Fishbein. Fishbein called chiropractors "rabid dogs" and referred to them as "playful and cute, but killers" He tried to portray chiropractors as members of an unscientific cult who cared about nothing but taking their patients' money. Up to the late 1970s and early 1980s, the medical establishment purposely conspired to try to destroy the profession of chiropractic. In fact, a landmark lawsuit in the Supreme Court of Illinois in the 1980s found that the American Medical Association was guilty of conspiracy and was ordered to pay restitution to the chiropractic profession.
In the 20 years since, the opinion of most medical doctors has changed: several major studies have shown the superiority of chiropractic in helping people with a host of conditions, and medical doctors developed a better understanding as to what chiropractors actually do. Many people have returned to their medical doctors and told them about the great results they experienced at their chiropractors office. Hospitals across the country now have chiropractors on staff, and many chiropractic offices have medical doctors on staff. Chiropractors and medical doctors are now much more comfortable working together in cases where medical care is necessary as an adjunct to chiropractic care.
Myth #3 - Once you start going to a chiropractor, you have to keep going for the rest of your life.
This statement comes up frequently when the topic of chiropractic is discussed. It is only partially true. You only have to continue going to the chiropractor as long as you wish to maintain the health of your neuromusculoskeletal system. Going to a chiropractor is much like going to the dentist, exercising at a gym, or eating a healthy diet: As long as you keep it up, you continue to enjoy the benefits.
Many years ago, dentists convinced everyone that the best time to go to the dentist is before your teeth hurt, that routine dental care will help your teeth remain healthy for a long time. The same is true of chiropractic care for your spine. It is important to remember that, just like your teeth, your spine experiences normal wear and tear as you walk, drive, sit, lift, sleep, and bend. Routine chiropractic care can help you feel better, move with more freedom, and stay healthier throughout your lifetime. Although you can enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care even if you receive care for a short time, the real benefits come into play when you make chiropractic care a part of your wellness lifestyle.