Dr. Rozeela Nand is no stranger to misconceptions about chiropractic. She had some herself, after all, before she had a car accident and chiropractic changed her life. Left with an upper-neck injury, she'd tried everything from painkillers to massage without much improvement. Someone finally suggested chiropractic.
"My neck hurt so badly," she recalls. "I had no range of motion and I didn't like the idea of somebody touching it." Still, the experiment proved worthwhile: after three adjustments she could move her neck again.
Not only did chiropractic help her heal, but it also guided her chosen career path. Dr. Nand studied in Portland, Oregon, and has since practised in various cities across the UK. She also took another year of training in pediatrics and pregnancy through the International Chiropractic Association. In March, she opened the Innate Chiropractic and Wellness Centre in Vancouver and hosts regular evening lectures.
"Chiropractic doesn't 'treat' pain," she explains. "Chiropractic just allows the nervous system to do what it does best, that is, communicating with the body. If that communication isn't happening, the rest of the body can't function properly."
Expectant mothers and families with newborns should especially consider chiropractic care because of the strains of childbirth on both mom and baby. Chiropractic can help with the low-back pain of pregnancy as well as prevent birthing complications. Dr. Nand describes one technique, the Webster technique, that she has used successfully to assist the turning of breach babies in the womb.
Post-birth, a chiropractor can check a baby's cranial bones and skull to help ensure healthy brain and nervous system development. There are also adjustments to reduce susceptibility to and to treat ear infections.
"I feel like there's so much medical intervention these days that doesn't necessarily have to happen," says Dr. Nand. "If I can help a mother avoid problems during labour, I feel like I've done my job."
Rozeela Nand, DC, Innate Chiropractic and Wellness Centre www.myvancouverchiropractic.com (604) 736-5157