Are you wondering if chiropractic care is right for you?
Watch this video to learn about how chiropractors are part of a healthy, active life.
WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC CARE?
Chiropractic is the science, art, and philosophy of health.
Chiropractors generally focus on health promotion rather than disease management. From the Latin meaning "Done By Hand," chiropractic care uses gentle movements to help restore motion to every joint in the human body with a focus on the spine. Chiropractic adjustments are safe, gentle, and effective for people of all ages!
Chiropractic care combined with a total approach to health can offer patients a true “fix it” solution, before a problem gets worse. From musculoskeletal pain to neurologically mediated symptoms and disorders, chiropractic may in fact be the solution you need the most. Many of our patients are beginning to realize the limitations of most medical approaches to disease management and beginning to realize the importance of treating the cause of their symptoms, rather than simply masking them by medication.
There still exits a great deal of confusion and misinformation about chiropractic care. You may not even know what “kind” of chiropractor is best for you. And, that’s okay. This is what we do best… explain, educate, and advise.
WHAT DO CHIROPRACTORS DO?
Contrary to popular belief, chiropractic adjustments can be applied to any joint in the body to relieve pain, not just back discomfort. Improper joint movement can reduce the effectiveness of the body's total movement, resulting in pain and/or tissue injury.
Chiropractic adjustments restore motion to restricted joints and normalize overall body movement in a safe and effective manner.
A quick, precise push is applied to the joint while also positioning the body in a way that allows for the required mobility. Adjustments from a chiropractor are generally highly effective at reducing pain and enhancing athletic performance.
WHAT MAKES CHIROPRACTIC CARE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER TREATMENT METHODS?
Shots, muscle relaxants, and pain drugs may only cure the symptoms of the issue, but chiropractic care can help by addressing the root of the problem. When pain is addressed at its source, the likelihood of developing such symptoms later decreases.
If the only thing you address is the symptoms, It would be similar to removing the battery from a smoke alarm because you don't like the sound, but the fire would still be burning.
Chiropractors are specially trained in spinal manipulative therapy as well as in exercise/rehab. That way, movement dysfunction is attended to but so is strengthening, stretching, and shoring up the support structures of the frame.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL CHIROPRACTIC EXAMINATION LOOK LIKE?
- A thorough case history
- Observation of the way you sit and walk
- Assessment of your spinal alignment
- Orthopedic and neurological testing
- Measurement of any visible deviation from ideal posture
- Tests of flexibility and mobility/ranges of motion
- Tests of muscle strength and length
WHAT DOES A CHIROPRACTOR TREAT?
A chiropractor can provide relief for sprains, aches, and pains. A chiropractor can provide you non-drug treatment choices if you have a problem with your musculoskeletal system.
Treatment that a chiropractor may offer includes:
- Adjustments: To reduce discomfort and increase range of motion by gently realigning joints.
- Soft-tissue therapy: To reduce muscle spasms and tension in the connective tissue that surrounds each muscle (fascia).
- Exercises and stretches: To restore and maintain joint stability and mobility.
- Joint bracing/taping (Kinesio taping): To support sprained joints or muscles as they heal.
- Referrals to integrative medicine experts: For diet and nutrition advice on how to minimise inflammation and/or promote healthy eating in order to lose weight.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR BACK PAIN.
LBP plagues our society as one of the most common causes of disability and healthcare expenditures. Joint dysfunction in the lower back is a primary risk factor for the development & progression of low back degeneration. (1)
Fortunately, chiropractors provide evidence based treatment of these joints through spinal manipulation, exercise, and specific patient education. Most patients will experience reduced pain after leaving their first appointment.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR NAGGING NECK PAIN.
Changes to daily habits, postural stresses, and workstation ergonomics are among the most common activities resulting in a stiff or painful neck.
If neck stiffness is not addressed, a person may start to feel restricted joints and less range of motion. Spinal manipulation, delivered by chiropractors, has proven to be a successful and safe treatment for these types of neck pain.
Manipulation, in conjunction with exercise and postural reeducation, often alleviates symptoms quickly.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR HEADACHES.
Successful management of headache patients requires a multifaceted approach with spinal manipulation as a cornerstone of treatment. Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of spinal manipulation for these types of headaches.
A recent study in The Spine Journal found that spinal manipulation cuts the number of symptomatic headache days in half, and the number of treatments has a linear dose response to improvement.
Chiropractors can quickly identify the type of headache and the most appropriate treatment strategy.