The most common form of chiropractic treatment is Spinal Manipulation using different techniques
Chiropractic Treatment
Chiropractors treat many conditions affecting the nervous system and musculoskeletal system. First, an analysis of your spine is performed. This involves a thorough examination of your medical history and an x-ray of your spine.
Subsequent visits may include motion palpation, with the chiropractor feeling the spinal joints move as you turn and bend. Or, a leg check may be performed, to uncover an imbalance in the neck or lower spine.
With the malposition of one or more spinal bones identified, a specific manual thrust is administered. The direction, speed, depth, and angle that is used is the result of years of experience, practice, and a thorough understanding of spinal mechanics. The energy delivered during the thrust may produce a slight “popping” sound from the shifting of gas in the joint. This sound may be interesting but is not a guide as to the value or effectiveness of the adjustment.
While improving spinal biomechanics can reduce nervous system interferences, virtually all joints of the body can be adjusted to help restore proper range of motion.
Cox Flexion-Distraction Technique
This is a gentle, non-force adjusting approach. The thing that most patients notice first is our special table. The movements of this table help traction the spine, open compressed spinal discs, and reduce pressure on facet joints of the spine.
Named after its developer, Dr. James Cox, this highly effective technique combines osteopathic principles with specific, highly directed approaches used in chiropractic care. The combination offers a treatment of the lower back and leg pain that often averts the need for surgery.
The Cox Flexion-Distraction technique we use gives us the ability to adjust the spinal joints into a natural position without pain or aggravating your condition.
By lying on the table, neutralizing the effects of gravity, we’re able to gently separate spinal joints and move them through a more normal range of motion. Patients find this surprisingly pleasant. We find it powerfully effective.
Thompson Technique
Developed by Dr. J. Clay Thompson, the Thompson technique has evolved traditional chiropractic treatment into a system of analyses and has become a means of adjusting the spine fully. This treatment uses precise adjustments and leads to high levels of patient comfort.
Early chiropractors noticed that subluxations would create the appearance of a short, or contracted leg. Comparing leg lengths while the patient turned their head, helped determine whether the subluxation was in the upper, middle, or lower back.
Individual cushions or “drop pieces” located along our table surface support each area of your spine until a thrust is delivered. Then, each drop piece gently gives way, reducing the amount of energy needed to move a specific spinal segment.
Laser Therapy
The class IV, three-watt healing cold laser at our clinic is used for patients who are in acute or chronic pain, and have swelling from whiplash, auto accidents, sports injuries, spinal arthritis, neuropathy, knee osteoarthritis, and many more diagnoses.
Our cold laser therapy is science-based and works at wavelengths meant to treat your problems associated with:
- Arthritis
- Inflammation
- Pain
- Scar tissue
- Sports injuries
- Wound healing
Trigger-Point-Release
Manual Trigger Point therapy is a technique used to treat trigger points. It uses strong manual pressure and can be uncomfortable or somewhat painful for the patient. This pain is felt as a “good and releasing pain”.
Myofascial trigger points are easily identified as painful areas in a muscle. These microscopic changes occur in muscle fibers causing them to contract and chronically shorten. This is usually due to the overloading or incorrect loading of the muscle. One theory suggests that shortage of oxygen and nutrients supplied to the trigger point are compromised. This leads to a sustained contraction that is unable to resolve itself.
The goal of myofascial trigger point therapy is to improve blood circulation to the trigger zone, stretching the taut band, and releasing muscles and surrounding fascia.
Electrical Therapy
Electrical muscle stimulation – often called “e-stim” or “TENS” – is a type of treatment often used in physical therapy or other rehabilitation settings. The two primary uses for this treatment are pain relief and muscle re-education. In most settings, there is a machine that provides an electrical current. Wires from the machine are connected to adhesive patches that are placed on the skin over a predetermined area. An electrical current is then sent from the machine to the patches and delivered into the muscle tissue below, causing a sensory or motor response.
Traction
Traction therapy for neck and back pain can provide many benefits. These sessions are usually 10-15 minutes long and are used to treat pinched nerves, neck and back tightness, and headaches. While in traction, the neck or the lower back is stretched, and along with it, the spine is stretched as well. If you have pinched nerves in your spine, this can help take some of the pressure off and ease arm or leg pain. Traction is also good for treating bulging discs in your spine, which can also pinch your nerves if they lose enough water in the middle. By pulling your spine slightly apart, traction can help the disc’s water and gel slip back into place.
Neck traction is also beneficial for treating headaches as it can stretch the muscles in the back of your neck and at the base of your skull.
Ultrasound
The ultrasound treatment has been used by physical therapists since the 1940s. It is applied using a round-headed wand or probe that is put in direct contact with the patient’s skin. Ultrasound gel is used on all surfaces of the head to reduce friction and assist in the transmission of the ultrasonic waves.
It can produce many effects other than just the potential heating effect. It has been shown to cause increases in tissue relaxation, local blood flow, and scar tissue breakdown. The effect of the increase in local blood flow can be used to help reduce local swelling and chronic inflammation.
Some conditions treated with ultrasound include tendonitis (or tendinitis), non-acute joint swelling, and muscle spasm.
