Doctors of chiropractic are famous for their expertise and focus on spinal adjustments. Spinal adjustments have proven to be effective in alleviating a long list of problems, including back and neck pains. These adjustments are applied in calculated pressure and force using the hands or a small massaging instrument on the affected area, mainly around the spine and adjacent joints and muscles. Unknown to the majority of people, spinal manipulation isn’t the only procedure procured by a chiropractor.
For over a hundred years, chiropractors continue to utilize non-invasive and drugless techniques to make life bearable. If you aren’t looking to treat your condition through spinal manipulation, the chiropractor may identify other alternatives to settle your issues. We will look into other chiropractic services beyond the unique yet common manual and manipulative therapy.
Therapeutic workouts and exercises
Chiropractors are well trained in identifying condition-specific exercises. For instance, if you are struggling with immobility problems from arthritis or sciatica, you could benefit from condition-specific workouts guided by a chiropractor. These exercises could help in increasing mobility, alleviating pain, preventing further muscle deterioration, increasing muscle strength, enhancing joint health, and protecting you against recurring or new injuries. Your chiropractor will guide you through all the exercises and supervise you until you are ready to conduct them on your own. It’s essential to stick to the guidelines for faster healing.
Dietary and nutritional counseling
Exercises, chiropractic techniques, and excellent nutritional diets go hand in hand. Poor diets and nutritional imbalances trigger chronic illnesses such as cancer, heart diseases, unhealthy weight gain, diabetes, and stroke. Your doctor of chiropractic is trained to offer nutritional and diet counseling. With the help of a chiropractor’s expertise, you will design an ideal nutritional program explicitly tailored to meet your goals and needs. This further complements other techniques, such as exercises in preventing the development of severe health problems.
Physical therapy techniques
Although chiropractors aren’t necessarily physiotherapists, they are trained to offer some physical therapy modalities. These techniques may include:
- Muscle stimulation- it utilizes light electrical pulses that move to targeted body areas through electrodes placed on the skin. Electrical stimulation offers numerous benefits such as pain relief, treatment for muscle spasms, and muscle atrophy.
- Heat and ice therapy- Chiropractors may alternate the use of heat and ice to alleviate pain and swelling. Ice and heat therapy is a common pain alleviation method used at home. A chiropractor may have more advanced techniques on its application. Your chiropractor may use the ice packs to numb the affected area for fifteen minutes then switch to heating pads to enhance blood circulation.
- Ultrasound- it is a form of deep heat therapy sourced from sound waves. The sound waves epitomize a form of micro-massage when applied to inflamed tissues and joints. Ultrasound techniques also reduce swelling, decrease pain, enhance blood flow, and promote mobility.
Spinal traction
Also known as spinal decompression, it is often used in the treatment of disc injuries. The technique utilizes traction devices that are applied to compressed areas of the spine. The technique gently separates the vertebrae that alleviate the pressure applied to the disc, relieving nerve root pressure and inflammation.
Lifestyle change counseling
There is peace in feeling comfortable in the absence of a disease or pain. However, there is much more peace and comfort in knowing that you are healthy and safe from contracting diseases. Lifestyle habits play a pivotal role in ensuring that your health is excellent. Years of seemingly small unhealthy lifestyle habits do sound remarkably insignificant until they turn into substantial unhealthy issues overtime. Examples of bad lifestyle choices include smoking, bad diets, depression, stress, poor sitting posture, and over-reliance on medication.
Your chiropractor will advise you accordingly about your lifestyle choices and help you sort out the unhealthy habits. He or she will give you practical ways to deal with and manage the temptations and unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Massage
Chiropractors are trained and skilled in offering massage on soft tissues. Massage helps improve blood circulation as well as reducing pain and swelling related to the neck and back pain. You may also take the time during chiropractic massage to relax.
As discussed above, a qualified chiropractor’s job description doesn’t just revolve around spinal manipulation. You may benefit from other chiropractic techniques. If you are looking to benefit from chiropractic care, reach us now through our contacts and let us attend to your needs to our best ability and knowledge. Call us today at 205-637-1363.
