If you’ve ever had an adjustment from a chiropractor to ease aches and pains and address injury, you likely see the validity of care that you’ve received. Chiropractic care is a form of skeletal adjustment that helps to restore joint mobility and function and restore health to the central nervous system. Chiropractors help patients to maintain their health while avoiding prescription drugs or surgery. Almost 50 million Americans take advantage of chiropractic care each year, making it the fastest growing arm of the medical profession.
How does chiropractic care benefit me?
While most people think of a chiropractor as only addressing back pain and neck pain, receiving regular chiropractic tune-ups benefits more than just these areas of the body. For instance:
1. Chiropractic care can boost your immunity. A healthy immune system is vital to your overall health and wellness; bringing your spine back into balance frees up the nerves running along this delicate column to receive and send messages—correctly—to different parts of the body. The result? A free-flowing exchange of information that allows all systems of the body to work in harmony with one another.
2. Chiropractic care increases your energy. Your stressed out nervous system needs a break now and then, and if nerves become compressed or compromised due to subluxations and misalignments, the result is a body that lacks energy and vitality. Regular chiropractic adjustments allow the nerves along your spine and throughout the rest of your body to have a collective sigh of relief, as they are freed up to do the important work they were meant to. Your energy is increased, and muscle aches and pains that would once sap your energy are decreased.
3. Chiropractic care can reduce the occurrence of chronic disease and illness. Receiving regular chiropractic care allows all systems of the body to come into balance naturally; the body has its own innate wisdom, and if we keep it in a state of balance, all systems work toward harmony and coefficient function. Incidents of illness are reduced, and it becomes more unlikely that chronic diseases and conditions develop as a result of imbalances that remain uncorrected. In short, chiropractic care makes you a healthier, happier person.
What methods does a chiropractor use to align your spine?
If you are nervous about undergoing chiropractic treatment, there are a number of methods that can be used to ease you into the world of spinal manipulation. The following methods of alignment are most common and are often used in combination with one another to provide the most comprehensive care:
1. Gonstead technique
The Gonstead technique is a method of hands-on chiropractic adjustment, allowing for the realignment of the lower back and pelvis as the patient lies on his or her side. This movement is used to realign the lower lumbar region, reduce pain and stiffness, and promote better mobility. Gonstead manipulation is also used to realign and reduce swelling in the hips.
2. Activator technique
For those who are still squeamish about receiving a full-on adjustment, the activator technique is a good way to experience relief from a chiropractic adjustment without large scale spinal manipulation. The activator is a handheld adjusting instrument that delivers gentle pressure to the spine, extremities, low back, and anywhere else a patient is experiencing discomfort. The activator is an excellent choice for children and seniors who need a little gentler touch.
3. Flexion distraction
Decompression manipulation is a common therapeutic choice for those experiencing herniated discs, joint pain, and scoliosis. Rather than a pressurized adjustment, patients feel a gentle expansion and stretching sensation as extremities and the spine are stretched and manipulated in a different way.
4. Drop table technique
In the “Thompson” technique, a special table is used to add to the effectiveness of thrusting motions made by the chiropractor. Portions of the table are raised, then quickly dropped or lowered in combination with a manipulation movement performed by the chiropractor. The result is a more effective, less noticeable correction of a subluxation without any discomfort to you, the patient.
5. Diversified technique
This form of manipulation is closely connected to the Gonstead technique. A combination of hands-on thrusts and pressure are applied to areas of the body needing adjustment. The goal of the diversified technique is to restore balance and mobility to the spine, thus affecting all other areas of the body. If you have any reservations about the type of care you are going to receive when visiting a chiropractor, begin by having a question/answer session with your doctor.
Tell them what you are needing, and share your fears about receiving care. With a little knowledge and a demonstration of what a chiropractor can do for you, it is likely that you will be moving forward with care and without hesitation. Here’s to a happier, healthier, more well adjusted you! Call us today at 205-637-1363.
