A chiropractor is also known as a doctor of chiropractic, or as a chiropractic physician. Their primary purpose is to diagnose problems involving the musculoskeletal system. They then treat their patients with techniques that involve spinal manipulation. Chiropractic adjustments ease and eliminate symptoms associated with problems of the musculoskeletal system. A chiropractor also focuses on the overall health of their patients.
A Family Chiropractic Clinic employs a staff that is highly trained and experienced. Our chiropractor treats many patients suffering from a variety of issues. The care offered by our office is based on the belief that misalignment of the spine causes health issues. Spinal misalignment affects the nervous system, lowers the body’s ability to fight disease, and results in a lower quality of health. Our goal is to help you live a life free of back and neck pain. We work on rehabilitating patients who suffer from various spine related issues and improving overall health.
What Does a Chiropractor Do?
A chiropractor primarily provides natural and nonsurgical treatments to help improve spinal and overall health. We help you make good lifestyle decisions that will improve your overall quality of life. Treatment plans begin by collecting a health history from patients. The chiropractor then performs an exam to help diagnose health concerns. The exam uses physical, neurological, and orthopedic examination techniques to test spinal function. If the situation requires, your chiropractor may also use X-rays or other diagnostic tools to help reach a diagnosis.
Once a diagnosis has been reached, your chiropractor will create a treatment plan for you issue. This plan will typically include a series of spinal adjustments. In addition to the adjustments, some treatment plans may include heat or water therapy, massage, or acupuncture. Treatment plans center around natural care without the use of medications or surgery.
A chiropractor has a deep understanding of the relationship between your spine and your nervous system. They use their knowledge and extensive training and experience to manually adjust the patient’s spine. The adjustments help restore the spine’s natural position to reduce pressure on tissue, muscles, and nerves in the area. Chiropractic treatment is primarily used to relieve back and neck pain as well as managing chronic issues. Many chiropractors have a specialty in addition to their general practice. These often include a focus on sports injury, pediatrics, diagnostic imaging, orthopedics, and more.
How a Chiropractor Adjusts Your Spine
When your chiropractor performs a manual adjustment several things are taken into consideration. Your diagnosis and the condition of your spine and back are evaluated to discover the best adjustment technique. The ultimate goal of a spinal adjustment is to return the vertebrae in your spine to the correct position. When one or more vertebrae are out of alignment, they can place pressure on nerves. They can also cause a ripple effect across your back and entire body. When part or all of your back is out of alignment, the surrounding muscles and other tissue tries to overcompensate for the misalignment. This is a contributing factor to back and neck pain.
Using a variety of techniques, your chiropractor will return your vertebrae to the correct position in your spinal column. Your body heals more efficiently when proper spinal alignment is achieved. These adjustment techniques are done by hand or with the use of specialized tables or tools. Various techniques are used in different situations for different purposes. It is not uncommon for your treatment plan to include several visits. This ensures proper spinal alignment is reached and maintained.
Adjustment Techniques used by Chiropractors
The techniques your chiropractor may use for spinal adjustments can vary in intensity based upon your condition. Instrument adjustments are the gentlest way to adjust the spine. A spring-loaded instrument called an activator makes delicate adjustments to the spine. This technique is often used on infants and animals as well as adults. Your chiropractor may also apply gentle pressure using fingertips to release the vertebrae. Motion palpitation is another technique which helps the chiropractor determine if your vertebrae are able to move freely.
Other adjustment techniques include the lumbar roll, where the chiropractor will help you onto your side on the adjustment table. They will then apply a quick, precise thrust to the vertebrae to help it back into the proper position. A toggle drop is when your chiropractor crosses their hands and presses down firmly on your spine. Using a quick, precise thrust they will then adjust your spine with the goal of improving mobility.
Some chiropractors will use a drop table, or a table with a drop piece. A table adjustment using this special table allows for a lighter adjustment. Your chiropractor would apply a quick, precise thrust at the exact time that the table drops. This helps eliminate the twisting positions that sometimes accompany manual adjustments.
Patients typically begin to experience relief from symptoms in the first few visits. Continued visits will continue to improve your condition until you reach the full proper alignment and functionality. Keeping a line of communication open with your chiropractor is important. You want to keep them updated about how you are feeling prior to each adjustment. This allows them to adjust the treatment plan if necessary.
