Chiropractic Adjustment
Chiropractic care is a form of alternative medicine that focuses on diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal and nervous system disorders, primarily through manual adjustments and manipulation of the spine. This article aims to explore the benefits, safety, and conditions that chiropractic care can help with, along with the different types of chiropractic adjustments and their benefits.
What is chiropractic care?
Chiropractic services, such as chiropractic manipulation, is a holistic approach to health that aims to address the underlying causes of pain and dysfunction rather than simply treating the symptoms. Chiropractors focus on the relationship between the spine and the nervous system, understanding that proper alignment of the musculoskeletal structure can enable the body to heal itself.
How does chiropractic care benefit patients?
Chiropractic care benefits patients by promoting natural healing, reducing pain, and improving overall physical function. Chiropractic care provides a non-invasive treatment option for a variety of musculoskeletal, nervous system, and joint pain issues.
Is chiropractic care safe?
Chiropractic care is generally considered safe when performed by a qualified practitioner. The approach is non-invasive and focuses on natural, drug-free treatment methods, thus minimizing the risk of adverse effects commonly associated with pharmaceutical interventions.
What conditions can chiropractic care help with?
Chiropractic care can help with various conditions such as back and neck pain, sciatica, chronic low back pain, and musculoskeletal issues. Additionally, chiropractic care may improve range of motion and relieve pain in patients suffering from these conditions.
How does a chiropractic adjustment work?
A chiropractic adjustment, also known as spinal manipulation, involves applying a controlled force to a specific joint of the spine. This manipulation aims to improve spinal motion and physical function, as well as to alleviate pain and improve overall health.
What are the different types of chiropractic adjustments?
Chiropractors employ various techniques for adjustments, including specific spinal manipulative therapy, diversified adjustments for musculoskeletal and joint pain issues. The goal of chiropractic spinal manipulation is to restore proper alignment, improve joint function, and relieve pain intensity.
Can a chiropractic adjustment help with back pain?
Chiropractic adjustments can be effective in relieving back pain, especially in cases of acute low back pain. Through spinal manipulation, a chiropractor may help reduce pain and improve the function of the lower back, providing relief to the patient.
What are the benefits of chiropractic adjustments?
The benefits of chiropractic manipulations, as endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association, include pain relief, improved range of motion, and enhanced physical function. These adjustments may also aid in reducing chronic pain, particularly in the lower back.
When should you see a chiropractor?
If you are suffering from lower back pain, joint pain, or other musculoskeletal issues, it may be beneficial to visit a chiropractor for chiropractic care. Chiropractors have a deep understanding of the musculoskeletal system and can help relieve pain and improve physical function.
How can chiropractic care help with lower back pain?
Chiropractic care for lower back pain involves spinal manipulation and other treatment techniques that aim to reduce pain and improve function. Chiropractors also assess and address the root cause of the pain to develop a personalized treatment plan.
What conditions can chiropractors treat?
Chiropractors can treat a wide range of conditions, including back and neck pain, sciatica, and musculoskeletal issues. They focus on providing holistic care that addresses the underlying causes of pain and dysfunction.
Are there risks associated with chiropractic care?
While chiropractic care is generally safe, like any medical treatment, there are potential risks. These risks are minimal, and a qualified chiropractor will conduct a thorough assessment to ensure that the treatment is safe and appropriate for the patient.
What are the benefits of chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care can effectively treat neck pain by addressing the underlying spinal issues that may be causing the discomfort. Through spinal adjustments and other techniques, chiropractors aim to reduce pain and improve overall neck function.
Can chiropractic care help with sciatica?
Chiropractic care offers an alternative treatment option for sciatica, focusing on relieving nerve compression and reducing pain in the lower back and legs. Chiropractors may employ spinal manipulation and other approaches to provide relief to individuals suffering from this condition.
What is the role of chiropractic care in improving range of motion?
Chiropractic care can play a significant role in improving range of motion by addressing spinal misalignments and musculoskeletal issues. Through targeted chiropractic adjustments and therapies, chiropractors work to restore proper alignment and function, thereby improving range of motion and reducing joint pain.
Types of chiropractic adjustments
Different chiropractic techniques vary in their approaches, from specific spinal manipulative therapy to diversified adjustments that target musculoskeletal issues. These adjustments aim to provide relief and improve physical function in individuals suffering from pain and dysfunction.
What are the benefits of specific chiropractic adjustments for musculoskeletal issues?
According to the American Chiropractic Association, specific chiropractic adjustments can effectively address musculoskeletal issues by restoring proper spinal alignment and function. Chiropractic adjustments may aim to reduce pain intensity, improve physical function, and promote overall well-being.
How does spinal manipulative therapy work in chiropractic treatment?
Spinal manipulative therapy is a cornerstone of chiropractic treatment, focusing on manual manipulation of the spine to address spinal misalignments and improve function. This therapy, including chiropractic spinal manipulation, aims to reduce pain intensity and improve the overall health of the musculoskeletal system.
What is an Adjustment?
If you have ever considered visiting a chiropractor, or wondered if a chiropractic adjustment might help you, you are not alone. Each year, 35 million adults and children visit a chiropractor. Chiropractors are physicians who are specially trained in adjustment techniques for the spine and other joints in the body.
Spine Anatomy
A chiropractic adjustment, also called a spinal adjustment or joint manipulation, often focuses on one, or multiple, areas of the spine. Your spine is made up of 5 different regions. There are 7 cervical vertebrae (the neck), 12 thoracic vertebrae (the middle back), 5 lumbar vertebrae (the lower back), the sacrum (the base of the spine) and the coccyx (the tailbone). These vertebrae stack on top of one another and make up the many joints of your spine.
Joints are made up of bones with cartilage in between for cushioning. They are surrounded by tendons (which attach muscle to bone), ligaments (which attach one bone to another), and muscles. All of these parts have to work together for your body to move correctly and without pain. Chiropractors spend over 4,200 hours in both classroom and hands-on training to learn about the body and how to treat each of the spinal regions, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
The Basics
An adjustment is a very quick and specific force that chiropractors apply to a joint using their hands, or sometimes using a hand-held adjusting tool. There are a few different reasons your chiropractor may decide to perform an adjustment: to improve the way a joint moves, to reduce nerve irritation, or to reduce muscle tension or spasm. In any of these cases, the main goal of chiropractic adjustment is to put the body in a state in which it can heal itself—without using medications or surgery. Most of the time, patients report feeling “looser” and have less pain and muscle tension after a chiropractic adjustment.
Many people think of a “cracking” or “popping” sound when they think of a chiropractic adjustment. Cavitation is the technical word that describes that noise, and it happens when pressure (in the form of gas—a combination of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide) is released from the joint that is being adjusted. During an adjustment, space is made in the joint, and trapped nitrogen is able to escape. The noise is similar to the cracking or popping sound you might have heard when pulling on your knuckles.
Safety
Some patients wonder about the safety of a chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractic adjustments performed by a trained and licensed chiropractor have been shown to be a safe and effective way to treat pain and dysfunctional joints and muscles. Your chiropractor has been educated to identify problems and has also been trained with screening and testing tools to decide whether or not a chiropractic adjustment is a good choice for you and your condition. Of course, if you ever have questions or concerns about your care, don’t hesitate to raise this issue when you are talking with your chiropractor.
A common question we hear from patients is, “Can’t I just ‘crack’ my own neck or back?” Here’s the short answer: You shouldn’t! Trying to adjust your own spine is kind of like trying to pull your own tooth. It might look easy enough, but you could really injure yourself more in the process. Often, we find that patients who “self-adjust” end up with pain because they are creating the wrong type of motion or too much motion (called hypermobility) in certain areas. Hypermobility causes ligaments, which are supposed to support and protect joints, to become unstable, and instability causes pain. In other cases, “self-adjusting” can cause those same ligaments to be sprained and muscles to be strained, leaving you with even more pain and a bigger problem than when you started. Your best bet is to leave the chiropractic adjustment to a professional.
If you would like to learn more about chiropractic adjustments and how they may help you, call to make an appointment.
More about Chiropractic Care
- Why See a Chiropractor?
- Stages of Chiropractic Care
- The Spine and How It Works
- What Is a Subluxation?
- X-Rays in Chiropractic Care
- Research and Safety
- Introduction to Chiropractic Care
- Frequently Asked Questions About Chiropractic Care
- Adjustments
- Chiropractic Myths and Facts
- History of Chiropractic Care
- Benefits Of Chiropractic Care
