Chiropractic is a form of complimentary or alternative health care. The word “chiro” means hand, and “practic” is to practice. We use hands on techniques to treat conditions rather than medications. Our most powerful treatment modality is the chiropractic adjustment, which offers an endless number of health benefits from reducing pain to improving the immune system.
Chiropractors are spinal specialists who treat conditions of the skeletal system, muscular system, and nervous system. We perform thorough physical examinations including orthopedic testing to uncover the origin of dysfunction, produce a diagnosis, and create an individual treatment plan. Depending on the patient’s needs the initial evaluation may include x-rays or other imaging and possibly a referral to another health care provider if appropriate.
A chiropractic treatment plan is based on the restoration of normal joint function as well as pain relief. Once this is reached the body is able to more efficiently healing itself. If the joints are not moving properly or are misaligned symptoms may include: joint pain and stiffness, muscle pain and stiffness, inflammation, nerve pain, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, frequent injuries, and more. All organs and body systems are regulated by nerves sending messages from the brain. Chiropractic can remove nerve irritation and allow the nerves to transmit messages to the body clearly. This may result in improving organ system function for example the immune system or blood pressure, and an increase in healing among other benefits.
What Is A Chiropractic Adjustment
The chiropractic adjustment is a high velocity low amplitude manipulation of a joint.
A trained chiropractor can detect which joints in the body are not moving properly and strategically position the patient to apply a gentle amount of quick force to the joint and restore the normal motion.
Common effects of an adjustment include pain relief (due to the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain killer), increase in motion, reduced muscle tension, removal of nerve irritation, and many more.
As with any form of healthcare there are certain risks with chiropractic. Although they are very rare, side effects will always be discussed prior to administering treatment.
When provided by a licensed chiropractor an adjustment should not be painful and is safe for the whole family, at any age.
How is chiropractic such an effective way of treating pain, mobility restrictions, and maintaining health?
How does chiropractic work?
1) With receiving a chiropractic adjustment the body releases endorphins. These are natural chemicals that work like morphine to reduce pain. Endorphins are responsible for the pain relief felt with each chiropractic adjustment.
2) Manipulation guides joints into the proper position. Injuries, poor posture, and muscle imbalance can create misalignment. As with your vehicle tires, misalignment causes poor wearing on the tires, misalignment in the joins causes poor wearing of the joints.
3) Chiropractic can help to remove nerve impingement and/or nerve irritation and allow normal nervous system communication to result in optimal health and wellness.
All nerves in the body are routed from the brain to the spinal cord, then they must exit through tiny holes in the vertebra. The nerves then travel to the organ or body part in which they control.
If there is an irritation or impingement of a nerve then the message being delivered from the brain may not reach the body part intended or the signal may be diminished resulting in less optimal performance of the body part.
Symptoms of nerve irritation or impingement may include nerve pain, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, and even problems with organs such as the heart resulting in elevated blood pressure, or the immune system causing poor immunity and delays in the healing process. It all depends on which nerve is irritated and what body part that pinched nerve signals to.