Chiropractic FAQs
What is a Chiropractor?
Chiropractors are health professional that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system that includes the spine, nervous system and joints. Chiropractors specialize in manual adjustments aimed at reducing pain and improving normal function.
Chiropractors can also prescribe exercise programs and provide nutritional advice helping patients return to their regular activities.
What is a Chiropractic Adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment is a high velocity, low amplitude (i.e. fast and small distance) force applied to a spinal joint or extremity joint that is suffering from a subluxation. A Subluxation is a complex of decreased joint motion, increased inflammation at the joint, increased muscle tension surrounding the joint, pain, and decreased nerve root function at the level of the joint. Subluxations typically show up as pain, but can also cause decreased organ system function due to decreased nervous system flow. For example, a subluxation in the low back can show up as constipation/diarrhea, bloating, and gas. Chiropractors use adjustments in order to restore full joint motion, eliminate pain, and to restore full nervous system function to allow your body to enjoy full function, and an increased ability to heal.
Subluxations are typically caused by acute or chronic trauma and/or chronic daily postures. Since it usually takes a long time for your joints to get to the point where they are stuck in a pattern of decreased motion, muscle tension/pain, it typically takes a series of adjustments to stop your body from continuing this pattern and to restore normal joint integrity for the long-term. Your Chiropractor will also give you stretches and exercises, which are aimed at strengthening the area around the joints in order to prolong the benefits of the adjustment.
Chiropractic adjustments have many benefits on top of just pain relief. Once the pain starts to diminish with the Chiropractic adjustments, the most common thing that people start to notice is their sleep and energy levels have improved. This is explained by the increased function of the nervous system by treating the spinal joints where these nerve roots exit the spine. Many people see a Chiropractor once a month for Maintenance care, even when they are feeling great, in order to continue to experience these amazing benefits and also to ensure their spinal joint health is maintained.
Are Chiropractic Adjustments Safe?
Chiropractic adjustments are recognized as one of the safest, drug free, noninvasive therapy of neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Despite an excellent safety record, there are never any health treatments that are completely risk free of potential adverse effects. While most patients feel immediate relief after a chiropractic treatment some may experience mild soreness, stiffness or aching. Current research shows adverse effects associated with spinal adjustments are generally minor and are short lived.
Neck Adjustments
Cervical manipulation or neck adjustments works to restore joint mobility in the neck, restoring the range of motion, and reduces muscle spasm, relieving tension and pressure. Neck manipulations performed by a skilled and trained doctor of chiropractic is generally a safe procedure.
Recent research into the association between neck adjustments and stroke, or vertebral artery dissection report findings suggest that these types of arterial injury often happen in patients who have pre existing arterial disease. These dissections have been associated with daily activities such as turning the head while driving, swimming or being shampooed in a hair salon. Patients with such a condition may seek help by a family physician or doctor of chiropractic due to neck pain or headaches, however the care is not the cause of the injury. While evidence indicates the incidence of artery injuries associated with neck manipulations is extremely rare – approximately 1 in 3 cases in 100,000 patients during a course of treatments. This has similarities to the incidence of this type of stroke among the general population.
It is very important to be specific in regards to all of your symptoms when visiting a doctor of chiropractic, so that you may discuss the safest and most effective treatment for your specific condition, even if it involves a referral to another health care provider.
Can children receive chiropractic treatments?
Yes, chiropractic care is beneficial to babies and children. Chiropractic treatments on children are very gentle. There is a great deal of research relating to the benefits of Chiropractic treatments and children. You can find these at: http://icpa4kids.com. Some of these benefits include: decreased allergies, relief from asthma, improved mood, improved sleep, decreased fussiness in infants, boosts their immune system leading to less sick days from school, ability to breastfeed on both sides, increased comfort when learning to crawl and walk.
What are some of the benefits of chiropractic care?
- Improved mobility in your neck, shoulders, back and torso
- Improved flexibility and range of motion
- Eliminate neck and back pain
- Improve posture
- Return to regular activities or lead to enhanced athletic performance
- Correct gait and foot problems
- Relieve pregnancy related back pain
- Decrease delivery time when the patient is treated throughout their pregnancy
- Decrease the risk of breach fetal position
- Improve coordination and balance
- Decrease pain from chronic conditions such as Osteoarthritis and DJD
- Decrease the frequency and severity of headaches
What types of practice styles are offered at this clinic?
- Diversified
- Graston
- Activator techniques
- Drop techniques
- Muscular therapy techniques
Dr. Campbell has a passion for helping others meet their health and wellness goals. She creates individualized treatment plans and incorporates a variety of practice styles to meet each patient’s specific needs.
What is a MyoVision scan?
MyoVision scans using sEMG (Surface Electromyography), examines the spine, measuring the amount of electrical activity your muscles release when they are contracting, commonly known as muscle tension.
This scan was originally developed for use by NASA, for measuring the effects that zero gravity and fatigue had on astronauts and has been shown to correlate with neurological reflexes that occur with injury, abnormal postures and other stress.
MyoVision scans provides the Chiropractor with an efficient evaluation on how the muscles surrounding the spine are working and their imbalances in order to customize a treatment plan for each individual.