Millions of people visit chiropractors to relieve acute and chronic pain and limited range of motion. Chiropractors receive advanced training to apply various techniques that restore the body’s alignment and improve bodily functions. These are some effective chiropractic techniques and the conditions they might treat.
Spinal Manipulation
Spinal manipulation can correct vertebral misalignments that cause pain, restrict the range of motion, and block the central nervous system’s messages that convey instructions for optimally functioning body systems. For example, chiropractors frequently perform chiropractic adjustments by using their hands to apply short, quick thrusts to correct subluxations. Although a cracking sound usually accompanies this process, it is due to the popping of air pockets in the joint’s fluid and is normal and harmless.
Spinal manipulation can relieve stress that leads to a wide variety of conditions, including:
- Whiplash
- Sciatica
- Headache
- Anxiety
- Fibromyalgia
- Kidney stones
- Disc herniations
Chiropractors who perform spinal manipulation must first review a client’s health history to rule out conditions that this treatment may worsen, including:
- High risk for stroke
- Osteoporosis
- Spine cancer
- Neuropathies
- Abnormal bones in the neck
Otherwise, most people tolerate spinal manipulations well and find them to be beneficial.
Joint Mobilization
Chiropractors use their hands and other aids to mobilize and move passive joints. The goal is to improve and restore range of motion, increase muscle flexibility, eliminate muscle spasms, and relieve painful stiffness. Over multiple sessions, a chiropractor applies varying degrees of force while pulling and stretching the restricted body part. This technique can treat many conditions, including:
- Joint stiffness from arthritis or frozen shoulder
- Repetitive motion injuries, including tennis elbow
- Nerve impingements, including sciatica
- Muscles sprain due to whiplash
Massage Therapy
Massage is another manual therapy chiropractors use to promote healing of the spine and nervous systems. It targets the muscles and other soft tissues to relieve tension, improve flexibility, encourage blood flow, deliver oxygen, and reduce inflammation.
Chiropractors frequently combine massage therapy with spinal manipulation. Relaxing the soft tissue around the spine and other joints before making chiropractic adjustments reduces the possibility that tense muscles will spasm in response to a forceful thrust. In addition, massage therapy can prevent and address:
- Headaches
- Back pain
- Inflexibility
Chiropractic massage therapy also helps to break down restrictive scar tissue following an injury left untreated. It promotes temporary inflammation that activates the body’s ability to heal and promotes faster recovery.
Electrotherapy
Chiropractors attach electrode pads on the skin to send electrical currents through the muscles that block pain signals between the nerves and the brain. Electrotherapy also stimulates the release of pain-combatting endorphin hormones.
A chiropractor in Queens, NY may also apply electrotherapy to prevent muscle atrophy from disuse while the body is healing following an injury. The chiropractor can detect which muscles are not performing at their peak and targets them with electrical currents that force them to contract, thereby preventing a secondary injury. Electrotherapy is very useful for treating sports-related injuries.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy can round out a chiropractic treatment plan. For example, manual massage, hot or cold compresses, and endurance exercises are essential for restoring muscle strength and flexibility following immobilization after an injury or surgery.
Chiropractors also advise their clients about lifestyle adjustments that can prevent misalignments or muscle and joint strain. For example, teaching clients how to move their bodies safely and achieve healthy posture while performing daily tasks, exercising, and working, can prevent chronic or acute health problems.
Therapeutic Exercise
Exercises that clients can perform between chiropractic sessions are part of a comprehensive approach to restore function following an injury or surgery or manage chronic health conditions. For example, therapeutic exercise benefits patients with:
- Joint replacements
- Muscle sprains
- Neurological disorders
- Poor balance
Heal With The Latest Chiropractic Techniques
Schedule an appointment with one of the knowledgeable doctors on our team at Chiropractic Approach to discuss how our state-of-the-art, non-invasive, drug-free treatment methods can help you achieve long-term wellbeing.
