Chiropractic
What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a health care discipline that emphasizes diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine. Chiropractors specialize in addressing the biomechanical causes of disease and pain including misalignments, subluxations, and derangements of the human frame. A properly functioning nervous system is crucial to the body's maintenance of its own health. Thus any irritation, impingements, or interruptions of normal nerve impulses can cause pain and disease conditions in the back and throughout the body. Chiropractors clear these interferences so that the nervous system's normal impulses can flow freely and direct the body's own efforts in recuperating from pain and disease.
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What happens during a Chiropractic treatment?
The primary treatment technique involves manual therapy including manipulation of the spine, other joints, and soft tissues. Chiropractic also heavily emphasizes exercises, stretching, nutrition, health, and lifestyle counseling. Chiropractors also use physiotherapy techniques such as ultrasound, diathermy, traction, electro-muscle stimulation, and cold lasers.
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What is a Chiropractic adjustment?
The chiropractic "adjustment" involves a high velocity low amplitude (fast but shallow) thrust which corrects a spinal subluxation. The World Health Organization defines a subluxation as a lesion or dysfunction in a joint or motion segment in which alignment, movement integrity and/or physiological function are altered, although contact between joint surfaces remains intact. It is essentially a functional entity, which may influence biomechanical and neural integrity. This adjustment allows the nerves to function normally and free the body's own innate healing energy.
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Does the adjustment hurt?
Almost never. Chiropractic adjustments are performed on newborns to elderly patients. The adjustment is gentle and specific. Many feel an immediate sense of relief after the adjustment.
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Are there side effects to spinal adjustments?
The World Health Organization states that when employed skillfully and appropriately, chiropractic care is safe and effective for the prevention and management of a number of health problems. As with all interventions, there are risks associated with spinal manipulative therapy. Common, but non-serious side effects include: discomfort, headache, and fatigue which will go away after 24 to 48 hours. There are infrequent potentially serious side effects, but we will thoroughly screen you for risk factors and explain the risks before treatment.