What is Chiropractic Care? A safe whole body treatment
Chiropractic encompasses a range of drug-free, hands-on health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health. It is a health care profession that diagnoses, treats and helps prevent disorders and conditions related to the spine, nervous system and musculoskeletal system. This includes, but is not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs and headaches.
What Can A Chiropractor Do For Me?
Doctors of Chiropractic are skilled primary care health care professionals, who specialize in diagnosing and treating neuro-musculoskeletal disorders (conditions involving the nerves, muscles and joints) within their scope of practice. Chiropractors believe in treating the whole individual, and practice without drugs or surgery. Treatments usually involve a chiropractic adjustment, which is a gentle, directed pressure and soft tissue release.
Doctors of Chiropractic believe that dynamics exist between lifestyle, environment and health. In addition to clinical treatment, the Chiropractor at Horseshoe Wellness Chiropractic & Acupuncture is a great source of information related to nutrition, lifestyle and exercise. Our Chiropractor will gladly make a referral to another appropriate health care provider when chiropractic care is not suitable for a patient's condition, or the condition warrants co-management in conjunction with other members of the health care team.
Chiropractic care may also be used to provide symptomatic relief for patients with chronic conditions. According to patient surveys, by treating the neuromusculoskeletal elements of such disorders, chiropractic treatment has been shown to improve the general well-being of the patient.
There are many reasons to seek chiropractic care:
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Headache
- Tempomandibular joint problems (Jaw)
- Whiplash
- Strains and sprains
- Repetitive strain injury (RSI)
- Work and sports injuries
- Arthritis
- Limited range of motion in the back, shoulder, neck or limbs
- General health and well-being
What is a Chiropractic Adjustment?
The College of Chiropractors of Ontario defines a chiropractic adjustment as "a gentle, controlled, and directed pressure that helps to restore the spine's ability to function and relieve nerve interference". Chiropractic manipulations are commonly used to treat, but not exclusive to, back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the legs and/or arms, and headaches.
The purpose of manipulation is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become hypomobile – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a tissue injury. Tissue injury can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for the individual. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, and allowing tissues to heal.
Chiropractic adjustments in conjunction with Active Release Technique® are an excellent combination in the treatment of joint restrictions, restoring range of motion, and decreasing chronic muscular and joint pain.
What Can I Expect From My Initial Chiropractic Visit at Horseshoe Wellness?
All doctors use a standard procedure to evaluate and diagnose a patient's condition in order to arrive at a plan of treatment. The chiropractor at Horseshoe Wellness uses many of the same time honored methods used throughout the various health care professions including consultation, case history, physical examination, and possibly x-rays. This will take between 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Our Chiropractors will assesses the entire body and subsequently works with the body as a whole. Once the physical examination is complete, Dr. Julie or Dr. Caseywill share with you the findings of this exam, a diagnosis and a plan for treatment. This will likely include instruction in rehabilitative exercises and therapeutic stretches to maximize recovery time.
