Adjustments/Manipulations
Adjustments and manipulations help correct abnormal movement patterns of vertebrae, which have caused the body to function abnormally. This is done using a manual manipulation where the doctor uses a high velocity, short lever arm thrust applied directly to the vertebra, or through the use of an activator adjustment where a specific tool is used to perform the adjustment.
Manual manipulation is often accompanied by an audible sound, which is the release of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. Joint pressure is released and a cavitation occurs. This sensation is commonly relieving, though minor discomfort can occur for the first 48 hours if the surrounding tissues were in spasm or inflamed before the adjustment.
At times like this, we will advise you to apply ice, rest, and increase your fluid intake. The objective of this service is to reduce the subluxation resulting in increased range of motion, reduced nerve irritation, and improved function.
Ancillary Supports/Braces
A lot of conditions that benefit from chiropractic care also benefit from the use of a brace or stabilization device. We may recommend any one of these to help your progress:
- Cervical pillows
- Swiss balls
- Low back braces
- Rib belts
- Carpal tunnel supports
- Elbow wraps
- Knee braces/sleeves
- Heel lifts
- Topical analgesics, such as Biofreeze
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is when you apply ice to injured tissues. Cryotherapy can cause a numbing or pain-relieving effect as it functions as an anti-inflammatory and a natural pain reliever. The ice constricts blood vessels, which in turn help relax muscle spasms. Cryotherapy will produce the most benefit if applied more frequently for shorter time spans throughout the day. We generally recommend applying ice in 20 minute intervals 4–6 times a day during acute phases of injury.
Custom Foot Orthodics
Orthodics are devices designed to restore normal foot function. Poor foot function can cause heel pain, knee pain, or lower back pain. Orthodics are custom made and can:
- Help re-align your foot
- Alleviate problems that may be occurring in other parts of your body
- Even out weight distribution
- Provide shock absorption
- Decrease pain in the ball of the foot, corns between toes, and bunion formation
- Benefit patients who have any walking imbalance issues
If you have any of these, you might be a good candidate for orthotics:
- Flat feet
- Dropped arches
- Heel pain
- Knee pain
- Shin pain
- Achilles tendonitis
- Metatarsalgia
- Ankle sprains
- Neuromas
- Tendonitis
- Arch pain
- Pronation
- Top of the foot pain
We take a detailed, computerized image of the bottom of the foot and send it off to our orthotics distributor, Foot Levelers. Your orthotics will arrive in our office in approximately 10 business days. Once you receive your orthotics, there is an adjustment period. During the first 48 hours of use, wear them 3–4 hours each day. Increase your wear to 6–8 hours for the remainder of the week. Second-week orthotics can be worn the entire day.
Orthotics generally will last 12–18 months, if you properly take care to preserve the lifespan.
Electrical Muscle Stimulation
Another therapeutic modality we use is electrical muscle stimulation (EMS). EMS allows the body to secrete endorphins and other natural pain killers through electrotherapy. A low frequency stimulation of electric impulses runs through the tissues in the area of injury.
Most patients describe the sensation of EMS as relaxing but with a slight “pins and needles” sensation. EMS:
- Aids in pain relief
- Reduces swelling in soft tissues
- Increases blood circulation, which promotes healing
- Decreases muscle atrophy
Graston Therapy
Graston therapy is a form of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization that is used to effectively break down scar tissue and fascial restrictions. This technique uses specially designed stainless steel instruments to specifically detect and effectively treat areas exhibiting soft tissue fibrosis or chronic inflammation. Graston therapy is beneficial in a variety of conditions and can be applied all over the body.
For more information on this technique call our office or visit the Graston Technique website at http://www.grastontechnique.com/.
Nutritional Supplements
We carry a wide array of nutritional supplementary products. We will educate you on what you may need to improve and maintain your health and well-being. All of our products are pharmaceutical grade so you won’t be getting the additives that are so commonly found in readily available nutritional products. The brands we carry are:
- Juice Plus
- Monavie
- Nutrametrix
- Isotonix
- Thorne
- Metagenics
- Nutrition Dynamics
- Nordic Naturals
Rehabilitative Exercise
We have a complete rehabilitation center featuring Fitness Plus brand exercise equipment. If you've been involved in a motor vehicle accident or work injury, we will take you through our rehabilitation exercise program to help re-educate injured tissues. Some patients who have not sustained serious injuries to their necks or backs also benefit from our exercise program, as long as their condition is chronic or there’s been minimal progress in their condition. Also, patients who are more likely to stick with an on-site exercise program rather than exercising at home can benefit from this amenity.
Surface EMG/Range-of-Motion Muscle Testing
We use Myovision to assess the inflammatory state of our patients. Myovision assesses surface temperature skin changes, which can pinpoint areas of potential subluxation, muscle adhesions and spasms, and of course pain.
J-TECH or range of motion/muscle testing is a medically necessary computerized test that follows the functional progress and changes throughout the period of your physical medicine and rehabilitation treatment. What we find from these exams determines the extent of functional loss and assists in developing and modifying your treatment plan. We will retest you in 4–6 weeks to measure your progress.
Therapeutic Exercises
Once your condition has shown measurable improvement, we give you special exercises unique to your problem. You can perform these exercises in the comfort of your own home and can improve the effectiveness of your spinal correction as much as 30–40 percent. This enhances the treatment process and helps to maintain healing benefits. It also reduces the likelihood of future problems. All the exercises are simple and easy to perform and are very effective at achieving your treatment goals.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound at our clinic shouldn't be confused with diagnostic ultrasounds used in prenatal screenings. Instead, it's a therapeutic procedure using sound waves to treat injured muscles, joints, and soft tissues. These sound waves vibrate back and forth at high speeds to help decrease scar tissue, adhesion formation, and inflammation, which all can hinder the body’s innate healing powers.
Ultrasound works with heat and vibration created by sound waves penetrating deep into the tissues. Unhealthy calcium deposits and lactic acid accumulations are broken down and dispersed. The heat caused by a therapeutic ultrasound increases circulation and blood flow so muscle spasms relax and the healing process is accelerated.
The sound waves created by an ultrasound treatment are transmitted through gel. Patients who have had this form of treatment describe feeling nothing at all or a pleasant warming sensation below the skin’s surface.
X-rays
We take X-rays in our office on an as-needed basis. They are not mandatory before we perform any treatment. Factors that help determine the need for X-rays are:
- History of trauma
- History of systemic infection
- History of cancer
- History of congenital anomalies
- History of ligament laxity
- When exam findings don’t reveal enough information for us to confidently diagnose
If we determine X-rays are necessary, we will show and discuss them in detail with you. We will explain the nature of the condition, the steps that need to be put into place for treatment, and the need for referral if indicated.