When visiting a chiropractor for the first time, it’s easy to get intimidated by the various chiropractic techniques they may use.
Chiropractic care solves your pain problems in different ways, so your pain will be resolved and never return. Each of the following techniques hit a different source of your pain. From basic spinal treatment to lower-limbs care, there is a technique that fits your problem.
Spinal Manipulation
More commonly known as chiropractic adjustments, spinal manipulation is the more well-known type of chiropractic treatment. When a chiropractor gives you an adjustment, he or she adds pressure to certain parts of your spine to re-align your bones. Your chiropractor will use this technique in an effort to restore the natural health of your spine and relieve pain.
Chiropractors will use different ways to work on the spine. Some prefer to use more force, while others are much more gentle when handling the delicate bones in your back. There are adjustments that work on any spine so you can start feeling better sooner.
Extremity Adjustments
Many chiropractic treatments center on your spine and how it affects the rest of your body. However, treatment of your arms and legs is necessary to relieve any muscle and joint pain in those areas. An extremity adjustment includes manipulating your joints or muscles in order to increase your flexibility.
Over time, your flexibility in your knees, elbows and other joints may decrease, limiting your range and possibly causing pain. An extremity adjustment will loosen up that joint, while re-establishing your nerve connections in the process.
Activator Treatments
Some knee and hip pain is caused by the mere fact that one leg might be a tad shorter than the other. This small difference in length can throw off your alignment, which can cause pain.
Chiropractors use a small device called an “activator” to gently add force to align and even your legs. While the idea of having a device to “even you out” might sound unnerving, the process is a very gentle treatment. This treatment only uses enough force to realign your bones, while not adding any additional pain in the process.
The Gonstead Technique
The Gonstead Technique stems from the idea that the pelvic area is the root of any form of spinal misalignment. If your pelvis is not aligned, more than likely the rest of your body is off-balanced as well and can cause problems.
The Gonstead Technique pays closer attention to the lower extremities and works to align your legs, hips and lower back so the rest of your body can follow suit. This technique typically uses evaluation equipment like a nervoscope and x-rays to assess the entire spine, especially the lower portions of your back.
These evaluations not just find out if any of your bones are out of line, but also if you have any significant inflammation that may be causing your pain. After the assessment, your chiropractor will work to relieve the inflammation and treat the pain, and then performs an adjustment to set the rest of your spine and to prevent the problem from returning.
Find the Technique For You
Not every technique will work for everyone. While most chiropractors will vouch that their particular chiropractic method is the best one for your whole body, it’s up to you to find what you need.
Some practices will have various chiropractors that focus on a particular area of your body. They will have one that works more with arms and legs, while others focus on different parts of your spine. A practice with multiple options allows you to pick the method you feel is the best for your own health.