subject: Eight Things You Need To Know About Chiropractic Adjustment [print this page] . This is a procedure used by DCs to correct misalignments of the vertebrae, known as subluxations, of your spine. Untreated, these misalignments can interfere with neurological communication between your brain, tissues and organs.
[Q] What is the goal of the adjustment? [A] Restoring the stability and function of the spine is the fundamental goal of chiropractic adjustment. When the strains in the spine are eliminated, the muscles can become relaxed resulting in the relief of pain. Chiropractors will examine and detect the spinal misalignments and correct them.
[Q] What happens in chiropractic adjustment? [A] After identifying your condition via examination and testing, and determining that spinal adjustment is the best treatment for you, your DC will position your body so that only the affected area is isolated. Next, your DC will manipulate the joint, freeing it from its "stuck" position. In restoring the joint's natural movement, inflammation and pain are reduced and your tissues begin to heal. Some people are afraid because they think that chiropractors force a vertebra into its appropriate position. However, this is not the case. Chiropractors only free up the vertebrae. After doing so, the body naturally regenerates and put them back in their appropriate position.
[Q] What are the adjustment techniques of a DC? [A] There are various adjustment techniques that a chiropractor can use. If you ask 50 patients to describe what kind of adjustment technique was done to them, you might get 50 unique responses. Some patients are instructed to sit up while others lie down. Some are positioned in stationary tables, others are in a complicated one with movable head and foot rests. Chiropractors know that each individual has a different case and may require a separate approach. Chiropractors choose the proper techniques which they think will be effective in correcting the spinal misalignments using only minimal force. After all, chiropractic requires skill and training and not merely brute strength.
[Q] Does this procedure hurt? [A] Some people are squeamish about spinal manipulation if they aren't familiar with the procedure. Because most adjustment techniques stress using minimum strength and gentle pressure, few patients feel any discomfort during the adjustment. When conducted by a licensed DC, however, spinal manipulation is effective in reducing muscle and joint pain. Only rarely does chiropractic adjustment cause mild discomfort that typically goes away in a day or two.
[Q] Is it true that there's a popping sound during an adjustment? [A] Yes, this harmless popping sound occurs when gas bubbles in the fluid surrounding the joint are released during the procedure. Have you ever cracked your knuckles? It's the same thing. The noises you hear are just little pockets of gas discharged with a sound, which is nothing to worry about. With or without noises, your adjustment should be entirely free from pain. Some tense patients resist the corrective adjustment and stiffen involuntarily. When this happens, they might feel a minor discomfort until they learn to loosen up. Just think of the noises as a good thing because these are just adjustments being made to correct certain areas of your body. However, if these noises lessen or disappear, it doesn't mean that the adjustments are not working. It might indicate that the flexibility of the vertebrae is returning to its normal state.
[Q] In what conditions should you not have chiropractic adjustment? [A] Do not go for chiropractic adjustments if you have cancer of the bone or bone marrow, severe spinal osteoporosis, tuberculosis of the spine, fractures, a spinal cord disease, severe arthritis, acute gout, compression, and infection in your bone or joint.
[Q] Now that you know more information about chiropractic adjustments, what will you do next? [A] Reflect and check yourself. Do you have a condition unresolved by initial conventional treatment, medication, or physical therapy? Then, chiropractic care might provide answer to your problems. There are chiropractors, such as those from Chiropractic Colorado Springs, who will work with you using their best abilities and tools. Immediately provide solutions to your problem right now!
