Chiropractic Care: More Than Just Adjustments
If you think all chiropractors do is crack backs and make spinal adjustments, you’re in for a surprise. Chiropractors are trained in a range of modalities to help heal injuries or sore, aching muscles and to provide preventative care to prevent further injuries. Here are some techniques your chiropractor may use besides adjustments:
Ultrasound
With ultrasound, sound waves create deep heat therapy that your chiropractor applies to your soft tissue and joints. By essentially giving these areas a "micro-massage," ultrasound therapy can not only help reduce back pain, stiffness, and spasms, it can also increase blood flow to speed up the healing of the tissues.
Diathermy
This targets denser tissues deep within the body. Diathermy relaxes the muscles and connective tissues, decreases muscle spasms, and speeds up the healing process by improving circulation.
Hydrotherapy
Using water of different temperatures via hot baths or wraps, hydrotherapy can be used to reduce the sensitivity of pain through cold stimuli that numb the pain or heat stimuli that promote blood flow and faster healing.
Electrical muscle stimulation
During this therapy, electrodes are placed on the skin to send light electrical pulses to different regions of the body. The goal is to reduce inflammation, stop muscle spasms and relieve back pain.
Ergonomics
During your treatment with a chiropractor, he or she may recommend you make some adjustments to your chair or workstation at work or your sofa or mattress at home. These changes can be crucial for the success of your chiropractic treatment, so take your chiropractor’s advice seriously and implement any suggestions he or she makes.
Patient education
Your chiropractor may give advice on a wide variety of lifestyle modifications, including diet and nutritional programs, exercises to do at home, strategies for coping with stress, and more. Remember, your chiropractor has had similar training to a conventional MD and is qualified to give you this kind of advice.
Talk to your chiropractor whenever he or she suggests a new form of treatment. Make sure you know what the treatment is supposed to achieve and why the chiropractor is recommending it. If you ever feel pain or discomfort, don’t assume this is normal - inform your chiropractor immediately.