Here’s Why You Should Start Seeing a Chiropractor
Every year, approximately 22 million Americans visit a chiropractor.
If you are already seeing a physical therapist to regain your functional potential, you may be unaware that chiropractic care can be integrated into the same treatment plan for the best results.
While our physical therapists focus on reducing your pain and increasing your mobility so you can maintain an active lifestyle, chiropractic care will improve your overall health by restoring spinal alignment and nerve flow to the rest of your body.
Many people find that combining chiropractic with other specialties like physical therapy or acupuncture helps them recover faster and stay healthy longer.
Based on your condition and individual needs, you can combine chiropractic with physical therapy or acupuncture services at our Little Falls, NJ clinic.
A chiropractor has received extensive training in manipulating and mobilizing the spine and extremity joints. If manual Diversified Chiropractic adjusting of restricted joints is preferred, we also offer instrument assisted adjusting.
Contact Active Sport & Spine Therapy today if you want to learn more about how chiropractic care can improve your health and wellness.
What does chiropractic care do?
As stated by Mayo Clinic, “Chiropractic adjustment is a procedure in which trained specialists (chiropractors) use their hands or a small instrument to apply a controlled, sudden force to a spinal joint. The goal of this procedure, also known as spinal manipulation, is to improve spinal motion and improve your body’s physical function.”
While some people believe that you must be in pain or suffering from a specific condition in order to benefit from chiropractic care, being proactive in maintaining a healthy spine for preventative measures can be even more beneficial to your lifestyle.
When you lose mobility due to pain, your pain and pressure on the affected area can worsen, creating a vicious cycle of increased pain and decreased mobility.
Chiropractic care can assist in reversing this. Chiropractic adjustments aid in increasing mobility in the affected area, reducing pain and allowing for a greater range of motion.
Most of us associate spinal manipulation with chiropractic care, and it is, in fact, a common component of chiropractic treatment.
Precise adjustments made by qualified professionals work to align vertebrae, while providing a greater range of motion. These precisely applied adjustments also adjust nerves themselves, making the pressure on the nerves much less severe.
In addition to any spine and extremity manipulation, your chiropractor may also choose to perform complementary techniques based on your condition and individual needs:
- Mobilization. This occurs when the practitioner strategically moves the affected area in various positions, in order to reposition vertebrae or extremity joints, reducing any adhesions for improved mobility.
- Manual traction. This occurs when the patient either sits on the table or lies down on the table facing up. The chiropractor gently stretches the affected area in a specific direction to relieve pressure on a painful joint or nerve.
- Mechanical traction. The Flexion-Distraction technique involves the use of a specialized table that gently distracts or stretches the spine while, allowing the doctor to isolate the spinal area of involvement, while slightly flexing the spine in a gentle “pumping” rhythm. Treatment sessions are brief, comfortable and may be a suitable option for those with high levels of pain or acute back injury that are unable to tolerate other techniques.
How will chiropractic care help me specifically?
The Mayo Clinic also states that “Chiropractic adjustment can be effective in treating low back pain, although much of the research done shows only a modest benefit — similar to the results of more conventional treatments. Some studies suggest that spinal manipulation also may be effective for headaches and other spine-related conditions, such as neck pain.”
A chiropractor can help with a variety of other conditions, including, but not limited to:
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Herniated discs
- Sciatica
- Pinched nerves
- Muscle spasms
- Sports injuries
- Headaches
- Arthritis
- Spinal Stenosis
Many athletes also seek the help of a chiropractor for preventative measures and to increase their sports performance. In fact, according to Tom Brady,
“Chiropractic just makes you feel so much better. When I walk out of the clinic, I feel like I’m about three inches taller and everything’s in place. And as long as I see the chiropractor, I feel like I’m one step ahead of the game.”
How can I get started with chiropractic care?
Because each patient is different, specific treatments and techniques may differ from case to case.
Following a thorough evaluation, the most appropriate care plan for you will be designed to account for the best possible results. To get started on your customized treatment plan, contact Active Sport & Spine Therapy in Little Falls, NJ today!