How Chiropractic Care Works

If you’re experiencing back or neck pain, managing the lingering effects of an injury, or want to improve your mobility and range of motion, chiropractic care may be a good fit for you. Aches and pains in your joints, muscles, and bones can often be challenging to manage, particularly when they come with other symptoms such as a pinched nerve, headaches, or general stress. A full-service or car crash chiropractor can help you manage any of these injuries, aches, or pains to get you back to feeling happy and healthy. 

Chiropractic care takes a holistic approach for reducing your pain and minimizing the symptoms accompanying an injury or misalignment. Rather than simply offering adjustments and spinal manipulation, your chiropractor can help you with massage therapy, acupuncture, and dry needling. Specialized treatments are available for pregnant women, sports players requiring physical therapy, and anyone seeking to reduce the effects of injuries resulting from car accidents, such as whiplash.

In this article, we’ll examine chiropractic care techniques, discuss how the adjustment process works, and identify a few situations where chiropractic care can be beneficial for minimizing your symptoms. You might be surprised at how much your chiropractor can do for you, whether you’re working through the injury recovery process or you’re simply experiencing higher levels of headaches or stress. 

Chiropractic Evaluation

When you visit a chiropractor’s office for the first time, you’ll begin the treatment process with an in-depth examination of your existing symptoms, injuries, or pain. All forms of chiropractic care are non-surgical and non-invasive, and this evaluation process is no different. X-rays are a common way for chiropractors to begin this examination of your health and wellness, as they can uncover where your pain is coming from and point out any areas where you should improve your posture or joint positioning. 

The evaluation process at your first visit allows your chiropractor to develop a customized treatment plan that offers specialized support for the pain you’re experiencing. There is a wide variety of chiropractic treatment techniques available, but it’s usually tough to tell which of these options is the best for your condition. As a part of your initial appointment, you’ll also have a chance to discuss these care options with your chiropractor. Here are the most common forms of treatment that a full-service chiropractor can administer to help you start feeling better as soon as possible.

Chiropractic Adjustments & Spinal Manipulation

The diversified chiropractic technique, which essentially breaks down to standard chiropractic adjustments and spinal manipulation, is the most common form of chiropractic care. Your chiropractor will apply pressure to your back or joint that does not cause pain but moves your musculoskeletal system into a more comfortable, relaxed resting position. The diversified technique is where the idea of a chiropractor “cracking your back” comes from. You may feel or hear a popping sound as a result of this technique, but the process is essentially painless.

Once your chiropractor releases the adjustment pressure from the affected area, you’ll often feel significantly less pain. All treatments work around your existing injuries to ensure the process remains risk-free. The release of pressure in your back and spine can also improve your overall mobility and range of motion. You may want to consider repeat adjustment appointments for specific injuries or lingering pains. However, chiropractic adjustments and spinal manipulations are usually adequate as a single appointment treatment. 

Acupuncture & Dry Needling

Acupuncture and dry needling are entirely different techniques, though they utilize many of the same tools and are easy to mix up. Acupuncture comes with ancient roots and has been a part of eastern medicine for close to two millenniums. The process involved inserting tiny needles near the affected area to activate specific trigger points in your joints and surrounding soft tissue. This process is usually painless, though certain individuals may experience discomfort during their first acupuncture treatment.

The needles accompanying dry needling and acupuncture are called filiform needles because they don’t contain any fluids or medical compounds. Essentially, they are smaller and less painful because they aren’t being utilized for injection. Dry needling, unlike acupuncture, targets the muscle groups in the affected area to release tension and can be particularly handy as part of a physical therapy treatment routine. Dry needling is usually a part of a more extensive treatment routine, whereas acupuncture can stand alone as its own form of treatment.

Physical Therapy & Rehab

If you’re working through the effects of a significant injury, chiropractic care may be able to help you reduce your pain and decrease your recovery times. For sports-related injuries, physical therapy is usually an effective treatment for retraining your joints and muscles to reduce the likelihood of the same injury happening again. 

Physical therapy and injury rehab from a chiropractor usually includes decompression or neuro therapy, which can go a long way towards making you feel better in the long term. If you’re a professional athlete, you may already be seeing a physical therapist with regularity, even when you aren’t injured. Before starting any physical therapy or exercise routine, your chiropractor will perform a close evaluation of your existing health conditions and recommend treatment in conjunction with the advice of your general practitioner or medical specialist.  

Massage Therapy

Massage treatments can help relax your back and shoulder area following other forms of chiropractic treatment. While this process might sound informal compared to other types of chiropractic care, it can go a long way in supporting your recovery following an injury and reducing pain in both the short and long run. All forms of chiropractic care, including massage therapy, are usually covered by standard health insurance. 

Conclusion- How Chiropractic Care Works

If you’re experiencing any form of back, neck, or joint pain, don’t hesitate to reach out to a chiropractor to discuss your symptoms and evaluate your potential for chiropractic treatment. The individualized care and attention you’ll receive will decrease your pain, improve your mobility, and ensure that your recovery process continues as smoothly as possible.