The Best Chiropractic Care

Chiropractors are neuromuscular therapists who focus on treating the spine, pelvis, joints and nervous system. By taking a thorough history and examination, they provide a diagnosis and a comprehensive evidence-based treatment plan. The plan is individual, depending on the patient’s condition. It can include spinal adjustments, physical therapy and exercise and lifestyle modifications. All this facilitates the healing of the injured area and prevents re-injury.

An adjustment or manipulation is a manual therapy involving the application of a small and quick movement to the affected joint aiming to stretch the surrounding muscles. This stretch causes nerve fibers to send a signal to our brain, telling the brain it’s safe and pain-free to move in that direction. The brain responds to this signal by sending signals back to the muscles and surrounding joint structures which cause the muscles to relax and decrease pain.

One of the features of a chiropractic adjustment is the immediate effect, that is, the noticeable decrease in pain within seconds after the adjustment has been made. While its clinical effectiveness has been well documented in research, the mechanisms underlying its beneficial effects on pain are not fully understood. Chiropractic adjustments of physically dysfunctional joints may alter the transmission of pain signals not only at a spinal level but also within the brain.

As with every form of treatment, there are risks and benefits. Among the benefits of Chiropractic care are decreased pain, increased movement and a reduction in additional symptoms, eg., headaches and radiculopathy (referred pain). Chiropractors undertake five years of university education to become safe and efficient practitioners. In very rare circumstances, treatments of the neck have occurred prior to a stroke or stroke-like symptoms (1 in 5.85 million). However, research by Cassidy et al (2009) found no evidence of excess risk of VBA stroke-associated chiropractic care compared to medical care.

The rate of healing depends on the severity of the injury. It can also vary between patients. You will generally undertake a course of treatment rather than a one-off appointment. Chiropractic has a cumulative response over time, i.e., after each appointment you will notice further pain relief and an increase in movement. The effects of this will last for a longer period of time after each appointment. Tissue healing is affected by a wide variety of factors, including complicating medical factors such as underlying conditions, pain, psychosocial factors and tissue injury. For non-specific lower back and neck pain the expected healing time is 6 weeks. Radicular pain (shooting pain down the limbs) has an expected healing time of 6 weeks to 2 years. Your Chiropractor will give you an estimated healing period for your specific injury or pain.

If the injury has occurred less than 72 hours prior to seeing the Chiropractor follow the RICE principle (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). Also, see your GP if the Chiropractor recommends it. Avoid sitting or standing in the one position for more than 20 minutes. With all injuries, avoid positions or activities that aggravate the area. None of this implies you have to be on bed rest. You can continue to function as long as the range of motion is pain-free. In addition, follow the Chiropractor’s specific schedule of appointments and prescribed exercises.

It is important to attend the recommended schedule of appointments. Each is a building block helping you progress to your body’s optimal function. Initially, our goal is to decrease your pain and increase your range of motion. However, achieving this does not mean that treatment ends. At this point, we provide you with progressive exercises that strengthen and stretch the area to prevent re-injury. When an appointment is missed, it takes longer for the treatment goals to be achieved. This increases the possibility of the injury or pain becoming a chronic problem.

The home exercises are vital for your steady improvement. At the end of the session, we will show you some home strengthening and also stretching exercises that will aid in correcting any faulty movement patterns which we have identified through testing. The correction of these patterns aims to decrease the re-occurrence of the injury and helps maintain the reduction of your pain and the improvements of your range of motion.

Always remember, if you have any questions throughout your course of treatment, please do not hesitate to ask your Chiropractor.

References

Risk of Vertebrobasilar Stroke and Chiropractic Care. Results of a Population-Based Case-Control and Case-Crossover Study. Eur Spine J. 2008 April; 17(Suppl 1): 176–183.

While adjustments are effective, they’re just one tool in our toolkit. If it’s something that you find uncomfortable, we won’t use that technique. Some treatments may not even include an adjustment depending on the patient’s needs and preferences. We’re taught many alternatives to an adjustment including gentle joint mobilisations, dry needling, and soft tissue techniques.