Chiropractic care covers a broad range of treatments for numerous physical problems. While it often focuses on the spine for readjustments, neural healing and realigning joints, other areas of the body can also benefit from treatment. As everyone is different with varying degrees of pain, injuries or stiffness, not all treatments are the same. Chiropractic care is tailored to each individual’s specific needs and goals. Many times, several treatments can be used to help the recovery of a single problem, such as back pain. These are the main types of care you may encounter during an appointment with your chiropractor.
Adjustments/Spinal Manipulation
In a chiropractor’s office, the term “adjustments” refers to techniques of short, quick, thrusts (usually of the hands) to realign a joint. Generally, this is done on spinal joints to pop them back into proper place. The goal of an adjustment is to realign your spine so that it returns to full functionality, which in turn can directly affect and help other pained parts of the body.
Articulation
Articulation, or articulatory, uses movement to reduce stiffness or pain in joints. If a joint is not able to rotate or move in its full ability, a chiropractor may gently manipulate it until it can do so. This is often applied to limbs like arms or legs to return joints to proper mobility.
Massages
Massages can be used in several different ways in chiropractic care. The first is a straightforward massage where a chiropractor applies pressure to certain areas of the body that trigger pain. Sometimes a chiropractor needs to assess where the pain is coming from, as the location causing the pain is not always the same as where the pain appears. Another form of massage is when a chiropractor applies pressure opposite a patient’s movements. Weak muscles can benefit the most from this since it forces them to react to pressure that a patient’s normal movements don’t generate.
Indirect Positioning
This technique is applied if someone has muscles that are too tight or strong in one area but weak in another. When this happens, the stronger muscles can misalign bones and joints because the weaker muscles don’t have enough power to create an equal balance. Indirect positioning tries to rebalance those muscles.
If you’re unsure about what treatment can work for you, contact a chiropractor, like a chiropractor in Rockville, MD. He or she can discuss options that may alleviate your pain and get your life back to normal.
Thank you to the experts at AmeriWell Clinics for their input into chiropractic care.
