A chiropractic adjustment is not only for the patient’s back. Different parts of our body can be helped using joint and spinal manipulation. This treatment method can alleviate pain, improve the patient’s overall function, and correct their body’s alignment.

What is Chiro adjustment?

Professional chiropractic practitioners use their hands or special tools to manipulate the spine or joints in our bodies. It is also called a joint or spinal manipulation. It can help minimize pain, as well as correct the body’s overall physical function and alignment. This type of treatment can help with different conditions affecting the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Chiro therapy can help with headaches, lower back pain, muscle, and neck pain, as well as other joints in the body.

Chiropractor: What is it?

Think of these professionals like a doctor who cares for different types of joint, bone, or muscle pain. They can complement the conventional medical care people receive.

For more info about the musculoskeletal system, click here to find out more.

What do these professionals do?

Understanding what these experts do is pretty straightforward: think of pains, aches, strains, and creaks. If people have issues that involve their musculoskeletal system, these practitioners can offer alternative treatment methods. Chiro experts don’t prescribe medications. It allows them to think of other alternatives. They may prescribe:

• Adjustments

To gently realign the spine and joints, as well as increase its range of motion.

• Soft-tissue therapy

To help relax tight muscles, release fascia tension, and relieve spasms. Fascia is the connective tissue surrounding every muscle in the body.

• Joint taping and bracing

It helps support sprained muscles or joints as they heal.

• Stretches and exercises

To maintain and restore range of motion and mobility

Referrals to integrative medical experts

For guidance on nutrition and diet to minimize inflammation, as well as promote weight loss. Treatments usually don’t hurt. But significant soreness – similar to what people might feel after an intense workout – is a pretty common side effect. But over time, the muscle adjusts.

These professionals can treat almost any part of the body: in the jaws, head, shoulders, wrists, elbows, pelvis, hips, ankles, and knees. These experts look at the musculoskeletal system as a whole and treat the leading cause of the problem. Practitioners make sure that the joints are moving in the right direction, but also the muscles surrounding them are functioning well. They treat issues in individuals of all ages.

Depending on the patient, the force and intensity of these treatments differ. Patients are screened to make sure that they are excellent candidates for this type of treatment. For instance, a lot of older patients have some softening or thinning of the bones that rule out joint manipulation. If this type of care is too risky for patients, they will help guide them to the right resources and people.

What should people expect from Chiro adjustments?

The practitioner discusses the patient’s medical history during the first visit and performs a thorough physical examination. People may have diagnostic tests including:

• MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging

It scans the body using strong magnetic fields and radio waves to generate images of the body.

• CT or Computerized Tomography scans

It uses X-rays to create a very detailed image of the patient’s internal body structure.

• X-rays

It uses small amounts of radiation (electromagnetic) to visualize the internal structure of the patient’s body.

The professional develops treatment plans based on the patient’s symptoms, examination findings, as well as test results. Then they use their hands or specialized instruments to apply a controlled and quick force to joints. People may feel a cracking or popping sensation.

These experts may recommend other out-of-the-box treatments along with chiropractic methods. It may include:

• Electrical muscle stimulation, TENS or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators
• Advice on diet, nutrition, general health, and weight
• Ways to relax muscles and manage stress
• Stretches and exercises
• Heat and icing therapy
• Massages

Benefits if Chiro adjustments

These treatments help minimize pain from:

Whiplash

Spine or neck injuries

Neck-related headaches and migraines

Joint problems in the legs, shoulders, and arms

Risks of these types of treatment methods

After Chiro treatment, people may feel sore or tired. Some individuals also get different degrees of headaches. In some cases, this kind of therapy may cause serious complications like

Stroke

Herniated discs

Cauda Equina Syndrome or pinched nerve in the lower back or spine

Complications or risks are more likely when an unlicensed individual performs the treatment. Only a licensed chiropractor in Atlanta should do this kind of care.

What is the outlook or prognosis for individuals who have this kind of therapy?

A lot of people feel immediate relief from the signs and symptoms after the treatment. But the purpose of this care is to restore the patient’s health in the long run, instead of relieving the short-term symptoms. So, a professional will ask patients how they move throughout the day (walking, sitting, and standing), as well as how they sleep at night.

Learning how to properly position the patient’s body at their desk, when they are standing or moving, and when they are in bed – as well as incorporating stretches into their daily routine – can be a very important aspect in preventing future health issues. It is imperative to inform the person’s primary care physician about the pains they are experiencing, whether chronic or recent (lasting at least three months). The health care provider can rule out possible serious issues that need immediate treatment.

When should people call their health care provider?

If they have Chiro therapy, watch out for unusual symptoms like numbness, worsening pain, or weakness. If they have these signs and symptoms, they need to contact their health care provider for an evaluation immediately.