FAQ

Q: What conditions do chiropractors treat?

A: Chiropractors care for patients of all ages, with a variety of health conditions. DCs are especially well known for their expertise in caring for patients with back pain, neck pain and headaches...particularly with their highly skilled manipulations or chiropractic adjustments. They also care for patients with a wide range of injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, involving the muscles, ligaments and joints. These painful conditions often involve or impact the nervous system, which can cause referred pain and dysfunction distant to the region of injury. Chiropractors also counsel patients on diet, nutrition, exercise, healthy habits, and occupational and lifestyle modification.

Q: Is chiropractic treatment safe?

A: Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Although chiropractic has an excellent safety record, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects. The risks associated with chiropractic, however, are very small. Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may experience mild soreness, stiffness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise. Current research shows that minor discomfort or soreness following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours.

Q: How is a chiropractic adjustment performed?

A: Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the Doctor of Chiropractic’s intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractic physician typically uses his or her hands--or an instrument--to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore or enhance joint function. This often helps resolve joint inflammation and reduces the patient's pain. Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.

Q: Is chiropractic treatment ongoing?

A: The hands-on nature of the chiropractic treatment is essentially what requires patients to visit the chiropractor several times. We may provide acute, chronic, and/or preventive care thus making a certain number of visits sometimes necessary. Depending on your condition we will tell you the extent of treatment recommended and how long you can expect it to last. The important thing to remember is that this is a partnership, and treatment will be discussed to be able to make it work for the patient and their goals.

Q: What is the Active Release Technique?

A: Active Release Technique (ART) is soft tissue manipulation technique. When there is joint restriction, it is essential to address the soft tissue component that contributing to the cause. Soft tissues are muscles, tendons, ligaments, or fascia. For the affected structures, the tissue is shortened, then the doctor contacts the tissue, followed by an elongation of the tissue by way of active or passive movement. ART is highly effective for both acute and chronic soft tissue injuries. Benefits of ART include improved range of motion, improved muscle function, and decrease in recovery time. ART also resolves the body of trigger points and adhesions present in damaged muscles.

Active Release Technique compliments chiropractic care so that both the muscular and skeletal components of injuries are addressed. Examples of conditions that can be treated with Active Release Technique include low back pain, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff injuries, and tendonitis.