Chiropractic

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is an alternative healthcare profession dedicated to disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. When individuals undergo tissue injury, whether it be from a single traumatic event or from repetitive microtrauma, the musculoskeletal system loses mobility. This lack of mobility causes both physical and chemical changes that may lead to pain, inflammation, poor function or disruption of the nervous system. Chiropractors are trained to improve musculoskeletal mobility through various treatment methods in order to restore proper brain-body balance.

What to Expect

A chiropractic adjustment is a specific impulse applied to a joint that has lost mobility. Chiropractic adjustments can be performed manually or with the assistance of tools designed to effectively restore joint motion. Though spinal adjustments are most common, any joint in the body can be adjusted if its mobility is compromised.

During the adjustment, a patient may or may not hear a “pop” or “crack.” This “pop” or “crack” is an audible release of gas created when pressure is relieved from the joint and is nothing to worry about. It is also completely normal to hear no sound. Most patients report an immediate sensation of relief after the adjustment, but some patients may experience mild soreness or achiness. This soreness or achiness is similar to the sensation people experience the day after a workout and typically resolves in 24-48 hours.

Though an adjustment is the most well-known chiropractic intervention, adjustments are not the only treatment method chiropractors utilize. Many patients will also receive some type of soft tissue relaxation, rehabilitative exercises and postural correction.