One of the most common complaints in the fast paced, hard-working world that most of us are living are the aches and pains associated with such a busy lifestyle. It may come as no surprise that back pain is the leading cause of disability in the United States and that it also accounts for the most missed days at work, adding up to a huge dent in the economic capability of the workforce. Not to mention all of the other pain that is common among people in American population, including pain caused from things like workplace injuries, sports, or even accidents. Fortunately, there are often many courses of treatment for these types of pains or injuries–one of the most sought after and recommended treatments being a trip to the highly specialized chiropractor.
For those who may have never been to a chiropractor themselves, the first thing that may comes to mind is perhaps a spinal readjustment, and although chiropractic treatments do indeed sometimes include the readjustment of the spine, a chiropractic office is often much more that! The majority of chiropractic offices offer a wide range of effective services, many of which offer a more holistic and natural approach to other alternative methods.
When it comes to all of the different chiropractic therapies, here are some of the most popular and the treatments we use at Thrive Chiropractic. This list is not comprehensive of all that we offer at Thrive Chiropractic.
- Spinal Mobilization or Spinal Manipulation– This treatment is most often what comes to mind when people think of a chiropractor. This is a more gentle therapy that is designed to retrain the spine and surrounding muscles to adapt to a healthier alignment. The overall goal is to restore and repair the function of the joints in the spinal column.
- Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS)- EMS is a form of therapy that uses a machine to help control pain and muscle spasms. This machine utilizes varying intensities of electrical currents to help patients get through periods of acute pain and chronic pain.
- Extremity Manipulation- As the name may suggest, extremity manipulation is a technique that involves the manipulation of joints other than the spine. This could include the knee, the elbow, the wrist, the ankle, and so on. The proper alignment and healthy mobility of these joints may help to relieve stress and tension felt in other areas of the body.
Activator Treatments– This type of therapy involves the use of a handheld device known as activator adjusting instrument. The activator is used to deliver a gentle impulse to a targeted area of the spine. This treatment is used for a wide variety of issues, including migraine, lower back pain, neck pain, and vertebrae realignment. It also involves analyzing the legs and hips and how they affect the alignment of the spine. - Diversified Technique– The diversified technique is another common method used to restore spinal alignment, repair joint function, and ensure proper mobility. During this method, the chiropractor uses their hands to deliver direct thrusts to certain parts of the body. This technique relieves tension while allowing tissues and fluids to restore proper alignment and function.
- Soft Tissue Therapy– This therapy involves a complex clinical message that mainly targets soft tissue areas, which can include muscles, ligaments, joints, tendons, and connective tissue. For this therapy, several different techniques and tools can be applied for the task. This method can help relieve pain and discomfort while also improving circulation and blood flow.
- Flexion Distraction Method– The flexion distraction method is another popular chiropractic therapy that is gentle and low force. This technique is used for many different conditions, including a herniated disc, lower back pain, or sciatica. It involves a special table that allows the chiropractor to manipulate the position of the patient’s spine.
- Diet and Nutritional Counseling– A poor diet can lead to many different health problems, including those related to the health of your joints and spine. For that reason, many chiropractors are specially trained on diet and nutritional counseling. Oftentimes they can advise you on an optimal diet that helps support not only your overall health but a healthy spine and joints as well.
- Hot and Cold Therapies– Chiropractors often use hot and cold therapies to help reduce swelling and alleviate pain to injuries shortly after occurring. For this method, chiropractors often begin with a cold treatment to help numb the affected area by applying something like an ice pack, usually anywhere between 10-15 minutes, then a hot treatment is applied directly thereafter to help promote blood flow and healing. The hot therapy is usually applied for the same amount of time.
These are just a few of the techniques or therapies you might expect to find at your future visit with your chiropractor. At Thrive Chiropractic, we believe in comprehensive, quality care. We offer a wide range of services that can often help patients forgo the need for surgery, including massage therapy, yoga, and cutting edge technology like Low Level Laser Therapy. Visit us online, stop in our Boise location, or give us a call, we would love to hear from you!
