Have you ever been adjusted? Many people don’t know what that term means or who does it. Chiropractors perform manipulations on the spine and extremities to correct subluxations and restore the nervous system to full capacity. A subluxation is a near dislocation in the spine or extremities that may press on surrounding nerve roots causing pain and local inflammation. They find these areas through physical exam using static and kinetic evaluation, and sometimes x-ray. Once completed, the chiropractor will deliver high velocity low amplitude (HVLA) thrust in the direction of the misalignment to correct it. Typically, the patient will hear a cracking or popping sound, this is completely normal and is gas being released from the joint space. This sound need not occur for the adjustment to be successful. After the adjustment, the chiropractor will re-check the area to see if the adjustment in deed held. Chiropractors focus on restoring the nervous system to optimum capacity since this system controls and coordinates every organ system and body part in the human body. They may employ other staff members in addition to delivering chiropractic care such as: massage therapists, acupuncturists, colon therapists, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, medical assistants, chiropractic assistants, yoga instructors, podiatrists, medical doctors, dermatologists, personal trainers, medical billing personnel, and many more.
Your first visit
Many individuals are nervous for their first chiropractic appointment due to not knowing what to expect. Most people are paranoid about having their cervical spine adjusted due to rumors of strokes related to chiropractic manipulation. This risk is extremely small, about 1 episode in 2 million adjustments and doesn’t occur due to the adjustment rather from the patient already being in a state of disease to stroke. The chiropractor will explain all the benefits and risks prior to care, perform a through physical examination, and take x-rays and labs if needed for diagnosis and treatment.
