Selecting the Best Chiropractic Adjustment Technique for Pain

Understanding your chiropractor's adjustment style is important to the long term health of your body and the speed at which you recover from injury.

Chiropractors manage various treatment plans to meet the specific needs of each patient.

In general, chiropractic treatment plans involve some forceful (spinal manipulation) and less forceful (spinal mobilization) during the same visit or over the course of treatments which typically consist of 6 to 10 visits.

The common goal of most chiropractic techniques is to restore or enhance joint function, with the general goals of resolving joint inflammation and reducing pain.

Read this blog post for more information on How to Choose the Best Chiropractor for You

Why is it important to understand adjustment techniques?

Patients should discuss their symptoms and preferences of chiropractic manipulation with their chiropractor first before a treatment plan is assessed.

Following your chiropractor’s specific manipulation styles and treatment methods is essential to restore normal movement patterns.

Being prepared and aware of what to expect not only builds rapport between you and your doctor, but it also gives you control along your path to a fast and healthy recovery.

There are well over 100 types of adjustment techniques used by chiropractors throughout the world, most practices focus on and utilize 8 to 10 different approaches.

Chiropractic Adjustment Techniques To Help With Pain

Instrument-assisted Manipulation- Uses a hand-held instrument that allows your chiropractor to apply force without thrusting into the spine.

The small handheld instrument delivers a gentle impulse force into the spine with the goal of restoring motion to the targeted spinal vertebra or joint.

This method can be used to treat many types of back pain, neck pain, and headaches including both migraine and chronic.

Two advantages of using the instrument-assisted method:

• The first is based on the momentum of the mechanism. The instrument is so fast that the body’s muscles are less likely to resist the treatment and tense in response as the pressure is applied.

• The second is the force is localized and doesn’t add additional twisting or bending movements to the joint.

Flexion-distraction technique- This method involves a hands-on spinal manipulation that administers a pumping action on the intervertebral disc instead of direct force.

The technique helps restore the range of motion in joints and muscles after bringing the spine into alignment. The flexion-distraction technique has been known to help people that suffer from herniated discs, reduce headaches, and improve posture.

Specific spinal manipulation (high-velocity low-amplitude thrust)- This popular chiropractic technique helps restore joint movement using a gentle thrusting technique.

The manipulation often results in an audible “pop,” as a chiropractor uses their hands to target a specific joint while applying a sudden controlled force to the body.

The objective is to “retrain” the spine and surrounding muscles to adapt to a healthier state of functionality and increase mobility.

Spinal mobilization (low force or gentle chiropractic techniques)- This approach uses a gentler method that doesn’t involve twisting of the body or a forceful thrust.

Some conditions that may require a softer touch:

• Osteoporosis pathology

• The patient’s size

• Patient comfort

• Patient preference

Adjunctive therapy- In addition to manipulation, many chiropractors will utilize adjunctive therapy, such as ice or heat or physical therapy modalities (such as electric stimulation or ultrasound) as part of an overall treatment plan.

How Do I Choose the Best Chiropractor?

Now that we know about the different techniques with chiropractic care, it's important to know how to choose a chiropractor.

Choosing a chiropractor can be tough, especially if you've never visited one.

The right chiropractor should make you feel comfortable and right at home every time you visit.

One place to start when choosing a chiropractor is to ask a primary care physician, physical therapist, or spine specialist for recommendations of chiropractors who they view as competent and trustworthy.

The best way to ask this question is: "If someone in your family needed a chiropractor, who would you recommend?"

Keep in mind though that many medical professionals lack regular interaction with chiropractors and therefore may not be able to provide a recommendation for chiropractic care.

It also helps to ask friends, co-workers, and neighbors for recommendations.

While these recommendations can be valuable, keep in mind that one person's definition of the best chiropractor may be quite different from another person's definition.

It is important to find a chiropractor who can meet an individual's specific needs.

In general, a chiropractor who is recommended by multiple people is likely to be reliable.

You may also want to do your own research before beginning chiropractic care.

Patients may want to research if there are any disciplinary actions against the chiropractor.

You can also check to determine if their chiropractor's college is accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education.

Selecting a chiropractor is something that should be done with care.

Never feel compelled to be treated by the first chiropractor interviewed. Many people interview several chiropractors before selecting the chiropractor they feel is well suited to treat their condition.

The bottom line is that the chiropractor's role is to recommend the course of care for the patient, and it is the patient’s decision whether or not to accept that doctor's recommendations.

Contact The Arrowhead Clinic

Low back pain, neck pain, headaches, knee pain, hip pain, soft tissue pain, and even poor circulation in the extremities can all take a significant toll on your health.

That's why you need chiropractic treatment including the necessary techniques to return you to optimal health.

Seeking professional help from a trained chiropractor can drastically improve your overall health and bring the body back into balance.

The doctors at Arrowhead Clinics Georgia and South Carolina locations specialize in helping patients who suffer from neck pain, lower back pain, headaches, knee pain, hip pain, pain that spreads to your hands, feet and ankles, and more.

They will make you feel comfortable from the moment you walk in the door.

Our trained chiropractors will conduct a thorough examination, including x rays, and build a specialized treatment plan, including the best adjustment techniques for your healthy recovery.