When it comes to taking care of our health, sometimes we need more than just pills and surgeries. That’s where chiropractic care comes in, offering a hands-on, holistic approach to healing.

In recent years, the role of a full-service chiropractor has gained immense popularity across America. More people are turning to these providers for everything from pain relief to overall wellness. 

Even Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France-winning pro cyclist, has a chiropractor working permanently on his staff. Armstrong is familiar with the heavy toll cycling takes on the body and appreciates his chiropractor’s assistance with the same. 

In his book, Every Second Counts – Armstrong highlighted the specialist’s crucial role in the team’s achievement, saying, “The guy who put us all back together was our chiropractor.”

This article will dive into major chiropractic adjustments and the conditions they help treat/manage.

Major Chiropractic Adjustments 

Chiropractic adjustments are the master strokes in the chiropractor’s toolkit, precision techniques tailored to realign your spine and joints. These adjustments aren’t just about relieving pain; they’re about fine-tuning your body’s mechanics, optimizing functionality, and restoring balance. 

So, whether it’s a tweak here or a nudge there, chiropractors use these specialized maneuvers to help you achieve peak performance and pain-free life. Let’s break down some of the major types of chiropractic adjustments:

Soft Tissue Manipulation

Delving beneath the surface, soft tissue manipulation targets the intricate network of muscles, tendons, and ligaments enveloping your spine and joints. Its mission is to untangle tension, quell inflammation, and revitalize circulation. It’s like a skilled sculptor, molding and shaping your body’s support system to promote comfort, flexibility, and overall well-being.

Techniques like myofascial release and the Graston Technique are commonly used to break up scar tissue and adhesions, providing relief from chronic pain and improving mobility.

Spinal Manipulation

Picture a gentle dance with your spine, where skilled hands guide each vertebra back into its rightful place. Spinal manipulation – the cornerstone of chiropractic care – involves precise adjustments that coax misaligned joints back into harmony. Think of it as a delicate tune-up for your backbone, restoring balance and flexibility with each carefully applied touch.

Popular methods include the Diversified Technique and the Gonstead Technique. These adjustments are like the conductors of a symphony, orchestrating the alignment of your body’s instruments to create harmony and rhythm. 

They fine-tune your nervous system, turning static into smooth signals that flow effortlessly. As a result, they quiet the discordant notes of back pain, and banish the drumbeat of neck discomfort, sending headaches packing.

A study conducted by University Hospitals highlighted the potential benefits of chiropractic spinal manipulation on patients with ongoing sciatica pain. 

It revealed that patients who received the chiropractic adjustment following their surgery were 45% less likely to undergo reoperation than those who used regular medical care.

Cranial Manipulation

Cranial manipulation is a specialized approach that hones in on the delicate bones of your skull and sacrum. This adjustment is performed with a singular goal in mind – to optimize the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and amplify brain function. 

It’s akin to a gentle tune-up for your body’s control center, fine-tuning the mechanics to promote clarity, vitality, and an enhanced sense of well-being.

Methods like the Sacro Occipital Technique and Craniosacral Therapy are used to address issues such as headaches, migraines, and even some neurological conditions. These gentle adjustments can have profound effects on the entire body’s well-being.

Conditions Treated/Managed by Chiropractic Adjustments

Chiropractic adjustments aren’t just about cracking backs and necks—they’re about improving overall health and well-being. Chiropractors can help manage a wide range of conditions, offering relief from pain and improving quality of life. 

Below, we’ll take a look at some conditions common among Americans that chiropractic adjustments can help treat or manage:

Arthritis

The uninvited guest crashing the joint party, arthritis is like that creaky, unwelcome neighbor who overstays their welcome in your body’s house. It’s about inflammation and stiffness in your joints, making movements feel more like rusty hinges than fluid motions. 

By improving joint mobility, chiropractic adjustments can lead to reduced inflammation, thereby minimizing the pain. 

Chiropractors can alleviate the stress on affected areas by aligning the spine and other joints properly. This makes it easier for patients to move and reduces the pain associated with arthritis.

Sciatica

Sciatica is a condition where you experience extreme pain along your sciatic nerve.  Pain in this nerve – running from the lower back down through your legs – is caused by either a herniated disc or spinal stenosis. Governor’s Park Chiropractic notes that as many as 40% of the global population stands the risk of developing sciatica in their lifetime.

Chiropractors use spinal adjustments to relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve, which can significantly reduce pain and improve mobility. In fact, if you’re worried about future flare-ups, chiropractic care can take care of that as well. Taking regular sessions helps you maintain a proper spinal alignment, thereby preventing any future issues.

Joint Pain & Dysfunction 

Joint pain and dysfunction aren’t limited to just the spine—they can affect any joint in the body, from the shoulders to the knees. By improving movement in the joints and reducing pains, chiropractic adjustments can result in restoring their normal function.

Techniques like extremity manipulation and soft tissue therapy are used to address specific joint issues, ensuring that the whole body functions as it should.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can chiropractic adjustment manage ankylosing spondylitis?

Yes, chiropractic adjustment can manage the symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis by improving patients’ spinal alignment and overall mobility. However, if the adjustment isn’t carefully tailored to avoid aggravated inflammation, it could worsen the condition as well.

Are popping sounds common during a chiropractic adjustment?

Yes, they are. The release of gas bubbles creates, which is why they’re completely normal during a chiropractic adjustment. As the joints are readjusted in the treatment, one can expect to hear such sounds.

Do chiropractic adjustments have any side effects?

Yes, chiropractic adjustments are known to have some mild side effects – all of which are temporary and will subside within a couple of days. These include soreness or stiffness in the area of the treatment, and in some cases, mild headaches.

To wrap it up, delving into major chiropractic adjustments and the conditions they treat highlights how chiropractic care can work wonders for our health. From easing pain and boosting movement to handling various health issues, they offer a holistic path to feeling better.