Adjustments
An adjustment or chiropractic manipulation is used when there is a restriction found in your joint. This means that the joint is moving less then usual which can cause pain, decreased movement, muscle spasm and even impact your nerves. Adjustments, commonly used in the spine, can actually be preformed on any joint in your body!
When performing an adjustment on your restricted joint, your chiropractor will use a quick and gentle force (high velocity, low amplitude) to put motion through the joint to get it moving again. This helps the surrounding muscles to relax and gets your body to release natural endorphins that help decrease your feeling of pain. Altogether, the adjustment helps to get you moving with ease again.
A.R.T.
Active Release Technique
Active Release Technique is a soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. ART can treat acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc), and more chronic conditions from accumulations of microtears from overuse. In acute or chronic injuries, your body begins to make tough, dense scar tissue in the injured structure. This prevents the tissues from moving freely and causes muscles to become shorter and weaker. It can increase tension on tendons causing tendonitis and can cause nerve entrapment. All of this can cause a decreased range of motion, loss in strength and increased pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.
Your ART provider will use their hands to evaluate your tissues with every visit. They will then use their hands to break up the scar tissue by applying direct pressure to the tissues while putting them through their natural range of motion.
Acupuncture
When you get acupuncture done, the skin is punctured by sterile, disposable, hair-thin needles inserted into specific areas on your body known as acupuncture points. Acupuncture points can be located along energy pathways, known as meridians. Acupuncture needles can also be inserted directly into injured tissues to stimulate healing and decrease pain locally. When the acupuncture points are stimulated, the body releases endorphins, a natural painkiller. The endorphins provide rapid and often long-lasting relief. Working at the source of the pain helps decrease inflammation and increases range of motion.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is a progressive, dynamic, goal-oriented and time-limited process. Specific exercises are given for the patient to do on their own, at home. Exercises are designed to help protect damaged structures from further injury and from re-injury as well as to increase strength, range of motion and to correct movement patterns.
Education
In each visit you will always have the chance to ask any questions you have about your condition. All chiropractors at Westboro chiropractic are highly educated and have experience with a diverse array of patient lifestyles and conditions. Individualized advice will be given to help you modify your daily activities to help you to decrease your pain and to prevent further injury.