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Chiropractic Techniques

Posted on October 14, 2020October 26, 2020 by langerent

The word “chiropractic” comes from the Greek words cheir (hand) and praxis (action) and literally means “done by hand.” Instead of prescribing drugs or performing surgeries, chiropractors use manual treatments of the spine and joints, along with therapies and lifestyle changes to allow the body’s natural state of health to fully express itself. Here are some of the manipulation techniques we offer at our office.

Myofascial Release

Not all pain is caused by obvious injuries like broken bones or cuts. Some pain may stem from the myofascial tissues. These tough membranes are wrapped around your muscles to provide support and connect them to other parts of the body.

When myofascial tissue becomes stiff, it may restrict movement in both the muscles and joints. This can lead to joint and muscle pain. During myofascial release, your chiropractor will locate and release areas of myofascial tissue that are stiff and tight.

Myofascial Pain Symptoms
Myofascial pain can be caused by trauma — such as a car accident — repetitive motions or muscle tension due to stress. In fact, people who are often stressed or anxious may be more likely to develop myofascial pain. This could be due to frequent clenching of the muscles.

The symptoms of myofascial pain include a deep ache or pain in the muscle, pain that continues or worsens, or a sensitive knot in the muscle. The source of the pain is stiffness in specific areas of myofascial tissue — known as “trigger points.” Normally, myofascial tissue is elastic and moves when light pressure is applied. Trigger points, though, feel tight and rigid.

Unlike pain caused by broken bones or cuts, myofascial pain can occur over a wider area of your body. Also, the trigger points may not be located near the area where you are experiencing the pain. This is called referred pain.

Diagnosis of Trigger Points
During a physical exam, your chiropractor will identify areas of myofascial tissue that are stiff and rigid. This is done by applying light finger pressure to the body, looking for tissue that does not feel elastic or move easily. Again, the trigger points may not be located near the source of your pain.

Myofascial Release Treatment
After identifying the trigger points, chiropractors can use myofascial release therapy to reduce the stiffness in the myofascial tissue. This technique involves stretching and applying manual pressure to areas of the myofascial tissue that are tight.

During the treatment, your chiropractor will carefully observe your body’s response in order to know how much and where to apply the pressure. Loosening up the myofascial tissue can allow the muscles to move more freely. This may reduce your pain symptoms.

Muscle pain can result from many different causes. If are experiencing pain, contact us to help you determine your best treatment options.

Manual Technique

Manual therapy, also known as manipulative therapy, is a physical treatment primarily used by chiropractors to treat musculoskeletal pain and debility.

How Does Manual Therapy Work?
This form of physical therapy takes a hands-on approach rather than using devices or machines. When a chiropractor uses their hands during manual therapy, they apply pressure on the muscle tissue and maneuver the joints in an effort to reduce pain associated with muscle tension, muscle spasm and joint dysfunction.

How Does Manual Therapy Help?
When a person has insufficient movement and range of motion in their joints, it can lead to pain, discomfort and an interruption in function, movement and posture.

By implementing manual therapy, the following can occur:

An increase in range of motion
A decrease or elimination of soft tissue inflammation
Pain regulation
Relaxation
Healing, stability and/or extension of contractile and non-contractile tissue
Ease in movement and restoration of function

Types of Manual Therapy Movement

There are many manual therapy techniques, and, as a group, they aim to relax tense muscles and ease restricted joints. Overall, however, these procedures exercise three main types of movement:

Manipulation. Sheer, rotational or agitated force that is rapid and results in an audible popping sound caused by the sudden breakdown of gas bubbles that develop during joint cavitation
Massage. Recurring stripping, kneading or rubbing of the soft tissues for the purpose of redistributing fluid, relaxing muscles, increasing circulation, easing muscle tension, breaking up scar tissue and reducing pain
Mobilization. Stretching the soft tissues in a slower, more regulated process in order to improve flexibility
Mobilization and manipulation are often talked about together. They use calculated movements of various speeds (slow to fast), force (moderate to strong) and distances to pull, rotate or thrust joints and bones into position to help release stiff tissues around the joint, minimize joint pain, reestablish alignment and assist with flexibility.

Types of Manual Therapy Techniques

Prior to executing manual therapy, the chiropractor will typically do an assessment of the nerve and blood supply in the treatment area, as well as look at the bone and muscles themselves. This helps him or her determine whether this physical therapy is appropriate for the patient’s needs. Contingent on the assessment, the chiropractor may perform one or more of the following manual therapy techniques:

Soft tissue mobilization. Breaks up hard or rubbery muscle tissue (e.g., scar tissue), circulates tissue fluids, restores normal texture to tissue, reduces pain and lessens muscle tension through rhythmic stretching and deep pressure
Strain and counter-strain. Focuses on fixing irregular neuromuscular reflexes that trigger structural and postural problems. Here, the chiropractor first determines where the patient’s tender points are. The patient is then asked at what point the soreness diminishes. The patient is next held in position (at a point where they are comfortable) for up to two minutes. During this time, the muscle is stretched mildly and then slowly taken out of this position, which lets the body reset its muscles to a natural level of tension so that healing can occur.
Joint mobilization. Loosens the constrained joint and boosts range of motion by delivering slow speed and amped up distance of movement.
Muscle energy technique. Designed to activate restricted joints and lengthen shortened muscles by using voluntary contractions of the patient’s muscles against a defined counter force implemented by the chiropractor, who helps by taking the muscle to a specific position and placing it in a precise direction
High velocity, low amplitude thrusting. Restores the sliding motion of joints and allows them to open and close efficiently. This more aggressive technique involves taking a joint to, but not beyond, its restrictive barrier

Please contact us with any questions.

Drop-Table Technique

Forceful spinal manipulation is not always necessary to treat conditions of the lower back, mid-back and neck. Gentle chiropractic treatment, such as drop table techniques, involves less powerful spinal maneuvering and slower, low-velocity movements that allow the affected joint to stay within its passive range of motion.

How Does the Drop Table Technique Work?
Also known as the Thompson technique, the “drop” approach uses a special chiropractic table. The table used has segments that can be lifted up and then dropped when a thrust is applied by the chiropractor. The drop allows gravity to assist and work in combination with the manual adjustment, and all of this provides a lighter adjustment than that which comes with some other chiropractic techniques, such as those that involve twisting positions.

To further clarify, the table has various sections that are raised between 1 to 2 inches relative to the rest of the patient’s body. Once the section of the table is lifted, it is fastened in place and the stiffness of the table is altered based on the patient’s body weight. When the chiropractor applies a gentle thrust to the area needing adjustment, the table releases and drops down, causing that segment of the body to fall too. The drop table comes to a rest, but the patient’s body momentum continues for a short period. This momentum is equally as critical to the drop table technique as the thrust and dropping of the table are, because it aids in alignment.

What to Expect After a Drop Table Technique
The number of sessions needed depends on the type of condition the patient has and its severity. However, in general, the patient should have better range of motion and less pain with each treatment.

To learn more about the drop table technique and how it can help, contact us today.

Active Release Techniques

When there is damage to muscles and other soft tissues including pulls, tears, or not being able to get enough oxygen (hypoxia), it can result in the body producing rough, thick scar tissue in the affected area.

Scar tissue restricts the tissues from moving freely because they bind them and tie them down, and as scar tissue builds up, muscles shorten and become weaker, nerves become ensnared and tendinitis can develop due to tension on the tendons. This can lead to reduced range of motion, pain and loss of muscle strength. Should a nerve become trapped, the person may additionally experience numbness, tingling and weakness.

What Do Active Release Techniques Aim to Do?
Active release techniques (ART) attempt to address problems in individual tissues, since one tissue or structure can affect another structure both directly and biomechanically. With this method, the chiropractor identifies problems with movement, pressure and stiffness between the nearby tissues, and then addresses them.

While scar tissue and muscle tension can be addressed with massage, electrical modalities and applying pressure to trigger points, ART seek to take a different approach. It is not just about treatment; it’s also about understanding the muscles and how they have been affected.

After the chiropractor has gotten a feel of the tissues and their texture, motion and tension, he is able to understand and assess the motion of each tissue relative to the one adjacent to it. Now equipped with this knowledge, he can determine whether to:

Apply a contact tension
Shorten the tissue
Make the tissue glide relative to the tissue nearby
Lengthen the tissue

By doing one or more these, movement can be restored; fibrous adhesions can be broken down; trapped nerves or blood vessels can be released; pain can be reduced; and oxygen and blood can be efficiently delivered to the muscles and tissues.

How Are ART Different From Other Techniques?
There are more than 500 specific moves associated with ART, and each allows the chiropractor to recognize and rectify problems that affect each individual patient. For this, ART do not take a cookie-cutter approach, nor do they only treat problems with muscles. In addition, these “soft tissue system/movement-based massage techniques” treat tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves.

However, unlike massage, the patient does not lie motionless, and neither pressure nor movement is lateral to the muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons. Instead, ART use longitudinal movements, and they require the patient to be both a participant and non-participant in their care. In some levels of treatment, movement of the patient’s tissue is done by the chiropractor. In other levels, the patient must actively move the affected tissue in a specific way while the chiropractor employs tension. So, in many ways ART are not strictly a massage; instead, they are a form of manipulation.

What Conditions Do ART Treat?
Because the muscles and other soft tissues can be manipulated, a variety of conditions — all of which are typically the result of overused or overworked muscles — can be resolved with this technique:

Headaches
Carpal tunnel
Back and shoulder pain
Sciatica
Tennis elbow
Shin splints
Plantar fasciitis
Knee problems
Tendinitis

Please contact your chiropractor if you have any questions about ART.

Histopathology

Posted on October 14, 2020October 26, 2020 by langerent

Following a car accident, the bones of the spine may shift out of their original position or lose their normal motion, in what’s called vertebral subluxation complex. This condition is characterized by a set of signs and symptoms that affect the spinal column. Histopathology is one of its five major interrelated components, and it occurs when a person’s body temperature rises due to an increase in lymph and blood supplies. As a result, inflammation and swelling occur, causing discs to rip, project, herniate or depreciate.

The individual may experience:

Pain and discomfort
Loss of mobility
Degradation of the spine
Scar tissue

How Does the Lymphatic System Work?

The lymphatic system is a subdivision of the circulatory system, and it consists of lymph vessels, lymph nodes and lymph (translucent fluid containing white blood cells). The lymph vessels transport lymph throughout the body, allowing the white blood cells it contains to fight off foreign substances and rid the body of toxins and waste.

Lymph flows in one direction — up toward the neck — and within its own system. It travels into the venous blood stream via the subclavian veins (located on the sides of the neck). Plasma, the yellow liquid component of the blood, distributes nutrients and removes waste, before leaving the blood cells and going back to the venous circulation system where it will continue on as venous blood. That which does not leave becomes lymph. It too makes its departure, leaving the tissue and entering the lymphatic system throughout lymphatic capillaries.

Histopathology and the Lymphatic System / Venous System
After a car accident or other trauma, if the spinal bones lose their natural motion and position (spinal kinesiopathology):

The muscles of the spine can weaken, atrophy or stiffen, causing them to spasm. Over time, scar tissue can develop, changing the individual’s muscle tone. This is known as myopathology.
Delicate nerve tissue can become chocked, stretched or irritated, leading to nerve system dysfunction (neuropathophysiology).
Bony growths may attempt to fuse defective spinal joints, which can cause the spine to decay, scar tissue to form and nerve malfunction (pathophysiology).
In these instances, the body may react to these traumas by increasing its blood and lymph supplies. This is how the body reacts to the perceived threat. However, this excess in blood and lymph supplies can have adverse effects. Beyond causing the body temperature to rise, the discs of the spine can become inflamed and swell. As a consequence, they may protrude, tear, herniate or deteriorate.

How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help
To help, your chiropractor may first choose to perform spinal adjustments to get the spine back into alignment and free trapped nerves. This may not only reduce pain and restore mobility, but could allow the lymph and venous system to reduce its supplies since the trauma is no longer considered a threat that needs to be corrected.

Some spinal adjustment techniques may include, but are not limited to:

Toggle drop. With hands crossed, the chiropractor gives a firm press to the spine, and then adds a rapid thrust.
Release work. Using the fingertips, gentle pressure is applied to help separate vertebrae that have become connected or fused.
Lumbar roll. With the patient on their side, the chiropractor applies a swift thrust to the area of misalignment, with the goal being to place the vertebrae in their rightful position.
Table adjustments. The patient lies on a table that has sections that drop down. A rapid thrust is employed by the chiropractor, causing parts of the table to release and drop. When the patient’s body drops down with the table, the table comes to a stop but the patient’s body remains in motion temporarily. The combination of the thrust, drop and continued motion are designed to help the spine align.

Once the spine has been realigned, your chiropractor may then implement soft tissue work to loosen the muscles around the spine and push fluid out of inflamed and swollen areas.

If you are suffering from vertebral subluxation complex, talk to us about what we can do to help treat your condition and relieve your symptoms.

Myopathy

Posted on October 14, 2020October 26, 2020 by langerent

Myopathy refers to a group of muscle diseases that are caused by muscular dysfunction that results in muscle weakness and waste. It is important to recognize that while some myopathic conditions can be caused by reduced nerve supply or excess nerve supply, the disorders do not stem from a neurological problem. Rather, the issue lies solely within the muscles.

This does not mean that areas like the spine will not be affected. The muscles surrounding the spine can become weak, tight or atrophied and go into spasm. This can cause scar tissue and a modification in muscle tone, making myopathy one of five major interrelated components associated with what’s called vertebral subluxation complex, a set of signs and symptoms that describe what occurs when the spinal bones lose their normal motion and position.

Myopathy Types and Causes

Myopathies vary by types, and some may be present from birth (congenital) while others present later on in life (acquired). Those that are congenital may be the result of a genetic defect, an inflammatory disorder, endocrine problems or a chronic immune deficiency. Acquired types, in contrast, may be due to drug side effects or chemical poisoning.

Myopathy Symptoms and Regions Affected

Regardless of which category or type, there are a number of general symptoms, including:

Stiffness
Muscle spasms
Cramps
Atrophy

The areas of the body that are affected vary, but may include the:

Hips and legs
Face
Arms and forearms
Legs
Trunk
Hands
Spine

Can Chiropractic Treatment Help?

The symptoms of myopathy can be painful and incapacitating, but they can be alleviated by undergoing chiropractic treatments. In addition, combining chiropractic treatments with acupuncture and physical therapy may provide further relief. Taking a multidimensional approach can mean the irritating symptoms triggered by this muscular disease can be mitigated, because the muscles in the body are being addressed through a group of efforts, each of which are designed to stimulate the muscles in different ways.

For instance, massage — a type of manual therapy often used in chiropractic treatment — uses a hands-on technique to knead, strip or rub the soft tissues. Pressure may be soft or it may be deep, but its purpose is to increase circulation and blood flow, ease muscle tension, reduce pain, relax muscles, break up scar tissue and redistribute fluid.

Or, if the muscles surrounding the spine become weak, tight or atrophied and go into spasm, the resulting scar tissue can change muscle tone. This will require multiple spinal adjustments.

If you have a myopathic disorder, contact us to better understand how we can help.

Neuropathophysiology

Posted on October 14, 2020October 26, 2020 by langerent

Neuropathophysiology refers to pathophysiological conditions that affect the nervous system. A more recognizable term may be neuropathy. Neuropathy is not a single disease; rather, it is an umbrella term used to describe a host of disorders that affect various nerves in various ways, in various areas of the body.

It can affect three types of nerves:

Motor – Controls the body’s muscles
Sensory – Is responsible for processing information obtained by way our vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell and sending it to our brain, which then interprets that information. For instance, the sensation of cold, heat and pain
Autonomic – Regulates the involuntary functions of our internal organs (the viscera) such as the heart’s beat and our glands ability to produce sweat

Causes of Neuropathy

Physical trauma, such as that occurred during an automobile accident, can lead to neuropathy, but so can:

Infection (i.e., viral and bacterial)
Some drugs (e.g., those used to treat cardiac problems, seizures, infections and cancer)
Toxic exposure (e.g. excessive alcohol use)
Metabolic disorders
Repetitive injury

Still, most cases of neuropathy are found in people with diabetes, and it is considered to be a complication of the disease. Known as diabetic neuropathy, this is a microvascular complication that results because of excess blood glucose in people with diabetes. Over time, this surplus can damage the wall of the blood vessels supplying the nerves — often in the legs. Injury to the nerves can lead to a loss of sensation, making some injuries go unnoticed.

Though diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy, there are other medical conditions that may be involved, such as chronic liver or kidney disease, cancer (e.g., lymphoma), AIDS or Lyme disease.

Symptoms of Neuropathy

Many people describe the pain associated with neuropathy as tingling or burning, but there are also those who suffer a loss of sensation. However, a patient’s symptoms largely depend on the type of neuropathy, as well as the specific nerves affected—be they motor, sensory or autonomic, or a combination of the three.

If sensory nerves are involved, symptoms might include:

Burning, jabbing, stinging, sharp or electric-like pain
Sensitivity to touch
Changes in skin, hair or nails
Gradual numbness or tingling sensation, often in the hands or feet
Loss of coordination

If motor nerves are involved, symptoms could include:

Paralysis
Muscle weakness

If autonomic nerves are involved, symptoms could include:

Dizziness (due to modifications in blood pressure)
Intolerance to heat
Digestive, bowel or bladder problems

Treating Neuropathy

In addition to treatment you might receive from your primary care physician, stress-relieving therapies like massage and acupuncture, as well as other complementary therapies, including those given by a chiropractor, can help.

For instance, when the vertebrae of the spine deteriorate, such as in the case of vertebral subluxation, the bones can push on the roots of the spinal nerves, resulting in symptoms of neuropathy. Chiropractors can relieve this pressure by doing spinal adjustments to get the vertebrae into alignment, which should free trapped nerves. In cases where the nerves have become compressed by connective tissue, chiropractors may use the active release technique, which is a movement-based massage technique to apply a contact tension, lengthen the tissue, shorten the tissue or make the tissue slide relative to adjacent tissue.

To learn more about what your chiropractor can do for you or someone you know with neuropathy, contact our office today.

Pathophysiology

Posted on October 14, 2020October 26, 2020 by langerent

Pathophysiology means the function in an individual or an organ is disturbed due to disease, leading to a structural defect. In chiropractic care, it often presents when unusual bony growths, such as bone spurs, attempt to fuse malfunctioning joints, causing the spine to degrade, joints to become altered, scar tissue to develop and the nervous system to stop functioning properly. Muscle weakness (in the area of the spine) and loss of range of motion can also be experienced.

What Causes Pathophysiology?
While a pathophysiological condition can be brought on by age and genetic factors, it can also result from trauma, such as an automobile accident.

Pathophysiology and Vertebral Subluxation Complex
Pathophysiology is just one of five interrelated parts associated with vertebral subluxation complex (VSC), which is a set of signs and symptoms that affect the spinal column. The other four are:

Spinal kinesiopathology. This component sets pathophysiology and the remaining interconnected parts of VSC into motion. This occurs when the bones of the spine lose their natural position and motion, which makes it challenging for the individual to bend and turn.
Myopathology. The muscles supporting the spine can weaken, causing them to atrophy or stiffen, and, as a result, go into spasm. All of this flexion of the muscles can cause the development of scar tissue that, over time, changes the muscle tone.
Neuropathophysiology. The spine houses and protects the nerves and nerve tissue. When the spine functions improperly, it can cut off, distend or inflame fragile nerve tissue and cause the nervous system to malfunction.
Histopathology. If the blood and lymph supplies increase, a person’s body temperature can rise, leading to inflammation and swelling of the tissues and muscles around the spine. With this may come protruding, torn, herniated or deteriorated spinal discs.

Treating Pathophysiology
When treating a pathophysiological condition, such as that described above in the first paragraph, chiropractors can use spinal adjustments and soft tissue work.

There are many types of spinal manipulation, some of which include:

Toggle Drop. Here, the chiropractor crosses his hands, and then presses firmly down on the area of the spine that is being treated, before apply a quick thrust that adjusts the spine. This should help the vertebral joints move more easily.
Release Work. Because pathophysiology causes bony growths to fuse malfunctioning joints of the spine, release work is a common technique used. During release work, the chiropractor uses his fingertips to apply mild pressure and separate the vertebrae in order to restore mobility.
Side Posture (also known as the lumbar roll). The patient lies on his or her side while the chiropractor uses a quick but manipulative thrust to return the vertebrae to their original position.
Instrument Adjustments. This may be one of the gentlest methods of adjusting the spine. With the patient facing down on the table, the chiropractor utilizes a spring-loaded activator instrument to implement the adjustment.
Table Adjustments. The patient will be asked to lie on a table that has sections that drop down. When the chiropractor gives a quick thrust, a section of the table drops. The table lands and comes to a complete stop, but the patient’s body continues its motion. The thrust, drop and momentum of the patient’s body all work to align the spine.

Active Release Techniques
Treatment may not end with spinal adjustments alone. Because the muscles surrounding the spine can become weakened and scar tissue can develop, soft tissue work may be needed. This may come in the form of massage or what is called active release techniques (ART).

With ART, the chiropractor begins by getting a feel of the tissues, specifically looking at texture, motion and tension. Once he has determined the state of the patient’s tissues, he will perform a number of touch-based techniques to do one or more of the following:

Shorten or lengthen the tissue
Apply contact tension
Make the tissue glide relative to the tissue nearby

By performing these movements, mobility can be reestablished; fibrous adhesions can be broken down; trapped nerves or blood vessels can be freed; pain can be diminished; and oxygen and blood can be successfully transported to the muscles and tissues.

To schedule an appointment to learn more about pathophysiology treatments, contact our office today.