People decide to visit a chiropractor for a variety of ills. They might be suffering from chronic headaches, back pain, or stiff joints. People might also go after they have been injured and are having trouble managing the pain and stiffness that resulted.
A chiropractor may be able to address pain almost anywhere in your body. The general process involves manipulation of your spine. Its basic principle holds that proper spinal adjustment can resolve any number of physical ills. Since the chiropractor will be moving your spine, you probably want to be sure you understand the basic methodology your practitioner is using.
While an emphasis on your neuromusculoskeletal system is the foundation of any method, there is a range of methods available. Some focus more directly on the spine, while others focus on your head and face.
Most chiropractors will be trained in the diversified technique, the most widely used method. Its goal is to realign your spine using quick yet low amplitude thrusts. This method can look scary because the adjustments are made with such velocity. However this method is a general technique that has been taught and used in reputable chiropractic institutions for years.
One method that works as deeply with your skull as your spine is Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST). This therapy is performed by others alternative health practitioners in addition to chiropractors. CST is based on the idea that getting proper balance in the fluid in the spine and around your brain is the key elements in resolving some health issues. CST is most commonly used to treat headaches, jaw, mental stress, or generalized chronic muscle pain.
Some methodologies use special instruments to assist the practitioner conduct the bodily manipulation. The Activator technique uses a tool created by Arlan Fuhr that uses a spring triggered device to send a small push on the spine. The goal is to create movement on the spine without causing injury. The Gonstead method, developed by Clarence Gonstead, uses an electronic device called a neurocalometer (NCM) to identify places where the spine is misaligned.
One of the more controversial methods is applied kinesiology (AK). It was developed by a chiropractor George Goodheart in the 1960s. This method is primarily a diagnostic tool, rather than the treatment therapy. AK uses manual muscle testing where the practitioner puts force against a specific muscle on the patient to gauge the resistance. The premise of AK, which is a great source of its controversy, is that any illness found in an organ will present itself in a corresponding muscle. Thus AK tests the muscles to diagnose deeper, internal maladies. The analysis of the muscle testing will lead the practitioner to identify the source of the problem and then base their treatment recommendations based on that assessment.
There are almost 100 different techniques used in chiropractics. The same chiropractor might use different methodologies depending on the diagnosis. The critical points to understand are what therapy options your selected practitioner uses and how they would be applied to you.
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