Chiropractic
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Chiropractic is a wonderful healing art that is effective for treating common cases of back, neck and extremity pain. But did you know that chiropractic can also be utilized for wellness care?
In order for the body to be in a state of optimum health, the spine should be properly aligned and flexible. It is the structure to which all other parts of the body are attached. If the spine is limited in mobility or misaligned it often leads to problems such as pain, numbness, sub-optimal strength, and even organic conditions like chronic headaches.
The spinal column is comprised of 24 bones called vertebrae which are connected together by several layers of ligaments (the thickest are called discs). These bones can shift out of position in several ways: single-event trauma such as a car accident or sports injury; cumulative micro-trauma such as years of typing away at a desk or performing a tennis serve; and poor posture habits and ergonomics (slouching, having a work surface that is too high). Another overlooked cause of spinal misalignments are weakened and deconditioned postural muscles resulting from inactivity or inadequate exercise. This allows the vertebrae to gravitate out of position over time, causing neck and back pain, absent of any trauma.
When a vertebra loses its proper alignment relative to the rest of the spine, it disrupts muscle balance throughout the body since the major postural muscles originate from the spine. This can slowly lead to back pain and other unusual pain patterns along the body and extremities.
The other problem misaligned vertebrae cause is nerve obstruction. When a vertebra is out of position or is not moving properly, it can place enough pressure on nerve tissue to disrupt nerve transmission to a muscle, tissue or organ, eventually leading to pain and dysfunction.
Another pathway for this to happen is when arthritic bone spurs called osteophytes migrate into the spinal canal, causing the nerves to rub against them. Vertebrae that are not properly aligned are more prone to developing these osteophytes. If a person gets to this stage, he may experience unrelenting pain radiating to the extremities, and the prospect for complete recovery becomes much less.
A chiropractor’s main concern is to identify areas in the spine that are not moving correctly, and restoring proper movement by delivering a chiropractic spinal adjustment. This is a precise, controlled force done by hand directly to one or more vertebrae. Sometimes a “pop” sound is heard during an adjustment, which signifies joint movement.
Chiropractors detect spinal misalignments by the following means:
- Noting postural deviations
- Checking range of motion
- Palpation (pressing along the spine) to assess joint function
- Strength testing
- Orthopedic testing
- Observing changes in muscle tone
- Instrumentation (measure muscle’s electrical activity)
- X-ray: provides a visual representation of the spine
Modalities are adjunctive measures to facilitate the spinal adjustment. Some chiropractors incorporate them during the treatment while some have the patient do them at home. Modalities include:
- Ice and Heat
- Electrical muscle stimulation
- Ultrasound
- Massage
- Healing laser
Exercise rehabilitation is a series of specific exercises that target a particular muscle group to strengthen and restore function. Some chiropractors will have the patient do the exercises in the office if the facilities are available, or will instruct the patient to do them at home. Exercise rehab can be commenced at any time during the chiropractic treatment plan, depending on the nature of the condition. Illustrative hand outs and videos viewable on the internet are popular ways to administer exercise rehabilitation to patients.
For more information, call Dr. Perez, licensed San Ramon CA chiropractor, at (925) 788-6253.
Our San Ramon chiropractic and sports injury center is open Mondays through Fridays, and Saturdays by appointment.
