Chiropractic Treatment Techniques

Chiropractic treatment may consist of a large variety of techniques, here are some of the techniques that we use at Momentum Chiropractic Clinic:

Specific spinal adjustment

Spinal adjustment / chiropractic manipulation is a very effective way of treating back pain and neck pain and improving how your spine moves if it is stiff or immobile. Each manipulation is also known as a spinal adjustment or, simply, an adjustment and it often results in an immediately noticeable improvement.

It is a treatment very commonly associated with chiropractors. Your chiropractor will use his hands to apply a quick movement to your spine in a specific way in order to remove joint restrictions and improve the range of movement. You may feel and hear some popping or clicking when that happens, which is normal.

Spinal mobilisation

Spinal mobilisation gradually eases movement back into a stiff area of your spine to help relieve discomfort and tension of the surrounding muscles. It is a similar technique to spinal manipulation and is sometimes used in conjunction with it. Both techniques have the same essential aim of making your spine move better. However, you may prefer spinal mobilisation as a treatment option and, sometimes, it is a better option when pain is severe.

Joint manipulation and mobilisation

The techniques used in spinal manipulation and mobilisation, that make your spine move better and relieve discomfort, can also be applied to any joint of your body. These techniques are very effective at helping joints, such as the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, move better and feel less stiff and restricted.

Soft tissue therapy

The soft tissues of the body are the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments and fascia. They may all be a source of your pain and, if so, can be treated in a variety of ways. Soft tissue therapy, such as massage, is the manual manipulation of these soft tissues of the body to help alleviate the discomfort associated with everyday stresses, muscular overuse and many chronic pain conditions. If employed early enough after accidents involving trauma and injury, soft tissue therapy can greatly reduce the development of painful conditions.

Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization

Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) is a process in which the clinician uses a set of hand held instruments to break down scar tissue and fascial restrictions in the soft tissues.

Trigger point therapy

Trigger points, correctly known as myofascial trigger points, are hyperirritable knots in muscles. They are a palpable and painful spot that cause local pain and can also cause pain to be referred to other parts of your body.  For instance, a knot in a muscle in your neck and shoulder region can cause pain to be felt in your arm, or even result in headaches. It is important to assess the presence of trigger points and treat them appropriately.  Trigger points can be effectively treated with the application of firm pressure, deep tissue massage, acupuncture or stretching techniques.

Rehabilitation / Exercise Prescription

Making you feel better is half the battle.  Keeping you that way is the other half.  If you return to the cause of your problem, which is so often sitting at a desk, it is likely the problem will return sooner rather than later.  But by doing regular exercises that stretch tight areas and strengthen any weakness a more enduring solution to your problem can be achieved.  At Momentum Chiropractic we will always give you the right advice you need to stay better.  Rehabilitation exercises can range from being very simple and quick to do to being very in-depth and challenging.  What you are given will depend on what your problem is, your level of fitness and your aims.

Proprioceptive muscle testing

The goal of proprioceptive muscle testing is to test the patients’ ability to withstand an external force. External forces are the cause of injury and our primary defense against them relies on our sensory ability to detect them and our motor response to protect ourselves from them. Indeed, the primary advantage in having a nervous system at all is to allow an organism to adapt to or resist changes in the external environment. It is suggested that the basic unit of health should be strength.

Myofascial Dry Needling (Western Style Acupuncture)

Acupuncture can be used to treat painful conditions, such as neck pain and back pain, on its own or in conjunction with other treatments.  At Momentum Chiropractic Clinic we use acupuncture in a way that is more in step with a Western medical approach and it sometimes referred to as ‘dry needling’. Very fine needles are inserted at certain points on the body, which stimulate nerves under the skin, and in muscle tissue causing pain-relieving substances, such as endorphins, to be produced.  The primary aim of this type of acupuncture is to alleviate pain and kick-start a healing response.

Kinesio Taping®

This taping technique uses elastic adhesive tape that support joints and muscles without restricting range of motion, unlike conventional rigid tape. It can be worn for several days at a time and is resilient to getting wet in the shower and sporting conditions. Its popularity has grown considerably over recent years and the tape is often noticeable on elite athletes. However, for patients in a clinical setting it can help speed up recovery by providing comfort and support.

Postural correction and advice

So often the underlying cause of a problem is bad posture. Sitting at a desk all day, driving a car, standing or sitting on a train, sleeping in the wrong position and looking at a smartphone for too long with your head in the wrong position are all problems that are easy to relate to.  It is easy to understand why so many people suffer neck pain and back pain as a result. Although it is not practical to cut out these activities altogether it is possible to lessen the negative impact they have on your body by improving posture through standing or sitting better. Your posture can be compared to the ideal and areas to improve on can be pointed out. Having a better posture will mean fewer problems.

Drop technique

By using the drop functions of the chiropractic table, this technique can be used as an alternative to; or in conjunction with regular manipulation or mobilisation.  Some people find that it is a lighter method of adjusting the joints, yet it is effective at improving mobility and relieving symptoms.

Orthotic insole prescription

An orthotic insole is a device is worn inside your shoes, Orthotics are used to control the alignment and function of the foot, this is done In order to treat or prevent injuries caused by the misalignment of  force going through the bones, joints, tendons and ligaments. Some people suffer from excessive pronation (when your feet roll in) or excessive supination (when your feet roll out) which can lead to other problems throughout the body if not corrected.

 

NEWTON ABBOT

Chiropractor

TAUNTON

Chiropractor