The Four Types Of Chiropractic Treatment Techniques

Posted by Michael Griffin on December 17th, 2019

Whether you have been in an accident, had a sports injury or suffer from a chronic condition like arthritis, one thing that is common in all cases is the nagging pain that just doesn’t seem to go away. In such cases, it is a good idea to visit a chiropractor. 

A lot of people prefer chiropractors because of their natural approach to treating the problem, without the use of medications or surgery. If you too are experiencing pain due to an injury or a chronic condition, you can visit the best chiropractor in Glendale to treat your problem. If you want to know more about chiropractic practice, here are the four different types of chiropractic treatment techniques explained.

Manual treatments

Manual treatments include spinal adjustments, spinal mobilization and spinal decompression.

- Spinal adjustments

Spinal mobilization includes quick and controlled thrust to align the spine, with the aim to bring the other joints in the body in place. The spinal adjustments are done manually and you can often hear a popping sound when the adjustment is made. The adjustment techniques include the diversified technique, Thompson terminal point technique and Gonstead technique, etc.

- Spinal decompression

Spinal decompression focuses on stretching and relaxing the lumbar spine. Spinal decompression is generally used in cases of herniated and slipped discs and sometimes used in patients who suffer from leg pain.

- Spinal mobilization

Spinal mobilization is similar to spinal adjustment only the thrusts used are much gentler. The goal here is the same, adjusting the spine to align the bones and joints and improve mobility in the joints. Spinal mobilization is used in patients who are aging or suffer from conditions such as osteoporosis.

Instrument-aided treatments

Some chiropractic treatments are done with the help of instruments. This includes the Activator method, the Sacro-occipital technique and the Graston technique.

- Activator method

This method is generally used to treat back and neck pain and uses the assistance of a small hand-held instrument. If you are looking lower back pain relief in Glendale, go to a chiropractor that practices this method. In this technique, the patient lies down on a table face-down and the chiropractor uses an instrument that sends pulsing forces to the spine restoring the mobility in the spine and other joints.

- Sacro-occipital technique

This method is used to realign the pelvis. Although this is basically a type of spinal mobilization, it uses an instrument to do so.

- Graston technique

This is another instrument-assisted technique that helps in healing soft tissue. The instrument used in the Graston technique is round, concave-shaped and made of steel. The instrument is used to massage and scrape at the skin, breaking the scar tissue and mobilizing the soft tissues.

Chiropractic Therapy

Apart from adjustments and instrument-aided technique, chiropractic also uses a number of different therapy techniques.

- Electrical muscle stimulation

In this therapy technique, electrodes are placed in the affected area that sends impulses through your body. Although this may sound painful, it is actually not. These impulses soothe muscles and give relief from muscle spasms.

- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators

If you want to get lower back pain relief in Glendale, this therapy can be quite good for you. This method too uses electrodes, which are placed in the affected area and send low-voltage electrical stimulations that provide relaxation in your nerves and also release endorphins, which is a natural pain killer.

- Hydrotherapy

This therapy includes saunas, hot tubs and pools where the patient submerges their body in water. The chiropractor regulates the temperature to alternate between hot and cold temperatures as a means of therapy.

- Ultrasound

In this therapy, ultrasound is applied directly to the spine or injured joints. Ultrasound waves massage the soft tissues and joints and can be very therapeutic for people with chronic pain.

Nutrition and exercise

Nutrition and exercise is also an important aspect of chiropractic treatment. Along with adjustments and therapies, a chiropractor will also suggest diet regimens. These may include food like Omega 3 fish oils, Magnesium and Probiotics. 

Chiropractic exercises include a lot of stretching of different joints and muscles in order to regulate fluid movements in the joints.