What Is Chiropractic Medicine?

Chiropractors are trained medical professionals performing hands on treatment to manage many common health conditions without the use of medication, injections, or surgery. Chiropractors utilize treatments including joint manipulation, physical therapy modalities, patient education, manual therapy, nutrition, and rehabilitation exercises to address each patient's unique ailments.  Chiropractors treat (nearly) any musculoskeletal condition in the body from the head down to the bottom of the feet.

Typical conditions treated include: low back pain, neck pain, headaches, sciatica, mid back pain, hip pain, rotator cuff pain, tendonitis, arthritis, migraines, disc bulges, disc herniations, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, piriformis syndrome, frozen shoulder, and TMJ (Jaw) disorders.

Do we offer other treatment methods besides adjustments?

What does a standard patient visit consist of?

We look at the body as a whole and use adjustments as a tool and not as the only treatment.  Spinal manipulation, as previously mentioned, can be coupled with exercise to aid people with musculoskeletal pain. In addition, the chiropractors at The Hart Wellness Center are trained in acupuncture, functional dry needling, fascial distortion model, rehabilitation exercises, nutrition advice and preventative care strategies.  Treatment during each visit is dependant on the patients symptoms.  Some or all of the mentioned modalities could be used each visit depending on the condition of the patient. 

Preventative Healthcare

You should not come to the chiropractor only when you are feeling pain. A majority of our patients visit us on a monthly basis while they have no pain at all. The point of this is to prevent pain from coming on in the first place. We would much rather see you when you are feeling great compared to when you are in pain. Long-term chiropractic care is an excellent way to help keep you as healthy as possible.  Patients have noticed more energy, better sleep, and overall better quality of life with routine chiropractic care.

Chiropractic care for chronic pain.

It is NOT NORMAL to be in pain.

You are what you repeatedly do. If you work a desk job sitting all day your low back and neck are constantly in the same position with the same stress. If you work a physical job, your body goes through wear and tear. If you do not alter your daily routine your muscles and joints will adapt to this routine and chronic pain will set in. Through patient education, treatment, and at-home exercises chronic pain can be prevented or abolished so that you can be without pain which is NORMAL.

 Stress also plays a role in the chronic pain cycle.  Being under constant stress releases specific hormones in your body that increase your pain.  Increasing pain causes more stress which then causes more of these hormones to be released.  This vicious cycle can last for years or even decades before patients become aware that stress plays a role in their pain.  Consistent chiropractic care can put an end to this violent cycle once and for all.

Chronic Pain Cycle

Stress and chronic pain work in a vicious cycle.
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What makes chiropractic care different from other treatment methods?

Chiropractic care attempts to treat the source and not just the symptoms.

Shots, muscle relaxants, and pain drugs may only cure the symptoms of the issue, but chiropractic care can help by addressing the root of the problem. There is a lesser probability of getting such symptoms later on when pain is treated at the cause.

Shots, muscle relaxants, and pain drugs may be beneficial, but only cure the symptoms of the issue. Chiropractic care addresses the root of the problem whether it be a muscle, joint, disc, ligament, tendon, or movement pattern. There is a lesser probability of getting such symptoms later on when pain is treated at the cause.

If you only pay attention to the symptoms, it's like removing the battery from a smoke alarm because you don't like the sound, but the fire is still burning. Chiropractic care has much better solutions than that. Chiropractors are specially trained in spinal manipulative therapy as well as in exercise/rehab. That way, movement dysfunction is attended to but so is strengthening, stretching, and shoring up the support structures of the frame.

Our goal is to take patients from an acute pain setting to a wellness setting where patients visit us while they feel great so we can keep them feeling great.

What does a typical chiropractic examination look like? 

A typical chiropractic examination will include the following:

What does a new chiropractic patient visit look like?

A typical new patient visit includes:

A detailed case history so that we can learn everything we can about your current condition
Observation of your posture and biomechanics while moving
Assessment of your joints, muscles, ligaments, and discs to determine the pain generator
Orthopedic and neurological testing
Tests of range of motion and muscle strength
A thorough overview of what the physician believes is causing pain
Unique treatment designed around each individuals condition
A wrap up of the visit and discussion of 1-2 exercises/activities to work on at home

How Does A Chiropractor Treat?

A chiropractor can help with aches, pains, and sprains. If you have an issue with your musculoskeletal system, a chiropractor can provide you with conservative care options.

Treatment that a chiropractor may offer includes:

  • Adjustments: Fixes a problem with the Joint while increasing the range of motion and stimulating the local nerves.
  • Soft-tissue therapy: To reduce Connective Tissue tension through passive stretching of the muscles and soft tissue
  • Corrective Exercises: To fix Disc problems and restore/maintain joint stability and mobility.
  • Dry Needling: To reset all tight Muscles and induce inflammation to expedite the healing process
  • Referral to the appropriate physician: For optimal healthcare, if chiropractic care does not fully alleviate symptoms.

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