Explanation of Therapies

The treatments offered may be a combination of several of the therapies mentioned below.  As your injury heals, it may shift the care of your condition from ice to heat or from one modality to another.  The reason being is that each day you are healing, the condition you have changes, and may require different therapies to assist you in the process.  If you should have any questions, please feel free to ask the doctor.  It is advised to follow a regular treatment plan prescribed by the doctor.  Also, these therapies are designed to be used in conjunction with regular chiropractic care to assist you in healing in an effective manner.

Chiropractic Adjustments:  The chiropractic adjustment is a corrective manipulation done by the hands to move vertebral bones back into proper alignment.  This takes the pressure off of pinched nerves and sublaxations.  The purpose of a chiropractic adjustment is to assist the body in healing itself, to remove the cause of nerve interference within the spinal column.  Chiropractic adjustments are a necessary part of your treatment.  This allows the body to maintain healthy communication and reduce some of the symptoms which you are having.

Flexion Distraction:  This table is designed to relieve joint fixations, reduce muscle spasms and help realign disc conditions which may be interfering with your lower back.  The effects are accomplished by flexing and exercising the spine thereby gradually stretching muscles, ligaments and tendons and realigning the discs in their normal position.

Hot Packs:  Hot moist packs are used to raise the temperature of soft tissues directly below the surface of the skin.  This enlarges blood vessels below the surface relaxing tissues and can temporarily relieve painful symptoms.  Increasing circulation and relaxing the muscles is helpful before a chiropractic adjustment or exercise.  The purpose of this is to increase flexibility, range of motion and circulation in the tissues.

Ice:  Ice and cold are used to constrict blood vessels, numb painful areas and help relax muscle spasms.  Cold temperatures reduce the nerve pain associated transmissions which occur due to injury.  The purpose of using ice is to reduce post-traumatic swelling.

Ultrasound:  Ultrasound is a sound wave which is carried through the skin into the muscle tissues creating vibrations and sometimes heat.  This is used to disperse unhealthy calcium and decrease inflammation which is occurring within the tissues.  During ultrasound, you will most likely feel nothing, being that it is a sound wave and cannot be felt in the body.  The reason we chose to use ultrasound was to increase the healing time within your injury and tissues.

Electric Stimulation:  Interferential current therapy is used to assist the body in decreasing the pain that is felt.  Interferential is an electric modality which helps secrete pain-controlling chemicals and helps the muscles relax.  Interferential can assist in muscle relaxation, decreasing spasms and reducing pain as well as increasing circulation.  Interferential therapy can feel like a buzzing or tingling sensation within the skin.  Your physician will set up a program using interferential therapy to help with your condition.