What Are Adjustments?
Chiropractic adjustments are manual manipulations that help to realign the spine, limit muscle tension, and enhance your physical function. Working with the chiropractors at Grant Chiropractic will help you gain more quality of life through adjustments. No matter what symptoms you are experiencing, chiropractors can help by applying pressure and realigning your spinal discs. Once the spine is aligned, your entire body is able to better communicate, limiting issues like digestive problems, headaches, and joint pain.
How Chiropractors Perform Adjustments
Using controlled pressure and various techniques learned during training, chiropractors will use force to release restrictions, limit tension, and improve nerve function. Chiropractors are often associated with cracking different parts of the body, but not all patients will need cracking. Chiropractors help to move the spinal discs back into place with their hands, which can result in a cracking sound. Chiropractors use their hands to apply pressure, force, or thrusts to improve physical symptoms.
Chiropractic Techniques
There are many types of adjustments that chiropractors may use to help with your specific goals. A lot of adjustments are manual, or done by hand, but some chiropractors use stretchers to help improve large areas of the body. Here are some common adjustments done by a chiropractor:
- Spinal manipulation
- Tool-assisted adjustments
- Manual stretching or muscle massage
- Flexion distraction (table to gently stretch the spine)
- Passive joint movement
What Happens During Your Chiropractic Adjustment?
During a chiropractic adjustment, the chiropractor will first assess your needs and what you want to get out of a chiropractic appointment. You will then lie face down on a chiropractic table that allows certain areas of your body to be lifted higher. This allows the chiropractor to apply the right pressure to the affected area.
Using their hands, the chiropractor will use a controlled force and specific hand movements to stretch the spine or joint back into place. This helps your vertebrae to be aligned and limits pain in all parts of the body. Each chiropractor will use different movements and techniques that they learned from certified educators. Some common techniques include Gonstead, Diversified, Activator, and Chiropractic Biophysics. All adjustments have the goal of correcting the spine and reducing your specific symptoms.
How Do I Maintain The Adjustments?
Once you begin seeking chiropractic adjustments, your body may take time to adjust to better posture or correct spinal alignment. Your body and muscles may feel sore after an adjustment for this reason. A chiropractic adjustment will require you to complete stretches and lifestyle changes if you want the results to stick. Your spine and muscles will need to adjust to the new posture, and you will need to practice better posture to limit pain. Most chiropractors recommend that you continue to get adjustments weekly or bi-weekly to maintain your results.
What Do Adjustments Feel Like?
While you may hear some cracking or popping during your adjustment, it should not hurt. In fact, many patients feel immediate relief when getting adjusted. You may experience some discomfort due to tension or inflammation, but you will often see increased mobility and feel less tension. Some patients describe the feeling of adjustment as being a good hurt. The tension and pain are lessened, but you may feel sore, just like after a massage.
