Chiropractic involves manipulating the joints of the body, including the spine. The aim is to correct a misalignment, which blockages or injuries can cause. Greenville chiropractic care is natural and side-effect free, unlike prescription drugs and surgery. Some research investigations have demonstrated the effectiveness of chiropractic treatments.
For example, one study found that spinal manipulation reduced pain and disability in people with low back pain. Another showed that chiropractic improves posture and boosts strength in patients with hunchback posture.
Myofascial Release
A form of bodywork called myofascial release employs light, targeted pressure to reduce pain and restore normal muscle function. Your body’s thin connective tissue fascia forms an unbroken web that supports your bones, organs, nerves, and muscles. When it gets constricted, it can put a lot of strain on the muscles and other tissues. Myofascial pain syndrome, a disorder brought on by tension, may result from this.
Poor posture, physical injury, or emotional stress can throw the fascia out of alignment and create “adhesions,” which are dabs of scar tissue that bind to muscles and restrict movement. When these adhesions occur near a nerve, they can cause numbness and pain. Myofascial release uses slow, sustained pressure from your provider’s hands to stretch and loosen fascial tissues. This helps to release tense, knotted muscles and improve mobility. It can also treat other chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia. This treatment can be performed with your providers’ hands, elbows, knuckles, or specialized tools.
Indirect Positional Technique
The indirect positional technique is an osteopathic manipulative treatment that moves the patient into a posture away from a restrictive barrier. This type of treatment may also include a low-force application of a vector force such as compression or traction.
To perform this technique, the practitioner locates a tender point. Then the patient is positioned into the treatment position using this tender point as a monitor. The clinician must continue to refine the treatment position until the patient reports the pain at this TP is a three or less on a scale of one to ten.
Once the treatment position is reached, the practitioner applies a vector force to shorten the shortened muscle (indirect) as the afferent proprioceptive activity in the thoracic spine decreases. This is an example of counter strain, and the resulting lengthening of this muscle serves to deactivate the tender points that were originally responsible for producing dysfunction. A shortened muscle can be a source of painful dysfunction and is often the cause of tender points in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
Electromyography
Every movement you make involves complex communication between your brain and spinal cord, nerves, and muscles. The motor (movement) nerves send electrical signals to your muscles to contract and squeeze. An EMG test translates those electrical signals into graphs or numbers so your doctor can diagnose muscle disorders, nerve disorders, and problems with the connection between nerves and muscles.
A medical professional inserts An electrode-equipped tiny needle into your muscle during an EMG. When you contract a muscle, the needle detects the electrical activity on a nearby monitor or audible through a speaker.
During the EMG, your doctor may simultaneously perform a nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test. Both tests help your physician find the root cause of your pain and determine whether a problem with your nerves or muscles causes it. Together, they form a powerful solution to help you get back on your feet.
Activator Methods
Chiropractors work in various settings, including private practices, interprofessional clinics, family health teams, and hospitals. They also collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals, such as nurse practitioners, physiotherapists, and registered massage therapists.
One of the most well-known therapeutic procedures chiropractors use is spinal manipulation (a chiropractic adjustment). This involves manually applying a controlled force to joints that have become restricted in their movement due to tissue injury. The force applied by a chiropractor can help reduce nerve irritation, improve functionality, and restore joint motion.
Another technique that a chiropractor may use is called indirect positional release. This method helps people with hypertonic muscle development when one set of muscles develops too much, causing imbalances and pain. For example, It can release pectoral muscles in the upper back that cause a hunchback posture. The indirect positional release can also help reduce scapular dyskinesis when shoulder blades don’t move correctly together.