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The Many Facets of Chiropractic

By  Dr. Jon Thomas D.C PSc.D, Board Certified Chiropractic Physician.


Many people are first introduced to a chiropractor after they sustain an injury due to an accident, a fall, or simply the wear and tear induced by the rigors of life. No single technique or adjustment style, chiropractic utilizes a myriad of treatment modalities designed to adjust the musculoskeletal system in order to resolve many issues that cause pain. In order to bring the body back into balance, there are a number of chiropractic treatments that are very effective for resolving these issues.
The Cox® Table at Vibrant Life

Cox® Technique

Cox® Technic is a non-surgical, doctor-controlled, hands-on spinal manipulation performed with the patient lying on The Cox® Table. The goal of Cox® Technic is to reduce a patient’s pain as quickly as possible. This technique utilizes flexion-distraction and decompression to relieve spinal pain in order to return patients to their desired quality of life by:
  • Reducing internal disc pressure
  • Widening the spinal canal area
  • Opening the space for nerve roots
  • Reducing pressure on the spinal nerves
  • Returning motion to all the spinal joints. 

Extremities Techniques

Chiropractic health is much more than simply having a straight, healthy spine. It encompasses optimal extremity function and performance, balance, energy, pain reduction or elimination, nutrition, brain and organ function, muscle performance and development, and more. A Chiropractor can diagnose and treat the root causes of recurring pain in the spine and also the extremities. He/she is equipped to successfully treat all of the following:
  • temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder (TMJ) 
  • shoulder girdle syndrome 
  • tennis elbow 
  • carpal tunnel 
  • knee subluxation 
  • baker’s cysts 
  • sprained ankles 
  • shin splints 
  • foot and gait mechanics 
  • misaligned hips 
  • leg length issues. 

Vibrant Life Health Center

Thompson Technique

The Thompson Technique utilizes a Segmental Drop Table to enhance the motion force imparted towards the segment or area that needs to be adjusted. Dr. Thompson introduced the concept of adding motion by inventing a headpiece that would drop away as the adjustive thrust was applied to the vertebral segment. The Segmental Drop System utilizes the spine’s inherent design in order to move the spinal segment in the direction that will improve the motion of the segment with the one above and below. Since the spinal joints face front to back and have an incline that naturally slopes backwards, a chiropractor can affect increased motion by applying an adjustment from posterior to anterior. The Thompson Technique allows the practitioner to elicit adjustment into segmental areas of the spine without introducing high forces. This allows the chiropractor to address sensitive areas with care that is both effective and gentle.

Activator Method

The Activator Method incorporates the latest advances in orthopedic, neurological, and chiropractic science. This technique is based on low force and high speed activation of the skeletal structure. The Activator Method is now the most widely used “low force” technique in chiropractic. This system of adjusting restores proper balance and does it with improved safety and comfort. The Activator Method utilizes a small spring-loaded adjusting instrument to deliver a focused corrective impulse into the dysfunctional spinal segment. This technique is most commonly used in patients who prefer a low-force correction without the traditional “hands-on” thrust.

Diversified Technique

The Diversified Technique is the most commonly used adjustment technique by chiropractors. Like many chiropractic and osteopathic manipulative techniques, the Diversified Technique is characterized by a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust. Diversified is considered the most generic chiropractic manipulative technique and is differentiated from other techniques in that its objective is to restore proper movement and alignment of spine and joint dysfunction.

FAKTR

FAKTR (pronounced “factor”) is a revolutionary technique for treating soft tissue problems. It is effective for many conditions including headaches, back pain, shoulder problems, pain in the elbows, foot problems, and other injuries to the extremities. People are injured all the time through falls, auto accidents, sports injuries, and their work. Some injuries bother people for a long time before they seek treatment. Some people seek treatment very soon after they experience a new condition. Either way, there are many problems that can be resolved within a few treatments with the FAKTR Technique.

Electrical Stimulation Therapy

Electrical Stimulation Therapy uses an electrical current to cause a single muscle or a group of muscles to contract. By placing electrodes on the skin in various locations, the practitioner can recruit the appropriate muscle fibers. Contracting the muscle via electrical stimulation helps strengthen the affected muscle.

The practitioner can change the setting to allow for a forceful or gentle muscle contraction. Along with increasing muscle strength, the contraction of the muscle also promotes blood supply to the area that assists in healing. Vibrant Life Health Center utilizes the following applications:
  • Inferential E-Stem
  • Premod E-Stem
  • Russian E-Stem
  • Micro Current
  • Ultra Sound
  • High Volt Galvanic
  • Active Tissue Therapy
Applying tension to injured tissue while it is in active motion allows a practitioner to break down scar tissue and address the inured response of supportive facial, muscular, vascular, and other tissues. This increases healing, function, and strength in the affected areas.

Adhesion Breakers

Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) instruments have been used for centuries in Chinese medicine. In recent years, they have been further developed and improved by Adhesion Breakers. IASTM instruments are designed to be used with other modalities to increase the effectiveness of the soft tissue work being performed. This technique helps to correct the adhesions and scar tissue that form due to injury and inflammation from injuries, surgeries, and overuse/underuse conditions.
By increasing tissue elasticity and fibroblastic activity, muscles and surrounding tissues can be returned to a status as close as possible to the pre-injury condition. This is accomplished by initiating a controlled inflammatory process which allows the tissue to begin the healing process.  Breaking down scar tissue and adhesions in the tissue, and redirecting collagen formation in the proper orientation helps to improve movement of muscles and tissues.
Courtesy of Wikimedia.

Kinesio-taping

Kinesio Tape has been in existence for over 25 years. When it is adhered to the skin, it lifts the tissue away from the injured area and fascia. This allows blood to flow properly and alleviates swelling, thus promoting healing. There are numerous specified taping techniques used to facilitate the healing process.

In this article I’ve provided summaries of chiropractic techniques used by Vibrant Life Health Center. These techniques can be used to reduce or eliminate pain and to correct problems with spinal alignment. These techniques can also be used to address issues in the extremities.

At Vibrant Life, we address all of the key elements to add vibrance and vitality to your life. The rest of your days can be the best of your days! Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Have you been “just dealing with it?” It’s time to come to the experts at Vibrant Life Health Center.

If you found this article useful, or are inspired to make a change, please share it with your friends, family and co-workers. Take the time to visit our testimonials page on our website and don’t forget we are a full service chiropractic office that is here to help you deal with pain as well. If you have a comment you would like to express about this article, please leave it in the comment section of this blog.

Dr. Jon Thomas is a Board Certified Chiropractic Physician, his interest in health started at an early age resulting from an athletic life, including BMX racing, Professional Snow Skiing, Water Skiing, Baseball, Weight Lifting, and Martial Arts. After learning from top health experts in the world, Dr. Thomas’s life is dedicated to reaching people of all ages to begin their life transformation. The goal is to start the body healing resulting in a body that is functioning at its optimal.  In addition to serving his community in his Mandarin Based Practice, Dr. Thomas is seen regularly on TV’s First Coast Living talking about his patient’s transformations, speaking at events throughout the community, and writing articles to re-shape the health of the Jacksonville Community.

1 comment:

  1. What I like best about chiropractic is that it doesn't just concern itself with healing a wound, it also maintains health.

    ReplyDelete