“Chiropractic is specific or it is nothing”

– BJ Palmer

How chiropractic works

Joints get kinked and locked up after injuries and even more commonly from postural strain caused from sitting, standing or sleeping positions that put strain on our spine. Common culprits are sitting at a computer too long, sleeping on a fat pillow that doesn’t support the proper curves of your neck, or leaning forward slightly at the waist for hours at a kitchen counter or work bench.

The spine is made up of over 7 dozen joints all in a flexible chain. When one or more of these get stuck or locked up it is like a rusty hinge. The joint tissue becomes achy and with certain movements this stuck joint can even cause sharp pain. When people pop their own spine, the loose joints “pop” leaving the stuck joint to remain locked up.

Injuries and postural strain also cause damage to the surrounding soft tissues such as muscles and tendons. Some muscles become tight and fibrous – if left untreated for a long time, they become knotted up and “gristly.” When the spine doesn’t move right due to stuck joints, core stabilizing muscles become weak. This further causes spinal movements to be unbalanced and uncoordinated.

Between each vertebrae is a nerve root that leaves the spinal cord on its way to other organs and tissues of the body. When joints get stuck and muscles get knotted and tighten they can irritate or even pinch these nerves. This can cause pain, numbness, and tingling into the arms or legs, or up and down the back and neck. Chiropractic adjustments will stretch and loosen the tissues that are crimping these nerves.

We are now excited to be adding nonsurgical computerized spinal decompression to our services. It is highly effective computerized intermittent traction technique that reduces pressure within a damaged spinal disc. A gentle pumping action is produced in the disc which promotes circulation to the disc therefore bringing fresh nutrients to the disc.

Circulation also attracts fibroblasts which are special cells whose job is to directly repair the disc. Decompression also stimulates the removal of waste products that builds up after disc injury. What makes this unique from most treatments for spinal disc bulges is that it actually promotes healing. It is not just a pain cover up. Many also believe that as the disc experiences reduced internal pressure, the bulging jelly tissue can be retracted back into the disc.