Chiropractic adjustments are a drug-free, hands-on form of manual therapy that can alleviate back and neck pain, reduce muscle tension, improve range of motion and help the body heal itself. Whether you are an athlete who wants to maintain peak performance or simply wish to have less neck and back pain, spinal manipulation may be the right option for you.
Spinal misalignments, or subluxations, are one of the most common causes of neck and back pain. They can occur due to many different reasons including trauma, car accidents or falls; muscular contractions that pull joints out of alignment; and poor posture while standing or sleeping. These misalignments cause inflammation and irritation of the spinal nerves, leading to pain and discomfort. When the spinal nerves are irritated, it can affect everything from the digestive tract to your hormone production. Luckily, a chiropractor can treat these issues through spinal manipulations also known as chiropractic adjustments.
During a chiropractic adjustment, the chiropractor will guide you into a comfortable position typically lying face down on a padded chiropractic table. They will then apply quick thrusts to specific joints along your spine or extraspinal areas with the use of their hands and/or a device that applies fast controlled force. A popping sound, known as joint cavitation, is a normal part of the process and indicates that there has been a change in pressure within the joint. This pressure change allows nitrogen gas to escape, and when this occurs, the popping sound is heard.
After the chiropractor applies the spinal manipulation, they will usually use the diversified technique or other methods such as the Thompson Drop-Table technique, Gonstead Adjustment or Activator. These techniques all provide similar results but the method of delivering the spinal adjustment can differ between the various practices.
While the exact mechanism isn’t fully understood, it is believed that when a spinal vertebrae becomes stuck or misaligned it can alter the way the nervous system works and lead to all kinds of symptoms from digestive problems to heart disease. This is why it’s important to see a chiropractor on a regular basis to keep the spine and other parts of the body healthy and in alignment.
Besides keeping the body in proper alignment, chiropractic adjustments have also been shown to boost immune function. This is because a healthy, balanced nervous system can communicate effectively with the body and help fight off diseases, viruses and bacteria.
There has been some chatter and content circulating online that suggests chiropractic adjustment will prevent the coronavirus, but this is unequivocally FALSE. These claims are based on theories that suggest misaligned vertebrae can inhibit the brain’s ability to protect against the virus and this is not supported by any scientific evidence. There are other more effective ways to stay protected and this includes staying up-to-date with your routine maintenance visits to a family chiropractor in Atlanta. Seeing your chiropractor on a regular basis can ensure the musculoskeletal system is functioning as it should, helping to prevent and reduce any aches and pains you may experience, such as headaches or neck and back pain.