Chiropractic Adjustment Technique We Offer
Chiropractic care emphasizes the integration of three key systems with the rest of the body: the nervous system, the muscles, and the joints. Proper alignment and movement of the spine enable the body to "auto-refresh" and maintain optimal function. However, misalignment, known as subluxation, can lead to inflammation and irritation. When a nerve is irritated, it can cause pain and other dysfunctions.
Manual Technique
The adjustment is a safe, natural, noninvasive procedure used by the chiropractor to restore and improve health. Learning the art of adjusting is a skill that requires years of study and practice. A spinal adjustment or spinal manipulation refers to the process in which the chiropractor skillfully applies controlled force into one or more “subluxated” vertebrae of the spine. The adjustment is also frequently used in the pelvic region to normalize the sacroiliac joints. The adjustment is usually delivered using the hands or through the use of a specialized mechanical tool.
DIVERSIFIED
One popular manual method is the “diversified full spine technique.” Diversified is considered one of the most effective chiropractic corrective techniques and is differentiated from other techniques. Like many chiropractic and osteopathic spinal corrective techniques, diversified is characterized by specific high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) adjustment to correct misalignments and remove interference to the central nervous system.
Activator Technique
A spring-loaded, hand-held mechanical instrument called the “activator” provides a quick, low-force impulse at specific points. There are two theoretical advantages of an activator
instrument-assisted treatment. The first is based on the speed of the device. The instrument is so quick that the body’s muscles are less likely to tense in response, and resist the treatment. The lack of muscle resistance may facilitate the treatment’s effectiveness. The second is that the applied force is localized and does not add any additional torque or bending movement to the joint.
Dr. Hughes utilizes the activator when it is a patient’s preference, women who are pregnant, children, people who suffer from osteoporosis/ arthritis or those who do not like the more physical methods of adjusting.
Activator Instrument
ACTIVATOR II provides a gentle and controlled force to a patient’s spine and extremities and is designed with a manually selected force setting. The superiority of high-speed and low force allows ACTIVATOR II to be used in the comprehensive treatment of all areas of the spine and extremities.
Drop Table Technique
The drop-table technique can also be known as the Thompson technique. The “drop” approach uses a unique chiropractic table that allows the segments to lift up and drop when a weighted thrust is applied by the chiropractor.
The drops allow gravity to assist and work in combination with the manual adjustment. This provides a lighter feeling of adjustment than the purely manual, diversified, adjustment.
To further clarify, the table has various sections that are raised between 1 to 2 inches relative to the rest of the patient’s body. Once the area of the table is lifted, it is fastened in place and the stiffness of the table is altered based on the patient’s body weight. When the chiropractor applies a gentle thrust to the area needing adjustment, the table releases and drops down, causing the segments to lift and the body to fall.
The drop table comes to a rest, but the patient’s body momentum continues for a short period. This momentum is equally as critical to the drop table technique as the thrust and dropping of the table are because it aids in alignment.
At The Cortex Chiropractic, we have 2 types of tables.
Zenith 440 Drop Table
This table has air-powered drop pieces for the pelvic, lumbar, thoracic, and cervical segments.
Additionally, it raises standing to lie down so the patient does not have to climb on and off the table. This is one of the most advanced chiropractic tables on the market. It is more or less the “Ferrari” of chiropractic tables.
Omni Chiropractic Drop Table
This drop table has manual drop pieces for the pelvic, lumbar, thoracic, and cervical segments.
This table is very sturdy and can adjust patients up to 400 lbs. This table allows Dr. Hughes to provide the same quality of care and benefits to all body types.
SOT Sacro-Occipital Technique
SOT is one of the most delicate chiropractic techniques and is great for those who are unable to receive more forceful therapies. It uses a combination of leg length analysis and muscle testing to determine the dysfunctional joint misalignments of the pelvis and associated structures and then pelvic blocks are placed in specific sites to allow gravity to untwist these misalignments.