What is a first visit like?
A typical first visit involves sitting down with one of our providers where they will work to learn more about you and your goals for care. After that they will perform a thorough physical and orthopedic evaluation to finalize a diagnosis and determine the cause of your pain. From the history & exam we will determine if you are a good candidate for care in our office. Occasionally further testing or imaging (such as x-ray or MRI) may be needed. If you are a good candidate for care we will develop a custom treatment strategy based on your condition and goals to get you back to the things that matter most in your life!
What is a chiropractic adjustment?
The most common therapeutic procedure performed by chiropractic physicians is know as spinal manipulation or an adjustment. The goal of manipulation is to restore proper mobility of joints in the spine and extremties. Joints can become "stuck" from various causes such as a sports injury or repetitive stress from activity. These changes can result in tissue injury as the structures undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and decreased function. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint helps restore mobility, reduce pain and decrease muscle tightness.
Each patient's needs and goals vary and due to that we offer a wide array of chiropractic treatment. While most of our patients enjoy hands on treatment, some prefer the adjusting instrument or table assisted manipulations for more subtle changes. Each patient’s needs and wishes are important to us: we want you feel comfortable with your treatments, and confident we will exceed your expectations!
Can chiropractic help someone who has had back/neck surgery?
Chiropractic care works to improve overall spine function and can be benefitial for patients that have previously had surgery. Our providers will vary their treatment based on your previous procedures in order to provide care that is safe and effective.
Does treatment hurt?
Treatment at Norwood Chiropractic (which includes adjustments, Active Release Techniques® and physiotherapy) rarely hurts and usually feels good. During an ART session your symptoms may be recreated to treat the condition effectively. The symptoms usually resolve within a minute after treatment. Some patients experience soreness at the beginning of care which usually quickly resolves.
How long is the average treatment session?
Because we perform a combination of examination and treatment on every visit there is much more “hands-on” time than the typical doctor visit. A treatment session at Norwood Chiropractic typically takes between 10-20 minutes.
Once I start chiropractic treatment, do I have to go forever?
No. First we will determine if chiropractic care can help you by taking a history, performing a physical examination and in rare cases send you for MRI, Ultrasound, CT scan or x-rays. If we determine that chiropractic can be of benefit, then we will suggest an estimated, finite treatment period. If chiropractic care is not indicated, we will suggest other sources of help or refer you to another doctor. Every case is different and each person’s response varies.
What is Active Release Technique (ART)?
"ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/ movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles.”
Treatment involves hands on movement and massage to the tissue (muscle, fascia, tendons, ligaments, nerves) Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with specific patient movements. source: www.activerelease.com
source: www.activerelease.com
How do overuse conditions occur?
Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:
- Acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc),
- Accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)
- Sustained tension prevents tissues from getting enough oxygen (prolonged posture).
“Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.”
source: www.activerelease.com
What is an ART treatment like?
“Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The ART provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements.
These treatment protocols – over 500 specific moves – are unique to ART. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual patient. ART is not a cookie-cutter approach.”
source: www.activerelease.com
