The most common treatment our Omaha chiropractors use in office is the chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractic adjustments are a combination of science, art, and philosophy. The “art” of the adjustment is how adjustments vary between practitioners. Our chiropractors are trained in and utilize Diversified adjusting technique. Diversified technique involves training in almost all types of chiropractic techniques, so our chiropractors are able to tailor their treatment to your specific presentation and preference. The article below contains the most common types of adjusting techniques our Omaha chiropractors use in office, what a chiropractic adjustment is, and what chiropractic adjustments can help with.
Common Types of Chiropractic Adjustments
The most common type of chiropractic adjustment our chiropractors use is an HVLA (high-velocity, low amplitude) manipulation. This adjustment is done manually (by hand) with a fast thrust of a short depth. This type of adjustment is usually accompanied by the “popping” or “cracking” sound associated with chiropractic adjustments. This noise is known as a cavitation and is caused by the release of air from a joint due to the speed of the thrust. If no cavitation is heard, that does not mean the adjustment did not happen! Movement can occur without the popping or cracking sound.
Another common type of adjustment our practitioners provide is the Activator adjustment. The Activator is a device that utilizes a very high speed with a very low force to achieve the adjustment. This type of chiropractic adjustment is not accompanied by a cavitation, although you will hear a clicking noise from the device.
Drop technique is another common chiropractic adjusting technique our chiropractors use in office. Drop adjustments are done manually, with the assistance of a drop piece in the table. The drop piece is raised prior to the adjustment, and drops during the thrust, increasing the speed of the adjustment. This type of chiropractic adjustment is commonly used on the pelvis and low back, but can be used for any body region.
What is a chiropractic adjustment?
Chiropractors assess for and adjust subluxations, which is a fancy word for motion restrictions of joints. When a joint’s motion is restricted,
nerve communication is impeded, muscles spasm, and inflammation is produced. The chiropractic adjustment restores proper motion to restricted joints, thereby normalizing nerve communication, decreasing muscle spasm, and reducing inflammation. This allows the body to heal itself and eliminates pain.
What do chiropractic adjustments help with?
It's a common misconception that chiropractic care cannot help with "muscle pain," when in reality any type of pain can be caused by motion restrictions in the joints. When you have a joint restriction, muscles spasm to protect the area. Restoring proper joint motion through chiropractic adjustments decreases muscle spasm and inflammation and improves muscle pain.
Chiropractic adjustments help with many types of pain: nerve pain such as sciatica or radiculopathy from disc herniations or protrusions; pain from headaches, migraines, or concussions; neck pain and stiffness from sleeping wrong or whiplash; arm pain from carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, shoulder impingement, or rotator cuff/labral tears; leg pain from hip dysfunction, knee dysfunction, or sprained ankles; and many more! These are some common types of pain our Omaha chiropractors help daily! If you’re interested in more information on a specific complaint, click the links in the article or call us at 402-408-6561 to talk to one of our Omaha chiropractors about how chiropractic adjustments could help you! Ready to schedule an appointment? Click here!
