“The power that made the body heals the body. There is no other way.”
— B. J. Palmer, Developer of Chiropractic
Adjustments
Chiropractic adjustments, in layman's terms, are specific, quick, low-force pulls or pushes of spinal joints that are stuck out of alignment with the goal being to put them back in the right place! The scientific description would be high-velocity, low-amplitude thrusts delivered to a fixated spinal segment. Chiropractors use a variety of analytical tools to assess and diagnosis these subluxations, or misalignments, before delivering the adjustment.
Procedure
Adjustment visits are shorter than physical exams, lasting anywhere from 5-15 minutes.
An assessment of each patient's spine will be performed at every visit to make sure only the areas of misalignment get adjusted.
Sometimes the spinal misalignments can be above or below the area in pain. Don't worry, this is normal.
Once the assessment is complete, Dr. William will adjust each misalignment and make sure that you are in tip top shape before you leave the office. When discussing your health history with Dr. Hatten, it is essential that you share as much information as possible. This will ensure that you receive the most accurate diagnosis possible. Remember that anything you say or do in the office will be held in the strictest confidence according to all professional and legal standards.
Are adjustments safe?
This is a great question that chiropractors hear all the time. Despite claims to the contrary by many allopathic care providers and urban legends, chiropractic care is incredibly safe! The popping sound that people associate with chiropractic adjustments are only heard with certain techniques, and the sound is the same as that you hear when you pop your knuckles. You can think of it as gas escaping from the joint. The side effects a patient will typically feel is soreness in the area where they were adjusted following the adjustment. You should care for this soreness the way you would if you had just gone to the gym and were sore after a workout. Your body has just been through a surprisingly similar event after an adjustment!
Do adjustments hurt?
The short answer to this question is no. (The longer answer is also no, but there is some science behind why!) The actual adjustment where the doctor pushes or pulls the misaligned joint back into place happens too fast to hurt! For example, have you ever accidentally sat your hand on something hot? It takes a second or two before you register that it's hot and you jerk your hand away. Adjustments happen in the amount of time it takes before your body is able to realize pain! Pretty great huh? Now, as another example, if you have been suffering from low back pain for several years or if you have just experienced an acute injury, it is very possible that the area could be inflamed and very tender. Sometimes the set-up for the adjustment can irritate this area, however, it will not be any worse than someone gently applying pressure to the area.
How are chiropractic adjustments different than what other health care providers can do?
Simply put, it's in the details. There are many health care professionals that learn how to "mobilize joints," but there is only one profession can give an adjustment. That's chiropractors! We spend years focusing on the adjustment to make sure that we can deliver it with the utmost care and precision. We learn multiple techniques to ensure that we will be able to work with any person and any spine in any condition. Other health care professionals will learn one technique and do very little practicing before receiving a certification. Chiropractors, on the other hand, spend thousands of hours practicing each technique to make sure that you receive the best possible care.
