Four Important Types of Chiropractic Adjustments to Alleviate Your Pain

Four Important Types of Chiropractic Adjustments to Alleviate Your Pain  

When most people think of a chiropractic adjustment, they imagine a pretty stereotypical picture—a patient lying on a table or sitting in a chair while the doctor “pops” or “cracks” the patient’s back or neck. This scenario certainly applies to some types of chiropractic adjustments, but it isn’t the only type of chiropractic treatment you can receive. At Paradox Chiropractic, we offer four important types of adjustments to alleviate your pain or to enhance performance of your body systems by restoring normal function of your spine or limbs.

Manual Adjusting Manual adjustments are one of the most common types of chiropractic treatment—and they are the area of chiropractic care where patients may hear a “popping sound”. Typically, you’ll hear the sound because of a small vacuum effect that occurs when the chiropractor brings your joint through its full standard range of motion. As with all chiropractic adjustments, a manual adjustment should be performed quickly and specifically by a trained and experienced chiropractor. Manual adjustments are performed quickly so as to limit pain and to move the subluxated joints back through their normal ranges of motion in order to return full functioning to the patient by decreasing or eliminating the restricted range of motion.

Drop Piece Adjusting For some patients, Dr. DeAnn Adams uses a drop piece table to assist in chiropractic treatment. A drop table includes several pieces that can be set to varying tensions. When the chiropractor applies a quick, controlled force during the adjustment, the drop piece gives way a bit. Though the drop table may sound a little frightening, it actually offers a very comfortable chiropractic experience. The chiropractor doesn’t have to push as hard because the momentum of the falling drop piece aids in moving the joint. Additionally, the drop table’s wide range of settings and position options offers greater flexibility to a chiropractor who needs to adjust the patient’s joints in different ways and also optimizes individual patient comfort.

Pelvic Block Adjusting Sometimes a pelvic blocking is all that’s needed to transform your chiropractic treatment. Dr. D. uses block adjustments to position patients and to access joints from a wider range of angles, as well as to release torsion in the body tissue. Blocks and small wedges are typically made from soft materials such as leather or foam and they are designed to support patients of different shapes, sizes, and weights. During a pelvic blocking adjustment, the chiropractor may have the patient move onto pelvic blocks in order to fully treat his or her pain by removing an underlying torsion pattern within the patient’s body. The blocks help the doctor to move the misaligned joint through its full range of motion by allowing gravity and the block’s positioning to correct or remove the torsion and subluxation. This often alleviates pain and improves mobility.

Integrator Adjusting During an Integrator adjustment, your chiropractor uses a small, handheld instrument to adjust your joints through low force, quick movements, and precise actions. The Integrator uses Torque Release Technique to effectively adjust the tone of your nervous system. This technique can correct subluxations in your spine and often provides great relief to patients who feel tense, tight, and stiff. Generally, Integrator adjustments use less force than manual or other types of chiropractic adjustments. However, they can still provide substantial relief and comfort to patients who are looking for a chiropractic solution to their pain.

Dr. DeAnn Adams of Paradox Chiropractic in Little Falls, MN is licensed to offer chiropractic care in Minnesota and received her Doctorate of Chiropractic training from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in 1998. She is certified in a number of chiropractic treatment techniques and adjunctive therapies.