FAQ`s
What is the Chiropractic Adjustment?
The Chiropractic Adjustment is the main tool used by the chiropractic professional to perform joint corrections. It is a high-speed, short-travel, specific and painless manual impulse, which aims to restore the joint to its correct function.
The chiropractic adjustment is mainly applied on the joints of the spine, formed by two vertebrae that move one over the other. When these joints do not work properly, in chiropractic we call it Vertebral Subluxation.
I encourage you to read further to fully understand this concept.
What is Vertebral Subluxation?
We talk aboutVertebral Subluxationwhen a vertebra does not work properly, that is, its joints do not move properly, so thisis unable to adaptto the movements of the body. We are going to separate it according to the structures and systems that are involved to facilitate its understanding:
Articulate: Joints are designed to move. When this does not happen, we lose movement capacity and the joint becomes more and more rigid.
Due to the lack of movement, the stress on the joint increases, causing it to become inflamed and painful. In addition, joints do not have vessels to deliver nutrients to them, so they rely on movement to bring nourishing fluid to the joint surface. When the aforementioned occurs, the joint and cartilage age faster.
Muscular: Muscles and joints work closely together. Muscles are attached to bones so that when they contract or stretch, movement is generated. The muscles and joints in our body are more or less symmetrical, so roughly speaking we could say that we have the same thing on both sides. And in almost all cases, for each movement of a muscle, there is another that makes the opposite movement.
All muscles maintain a certain contraction that we call “muscle tone”. When a joint (made up of two bones) becomes locked, no matter how hard the muscles pull, they won't be able to move it. If, in addition, the position of the bones is not the rest position, this will cause one to be shortened (contracted) and the other stretched (inhibited). This will generate contractures, muscle fatigue or loss of strength, among others.
Proprioception: Proprioception is part of the Nervous System.
It is responsible for informing the body of the position of the muscles and
joints, allows us to know the relative position of the different
body parts unconsciously. In this way it regulates the
movements, allowing automatic reactions and responses,
generating a body scheme that facilitates our relationship with the
space that surrounds us, and allowing the body to plan the
moves in advance. When the vertebra is blocked, and therefore does not generate proprioceptive information, all of the above is affected. Check out the cat's ear in the video!
Neurological: The body of each vertebra allows the exit and entry of the nerve roots.
The nerves carry information to a muscle so that it contracts, or to the skin so that we feel a caress, a blow, or a burn. But that is only a small part. The nerves (Peripheral Nervous System) are “the cables that carry information from the central computer (Central Nervous System) to the rest of the body”, and tell the organs how and when to function.
In vertebral subluxation, this flow of information is affected. When what is affected is a nerve such as the sciatic, for example, we feel that cramp that goes down the leg so easy to recognize. But what happens when the affected nerve goes to an organ? In those cases, the organ, which receives information from multiple nerves, will have incomplete stimulation/information, and its function will be affected. In this sense, depending on the levels that are affected, it will have repercussions in one way or another.
Does it hurt to receive chiropractic adjustment?
The answer is a resoundingNO. Just as a person does not feel pain when a finger or wrist joint spontaneously “cracks” in response to movement, chiropractic adjustments do not hurt.
Is the sound normal when receiving the chiropractic adjustment?
The sound when receiving the chiropractic adjustmentit is normal and innocuous. generates it
the joint between the vertebrae when released from subluxation. Though
it is frequent that it occurs, it does not appear in all the patients since
depends on the state of the joint, the tension of the muscles that
surround her, etc. The sound is not necessary for the correction
of vertebral subluxation to be effective.
The video shows a Magnetic Nuclear Resonance (MRI) of
a finger while cavitation occurs within the joint.
Is chiropractic adjustment safe?
Chiropractic adjustment isvery sureas long as it is carried out by a duly qualified professional. The chiropractic profession is recognized asone of the safest and most effective professionsin addressing problems of the musculoskeletal system, especially spinal problems, which greatly affect people's quality of life. The chiropractor is a professional capable of assessing each case individually to determine how they can help you, or if necessary, refer you to another professional if deemed appropriate. In countries around the world, such as France, England, Italy, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Switzerland, the chiropractic profession is integrated into the first-rate health care systems, being the third profession in the world that more patients attends a year according to the World Health Organization.
Is it compatible with other treatments, rehabilitation or medication?
Chiropractic is compatible with any type of medication, rehabilitation and treatment.
The professional will evaluate how to proceed in each case and what will be the best way to address your problem. If the chiropractor considers it appropriate, he will refer you to the most appropriate professional for your case.
Can I go to the chiropractor if I have had spinal surgery?
Yes,you can go to the chiropractor if you have had spinal surgery.
The chiropractor will assess what is the best way to proceed according to the type of intervention you have received and will explain what he is going to do so that you understand at all times how and why he is going to proceed in that way.
If I have osteoporosis / osteopenia, can I go to the chiropractor?
You can certainly go to the chiropractor if you have bone density problems.Chiropractic adjustment requiresmore technique than strength. Despite this, the chiropractic professional will decide on the best technique to correct your problem, since adjustment is only one of the many tools available to the chiropractor to address spinal problems.
How often do I have to go to the chiropractor?
ThisIt will depend on your age, physical shape, lifestyle habits, the type of work you do, the exercise you do, the state of your spine, the reason you go to the chiropractor, etc.. Each person is different, as are the problems they present, and so is the frequency of visits. Although it is common for the chiropractor to recommend that you come more often initially and space out the appointments as you improve.
How long will it take to notice the effects?
It is usual for the improvement to be noticed from the first visit, but as we mentioned in the previous section, it will depend a lot on the person, their circumstances and the problem they present.
What is the difference between chiropractic, physiotherapy and osteopathy?
The differences are several, from the level of studies to the way of working or the way of approaching the different problems of the body.
Thechiropractoris a specialist in the spine and its relationship with the Nervous System, and how disorders in these parts affect the rest of the body. Although it is not limited only to this, that is our specialty. Most of our work is done manually using theChiropractic Adjustments(you can see what they are at the top of this page).
You can see the training of a chiropractorHERE.
ThephysiotherapyIt is a well-established profession in Spain, with a university degree, which enables them to treat pathologies of the whole body, for which they use manual techniques and different instrumentation for this purpose, such as electrotherapy, among others. It is common (although not essential) for the physiotherapist to undertake postgraduate training to delve into areas in which they are particularly interested.
Theosteopathyit has some points in common with chiropractic, but also others that are well differentiated. As we might say about physiotherapy, osteopathy is not as focused on one part of the body as chiropractic with the spine and the Nervous System. His approach is generally based on the cranio-sacral relationship, the fascia, muscle, joint and visceral mobilizations and manipulations, giving special importance to the Circulatory System.