What does Chiropractic treatment involve?
After conducting a thorough history and physical examination, a chiropractor will determine a diagnosis as to what your problem is. Depending on the problem, your treatment may involve any or all of the following:
Joint mobilization or manipulative therapy to help restore normal motion to your spinal joints and other joints of your body. Normal joint movement is critical to the health of your joints–abnormal joint movement may lead to pain, dysfunction, and premature joint degeneration. Years of training allow your chiropractor to carefully analyze your problems and determine specifically which of your joints need proper joint movement restored.
Myofascial Release and Trigger point therapy to release and relax the muscles that may be shortened or in spasm. Shortened, tight muscles restrict proper movement in the joints they attach to and commonly have “knots” that are tender to touch leading to stiffness and pain. In addition, scar tissue from repetitive straining of the muscles in conjunction with these tightened muscles can compress on nerves in the area leading to pain and numbness.
Acupuncture and Electric modalities to provide quick pain relief, decrease inflammation, and promote healing of soft and bony tissues. These modalities are commonly used in conjunction with the above therapies for optimal results, as they are very effective for relaxing tightened muscles.
Prescription Custom Orthotics and Braces to minimize the load to joints and muscles that are affected and to aid in proper joint mechanics. These devices both help to provide symptomatic relief and prevent re-injury as contributing factors are minimized or eliminated.
Stretches, Strengthening Exercises, and Postural Retraining to keep the muscles loose, minimize loads to the joints, and prevent the same problem from re-occurring.
How long will it take to get better?
Time for recovery and return to full function depends on many factors such as your particular condition and its severity; your level of involvement in the healing process; and the treatment rendered by Dr. Ho. It is important to keep in mind that pain is usually the last symptom to appear and the first to go away. While your symptoms may decrease dramatically within your first few chiropractic treatments, the underlying cause of the pain is not usually fully resolved. Therefore, it is important to follow your recommended treatment plan.