> CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS

Chiropractic adjustments corrects the alignment, increases the mobility and function of the vertebral joints. This reduces pressure and irritation on the nervous system which increases mobility, sensation and function of the internal organs.

The adjustment is usually painless and followed by a sense of relief when the pressure in an area has been relieved.

> CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve functioning of the craniosacral system. Using a soft touch, we release restrictions in multiple layers of soft tissue that surrounds the central nervous system helping one feel more aligned, and more at home in themselves.

The central nervous system is heavily influenced by the craniosacral system – the membranes and fluid that surround, protect and nourish the brain and spinal cord. It includes the brain, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the system of membranes inside the cranium, all 22 cranial bones, the spine and the sacrum.

Every day your body endures stresses and strains including:

• Physical/Mechanical
• Physical/Physiological including metabolic and hormonal
• emotional
• Environmental toxins in the air and water or food
• Diet

The body must work hard to compensate for these changes. Unfortunately, this can often cause the body’s tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia) to tighten and distort the craniosacral system. These distortions can then cause tension to form around the brain and spinal cord resulting in restrictions. This can create a barrier to the healthy performance of the central nervous system, and potentially every other system it interacts with by creating restrictions in the body’s ability to pump cerebrospinal fluid throughout the nervous system. If fresh nutrients cannot be delivered or toxic waste products removed, the health of the central nervous system can be affected, adhesions can form in the muscles and chronic pain patterns can be established.

By normalizing the environment around the brain and spinal cord, CranioSacral Therapy is able to alleviate a wide variety of dysfunctions, from chronic pain and sports injuries to stroke and neurological impairment.

It is suitable for people of all ages including babies, children and the elderly. It is an effective treatment for colic in babies, earaches, hyperactivity in children, for infants who are not sucking well during breast feeding. It is also useful for infants following a difficult delivery to make certain their cranial bones and soft tissues of their head are in proper alignment to promotes normal functioning of the nervous system.

It's effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction including various types of migraine headaches, neck pain, sinus infections, TMJ syndrome, Ménière's disease and ear problems in adults such as tinnitus.

CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease through improved functioning of the immune system besides general feelings of well being. It can be effective in acute or chronic situations.

CranioSacral Therapy can be used as an adjunct to other medical, dental and chiropractic treatments.

> INSTRUMENT ASSISTED SOFT TISSUE MOBILIZATION / GRASTON TECHNIQUE

Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization or IASTM is a method which enables us to efficiently locate and treat people with soft tissue dysfunction. The generic name is Graston technique which evolved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment called Gua Sha.

We perform IASTM with specially designed stainless steel instruments that treat tendons, muscles, ligaments, inflammation and restricted fascia. Improved range of motion and decreased pain are typical responses.

We are able to locate restrictions which allow us to treat the affected area with the appropriate amount of pressure. We find this technique most effective for muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia which lie closer to the skin.

The introduction of a controlled release of adhesions to the affected soft tissue structures causes the stimulation of a local inflammatory response. The release of these adhesions causes reabsorption of fibrosis and scar tissue and starts a cascade of healing activities resulting in remodeling/healing of those affected soft tissue structures. Adhesions within the soft tissue which may have developed as a result of surgery, immobilization, repeated strain or other mechanisms, are broken down allowing full functional restoration to occur.

-- Adapted from physio-pedia.com

Due to this healing process of scar tissue, we advise that you seek treatment as soon as possible after an injury especially an auto accident.

We will refer you to the appropriate medical providers if necessary.

> INSTRUMENT ASSISTED SPINAL MANIPULATION - IMPULSE IQ

The Impulse Adjusting Instrument® is a patented and FDA registered device specifically created to deliver gentle and precise chiropractic adjustments to the joints of the spine and extremities to relieve pain and restore function.

Impulse adjusting is a new technique developed to provide controlled treatments to the specific areas you’re having trouble with. It is the digital evolution of the Activator, the chiropractic hand held tool that has been used for over forty years.

The Impulse Adjusting Instrument® is controlled by micro-computer circuitry housed within the device that produces a controlled force that chiropractors can use to treat different areas of the body.

Impulse adjustments are high-tech.There is no popping or cracking with these adjustment, but rather very precise and targeted adjustments designed to specifically care for just the affected areas.

We use this method with patients who don't like the manual or cracking type adjustments whose muscles are extremely tight, and for frail patients.

> MYOFASCIAL RELEASE - MFR

Daily stresses and minor insults to our tissues cause them to compress. This eventually leads to decreased integrity of one or more of these tissues. The body then organizes itself around this weak link.

Postural torques are then set up from these weak tissues due to a lack of strength to hold that position. The tissue can become inflamed from overuse or injury and can adhere to the joint.

Myofascial Release is a gentle hands-on unwinding of these soft tissues to decrease pain, improve muscle balance, mobility and function to the respective joints. It removes adhesions at the attachment site of the tendons and ligaments providing full use of the joint. Additionally, MFR restores muscle fiber’s ability to fire when called upon to do so and be able to relax/release upon completion of exertion. It ultimately restores the integrity of muscles to work as functional units to create full range of motion in an area or compartment of the body be it shoulder, leg or spine as it relates to the whole frame.

It is especially effective when used in combination with any form of Chiropractic Adjustments or CranioSacral Therapy.

> NEUROMUSCULAR RE-EDUCATION

Neuromuscular Re-Education (NMR) is a hands-on technique for the evaluation and functional treatment of the majority of soft tissue injuries we see in practice. It is similar to and predates Active Release Technique (ART).

Every muscle in the body is surrounded by a smooth fascial sheath. When an area is injured, whether it's muscle, connective tissue, fascia, tendon or some combination of these (as most injuries are), the body handles this inflammatory response of the tissues to trauma in one main way; it lays down a less elastic, lower grade, poorly vascularized scar tissue to protect the involved areas. Adhesions occur wherever damage and inflammation have occurred and they limit both strength and range of motion of the affected tissue.

“The result is that the muscles involved are not as strong and the range of motion is limited in the involved joint. Adhesions can affect areas that are quite small, sometimes just a few muscle fibers, and other times there can be a number of areas scattered throughout a muscle group."

By removing all the adhesions in the muscles, connective tissue, fascia and tendon; and freeing the joints with chiropractic adjustments the ranges of motion; the person is able to heal and get back to the activities that he/she has been unable to do.

-- Adapted from NMR seminars.com

> SACRO OCCIPITAL TECHNIQUE

Sacro Occipital Technique is a systematic chiropractic technique that was pioneered in the 1920’S by Dr. DeJarnette, DC around the same time Cranial Osteopathy was being explored by Dr. Sutherland.

Its organized approach describes the body in 3 different postural distortion patterns from which many chronic pain patterns arise with special focus on the pelvis/sacrum’s relationship to the cranium. These postural distortion patterns affect the way the cranial system functions creating restrictions in the body’s ability to pump cerebrospinal fluid throughout the nervous system. If fresh nutrients cannot be delivered or toxic waste products removed, the health of the central nervous system can be affected, adhesions can form in the muscles and chronic pain patterns can be established.

SOT uses a precise system to correct these patterns and identify the origin of the faulty pattern. It combines many elements from traditional chiropractic techniques (any adjustive technique can be used from non force activator to the “cracking” type) along with cranial adjusting to restore balance and stabilize the body.

It is a gentle technique that also utilizes specific exercises to strengthen and support treatment. It is especially effective for TMJ problems, headaches, chronic neck, hip and lumbosacral pain. (See section on CranioSacral therapy as this technique’s cranial component have similar effects).

> THOMPSON DROP TABLE TECHNIQUE

This chiropractic technique uses a segmented or part of a table that drops away as the chiropractic thrust is made. This takes advantage of the design of the vertebrae and how they interconnect. It was developed by Dr. Clay Thompson in the 1950s.

The adjustment corrects the alignment, increases the mobility and function of the vertebral joints. This reduces pressure on the nervous system which controls movement, sensation and function of the viscera (internal organs).