In order to provide chiropractic care, chiropractors must be trained in a variety of techniques. There are several benefits associated with each method, including reduced pain, improved spinal mobility, and greater mobility overall.
Do you know that chiropractic adjustments can also help boost your immune system, increase your energy level, and speed up your recovery?
There are several physicals, mental, and emotional benefits of visiting a chiropractor, but how do you know what type of chiropractic technique is good for you?
I’ve compiled the different types of chiropractic techniques and how they reduce your pain and improve your overall spine health. Read below and understand the other methods.
What Are the Different Types of Chiropractic Techniques?
It can be helpful to familiarize yourself with the most common chiropractic techniques before your first chiropractic appointment. By getting a sense of what to expect, the experience can be less intimidating.
Depending on their knowledge of their patients and their medical conditions, chiropractors may use a specific technique. However, I’ll discuss ten chiropractic techniques. Let’s have a look!
1. Diversified Technique
A chiropractic treatment most commonly used is the diversified technique, which involves manipulating and adjusting the spine, arms, and legs. A diversified strategy is a method of controlling the body that combines the best practices from other methods.
Low-amplitude thrusts are used to correct any joint dysfunction, making it one of the most effective treatments for people of all ages.
2. Spinal Manipulation
The term spinal manipulation also refers to spinal manipulative therapy. It involves applying a controlled force (force of a specific magnitude or degree) in a particular direction to a joint in your spine using your hands or a device.
A thrust can vary in strength, but the joint moves more than it would on its own. There is no thrust involved in spinal manipulation, since it is performed within the range of motion of the joint, and the patient is able to control it.
3. Thompson Drop-Table Technique
A chiropractor applies pressure in a thrusting motion to adjust a person’s spine or other body parts, the Thompson drop-table technique. The chiropractor uses a unique table that can drop in tiny increments in this method.
With such a subtle drop, the patient will more likely experience a vibration, making the adjustment less likely to cause pain or discomfort. It may take multiple thrusts to manipulate the spine fully.
Chiropractors apply this technique by determining how the length of the patient’s legs correlates with their pelvis and spine.
4. Flexion-Distraction Technique
The chiropractor manipulates your spine while using a segmented table to perform flexion-distraction therapy. When the manipulations are combined with the table movements, your spine is stretched and decompressed, relieving your back, leg, or neck pain.
Your chiropractor moves or drops a section of the treatment table as he performs gentle manipulations, changing the position of your body. Gravity enhances the effects of chiropractic treatments and realigns your spine when your body drops slightly.
5. NUCCA Chiropractic Technique
NUCCA treats upper cervical spinal misalignment. X-ray images of the head and neck are used to make precise mathematical measurements that determine whether the head or neck is misaligned.
By analyzing the x-ray properly, the doctor can identify a link between posture and upper cervical misalignment. NUCCA pinpoints the cause of misalignment, so repeated corrections are less necessary.
This results in a healthier body. As a result, restoring the neck to its normal position promotes better function in the body and spine.
6. Torque Release Technique
The torque release technique adjustment can be performed with the perfect amount of force when the spine is relaxed in a neutral position. A traditional adjustment involves stretching the backbone to a tension position followed by hand thrusts to sufficiently open the spinal joints for cavitation to occur.
Patients benefit from the specific adjustment without the force, cracking, and popping noises associated with manual adjustments.
7. Webster Technique
Webster technique is a diversified chiropractic adjustment technique that uses sacral analysis. During the adjustment, chiropractors aim to reduce sacral subluxation and SI dysfunction problems.
Consequently, they will enhance neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis. In addition to impaired uterine function and pelvic contractions, a subluxated sacrum can also cause disabled labor for the mother (e.g., dystocia).
A sacral subluxation can benefit all of these causes of dystocia. By optimizing normal physiological function, obtaining certification in the Webster technique could help your patients’ pregnancy and birth.
8. Activator Method
Activator techniques are indicated for treating back and neck pain as well as numbness in the extremities (areas beyond the spinal cord). A chiropractor uses a particular activator adjusting instrument to perform this technique.
This instrument is beneficial because it allows chiropractors to pinpoint specific affected areas using a short, low-force pulse. The speed prevents the body from tensing up, which is typical during other manual manipulation techniques.
Additionally, this technique is beneficial because it applies pulses to specific, localized areas, preventing the joints from being bent or put in compromised positions.
9. Extremity Manipulation
An outside-the-spine manipulation technique involves manipulating joints outside the spine. An extremity manipulation may require physically abusing the hip, knee, ankle, elbow, shoulder, or wrist joints.
In addition to treating conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and posture-related issues, this technique can be applied to many situations. It is hoped that aligning the joints outside of the spine and promoting healthy mobility will reduce stress on the spine.
This technique may cause discomfort depending on how sensitive you and your joints are in some cases.
10. Gonstead Technique
The patient lies on his side in this hands-on technique while the chiropractor adjusts the low back or pelvis. It helps chiropractors realign joints, reduce pain and stiffness, and enhance mobility.
During chiropractic education, students are taught this adjusting technique from the very beginning of their studies.
Ending Note
Using chiropractic techniques reduces pain and discomfort and promotes overall wellness by enhancing joint function and mobility. You can age gracefully rather than continually suffering from injuries and chronic pain by taking care of your back.
Use these simple but effective chiropractic techniques to benefit from chiropractic’ healing abilities! An experienced chiropractor can explain the importance of spinal health and guide you through the various methods.
