Chiropractic Care
What is Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic Care is a non-invasive, hands-on health care discipline that focuses on the joints, musculature and nervous system, as well as the spine.
The nervous system includes your brain, spinal cord and the rest of your nerves. Together they work seamlessly to control every aspect of your body. Interference with this system can produce a variety of health problems.
Nerve pressure can cause numbness, weakness or reduced performance of the organs and tissues. Spinal misalignment can cause nerve tissue to stretch or become irritated, resulting in a reduced range of motion, pain, even spinal degeneration.
After taking a thorough history and performing a physical examination, detailed clinical impressions are discussed with to the patient. Our chiropractors ensure patients understand the nature and cause of their conditions. Comprehensive individualized treatment and management plans are recommended that include spinal manipulation therapy, therapeutic exercise and other non-invasive physical therapies.
The British Columbia Chiropractic Association (BCCA) is the voluntary organization that represents B.C.'s chiropractic doctors on matters including health policy, public relations, and liaisons with health authorities including WorkSafeBC, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), Pacific Blue Cross and other agencies. Established in 1934, BCCA continues to work for the increased awareness and improvement of health care outcomes.
What is Spinal Manipulation Therapy?
Spinal Manipulation Therapy, also known as the "adjustment", is the foundation of chiropractic therapy. Spinal joints that are "locked up", fixed or not moving correctly can affect your health by irritating nearby nerve tissue. Adjustments help restore nervous system integrity and can improve the healing process.
The adjustment involves a gentle, highly specific movement to the involved restricted joint, and may involve a short, controlled thrust to get the spinal joints moving again. Chiropractors are well trained professionals in the art of spinal manipulation therapy.
Benefits of spinal manipulation therapy:
- Releases joint restrictions
- Restores normal functional motion to the joint
- Reduces pain
- Breaks up fibrous adhesions that form around joints
- Reduces the chance of developing degenerative joint diseases such as Osteoarthritis
Why do joints become restricted?
Most restricted joints result from tissue injuries that can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time.
In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for the sufferer. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, and allowing tissues to heal.
Commonly treated disorders
Head, Neck & Shoulders:
- Headaches
- Tempero-Mandibular Joint pain (Jaw)
- Whiplash Associated Disorder
- Postural Strain
- Neck pain
- Cervical Radiculopathy (Pinched nerve)
- Shoulder Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
- Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
- Shoulder Instability
- Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder)
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Mid Back, Low Back and Pelvis:
- Postural Strain
- Rib Joint Dysfunction
- Osteoarthritis
- Disc Protrusion/Herniation
- Scoliosis
- Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Core Instability
- Sciatica
Hands, Wrists, Elbows & Arms:
- Arthritis of Fingers and Wrists
- Trigger Fingers
- Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
- De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
- Repetitive Strain
- Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)
- Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer's Elbow)
- Peripheral Nerve Entrapments
- Olecranon Bursitis
Feet, Knees & Legs:
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Morton's Neuroma
- Ankle Sprain
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Pes Planus (Flat Feet)
- Shin Splints
- Osteoarthritis (Knees & Knees)
- Patello-Femoral Pain Syndrome
- ACL/MCL/LCL Sprains (Knee)
- Muscle Strains
- Ilio-Tibial Band Syndrome