Are All Patients Adjusted The Same Way?

Health News
Written by A_Smith
April 13, 2022

If you have ever been to a chiropractor to have a spinal adjustment, you might wonder if this therapy is applied to all the patients in the same way.

Let’s see.

Contents

Is An Adjustment a One-Size-Fits-All Procedure?

Absolutely not. Every patient’s spine is unique, and the care must be adjusted to match its needs. Although everybody has 26 moving bones in their spine, all of which can rotate and move in different directions, when a chiropractor welcomes a new patient, they will be analyzed according to their condition, age, size, and health objectives.

Also, there are many spinal patterns and several chiropractic philosophies and techniques from which your chiropractor can select the most appropriate one to meet the needs of different types of patients.

Depending on the age group of the individual to be treated, your chiropractor will apply specific techniques. Mainly, you will receive care suited to you, whether you are a young individual, an infant, or a mature adult.

When babies or very young children get taken to a chiropractor, the practitioner will focus on issues that apply to that age group, such as colic, loss of sleep, ear infections, unusual crying patterns, or loss of appetite, for example.

What a chiropractor will focus on when deciding upon the treatment method is the individual patient’s needs. To arrive at the most accurate plan, the patient may receive X-rays during the initial appointment, which will help the chiropractor get to the root of the problem.

How Does A Chiropractor Know What To Adjust?

The best way to see what is amiss inside the body is through an X-ray. This sheds light on what is causing a patient’s discomfort, what areas of the patient’s spine are being affected, and what type of adjustment will yield the desired results.

When the X-rays reveal that it would be unwise to apply specific techniques to adjust the spine of patients, the chiropractor will take measurements to pinpoint the most appropriate technique to use, yielding a more effective result for the patient.

If needed, follow-up X-rays can be taken to visualize the change that has been accomplished through the personalized treatment plan.

Are There Different Types Of Adjustments? What Are They?

More than pops and cracks, there are different types of adjustments for their patients. If needed, a specially designed table will be used, which will help the doctor better perform the adjustment. Here are some of the most commonly applied chiropractic adjustments:

1. Thompson Or Drop Table

This chiropractic technique for the patients is generally applied to the lower back, although it also works for the mid and upper back as well.

For performing it, the patient will be placed on a drop table facing down. When the patient is in this position, as the adjustment is taking place, part of the table will rise up underneath the patient’s body.

This way, the doctor can push down. You may hear loud noises as this happens, but they will be made by the table, not by you. Using this table permits the doctor to apply less force while performing the adjustment.

If you have a condition like a herniated disc or osteoporosis, this method would be ideal for you.

2. Activator or Instrument-Assisted

In some cases, the doctor will use an instrument called an activator. This is a small, hand-held device that has springs and helps the chiropractor perform low force, precise adjustments.

Chiropractors favor this type of adjustment in patients who have commented that they fear the noises, cracks, and pops common during regular hand adjustments. The activator has also been used successfully to treat smaller areas such as the foot or a wrist.

3. Diversified

This technique refers to an adjustment in which the chiropractor uses no other instrument but their own hands. It is the most common chiropractic adjustment that aims to help correct any biomechanical faults in the extremities or the spine.

In every case, the chiropractor will tailor the adjustment to meet your specific needs. There will never be a “cookie-cutter” approach to treating all patients. What’s more, in many cases, the chiropractor may decide that the best approach to fix your issues is to use a combination of one or more of the techniques described above.

What Does Getting An Adjustment Feel Like?

An adjustment is a common chiropractic treatment that can be performed whenever you have a short break, even during your lunch hour at work. You will feel no pain while it is being done. But you will be able to hear pops and cracks as you are getting adjusted to the patients.

How Frequently Should You Get A Chiropractic Adjustment?

One unique aspect of a chiropractic adjustment for the patients is the fact that you do not need to wait until you are in pain to get one. By performing maintenance care, you can achieve optimal body function.

This means that by scheduling regular care, you can receive periodic adjustments that will help reduce the possibility of suffering a reinjury.

To decide how frequently you should visit your chiropractor, talk to them about the reason why you sought treatment in the first place and work together to come up with the perfect plan to fit your particular situation.

When you first start a treatment plan, it is customary to have adjustments several times a week. However, as your body is beginning to heal, your doctor may suggest you drop the number of visits to one per week.

Conclusion:

Once you are free of pain and when you aim to maintain your healthy lifestyle, you can reduce the visits even further and see your chiropractor a couple of times a month. Eventually, you may decide upon a schedule of just one or two trips every year.

There is no single schedule that all the patients must follow. It all depends on you, the condition that has you seeking care, and the recommendation of your chiropractor. So talk to them right away.

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