When booking an appointment with your chiropractor, it can be difficult to know what to ask for. It’s important to know the difference so that you can choose the option that’s best for you and your symptoms.
Chiropractic Adjustment
A chiropractic adjustment involves an application of controlled force to a joint in the spine in order to improve the motion of the spine and the overall physical function. During this procedure, a trained chiropractor will lay you in a position allowing them to work the affected areas.
With their hands, they will apply a quick and controlled force, pushing the joint out of its usual range of motion. Some patients hear a pop or crack at this point in the session. These sessions have been found to be very effective in treating lower back pain and neck pain, as well as other spine-related conditions and chronic headaches, without undergoing costly and complicated medical procedures or being tied to regular medication.
When is it a good time to go in for a chiropractic adjustment? Those suffering from chronic low back pain or neck pain or regular headaches with no definable cause can find relief and long-term well-being in a chiropractic adjustment.
Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression therapy is a non-invasive treatment to ease pain or irritation. This treatment addresses pain in the spine when it’s compressed, which stops blood flow to the affected area, which in turn slows the oxygen to the area and limits the nutrients. Spinal decompression involved making space between the vertebrae, letting the oxygen and nutrients flow unobstructed to the spine and easing general pain, specific pain, and even migraines.
Your chiropractor will work you through a quick stretch and release of the spine, helping to reshape and re-hydrate the discs of your back, relieving any pinched nerves. Undergoing a series of decompression sessions creates a sort of vacuum effect within the discs, refreshing circulation and sending hydration to the area, and pushing it into a healthy shape.
What causes spinal compression? An injury to the back, a life of poor posture, or other health conditions can lead to damage in the discs, making them unable to cushion the spine and leading to severe and debilitating pain.
Choosing the Best Option for You
Spinal decompression therapy makes the better choice for certain patients. Those who have tried chiropractic care before, or undergone physical therapy for a long-lasting pain, had an epidural in the past, or had surgery or surgeries on their back without success. If an MRI shows herniated discs that are leading to nerve pressure, spinal decompression will likely be recommended by your chiropractor. Sciatica sufferers, or those with spinal stenosis, can benefit from this treatment. It’s a safe and viable treatment option for those aged as young as 20 and as old as 90, but it not an option for those currently pregnant or for those with a mental implementation in their spines.
A chiropractic adjustment can be better for those newer to chiropractic therapy and can address a broad variety of complaints. Muscle, nerve, and joint pain can be addressed and alleviated with this type of therapy. Those suffering from high blood pressure, asthma, or at a high risk of a stroke should not receive an adjustment.
When deciding on the best benefits of chiropractic adjustment vs. spinal decompression, it’s best to go in knowing the basic outline of the procedures and the differences. Contact your chiropractor today to get more information specific to you and to make an appointment at your earliest convenience.
