What is Spinal Manipulation?

Spinal Manipulation focuses on the relationship between the spinal column and the nervous system. Through spinal adjustments, your doctor alleviates problems caused by the misalignment of the vertebrae.

Spinal manipulation has been practiced for thousands of years; there are records of it from ancient Egypt and China.

Spinal Manipulation takes a structural, nutritional, and emotional approach to health care. Your doctor will take medical history, conduct physical, neurological, and orthopedic examinations, and may order laboratory tests. X-rays vital for evaluating the spine and its proper functioning are ordered based on your needs.

Your doctor locates vertebrae that do not move properly, particularly along the spine. These areas are called subluxations and they can cause inflammation and eventually pain and dysfunction in nerves, joints, and muscles. Your doctor will treat subluxations by adjusting the bones (and their associated muscles and joints) gently with her hands. When misalignments are corrected, the integrity of the nervous system is restored, ensuring optimal function.

Before doing any manipulation, your docotr will explain exactly what the process involves. Typically, manipulation is performed using very little force. As the doctor applies pressure to your spine, you may hear (and feel) a popping sound, like a knuckle cracking. You should not feel any serious discomfort from the adjustment, however. If you do, it is important to let your doctor know immediately. Many patients find the experience relaxing. Most describe feeling less pain, reduced tension, and more flexibility in the areas that were adjusted.

The initial visit usually lasts at least an hour. Subsequent visits may only take 10 to 30 minutes. Sometimes one session is all that is required to relieve pain. An average course of treatment for an acute problem involves three to six visits a week for two weeks.

What conditions are treated by Spinal Manipulation?

Spinal Manipulation has been shown to be a particularly useful treatment for the relief of acute pain in low back, mid-back, neck, head, and joints of the arms, hands, and legs. This therapy care has shown to be extremely effective in treating auto accident victims, and repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

If you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, or osteoporosis, inform your doctor prior to treatment. Certain kinds of spinal manipulations could make these conditions worse.