There are many people that will never step foot into a chiropractor’s office because they are afraid. Maybe it’s some of the sounds coming from the treatment area that make them afraid or they’ve heard chiropractors are rough and crack bones. The good news is that chiropractic treatment has progressed over the last 130 years. Chiropractic care advancements are just like other healthcare professions. They have made tremendous leaps in research and technique innovation. If you have been scared in the past to go to the chiropractor, fear no more. Now, when you go to the chiropractor, you can receive care with a light touch and no popping.
The chiropractic profession started in 1895. Just like other professions, chiropractic care has evolved through the years. The mission and core of what we do is the same, but the delivery of our care has changed by leaps and bounds. For years, doctors of chiropractic utilized strictly manual adjustments delivered by hand. This process of adjusting is very effective but it can create some soreness. I have many people who come in to the office and request this type of care. They love manual adjusting and they love the great results they get! Not everyone is the same, though, and not everyone wants that type of care. Many of our patients these days prefer our light and gentle techniques.
Chiropractors are the number one alternative form of healthcare to modern medicine. Chiropractors have learned through the years that we need to be able to provide care to every age and for every type of need. That’s why new techniques have been developed using gentle hand-held instruments. Most were created out of research, and they have shown to provide that same great level of effectiveness for the chiropractic patient.
One technique that was created in 1967 is called the Activator Method. Its founder, Dr. Arlan Fuhr, has more than five decades of experience in clinical research and private practice. The activator is a hand-held spring-loaded device that delivers a small gentle impulse into the joint that needs adjusted.
The Activator Method has published hundreds of clinical and scientific peer-reviewed papers, worked with major academic research institutions, and is backed by 26 clinical trials to support its efficacy.
Two other instruments, known as the Impulse and Arthostim instruments, are also hand-held chiropractic instruments that deliver multiple repetitious impulses to the joint at specific frequencies. The use of these instruments helps promote improved spinal mobility and reduce discomfort. They can deliver very effective adjustments and yet they have a similar feel like a percussion massager.
The creator of the Impulse adjuster, Chistopher Colloca, DC, PhD, developed his instrument in 2003. Through the years, Dr. Colloca has studied the biomechanical and neurophysiological aspects of chiropractic adjustments. This endless pursuit of advancement to demonstrate the effectiveness of the chiropractic profession has resulted in over 50 published papers in some of the best journals in spine care science.
Another asset to help make chiropractic adjustments gentle for even the smallest of patients is the evolution in chiropractic tables. Traditional adjusting tables were primarily flat with no moving parts. Now chiropractic tables have many different options available to help facilitate a gentler adjusting method.
All these adjusting techniques have shown to be effective and have resulted in hundreds of published research studies. This expansion of techniques has allowed chiropractors to help a lot more people regardless of their age or if they do not like the “popping” sound that accompanies the more traditional manual adjusting techniques.
Way too many people wait until they are in severe pain before they decide to get chiropractic care due to the fear associated with care. If you have been suffering for too long with an ailment but you don’t want a manual adjusting technique, I encourage you to call your local chiropractor. Ask them if they provide lighter techniques such as the use of drop tables and instrument adjusting. I think you will find that you will love the lighter side of chiropractic care.
-by Dr. Brandon Crouch
About the author: Dr. Brandon Crouch is a Chiropractor with Crouch Family Chiropractic. Dr. Crouch is an advocate for being proactive when it comes to your health and encourages people to make healthy informed decisions. For more information or questions you can contact him online at: www.crouchfamilychiro.com or find him on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CrouchFamilyChiropractic.
Disclaimer: This article is used for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any specific condition. If you have questions or concerns, please talk with your doctor.
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