Drugs are so prevalent as a means of pain relief, that many people do not even realize that there are other options. In fact there are natural ways that do not build up the dependence that taking certain drugs or medications can cause. Massage therapy is a natural method that has been used effectively for centuries. Massage therapy not only relaxes the body, but it helps to clear the mind and even to increase awareness.

Since there are a variety of aches, pains and sore spots on the body, many massage treatments have evolved to target particular types of issues. Some of the common treatments are Swedish, Acupressure, Sports Massage, Reflexology and Shiatsu. These very effective techniques and practices have been successfully replicated in today’s massage chairs.

Massage chairs are starting to become more main stream as a legitimate health enhancer. The massage therapies are replicated with great precision to deliver effective relief. They offer full body massage capabilities and can cover you from head to toe.

Massage chairs are massage therapy machines. They have a different economic than human labor does. For instance, a $2,000 massage chair will have a minimum life span of 1,000 hours. The economics per hour of massage is $2.00 per hour. By contrast, a human massage therapist runs $50.00 per hour without a tip. A massage chair has an upfront cost which is then amortized over a long life versus paying a high cost per hour for a masseuse.

Another important factor in our lives today is time. We never have enough of it. Many of us just do not have time to run down to the spa for an hour massage. But with a massage chair, you get tremendous convenience. You can just sit down and take a quick 10 minute massage any time you like. No appointments and no driving.

The best thing about massage chairs today is the tremendous variety of massage techniques and treatments that are available. You can get a sports massage to warm up for exercise. You can get a sports massage after playing a strenuous sport. Try a shiatsu massage to relax and invigorate your body. For more pain relief, you can get a deep tissue massage that penetrates thoroughly into the muscles.

The best brands like Omega, Sanyo and Panasonic make amazing massage chairs. These relaxation machines help to calm, soothe and relax your body. They have penetrating massage therapies for pain relief and more subtle techniques to relax and invigorate muscles. These companies also add complimentary therapies such as heat, stretching and even music players.

We all have aches, pains and tightness. Do not just head for the medicine cabinet. Check out some natural remedies that can help get to the root of the problem rather than symptom relief. Massage therapy is a natural way to ease aches, pains and other discomforts. Help not just your body to relax, but also your mind. Be refreshed and rejuvenated. Find out how a massage chair can be an effective method of pain relief.

Get effective Pain Relief with a Massage Chair specializing in massage therapy treatments. Experience the tremendous convenience of having an arsenal of massage therapy at your constant disposal. We carry the best Massage Chairs from Omega, Sanyo, Panasonic and more. We have an array of massage chair reviews for your perusal. Find a natural remedy for pain relief.

For many American?s hours are spent glued to our computers, either at work or at home, culminating in the head being held in an unusual forward position. Body neutral position provides for the best support, which is with the head located squarely atop your neck between your shoulders. When your head is in this place position, your neck and shoulder muscles experience the least stress and strain as your strong vertebrae support your head. If you constantly hold your head outside of this neutral position often headaches, neck pain, and shoulder pain result.

Continued suffering is a choice as there are actions that you can take to address this problem.

The very fact that you are reading this is the first step! Understanding that the issue may be posture related is significant. An assessment of your posture by a chiropractic professional may result in time and money savings as they deal with the offending issue, your posture, rather than you trying to adjust your external environment with a chair, or back support.

You can do a quick posture check on yourself using a wall. Stand approximately 6 inches from the wall and back up, paying attention to which body part touches the wall first. Ideally your head, shoulders, derriere and heels touch at the same time, if they do not you could profit from some easy stretching and strengthening!

If your shoulders failed to reach during your posture test, an easy stretch to loosen rounded and slumped shoulders focuses on your pectoral or chest muscles. Stand in a doorway and hold one arm up, with your elbow against the doorframe. Slowly step forward while keeping your elbow braced by the doorframe.

Or if your head did not touch first, you can lengthen the muscles in the front portion of your neck and strengthen the muscles in the back of your neck with the chin tuck. While sitting or standing straight up, use your neck to pull your chin straight back. Hold for 5-15 seconds and return to the initial position.

These two manipulations may be able to correct your alignment issues and may even lessen your discomfort.

Step number two is performing the stretching and strengthening exercise that the chiropractor recommends, however, if the issue has been long standing, further specialized treatments are needed to achieve long term results of posture correction, and decreased pain and discomfort. The personalized treatments may include the scar reducing treatments such as the Active Release and Graston techniques, which research shows are effective in scar removal.

Even if you do pass the posture evaluation, and do the stretches, chiropractic evaluation is still an excellent idea because other issues that involve improper spinal alignment could be present making it more difficult for your muscles to keep the correct posture.

Being mindful of our head and shoulder positions can awaken us to our posture problems, and by seeking a chiropractic evaluation you can be on your way to a pain free future.

Dr. Steve Van Laecken has removed neck pain from numerous patients. To remove that stubborn pain in your neck once and for all, call SpinalWorks at 602-298-1600 for a personal appointment with Dr. Steve. For a limited time, Dr. Steve has agreed to provide these consultations for 25% of list price to anyone with a copy of this article.

Brain shrinkage doesn’t always equal loss of brain cells and some shrinkage may reverse once the chronic pain ends. Can chiropractic reverse the damage associated with brain shrinkage? Chiropractic success with chronic conditions is well known to the population. Apparently learning to live with it may cause serious long-term health problems. If you know anyone with chronic back pain, please advise them to explore chiropractic care. Their pain and their brain will thank them.

Most of you know that there are damaging effects to your brain from different types of electromagnetic radiation, environmental pollution, toxic chemical additives to food and other chemicals added to the things we drink and eat. But did you know that pain can cause your brain to shrink. I have been contemplating this brain shrinkage phenomenon since I first read about it a year ago. The conclusions I have come up with may astound and surprise a lot of you.

Here they are (keep in mind that I am being sarcastic here to prove a point): 1) it may be beneficial to most of us that we only use a minor percentage of our brain’s capacity to engage in our daily activities (the myth that we use only 10% of our brains is exactly that, a myth). But this could mean that most of us have lots of brains to spare so if we ever get into pain and start to lose our brains, we shouldn’t have much of a problem. 2) Because people tend to think that their pain will “eventually go away by itself” (if only I had a dollar for every time I heard this), I suppose that the logic explanation for the reason that the pain eventually goes away is that part of our brain just disappeared. 3) If pain causes our brains to shrink it would probably be a good thing for those of us who are quite knowledgeable on every subject known to mankind (i.e. smarty pants) to be in pain every once in a while in order to give the other people around us a chance to keep up with us. 4) Some of us have been told that we have “swollen heads”, pain every once in a while might help our heads to shrink slightly, allowing us more easy passage through doorways and getting in and out of cars, we would also be less of an obstruction for the people behind us at the movie theatre. 5) Chronic pain could allow us to have that constant light headed feeling that some long distance runners strive for because our heads would literally be lighter. This would also help our posture because a lighter head would be easier to keep upright. Less forward head leaning with the reduction in weight makes for a better posture.

Well I hope you get the big idea that having a smaller brain is not a good thing or should I say avoiding pain is a good thing! I have found that the best way to avoid ache is to be proactive about your health. When my patients ask me how often they should come in to get adjusted I recommend at least one time per month to get checked and adjusted. I personally try to get adjusted once per week and I believe that it helps prevent a lot of problems with my health that I would have otherwise developed.

So here is my official position on how often you need to be coming in to get adjusted. If you do not have acute pain due to some unfortunate incident you should be coming in once per month. I look forward to seeing you and helping you maintain your hat size for the duration of your life. New Century Spine Centers is located in San Diego in Mission Valley and can be reached at 619-630-9153.

Learn more about chiropractic care. Request a free report and video where you can find out all about decompression therapy and what it can do for you.

These continuous reminders may have infuriated us but good posture creates more than just an appearance of confidence, it affects our physical condition.

Proper posture means our muscles, joints, ligaments and nerves are able to operate as they should ? and without interference. Sure, we are supposed to be flexible ? but being crooked, bent or just hunched over means we are working against our optimal design.

In modern society many activities result in non-neutral body positions, such as computer work, driving, and TV watching, the main result being forward head placement. These non neutral positions result in much stress and strain on your neck and shoulder muscles, often leading to pain, discomfort and headaches.

Now think of your head as a twelve to fifteen pound bowling ball. Kind of heavy, is it not?

Imagine holding that bowling ball out from the top of your body just an inch or two. It might be easy to hold it straight above of your shoulders, but repositioning it out just a little bit becomes quite a lot of work and the bowling ball gets heavy real soon, does it not?

The best position for your head is therefore a no-brainer and it is supposed to be right over the top of your neck and shoulders. And if we hold our heads forward even 1 inch in front of its normal position, our neck has to work quite a lost harder to hold it there (think of the bowling ball).

Prolonged strain and pressure on your neck can be bad as a severe automobile accident. As a doctor, I have seen this in patient after patient. The discs in the neck can become herniated from the unusual pressure and forward positioning. The muscles in the front of the neck are overworked and shortened while those in the back of your neck is stretched and strained.

If you are feeling neck pain, shoulder pain or headaches, it may be from incorrect posture, but there are some actions that you can take to help yourself.

Its about YOU!

Understanding your problems will come from assessing your special situation.

So before you begin doing any exercises, buy that special chair, back support or whatever ? before you spend any money on resolving your problem ? get a professional assessment of your situation. Chiropractors are specially-trained in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system ? a fancy way of saying that they know a thing or two about posture.

So, your first step is to have your posture by a chiropractor.

Even before you go see your chosen chiropractor, a straightforward posture check that you can do at home is easily performed to rapidly identify some key issues. To complete this test stand with your back towards the wall about six inches away, back up and note which body parts reaches the wall first.

1) head

2) Shoulders

3) Derriere

4) Heels

If all four of body parts did not touch the wall at the same time ? then you failed the test and your posture needs work.

Your muscles are responsible for your posture and some simple stretching and strengthening can help these muscles begin functioning optimally again.

If you noticed that your shoulders failed to reach first you can focus on stretching your pectoral or chest muscles. Stretching these muscles is as easy as locating a door frame then standing in the doorway and holding one arm up so that the door frame is at the elbow part of your arm, slowly step forward until you feel the stretch across your chest. Repeat this with the other arm. This stretch will open your chest and your shoulders will no longer be hunching forward.

If your posture includes significant forward head position, your head will not have touched first. This can be corrected by lengthening the muscles in the front of your neck and strengthening the ones in the back with a simple chin tuck. Start by standing or sitting straight up and pull your chin back towards your body using your neck muscles, and hold for 5-15 seconds and return to the initial location.

Doing the right exercises to correct your posture is STEP TWO of the solution.

Fortunately for most of us easy movements and awareness of posture reduce neck pain. For others though, additional chiropractic treatment is warranted, especially for long standing postural issues that went unattended for years.

Unfortunately, the body has no natural way to dispose of scar tissue ? and neither can you exercise it away. However, various methods have been developed to remove scar tissue from inside your body. Chiropractors knowledgeable in either Active Release Techniques and the Graston Technique will be able to eliminate your scar tissue so that proper posture can be restored.

The old admonition to stand up straight holds true, not only to improve your posture, but also your health. Professional Chiropractors are available to evaluate you and your posture, give suggestions, and treat you, all in the hopes of improving your overall health.

If you are looking for a Houston Clear Lake chiropractor, contact Dr. Alice Sexton at HealthSource of Clear Lake. Dr. Sexton can help eliminate your neck pain. As a limited time offer, Dr. Sexton is offering 50% off an initial, comprehensive exam. Call 281-286-2229 to set your appointment now.

The term massage is a general term covering a variety of techniques for manipulating the soft tissues of the body. Many massage therapists use their hands, fingers, elbows and arms to provide a massage treatment. They have found that a variety of different techniques provide a host of different health benefits.

Although massage has been performed by humans for centuries, technology has now made massage chairs widely available. There are many repetitive motions required and massage. This can cause fatigue in a massage therapist. A massage chair, on the other hand, never tires and performs the massage to the same level of pressure and intensity at the beginning or at the end of the massage.

One of the drawbacks of only getting massages from a massage therapist is time. Many people simply do not have enough time in their schedule to run to the health spa at a predetermined time to receive their treatments. This leads to people getting infrequent massages and diminishes the health benefits.

Massage chairs, on the other hand, provide you with unprecedented access to massage therapy. A massage chair is ready and waiting 24 hours a day to provide relief. This is a very important point in that you can receive a massage on demand. Here are some of the important health benefits of using a massage chair on a regular basis.

Relief Of Stress: Many recent studies are showing that people are under more stress today than ever before. It is important to relieve stress in its early stages. A massage chair is a perfect way to reduce the affects of stress as it begins.

Anxiety: Many of us are experiencing more anxiety. There seems to be a lot more uncertainty in the world. This results in our bodies becoming more fatigued and eventually leads to stiffness and pain. Massage chairs are a great way to reduce the affects of anxiety while it is in its early stages.

Relief Of Pain: Get relief of pain on demand with massage chair therapy. Massage is a natural way to relieve pain. It also helps to improve flexibility of the muscle tissues and joints. This is a great way to relieve pain naturally.

Stiffness: Many of us experience stiffness throughout the day. There are now many jobs requiring repetitive motions or sitting in the same position for long hours. This can cause fatigue in the muscles which leads to stiffness and pain. Massage chairs are a great way to combat this situation in its early stages to reduce stiffness in the body.

Relaxing: As we are coming under more stress in our lives, it is even more important to have relaxing time. Relaxation is a key to health and longevity. It is a natural way to induce healing and restore vitality in the body.

Why not get the convenience of regular massage treatments in your home? A massage chair is the perfect complement to your health routine. These recliners are perfect for warming up or warming down. They are always available and ready to serve your massage therapy needs.

These are just some of the more frequently cited Massage Chair Health Benefits. Find out how you can relieve aches, pain and discomfort 24/7 with a Health Massage Chair in the convenience of home. Remote controls make everything easy. Get the wonderful relief of full body massage when you need it most.

Chiropractic Care Explained

In order to fully understand the threat of spinal misalignment, it is very important to first realize the importance of chiropractic care.

Chiropractic is a system of organized and regular treatments or adjustments that correct the curvature of the vertebrae in the spine. According to chiropractic philosophy, these misalignments are the reason for all dis-ease or the break downs in the body. Malfunctioning nerves can eventually lead to internal disease and a lot of pain if left untreated.

Generally, there are three primary causes for these misalignments:

(1) Trauma or physical stresses placed on the body as a result of exercise, work, car accidents, etc.

(2) Stress which is due to daily life, including social pressures, family, work, moral or spiritual dilemmas, etc.

(3) Chemicals that we put into our bodies in the form of food, prescription or illegal drugs, diet components (i.e. aspartame), etc.

You are not satisfied that these three reasons alone cause all the dis-ease and illness in the body? You are not the only one! Dr. Henry Windsor was overcome by similar uncertainties and decided to conduct a test to see if these sources were really connected to internal diseases of the body.

A Revealing Case Study

Back in the 1920s, Dr. Windsor, a medical doctor from the University of Pennsylvania, was curious to find out if there was a correlation between curvatures in the spinal column (meaning, vertebrae out of place) and unhealthy organs. To test this theory, Dr. Windsor studied fifty cadavers from the pathology department to search for diseased organs. In the fifty cadavers, he found 139 diseased organs, including hearts, livers and gall bladders, in multiple levels of disease. Then Dr. Windsor looked at the nerves from the infected organs and followed them back to the spinal column.

What Dr. Windsor found was incredible! In the fifty cadavers with diseased organs, every case showed misaligned curvature of the bones in the spinal cord which was directly connected to the nerves leading to the unhealthy organs (1).

Essentially, here is what happens in the body:

(1) The vertebrae shift out of place, making the spine misaligned

(2) This causes nerve irritation

(3) The nerve irritation results in a reduced blood flow to the organs

(4) The reduced blood flow causes disease in the internal organs

Why Receive Regular Treatments?

Clearly, there is a direct correlation between misaligned vertebrae and the disease of internal organs. In fact, spinal curvature appears to precede and even trigger the onset of old age. How is this possible? With the stiffening of the spinal column, the blood flow is reduced to the essential organs thereby resulting in feelings of old age to set in prematurely.

Consider this: we visit the dentist no less than twice a year, but only seven percent of the population visit a chiropractor on a regular basis.

As your spinal cord is the central element in your body to preserving your health and longevity, make sure you get in to visit your chiropractor!

Bibliography: Windsor, H. (1921, Nov.). Sympathetic segmental disturbances: The evidence of the association, in dissected cadavers, of visceral disease with vertebrae deformities of the same sympathetic segments. Medical Times , 267-271.

Dr. Steve Van Laecken has removed the effects of spinal misalignment in thousands of patients, with amazing health results. To understand what misalignments are present in your spine and how these affect your health today, call SpinalWorks at 602-298-1600 for a get-acquainted meeting with Dr. Steve. For a limited time, Dr. Steve has agreed to provide these meetings for 75% off to anyone with a copy of this article.

If you have been in pain, then you know it is hard to go about your normal routine. Many sufferers of fibromyalgia have so much discomfort that it is debilitating. They are unable to participate in activities or may miss work. If you think you have something wrong, check with your medical doctor and get diagnosed early. Some patients use massage chairs to help relieve the discomfort. Try to start early treatments and to help keep it in check.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for FMS and research into the causes of this complex syndrome are just in the beginning phases. Preliminary research is showing that women between the ages of 20 and 60 are the most susceptible. Also, women are affected at a rate 20 times greater than men. There is still so much to learn, if you have any questions, then you should consult with your health care provider.

Although there is no conclusive theory about the causes of FMS, there are many preliminary theories. Some research shows that many of the symptoms tend to appear after having the flu or after having a stressing physical event. It appears that the body is somehow weakened and its normal defenses lowered from the physical strain. This lessening of the immune system may leave the body vulnerable to fibromyalgia.

One theory that is becoming a more widespread explanation is that of central sensitization. With central sensitization, it is thought that they brain has become more sensitive to pain signals that normal patients. The hypothesis is that the brain is more sensitive to the signals from the nerves regarding pain signals. This causes the brain to overreact to the nerve stimulation causing an abnormal increase in the level of neurotransmitters.

As we have stated, this is a complex area and finding the root causes are difficult. In most cases, sufferers can only find ways to cope with this disease. Most common is to relieve the pain. Most doctors try to steer their patients into natural therapies and only prescribe pain killers in severe situations. The natural methods most likely used are chiropractic therapy, bio-feedback and massage therapy.

Biofeedback is a technique used to relax the mind and the body with electronics. Various sensors are used to monitor your breathing, heart rate, sweat production, temperature of the body and muscle tension. This form of treatment has been known to help with chronic pain conditions.

With chiropractic care, the patient undergoes treatments to help increase their mobility and to help reduce pain. Chiropractors specialize in the health of the spine. Many times muscular pain is the result of muscles shifting weight around to avoid pain. Chiropractors seek to rebalance the body so that it is back in alignment.

One natural remedy that has been around since the beginning of time is massage therapy. The use of stroking and flowing strokes on the muscles and soft tissues helps to loosen them up. As they loosen up then their flexibility improves. Massage chair therapy targets the major muscle groups and the back, neck and shoulders. Other massage benefits are improved circulation of blood and lymph.

Massage chair therapy provides an effective and efficient means to receive massage treatments when you most need them. When your symptoms begin to act up, you can grab a few minutes of relief in a massage chair. Focus the massage right on the area you need now. Just hit a button and targeted relief begins immediately.

Periodic mild pain is tough to deal with, let along chronic pain. Finding a natural remedy that you can count on is vital in coping with FMS. A massage chair has proven invaluable to many sufferers as a way of dealing with the flare ups in real time. Massage chairs offer tremendous convenience for your most pressing needs. Check with you medical professional to the right path for you.

Encountering natural remedies like massage treatments helps your body to recover and be whole again. Massage Chairs offer a unique arsenal of consistent and effective massage therapy when you need and want it most. We have a great selection of therapeutic recliners from the top manufacturers. Find the best Pain Relief Massage Chairs for your requirements.

Many of the more severe headache symptoms are slow to respond to chemical treatment, which when made more intense to address the headache, can have long lasting and often negative effects to the body when used over time. This is why many people with chronic head pain look to the more natural (and very often the more effective alternative) solution of chiropractic care.

Different Kinds of Headaches

When treating any type of health condition, the first and most important step is to understand what is causing the problem. Since there are many different kinds of headaches, some are more effectively treated by chiropractic than others. Headaches are often caused by

-changes by vascular constriction

-tension in the muscles

-congested sinuses

These headaches may refer pain all over the head and feel like they’re centered in many different locations, but it is most important to know that chiropractic is a great solution to those headaches that are centered around tension in the muscles and changes to vascular flow. Sinus headaches may be treated as well, but its likely that the cause is more complicated.

The three kinds of headaches most often founding chiropractic offices are:

-migraine headaches

-tension headaches

-Cervicogenic headaches (headaches from the neck)

The last type of headache mentioned sounds a bit scary, but it just simply means a headache that is caused by referred pain that originates within the bone, muscles, or nerves of the neck.

Tension Headaches

When we become stressed, frightened, or angry, the body will respond with increased muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, or head. This reaction, often called a fight or flight response, is how we respond to stress. If stress becomes very constant in our lives, that muscle tension can become just another habit.

This can lead to imbalances in the way we hold our body, which in turn lead to more muscle tension and pain. Chiropractic treatment can often relax these muscles and realign the skeletal structure underneath to end the vicious cycle of pain. Those seeking treatment for tension headaches may often see drastic improvement in just a few sessions as nerves are less irritated and muscles become more relaxed.

Migraine Headaches

Migraines are brought about by changes in vascular flow, triggered by a variety of factors such as different smells, foods, weather, hormonal changes, and stress. These often very painful headaches do not always start off as pain. They can begin with nausea or the person may experience a halo effect called a visual aura.

Recent research has indicated that chiropractic treatment can reduce the number of migraines a person experiences. By adjusting the neck and spine with chiropractic treatment, you may be able to improve vascular flow and reduce the nerve irritation in the spine.

Treatment

Chiropractic treatment centers around the idea of manipulating the spinal column and neck to improve posture and blood flow. To treat a headache, the chiropractor will likely perform an adjustment with his or her hands, but may also use trigger point therapy, massage and other supporting types of treatments to create a holistic approach to the problem. The chiropractor will also likely recommend some stretching exercises and basic changes in posture to help keep things balanced in between visits.

Philip Vincent is a health care educator. Need a Chiropractor in Houston? Consider this Houston Chiropractor.

Chiropractic care from an experienced, licensed chiropractor can work wonders for neck pain sufferers, and countless people have had positive experiences of lessening pain after just one session of chiropractic care. Chiropractic for neck pain can be a very positive experience and an effective treatment.

In order to successfully treat neck pain, it is important to understand the cause. Neck pain can come as a result of a herniated disc, cervical problems, bad posture, stress, heavy lifting, repetitive motion, and many other reasons. A chiropractor will ask questions and perform examinations to properly diagnose the cause behind the neck pain, and can then perform the adjustments or other treatment necessary to help alleviate the neck pain, straighten the alignment of one’s spine, and allow the patient to function properly again.

Sometimes patients experience some or total relief after one session, but more often it takes a series of treatments in order to feel the full benefit of chiropractic for neck pain.

Often, a chiropractor will also recommend physical therapy as part of their treatment for neck pain. Physical therapy, including weight lifting, stretching the muscles, ultrasound treatment, and learning proper posture can greatly help the sufferer, along which chiropractic for neck pain.

Sometimes, chiropractors work side by side with reflexologists and acupuncturists, whose therapies can help sufferers of neck pain feel further relief. These specialists are very important to the health and well-being of long-time sufferers of debilitating pain.

Chiropractic is not often the first thought when someone begins to experience neck pain, but it can be a very important treatment option for those who suffer. Chiropractic adjustments take care of the actual problem behind the neck pain instead of just masking the pain with medication and potentially causing further harm because the patient cannot feel that they’re hurting themselves. Chiropractic care for neck pain is a proven treatment that has provided relief to millions of sufferers, and is an option that many people should seek out whether they have a neck injury, pain due to stress, or discomfort caused by repetitive motion at home or work.

Philip Vincent is a health educator. Looking for a Vancouver Chiropractor? Consider a visit to this Chiropractors Vancouver.

When you go to your first appointment, you can expect to be filling out paperwork, talking with the doctor about your specific problem, and providing your personal medical history. You may or may not get an x-ray (it depends on your condition). These radiographic pictures show the doctor what is truly going on with your spine. The doctor of chiropractic may also give you a physical examination and explore the area where you are having pain. He may have you do some range of motion tests as well. After your examination, the doctor may or may not do any spinal adjustments for you. He may decide to wait until he can see the results of your x-rays. You may also be given suggestions you can do at home before the next visit like applying ice packs or avoiding certain tasks.

At your follow up visit, the doctor will discuss the results of your x-rays with you and talk about a possible course of treatment. Some ailments only need one visit to help you feel better. Other conditions may require two or three visits per week for a week or two. If you have a very serious condition, you may end up needing a longer course of treatment that will taper off in frequency as your condition improves. The doctor will begin treatment with adjustments to decrease your pain and increase your movement abilities.

Spinal adjustments are accomplished by applying pressure to various areas of your spine using either the doctor’s hands or small devices. Most adjustments cause no pain or discomfort. The adjustments that are a little uncomfortable only last for a few seconds, and are largely due to the sore muscles.

The doctor of chiropractic will reassess your progress every few visits. If you are showing good improvement, it is likely that you can reduce the frequency of your visits until you only go in as needed, but that should be determined by your doctor. Once you are feeling an improvement in your pain, you may do some sessions to correct the underlying problem. The chiropractic adjustments at this point are trying to increase your mobility so you don’t need to worry about re-injuring yourself. If you happen to experience a flare up or recurrence of your problem, you’ll easily be able to increase your sessions for a short time until you feel better again.

The next part of your treatment works on strengthening the surrounding soft tissue that affects the area due to your injury or pain. By strengthening this tissue, you will have better functioning of the muscles and joints of this area. Once the pain is gone or at least stabilized, you may get supportive care, or maintenance. This can be as frequent as once a week for serious issues to once every few months for minor issues. This helps the patient remain on a healthy course of action to prevent any re-ocurrence.

Since you may need more frequent visits at first, you’ll probably want to check with your insurance company. Most do cover chiropractic care to some degree. You can also ask the chiropractic office to find out if you have coverage on your policy as well. They are usually better suited to assess your benefits anyway.

Philip Vincent is a health care educator. Need a Chiropractor Edmonton? Consider this Edmonton Chiropractor.