Facts About the Chiropractic Adjustment

Chiropractors are usually well-versed with a number of techniques, but at the end of the day, their main tool in the toolbox is the Chiropractic adjustment. The main goal of the adjustment is to restore movement and alignment within the spine as it influences the function of the nervous system. Here is some more information about the act of the adjustment:

What is an Adjustment? 
A spinal adjustment is a highly specialized procedure that your chiropractor uses to free you spine from a form of negative health stress also known as a vertebral misalignment. When an adjustment is administered to your spine, the movement helps unlock a jammed or fixated vertebra and moves it towards its proper alignment. In turn this helps restore proper
movement and reduces the impact it has on suppressing/interrupting the nervous system.  

What is the noise that you hear during your Adjustment? 
In our office, we usually don’t describe the noise as a crack or pop. We’ll save that for cereal. The noise that you hear during your spinal adjustment is a harmless release of pressure. Your Chiropractor doesn’t actually “crack” your bones during a treatment. That expression can often frighten someone who has never had an adjustment. When pressure is applied to a joint, you most likely will hear a sound and feel a mild sensation – muck like when you bend your knuckles. The noise comes from the joint itself, not the bones specifically. It is caused by a release of gas pressure from the joint, largely carbon dioxide, encapsulated in joint fluid. The noise you hear does not determine how effective your adjustment is, so don’t be worried if you don’t hear it during your adjustment either.  

What Techniques do we use? 
There are a variety of techniques that a Chiropractor can learn to administer an adjustment. Usually they all have the same common goal, which is to restore normal movement and function of the spine, but this can be done in different ways. In our office, we usually practice through 3 main techniques:

- Thompson Technique – the administration of this adjustment is through the use of table drops. The premise is to use small table drops in order to achieve movement in spinal segments. Although the drops sound loud, it has a light impact on the body, but just enough force to influence the movement of the spine.

- Diversified Technique – this is commonly known as the manual adjustment that Chiropractic is known for. Many people inquire about the neck and back “twists” that they see in videos and essentially this is the technique that includes those motions. These adjustments usually require a quick, low force adjustment by hand that influences movement through a
spinal joint.

- Instrument-Assisted Techniques – adjustments can be administered through an instrument as well, which has its benefits for more focal adjustments as well. The instruments usually involve a light force pushed through a pistol-like movement through the instrument onto the spinal segment.  

Your Mississauga Chiropractor is equipped with many tools to help you be at your best. Your Chiropractor would go through a thorough examination to understand your current condition and how adjustments should be administered to your body tolerance and comfort. Adjustments don’t need to be feared, as your Chiropractor is ready to help take care of your spine no matter the technique necessary. It’s important to have your spine checked to see how it can be affected your health and function. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of the Chiropractic adjustment, feel free to contact us at (905)821-4951.