Spinal Subluxation - A spinal subluxation is a minor dislocation of the spine vertebrae. In other words, a spine vertebra is "out of place or position" when it is subluxed. When one or more of your vertebra move out of alignment, they can irritate the spine nerves. Since the nervous system is responsible for control of your body systems, if a nerve is pinched or irritated, it cannot effectively communicate with the body organ systems. This can lead to pain and disease. Chiropractors are trained in identifying and correcting spinal subluxations and therefore, restoring health to the body.

Neuron - a nerve cell. Many neurons make up a nerve. When a nerve is compressed, irritated, scarred, or inflamed by a subluxed vertebra, it can lose its ability to communicate to its target organs and tissues.

Nerve - dozens to millions of neurons that communicate information from the brain to their target organs such as muscles, skin, organs, joints, glands, etc.

Spinal Cord - a large cord of nerves that emerges from the base of the skull and runs down toward your tailbone within the spinal column.

Herniated Disc - a disc is a lot like a jelly donut. It is composed of a fibrous cartilage covering called the annulus fibrosus and a jelly center called the nucleus pulposus. When a disc "slips", "herniates", or extrusion occurs, the nucleus breaks through the walls of the annulus fibrosus. Think of it as the jelly coming out of the donut.

Spinal Column - twenty-nine vertebrae make up the spinal column. They are stacked on top of each other forming a column to house the spinal cord. The spinal column is divided into seven neck vertebrae called cervical vertebrae, twelve middle back vertebrae called the thoracic vertebrae, and five low back vertebrae called the lumbar vertebrae. Five fused vertebrae make up the tailbone called the sacrum and at the end of the sacrum is a small group of bones called the coccyx.

Adjustment - term that describes any number of techniques used to correct a spinal subluxation. There are a variety of techniques used such as high force, low force, activator techniques, among others.

Manipulation - another term that describes an adjustment

Ultrasound - a treatment modality that uses high frequency sound waves that can be used to generate heat or mechanical stimulation to facilitate increased circulation, muscle relaxation, and healing.

Electrical Stimulation - general term that describes a variety of machines that are used to stimulate nerves. TENS is one type of electrical treatment that stimulates sensory nerves and blocks pain impulses from reaching your brain. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation stimulates the nerves that go to muscles. This type of stimulation is used to help nerves learn how to work properly again. You will feel the muscle contract under the electrode pad when this stimulation is used.

Soft Tissue Massage - there are many different types of massage. Swedish massage involves long, comforting strokes. Sports massage works on those muscles involved in a specific sport like the legs with running. Deep tissue massage goes deeper and is designed to loosen areas of muscular tightness and spasm.

One of our associates may use any combination of the above techniques to supplement your chiropractic treatment and as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program. chiropractic process.

Report of Findings - after your thorough examination, your findings are assimilated into a comprehensive treatment plan and are presented to you in the Report of Findings. This may include any posture problems, spine subluxations, nerve findings, muscular weakness, or other identifiable problems. We will also tell you how many treatment sessions you will need to accomplish your goals, and how to prevent the reoccurrence of these problems.

Heat Pack - hot packs are a form of moist or dry heat used to relax muscles and decrease pain. Heat causes the blood vessels to dilate which increases circulation to the local tissues. Heat packs are best for pain that you have experienced for months or years (chronic pain). Heat should not be used if an inflammatory process is suspected. Ask your chiropractor if it is appropriate for you.

Ice Pack - ice packs are used to "cool off" tissue. Cooling soft tissue will cause the blood vessels to constrict which decreases swelling in/around damaged soft tissue. Ice also has a pain-relieving or analgesic effect. It will numb the area of pain. Ice is a good choice when an inflammatory process is suspected or with an acute (recent) injury. Ask your chiropractor if it is appropriate for you.

Pain - pain is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) as:

"an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage" It may have both a physical component due to tissue damage as well as emotional and psychological components.

Acute Pain- pain as the result of injury or disease that started within the last 7 days.

Subacute Pain - pain that is ongoing from an injury or disease that is present for at least one week and up to three months.

Chronic Pain - pain that is ongoing for greater than three months.

Episodic Pain - pain that comes and goes on a regular basis. This is a common experience for people that have low back pain. They regularly report that they will have several repeating episodes of pain in any given year.

The history of chiropractic can be traced back for several hundred centuries. Only in the last 120 years has chiropractic become mainstream care. The pioneer, Daniel David Palmer is known as the modern-day founder of chiropractic. His intensive studies lead to the inception of an organized chiropractic school - The Palmer School of Chiropractic. Daniel David Palmer's son, Bartlett Joshua Palmer, is credited with furthering the profession and developing many of the theories that are the basis of modern chiropractic care.

Chiropractic practice has evolved from alternative care to mainstream medicine. The art and science of spinal adjustment has been perfected by the profession. Doctors of chiropractic have been performing spinal adjustments for more than 110 years - and more than 94 percent of all spinal adjustments in the United States, are performed by chiropractors according to the RAND Corp.

For more information, visit the American Chiropractic Association and click on the for patients link.