The term “chiropractic” derives from the Greek language and means “done by hand.” Chiropractic treatment entails a manual manipulation of the spine, which ultimately restores joint mobility, as well as treatment for other musculoskeletal disorders improving the quality of health.
Support For Your Whole Body
The spine may be the focal point of chiropractic care, but other areas of the body can greatly benefit from a manipulation such as ankles, knees, hips, wrists, elbows, shoulders, and ribs.
The focus of chiropractic care involves the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system working together in sync. Through the use of adjustments, joint manipulation, and other techniques, the spine can become normalized, resulting in better neural function, which can relieve many disorders and allow for natural healing.
As chiropractic care is done by hand, there are no medications or surgery, which makes this approach holistic. Although some chiropractors may work hand in hand with other doctors while managing your condition and other courses of treatment may be suggested.
Our Philosophy
At AICA, our Atlanta Chiropractors believe in a natural healing process and the ideology that one should maintain health rather than just treat a condition. Chiropractic philosophy includes:
- Recognition that dynamics exist between lifestyle, environment, and health.
understanding the cause of illness to eliminate it, rather than merely treating symptoms. - Recognition of the centrality of the nervous system and its intimate relationship with the capacities of the human body.
- Use of a patient-centered, hands-on approach focused on influencing function through structure.
- Focus on early intervention, emphasizing timely diagnosis and treatment of conditions that are wholly functional and reversible.
Applications
Some chiropractors specialize solely in pain management such as treating headaches, back pain, and other musculoskeletal conditions, where other practices extend their practice to a wider range of conditions. Preventative care is a focus as well as providing therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises to enhance the quality of life followed up with nutritional and dietary counseling.
Women who may be pregnant or even postpartum may find relief in chiropractic care, as well as those who may suffer from premenstrual syndrome and cramps.
Chiropractic neurologists are a growing specialty, treating patients with a variety of conditions, including hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, and autism.
Chiropractors also may treat sciatica (pain in the lower back and hips that spreads down the back of the thigh into the leg), asthma, high blood pressure, tension headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoporosis, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) and neurological pain. Many of these conditions are treated directly, such as tension headaches, and others indirectly, such as osteoporosis, by addressing the symptoms.
Conditions that involve the blood, heart, lungs, and other organs may best be treated by other medical professionals. If you are currently receiving treatment by a specialist, talk about your options with them, and see if chiropractic care is right for you. Although your condition may be unrelated to common symptoms treated by a chiropractor, these techniques may help complement your existing treatment plan.
Medical and chiropractic physicians have been building bridges for many years now. In the vast majority of cases, you should have no difficulty attaining cooperation between a medical and a chiropractic doctor.
Treatment
Chiropractic appointments usually take anywhere between 15-30 minutes. However, your first appointment may last approximately an hour as our chiropractors like to discuss your medical history, perform preliminary procedures and exams, and discuss all of your options with you before developing a treatment plan. Upon diagnosis or evaluation, you may or may not receive treatment in the first appointment.
All treatment plans are customized to meet the needs of each patient to ensure the highest level of success. Chiropractors most often use their hands to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, to reduce pain and restore or enhance joint function. Still, in some instances, a device (called an activator) is used. An adjustment generally consists of an expertly designed movement to the joint. You’ll most likely hear a popping sound—similar to the cracking of your knuckles. This should not cause any pain and often produces immediate relief.
Aside from adjustments, therapeutic ultrasounds, electrical muscle stimulation, ice and heat, and soft tissue massage may be used in the treatment plan.
Heat provides relief to muscles by relaxing them and minimizing spasms, where ice minimizes inflammation and swelling. An ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to treat soft-tissue injuries. As the sound waves penetrate the tissue, the tissues become warm. An electrical muscle stimulation uses electric current to minimize pain and spasms. Aside from these techniques, exercises may also be recommended for home care.
When developing your treatment plan, our chiropractors will also discuss with you how many visits they feel are required and how long each treatment will last.
Some treatment plans may have you visiting multiple times a week, where others may only have you in the office a few times a month. Chiropractic care is usually most effective (especially for low-back symptoms) in the first few weeks. If you don’t feel like the treatments are working after a few weeks of receiving them, you should report this to your chiropractor.
Contact Us Today
If you are looking for a way to manage your pain and want to avoid medications, chiropractic care is a holistic approach to pain management. These techniques are safe and proven effective and lead to a better quality of life. Contact AICA Atlanta for more information by dialing (404) 855-2141 today.