Chiropractic Adjustment

People who have never seen a chiropractic physician often ask how chiropractic can help when they have neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, sciatica pain, etc.  A chiropractor locates joints that are not moving properly and performs a maneuver to promote the normal range of motion.  This maneuver is known as an adjustment.  Chiropractors use high velocity/low amplitude movements in specific joints in order to accomplish this.  Chiropractors have specialized training to know what angles the joints must be in for a successful adjustment.

During an auto accident, it is very common to have muscle and ligament injury even in seemingly minor impacts.  The body responds with muscle spasm.  This is an attempt to limit the movement of an injured tissue.  When muscles spasm for a long time, this can lead to joint fixation that necessitates an adjustment to restore normal range of motion.

When a joint is fixated in a certain position for too long, it can develop degenerative changes.  These changes can lead to deep, achy stiffness in the region.  The body's response to a series of micro-trauma in these joints is to develop bony outgrowths (osteophytes) in the joint.  These extra bone growths can limit normal range of motion and make certain movements or activities painful.  These bony outgrowths can be seen on plain film X-rays.

If you have an auto injury, the chiropractor may recommend you have X-rays performed to assess change in normal position of joints and to determine the change in spine position.  For free consultation with a doctor, call our chiropractic clinic in Aloha / Beaverton, OR at (503) 992-6080, or SE Portland, OR at (503) 206-8863 today!