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What
exactly does a chiropractor do to treat you? The
answer to that is, it depends on his/her education.
There are over 250 different chiropractic techniques
that incorporate many disciplines. There are
chiropractors that specialize in medical examination,
sports medicine, neurology, radiology, non-force
techniques, energetics, or a particular style of
adjusting. Each specialty has its own philosophy
on how to treat patients, and more importantly, they are
all invaluable in making chiropractic a diverse and
complete healthcare option. |
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Page
Index
The
Adjustment
Manual
Muscle Testing For Diagnosis
Manual
Muscle Testing As A Diagnostic Tool
Energy
Nutrition
& Lifestyle
Emotions
The
Adjustment
The primary treatment used by the chiropractor is the
adjustment. This treatment usually results in a
"pop" or "crack" and a relief of
symptoms through correction of subluxated
joints. The doctor of chiropractic spends many
years mastering these precise movements to ensure
patient safety, as well as optimum results. There
are many techniques which address the movement of the
vertebrae, such as Gonstead, Diversified, Thompson Drop,
Blair, SOT,
Logan, Cox, etc. . . The typical
chiropractor will specialize in one particular technique
or incorporate various techniques into his/her own
unique style.
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Manual
Muscle Testing For Diagnosis
Manual muscle testing has been used for years by doctors
of every discipline. The primary use of muscle
testing is for neurological analysis and orthopedic
evaluation. More specifically, specific muscles
are innervated by specific nerve root levels. For
example the bicep muscle is innervated by the C5 nerve
root. This information would be valuable in
determining the extent of a cervical spine injury.
Orthopedic evaluation of a particular joint includes
muscle testing to determine the level of functionality
of a particular muscle and stability of that joint.
Chiropractors are educated in these tests and are adept
at evaluating them and determining whether to treat,
refer, or co-treat. Note: Your doctor (DC, MD,
etc.) should always give you alternatives to their care
as well as the pros and cons of each option.
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Muscle
Testing As A Diagnostic Tool
Manual muscle testing as a diagnostic tool is a
relatively new innovation. In addition to the
previous uses, manual muscle testing has been fine-tuned
to test almost every muscle in the body for function.
When testing a specific muscle (as in Applied
Kinesiology), or using a general muscle group (as in
Total Body Modification [TBM] or
NueroEmotional
Technique [NET]), the doctor evaluates the functional
neurology of that muscle or muscle group. The
function of the muscle and the result of the muscle test
will assist the doctor in determining the proper
treatment protocol.
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Energy
Acupuncture has been used to treat the body
energetically for thousands of years. Acupuncture
defines energy pathways (meridians), related to
different organs, that traverse the body and influence
the symptoms of many diseases. Doctors of
chiropractic, such as Dr. George Goodheart and Dr.
Victor Frank, developed techniques that incorporate
these energy pathways with specific adjustments to
assist in the flow of this energy. Many of these
energy pathways cross directly over or through joints,
which the chiropractor can adjust. Stimulation of
acupuncture points can be done using a variety of
methods, the most common via needles. In addition
to needles, the points can be stimulated with a tsuma-shin,
laser, or percussion. The properly trained
chiropractor can utilize the stimulation of these energy
pathways to complement treatment and aid in determining
the cause of a symptom. Note: This is not meant
to be an all-inclusive list of or description of
acupuncture techniques or philosophy.
Network Spinal Analysis also deals with the body's
energy as an all-inclusive treatment designed to cue the
brain to create wellness protocols via light touches on
the spine. The goal of Network treatment is not to
relieve symptoms, but to increase self-awareness of the
relationship between the mind, body, emotions, and the
expression of the human spirit.
For Network care in the San Fernando
Valley and surrounding area please contact:
Dr. Aaron Wilkerson, DC at (818) 506-4920
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Nutrition
& Lifestyle
The top three causes of death in the U.S. right now are
heart disease, cancer, and stroke. The prevalence
of these diseases has spawned from the lifestyle of the
typical American. Decreasing the number of deaths
due to these diseases lies in the hands of the people
and not in the creation of new pharmaceuticals or
surgical techniques. Lifestyle change, in and of
itself, would significantly decrease the mortality rates
of these diseases. The rigorous education of
primary care doctors includes several classes on health
and wellness, as well as nutritional support. The
ultimate goal of these classes is to lay a solid
groundwork for the doctor to educate the patient.
Lifestyle changes encompass several areas of our life.
Recreational legal drug use, diet, stress, and exercise
are the most significant factors that influence the
progression of disease with respect to lifestyle.
Chiropractors are versed in educating the public about
healthy lifestyle changes which will aid in the
prevention of disease.
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Emotions
Emotional stress can affect our bodies in several ways.
It is important to recognize the value of treating
emotional stress of the mind and of the body.
Typically, people will seek treatment for their mind,
but neglect to seek treatment for their body.
Chiropractors trained in
TBM and
NET are capable of
releasing the physical effects of emotional stress that
are stored in the body. The general principle is:
Stagnation of emotional stress in specific areas of the
body can perpetuate disease. Release of this
stagnant emotional stress allows for healing of the body
as well as the mind.
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