Chiropractic Adjustments
Adjusting is the MOST important thing that we do in the office! You can’t get it anywhere else by anyone else, so Dr Barto devotes her time to being sure she can deliver. While adjustments all accomplish the same thing – which we’ll get to in just a bit – they can look different depending on the needs of the patient. Whether you’re hours old, or nearly 100 years old (or anything in between) Dr Barto understands how to tailor her technique to your needs.
As for what adjustments do – they align joints so they work better and improve communication between the brain and body via the nervous system – not only so the patient feels better, but so their whole body works better – check out our What We Help page and then our Testimonial page
How Does a Spinal Adjustment from my Chiropractor Work?
Your body works by your brain sending communication through the spinal cord then out through the nerves to every cell, tissue, muscle and organ in your body. The bones of the spine surround and protect the spinal cord. Through every day stress – like sitting for long periods, slips, falls, car accidents, and even the birth process, those bones of the spine can lose proper alignment and motion and that changes how the brain and body communicate as well as how the body functions. Not only can it cause pain, but other dysfunction as well.
Chiropractors call this misalignment a subluxation. The word literally means a state of less light and isn’t that exactly how you feel when you’re not feeling your best, like your own light has been dimmed? But it just means the bones aren’t working the way they should be and it’s causing problems whenever those nerves go.
To put it simply, adjustments work by aligning the spine so the joints can better stimulate the nervous system and improve communication between the brain and the body. Just like cell phone reception is better with 5 bars instead of 2, your body works better when communication between the brain and body is improved.
What’s that cracking sound?
That popping sound is a release of gas, usually nitrogen, from the joints. It’s not bones hitting each other or cracking.
What if my back doesn’t crack or pop during an adjustment?
Some people make lots of noise when they get adjusted, others don’t. Though that sound can be rather satisfying, it does not mean an adjustment did or did not happen. Actually there are many chiropractic techniques that don’t cause this sound. If you’re a person who’s afraid of your “bones cracking” , rest assured that Dr Barto uses those techniques often. There also won’t be a sound if that gas has already been released. If you’ve already “cracked” your knuckles, you generally can’t do it again right away. It takes time for the gas to build up again. So keep this in mind if you’re a “self-adjuster.”
What if I don’t like that popping sound or a hands on adjustment?
No worries! Not everyone loves a manual adjustment. Actually, sometimes a manual adjustment isn’t the best choice. Dr Barto also uses a tool called an Activator that delivers a very quick, effective adjustment while you (or your child) just lays there. No twisting, turning or sounds other than the click of the Activator.