Overcoming Injuries With Chiropractic Care

At Pinnacle Health Chiropractic, we offer a whole-body form of therapy designed to help you heal naturally, without medication or surgery. The chiropractic techniques that we use are used by trained physiotherapists. Our techniques encourage healthy growth and the healing of old wounds. James Ablett, DC, leads our team in your care, and we help you through specific techniques designed to support your body as it heals itself.

Chiropractic care is based on the belief that your body wants to be healthy and work properly. Injuries, illness, and stress can change how well your body works. For example, you may suffer from chronic headaches. Someone may suggest a pain reliever, but the headaches come back. Using his hands, Dr. Ablett helps you discover the root problem of your headache and manipulates your muscles and joints to stop the pain and prevent it from returning.

Getting down to what’s wrong

To get to the root of your problem, Dr. Ablett needs to understand your medical history. After you talk, he performs a physical exam that includes palpating a variety of areas on your body. Palpation involves pressing his fingers into your flesh to see how muscles and joints react when you move.

During palpation, Dr. Ablett notes areas where you show discomfort as well as areas that are tight. He palpates the entire body, just to be thorough. Areas that may seem unrelated can cause pain. Can an ankle injury cause chronic headaches? Actually, it can. If you walk or move in a way that spares the injured ankle, it may cause the rest of your body to become unbalanced. The muscles in your shoulders or neck may compensate, causing your headache.

How we help you

Once you’ve discussed his findings, Dr. Ablett begins treatment. Because this is holistic treatment, some of the onus falls on you. You won’t be able to do as you please while we’re working with you to heal you from your injuries. You may discuss lifestyle changes that include diet, stress management, and sleep behavior. We employ a variety of techniques to treat your body, helping it to heal naturally.

Thrust

Dr. Ablett may use the thrust technique to encourage healing. During this procedure, he pushes his hands into some of the larger muscle masses in the body, such as the back, shoulders, thighs, and glutes. He pushes gently, but firmly, to release trapped lactic acid in the muscles and encourage better blood flow, leading to healing.

Strain/counterstrain

Rarely seen outside of chiropractic practices, this is a technique that hones in on one area of pain at a time. During this procedure, Dr. Ablett asks you to relax your muscles as much as possible as he moves your limbs. He palpates the surface of your skin, looking for a tender point. This is a spot that has pain, but it’s localized. Then, without your help, he moves the joints around the area until you have no pain. After holding this position for a little more than a minute, he moves your body back into a neutral position. This helps to reset your body’s response to the painful area, making you more comfortable.

Myofascial release

Myofascial tissue, the connective tissue around muscle fibers, causes pain when it becomes inflamed due to injury or accident. To ease this inflammation, Dr. Ablett gently pushes the muscle group, massaging the area. This gently stretches the muscle fibers, reducing swelling and relieving pain.

We’re ready to assist you in your journey to a pain-free life. Call us today, or use our online form to contact our team at Pinnacle Health Chiropractic.