What does a chiropractor do?
A chiropractor is a healer. They use specific methods depending on the location, severity, and damage in the injured area. Chiropractors work with their hands. At Yoder Chiropractic Center we employ a wide range of methodologies. Depending on your condition we may also work with a massage therapist or a specialist care provider. You may be most familiar with the idea of a spinal adjustment. That’s just one way an injury chiropractor in Vancouver, WA can help you find relief.
The diagnosis is just as important as the treatment.
[highlight]We take a two-step approach to injury diagnosis.[/highlight] The first is an intake assessment and evaluation. This may involve X-rays as well as a physical examination. We want to locate the injury, identify the extent of the damage, and determine the best way to proceed. While medications can help with pain, it typically masks it. Stop the medication and the pain comes back. A chiropractor’s specialty is in treating the source of the pain.
That’s why the second part is a full health and medical history. We want to identify any factors you may not have considered. Even injuries from decades ago can impact your health today. It’s not always clear cut where a problem is arising from. Diet and exercise also play a role. With a full health history, we can both identify conditional factors and rule out others. This allows us to pinpoint the nature of your injury or illness.
Chiropractic Treatment Techniques
Different techniques are used depending on the injury. Lasting relief is always the goal. This is accomplished by manipulating specific areas of the body. This covers some of the most commonly applied chiropractic techniques, where they are used, and what effect the patient can expect.
Gonstead Technique
- This is a manual therapy technique that involves placing pressure on very specific points of the spinal vertebrae. This is used to treat back problems and is particularly effective on lower back pain. The chiropractor will work to realign vertebrae. This can also realign discs as well as restore full nervous system function throughout the spine.
The Thompson Drop Technique
- This technique involves careful analysis of the length of the legs using a “drop” table. This table is designed to lower specific spinal segments. This can help reveal where subluxations are in the spine. Using multiple methods to identify problem areas allows a chiropractor to target only those that are negatively affecting your body.
Extremity Manipulation
- Manipulation techniques are designed to restore mobility and functionality. When joints in your extremities like hands and feet are misaligned, it can cause inflammation, compressed nerves, and lead to numbness, pain, loss of strength, and movement difficulties. Manipulation realigns joints which can relieve inflammation and decompress nerves.
Those are just some of the tools we use.
Depending on your condition our techniques may focus on:
- Removing scar tissue that impedes muscle function.
- Restoring nervous system pathways.
- Increasing range of motion in specific tendons.
- Correcting joint and spinal alignment issues.
- Improving mobility through exercise and stretching.
- Reducing inflammation in specific muscle groups.
- Correcting posture to reduce muscle strain.
- Identifying and correcting dietary imbalances.
As a medical practitioner, Dr. Tim Yoder believes in using every available tool to help you achieve health. He knows a wide assortment of additional techniques that are used for specific injuries like sports-related medicine or herniated discs.
Treating an injury through chiropractic care is all about the patient. Every treatment is different because every patient’s history and health are too. That’s why all of our medical treatments are tailored to the individual. We’ll communicate with you throughout your initial exam and medical history to ensure our chiropractic clinic in Vancouver, WA can provide the injury relief you need.
