Chiropractic Care in Tannum Sands
At Boyne Tannum Chiropractic Acupuncture Center in Tannum Sands, people come to see us for a variety of reasons...
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Clinic Brochure
What is chiropractic?
Chiropractic can be defined as "A system of therapy wherein disease is considered the result of abnormal functioning of the nervous system. The method of treatment usually involves manipulation of the spinal column and other body structures."
Is chiropractic care safe?
Chiropractic care is "remarkably safe" according to the New Zealand government's inquiry. Chiropractic is a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or the use of addictive drugs. The combination of safe and effective chiropractic and acupuncture methods and techniques offer you a natural approach to better health.
Who and What Are Chiropractors?
Chiropractors in Australia are a nationally registered and a regulated health care profession. Chiropractic is a drug and surgery free modality of treatment concerned with the diagnosis, management and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system; this includes the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health. It is based on the teachings of Galen and Hippocrates and the premise that the body can respond appropriately to its environment provided that the nervous system is free of interference. This was further developed by Palmer which lead to a focus on the spinal column and its functioning. In summary, chiropractors focus on the detection and correction of aberrant spinal function and its subsequent effect on how the nervous system controls and coordinates the body in response to its environment.
In Australia, chiropractors are educated in the University sector at an under-graduate and post-graduate level and there is a growing research and evidence base not only in Australia but through international federations. As with other healthcare professions, there are internationally and nationally recognized standards of qualification to enable practice in Australia and this is part of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.
What is an adjustment?
Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the doctor of chiropractic’s intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractic physician typically uses his or her hands--or an instrument--to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore or enhance joint function. This often helps resolve joint inflammation and reduces the patient's pain. Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Adjustments involve short but fast movements of joints in the neck, mid-or-lower back in order to restore relaxed and pain free movements. This in turn results in a balance of muscle tone, greater mobility and often immediate pain relief. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.
Whilst health improves through continuous chiropractic care, support is also provided by means of home exercises and postural advice to assist with improved health conditions thus aiding the return to enjoyable activities that might have been put on hold.
Why icepacks instead of heat packs after chiropractic adjustments?
For those injured who are seeking chiropractic care – being it for acute torticollis (waking up with your neck stuck to one side), a pinched nerve, pulled back (acute sprain or strain) – applying an icepack to the affected area will reduce swelling and inflammation resulting in speedy pain relief and faster recovery times.
What do I need to tell my chiropractor?
The chiropractor will use the completed New Patient Form as a guide during his/her consultation. It is thus imperative that the form is completed fully and all questions are answered honestly. The form has been designed so that the health/lifestyle/medication/surgical histories and past treatments assist the chiropractor in forming a diagnosis which will influence the provision of the desired treatment.
What else do chiropractors look for during a visit?
Long term spinal problems often lead to adaptions and imbalances elsewhere in the body that may lead to seemingly unrelated problems, for example:
- a stiff neck may be the end result of a long term tooth and jaw problem - managing jaw muscles speeds up recovery
- a shoulder problem may cause the shrugging of neck muscles causing a neck problem
- a stiff neck may require two pillows to sleep on, resulting in the stiffening of muscles between shoulder blades
- a sore back may force the body to bend differently such as when putting on shoes or walking, resulting in aggravation of hips and knees
- a sore ankle may results in pushing off differently on the other leg, causing knee and hip pain on the opposite side of the body
Chiropractors are trained to observe and recognize changed movement patterns, which allow them to advise on methods to restore and implement better movement patterns. Once implemented, these methods will change causative postural habits resulting in movement becoming less restrictive and the affected areas less fatigued and painful.
Do chiropractors treat pregnant women?
Yes. Having your spine checked during your pregnancy will play an important role in ensuring that your body and spine are functioning normally, and will assist in maintaining the proper function of pelvis and spine whilst the body adapts to the numerous changes caused by pregnancy.
Is Chiropractic treatments safe for Children?
The short answer is yes. After years of study, there is now enough modern evidence to suggest that chiropractic care for children can help them in many ways.
Chiropractic care can help alleviate any pain from growth spurts in children, and ensure their bones and joints are in proper alignment during these times. In addition, chiropractic can help relieve or prevent ear infections, scoliosis and sports injuries in children.
Chiropractic and acupuncture combined?
Chiropractic works with the skeletal and nervous system. Skeletal problems are often the origin of many physical complaints. An adjustment alone may not hold if uneven muscle tension or soft tissue inflammation are constantly tugging the bones out of alignment. Acupuncture works with soft tissue and overall balance of body function. By relieving pain while relaxing and balancing muscle and nervous function, acupuncture helps chiropractic adjustments to last longer. Together, these therapies can shorten the overall time required to resolve a musculoskeletal complaint and therefore get so much better and quicker results.