Oftentimes, our spines are in a constant state of strain. The strain is due to the type of lifestyle we live and what we do daily. It is not merely about sitting at your desk or standing for long periods that can cause this. It could be something as simple as picking up your child from school or bending down to tie their shoelaces. Chiropractic adjustments and spinal rehabilitation services can help alleviate these stresses and strains on the spine. Significantly, it allows you to lead a comfortable life, free from pain.
Dr. Leigh Sierra, a chiropractor in the greater Dallas area, offers spinal rehabilitation services to patients who have experienced trauma or pain and want to get back on their feet again. Dr. Sierra's approach is holistic. The holistic approach focuses on relieving pain and improving quality of life through adjustments, exercises, nutrition guidance, and more.
WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC REHABILITATION?
The goal of chiropractic rehabilitation is to help people who are recovering from an injury or illness. Chiropractors look for injuries, illnesses, and disabilities in the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Usually, these injuries are caused by trauma such as a car crash or fall.
A typical patient will first learn about their condition after sustaining a severe injury, which usually includes torn muscle tissue or broken bone. These injuries commonly require careful stretching training for optimal results during recovery. Chiropractic rehabilitation can be a great way to manage your injury care. Dr. Sierra uses diagnostic tools to see how you are healing and if the treatment is helping or not.
IS SPINAL REHABILITATION SAFE?
Your chiropractic adjustment may come with popping noises, but they are harmless. When you are moved into different positions, and the therapist applies gentle force to move your back into proper alignment, these pops happen due to the joints being pulled apart or stretched beyond their limits. This is done to bring back the optimal function of the bone. It is similar when you perform stretches. You hear joints creaking even if it is not audible outside of yourself, and stretching is not painful.
While many people may be concerned with whether their bones will crack during chiropractic treatment as they often report hearing snapping noises when adjusting someone's spinal column. The popping sounds and feelings of relief that accompany chiropractic adjustments are entirely safe. There is no need to worry about any potential damage to your spine.
THE ROLE OF THE CHIROPRACTOR IN REHABILITATION
Chiropractic is quite diverse and includes many different specialties. It's crucial to choose a chiropractor whose approach and philosophy towards health aligns with your own needs since the treatments offered vary depending on specialty type and training.
Moreover, when the spinal cord is damaged, the injury can be classified as an acute or a rehabilitative problem. Acute problems typically originate from sudden trauma to the spinal column, such as car accidents and falls. The body needs surgery to stabilize damage caused by injury. However, this does not guarantee normal function once recovery begins due to the factors involved that determine how injured patients will recover. The factors include the severity of injury and location of injuries on the spine (not just vertebrae). Rehabilitative treatments provide effective healing for more cases than ever before, with significant improvement being seen across all age groups.
- Initial Chiropractic Consultation
Depending on why you are visiting a chiropractor, the first appointment will be either an initial consultation or an examination. The purpose of both is to learn about your health and how Dr. Sierra can help address any pain or discomfort you experience. During the visit with Dr. Sierra, she may ask questions such as: "What brings you here today?". Any patient who has injuries is welcome for consultation. Usually, patients complain of chronic back pain.
- Report of Findings
Following your evaluation and initial testing, the doctor will review the results with you. Report of findings ensures Dr. Sierra that she can accurately diagnose the problem of the patient to provide an appropriate solution. The four main topics after evaluating these tests include:
- What caused this problem?
- Can we help reduce or eliminate it for good?
- How long would treatment take to correct any issues found in our tests so far;
- And finally, how much do treatments cost at our clinic?
Finances are an essential subject to discuss to determine if the patient can continue the chiropractic care sessions. Regular spinal adjustments are vital in maximizing the benefits of spinal rehabilitation services.
- Developing a Personalized Chiropractic Care
While anatomy and physiology function as a basis for doctors to evaluate health conditions, each person is different. Chiropractic care must be on a case-to-case basis. Despite having the same condition, it still varies on severity, intensity, etiology, and lifestyle of a person. Dr. Sierra believes the same. Thus, she ensures that each patient receives the best possible chiropractic care to address the problem.
TECHNIQUES USED BY CHIROPRACTORS
Chiropractic care was first developed in the early 1900s and is now one of the most widely used natural methods to help relieve discomfort. There are many different types of non-threatening or less serious spinal cord injuries that chiropractic care can be helpful for, such as headaches or joint pain. Over decades there has been much research dedicated to finding medical treatments and alternative therapies designed specifically for those with a spinal cord injury who suffer from chronic backaches and headaches due to their condition.
Chiropractic clinics may offer or recommend complementary therapies to promote recovery:
Chiropractors are committed to the well-being of their patients and will make recommendations for treatments outside of chiropractics, including:
- ultrasound therapy,
- acupuncture on meridian points,
- massage therapy.
Trigger point injections can help improve various symptoms, such as pain management. EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) is a treatment that provides an electrical current that stimulates deep tissue muscles to strengthen them.
BENEFITS OF CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS AND SPINAL REHABILITATION
- Relieves neck and lower back pain
The British study of 185 patients with neck pain showed that chiropractic treatment had a faster recovery time than general practitioner care or physiotherapy. Similarly, in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics' study on low-back pain, approximately 60% more people treated by chiropractors experienced significant improvements in contrast to those who were only being cared for by general practitioners.
- Addresses headaches and migraines
Migraine and tension headaches are two of the most common conditions treated by chiropractors, with many patients reporting that treatment has helped reduce their frequency. One study found that 25% of individuals who had adjustments for severe headache attacks reported a 90% drop in the number of attack occurrences. In the same clinical trial, 50% of respondents experienced a significant reduction in intensity.
- Lowers Blood Pressure
A recent study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension found that chiropractic adjustments had the same effect as blood pressure maintenance medicines. Many medical professionals prefer spinal rehabilitation since it is a non-invasive treatment. Additionally, it reduces the need for medications. Too much medication dependency develops adverse side effects, such as fatigue, nausea, anxiety, and dizziness.
- Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is one of the top reasons for muscle tension, joint issues, and pain. Chiropractic adjustments have been proven to relieve inflammation in time, thereby relieving lower back pain or arthritis from only a few treatments.
- Strengthens The Immune System
Your nervous system communicates with the rest of your body through a long cord called the spinal column. Hence, it means that when there is spinal damage or spinal misalignment, an individual is more likely to experience pain and injury symptoms as well as weakened immune function.
A recent Harvard study found that having chiropractic care designed to relieve stress, pain, and misalignment of the spine improves nerve function. Thus, chiropractic adjustment can potentially boost your immune system by 200%.
- Improves Individual Organ System Function
The relationship of the spine with the central nervous system is one of a few reasons why spinal adjustments have such an impact on human health and performance.
The primary reason how the upper cervical chiropractic care maintains its profound effect on humans is due to the spine's connection to the brain. The connection affects every other organ within our body.
- Decreases The Adverse Effects Of Stress
Stress can be both a burden and an opportunity. It increases the chance of getting sick, but it also provides relief from pain that may be unrelated to chronic stress, such as backaches or neck pains when treated by chiropractic adjustments. Such treatments are significant after long periods in stressful situations. During tiring situations, people experience headaches or fatigue because these symptoms help with immune system regulation. This regulation makes the body less vulnerable to disease-causing agents
WHY DR. LEIGH SIERRA?
Dr. Sierra is a chiropractor and excels in correcting structural abnormalities through utilizing specific adjustments. She usually uses the aid of X-Ray analysis and palpation. The treatments are combined with rehab therapies to make lasting changes in your spine shape and underlying soft tissue structures that contribute to these issues, such as muscle spasms or tendonitis.
Dr. Leigh Treco Sierra has a passion for health sciences and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Life University with her Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine. She also obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences and Biology as well as a Master's degree.
