ABOUT CHIROPRACTIC
"Doctors of chiropractic – often referred to as chiropractors or chiropractic physicians – practice a hands-on, drug-free approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment primarily of disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling." - acatoday.org
Chiropractors are well regarded because they have long track record of successful treatment of most musculoskeletal conditions. This includes things like: headaches, nerve pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, radiating arm pain, disc problems, upper back pain, lower back pain, hip pain, sciatica, pregnancy related pain, sports related injuries, knee pain, foot pain, joint pain and postural dysfunction to name a few.
CHIROPRACTIC @ NORMAL
Chiropractic
New patients will get a detailed exam to identify the causes of pain. In cases where chiropractic care is not a good fit, the Doctor will make an appropriate referral right away. He may also encourage co-management with your primary care physician or a specialist if your diagnosis warrants it.
With a diagnosis established, the Doctor will design a care plan that is evidence based and tailored specifically for you. In rare circumstances an X-ray or MRI may be necessary to make a diagnosis or to continue a trial of conservative care.
We offer a wide array of conservative, evidence based, and safe treatments for almost any musculoskeletal disorder. Treatment typically starts with passive care such as spinal manipulation (adjustments) and therapies. We progress our patients into active care as fast as possible with therapeutic exercise, lifestyle modifications, nutritional approaches, and ergonomic guidelines.
We do not prescribe long term care. As soon as you are satisfied with your recovery, It is our practice to release patients into self care and management. In those cases where the problem is chronic, we offer pain management solutions that are non-invasive, safe, and drug free.
Adjustments & Active Care
At Normal we do things the old fashioned way: by hand. While tools and gizmos have their place, most people like and benefit from a hands on adjustment. Manual chiropractic adjustments have been in use for over 100 years and have a proven track record. Instead of using a single specialized technique the Doctor will use the very best of every adjusting and soft tissue technique out there. We know that a good adjustment shouldn't be one that hurts but, rather, one that gets the job done comfortably. This is why we never use any more force than necessary.
After your first treatment, the Doctor will design a therapeutic exercise program that is based on current evidence and tailored specifically to your condition and ability. A part of the process is progression. In the same way we gain strength and stamina with any workout routine, the active care is enhanced with progressions. The Doctor will include the first tier of progressions in the initial program but over time as things change he may update your program. At the end of the day, nearly all musculoskeletal conditions respond favorably to exercise and we are interested in making sure our patients are doing it as safely and effectively as possible.
Soft-Tissue Techniques
We understand the importance of soft tissue work (aka manual therapy) which is why we spend so much time on it. Not only does it makes you feel better, it improves your prognosis. One important difference at Normal is that a licensed chiropractor or massage therapist does the soft tissue work so that we can offer highly focused and effective care for our patients. After all, our goal is to get you back to normal as fast as possible.
Beyond the soft tissue work that is an integral part of your chiropractic visits, we offer massage therapy in intervals of 15 minutes so that can devote the time you need to address multiple areas with some soothing and recuperative passive care.