Family Wellness Chiropractic

• Nursing
• Latching
• Failure to Thrive
• Colic
• Reflux
• Teething
• Bedwetting
• ADD/ADHD
• Behavior Issues
• Sensory Issues
• Headaches
• Cranial Distortion/Plagiocephaly
• Sports Injuries
• Ear Infection
• Allergies
• Eczema
• Developmental Delays
• Torticollis
• Sleep Issues
• Growing Pains
• Neuro-Functional Issues
• Constipation
• Colds
• Gassiness
• Common Childhood Illnesses
• Clogged Tear Ducts
• Back and Neck Pain
• And More!

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. At First Step Family Wellness, the doctors use low force options for children and pregnant women.

Adjustment (or manipulation) of a joint may result in the release of a gas bubble between the joints, which makes a popping sound. The same thing occurs when you “crack” your knuckles. The noise is caused by the change of pressure within the joint, which results in gas bubbles being released. There is usually minimal, if any, discomfort involved.

First Step Family Wellness uses these techniques:

• Diversified Technique – A spinal adjustment that is very specific to each area of the spine or extremities.
• Sacro Occipital Technic (SOT) – A spinal adjustment that uses blocks for a low force option.
• Cranial Work – An adjustment that uses pressure to align the bones of the skull. This works very well for headaches and for infants after birth.
• Applied kinesiology (AK), also known as muscle strength testing, is a technique of diagnosis and treatment based on the belief that different muscles are linked to particular organs and glands. Certain muscle weakness can signal internal problems such as nerve misfiring, chemical imbalances, or other organ or gland problems. When we correct this muscle weakness, you can help heal a problem in the associated internal organ.
• Activator – This is an instrument that assists the doctors in aligning the spine with a very low force.
• Logan Basic Technique – This is a low force pressure given to the sacrotuberous ligament to help balance the sacrum first, then the rest of the spine. This can help with things like colic, scoliosis, menstrual cramps, and an easier pregnancy and birth.
• Webster Technique – It balances the pelvis to relieve round ligament tension. It is used mostly during pregnancy for an easier pregnancy and delivery.

Chiropractic is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the care of neuromusculoskeletal complaints. Although chiropractic has an excellent safety record, no health support is completely free of potential adverse effects. The risks associated with chiropractic, however, are very small. Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic care, but some may experience mild soreness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise. Current literature shows that minor discomfort or soreness following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours.

Neck pain and some types of headaches are supported through precise cervical manipulation. Cervical manipulation, often called a neck adjustment, works to improve joint mobility in the neck, restoring range of motion and reducing muscle spasms, which helps relieve pressure and tension. Neck manipulation is a remarkably safe procedure. While some reports have associated upper high-velocity neck manipulation with a certain kind of stroke or vertebral artery dissection, recent evidence suggests that this type of arterial injury often takes place spontaneously or following everyday activities such as turning the head while driving, swimming, or having a shampoo in a hair salon. Patients with this condition may experience neck pain and headache that leads them to seek professional care, often at the office of a doctor of chiropractic or family physician, but that care is not the cause of the injury. The best evidence indicates that the incidence of arterial injuries associated with high-velocity upper neck manipulation is extremely rare – about 1 case in 5.85 million manipulations.

If you are visiting your doctor of chiropractic with upper-neck pain or headache, be very specific about your symptoms. This will help your doctor of chiropractic offer the safest and most effective care, even if it involves referral to another health care provider.

It is important for patients to understand the risks associated with some of the most common approaches for musculoskeletal pain, prescription, and over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), as these approaches may carry risks significantly greater than those of chiropractic manipulation. According to a study from the American Journal of Gastroenterology, approximately one-third of all hospitalizations and deaths related to gastrointestinal bleeding can be attributed to the use of aspirin or NSAID painkillers like ibuprofen.