What is an Adjustment?

The chiropractic spinal adjustment is the cornerstone of the chiropractic care program. Spinal adjustments are used successfully to treat a variety of different soft tissue disorders as well as a number of other health problems.

Chiropractic adjustments usually involve a quick but gentle corrective force into the subluxated spinal vertebrae. This helps add motion to spinal joints that aren’t moving correctly. Some methods use the doctor’s hands, an instrument, a special table or the force of gravity. Adjustments are not and should not be painful. In fact, most individuals look forward to their chiropractic adjustments to experience immediate relief from discomfort.

Are Chiropractic Adjustments Safe?

Yes. A New Zealand government study found that adjustments are “remarkably safe.” By avoiding drugs and surgery, chiropractic care enjoys an excellent track record. A thorough exam can identify the rare person for whom chiropractic care might be unsuited. Compare the statistics. Adjustments are about 100 times safer than taking an over-the-counter pain reliever.

What Does an Adjustment Do?

Adjusting helps correct vertebral subluxations. Correcting subluxations reduces pain and inflammation, reduces muscle spasm and tension, normalizes spinal biomechanics and more importantly, can remove nerve irritation and interference which can improve overall health and wellness of the individual. Chiropractic adjustments are the only way to eliminate vertebral subluxations and only the chiropractor is trained to detect subluxations and deliver the chiropractic spinal adjustment to correct subluxations.

Are There Other Types of Adjustments?

In addition to adjusting the spine and pelvis, almost every other joint of the body can be adjusted by the chiropractor. This includes the joints of the hands and feet, wrists and ankles, elbows and knees, shoulders and hips, ribs and the jaw. In fact, some chiropractors are even trained in techniques to adjust the joints (sutures) of the skull.