Disease Prevention/Early Screening Advice- It is important to take care of your body, specifically your bones, starting at an early age. At our office we will make sure that all of our patients are aware of prevention methods. We also use state-of-the-art technology for early screenings. Early Screenings detect a disease before the individual has any symptoms or signs of the disease. Often times a disease that is caught early on can be treated and prevent or reduce the chances of suffering or mortality. We are aware that there are risks when performing early screenings. Some of these risks include over-diagnosis, misdiagnosis and creating a false sense of security. That is where our expertise and experience stand out from the rest. We are confident in our screening abilities and have proven their value when performed accurately. Diversified (Full-Spine Manipulation)- This is the most common form of therapy used by chiropractors. Similar to other osteopathic and chiropractic manipulative techniques, this therapy is classified as high velocity with low amplitude thrust. The goal of diversified manipulation is to restore proper movement and alignment of the patient’s joint and spine dysfunction. This is a relatively quick technique that often culminates with the popping sound of the adjustment. Postural Advice- Good posture is vital to maintaining a healthy body composition. We make sure every patient knows what it feels like to have good posture. We have found that many of our patients think that they have good posture and simply need someone to point out the slight adjustments necessary. Making the recommended changes can alter your alignment dramatically, reducing future chiropractic problems. Extremity Adjusting- A chiropractor considers all joints, not including the spine, to be extremities. This includes hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, feet, ankles, knees, hips, the jaw and ribs. Adjustment to an extremity might be necessary if the patient has experienced swelling, irritation, stiffness, pain, fatigue and/or immobility at or near the extremity. Ice Pack/Cryotherapy- Cryotherapy involves the use of ice in a variety of forms to treat a medical condition. In a chiropractic office ice packs are commonly recommended as a follow-up to a visit. The use of ice can reduce the swelling and pain of an injury. Self-Care Strategies- A chiropractor can do a lot in the office for a patient to immediately alleviate pain. In addition a chiropractor will often discuss and recommend self-care strategies to the patient during their visit so that further injury or irritation can be reduced and eliminated. Common self-care strategies include nutritional/dietary recommendations, physical fitness and exercise promotion as well as relaxation/stress reduction recommendations. If a patient listens to the recommendations of the chiropractor the amount of potentially risky and unhealthy behaviors performed should be reduced dramatically. Trigger Point Therapy- This therapy is also known as Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT) and is a type of massage. The aim of this massage is to stimulate skeletal muscle in specific areas of the body where palpable nodules of tight fibers have formed. When a trigger point is simulated it often elicits tenderness, pain and/or a twitch response. In order for the trigger point to be reached the pressure must be applied from a perpendicular angle.