The word “Chiropractic” comes from ancient Greek and means, “done by hand.”
Chiropractic is one of the largest primary health care professions in Canada with approximately 4.5 million Canadians visiting a chiropractor each year. Doctors of chiropractic are health professionals concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of muscle and joint injuries. Chiropractors are specialists in manual adjustment of the vertebrae of the spine and other joints. Adjustments help relieve pain and restore normal functioning to the spine, joints and supporting structures of the body.
Chiropractors are also trained to prescribe therapeutic exercise, nutritional counseling, and recommend rehabilitation and injury prevention strategies.
Registered Massage Therapy:
Massage Therapy is a hands-on technique used to assess and treat the soft tissues of the body. As an accepted part of many physical rehabilitation programs, massage therapy can be beneficial for relaxation and stress reduction, decreasing pain and inflammation, improving mobility and increasing circulation of blood and lymph.
Active Release Technique:
Active Release Technique is a hands-on treatment used for treating soft-tissue (i.e. muscle, tendon, fascia, nerves). A certified ART® practitioner utilizes a thorough history, physical and biomechanical exam to properly diagnose the soft-tissue injury. These injuries are often a result of repetitive strain, cumulative trauma, adhesions, tissue hypoxia and joint dysfunction.
Naturopathic Medicine:
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of primary care that addresses the root cause of illness or disease and promotes health and healing using natural therapies. Treatment modalities may include clinical nutrition, botanical (herbal) medicine, homeopathic medicine, physical treatments, acupuncture and Asian medicine and lifestyle counseling.
The primary goal of naturopathic treatment is to address the cause of the illness rather than simply treating or suppressing symptoms. While naturopathic care helps to alleviate specific symptoms, ND’s are primarily concerned with addressing the root cause of an illness: the focus is more on the why of a disease than the what.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a complete medical system that has tools for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.
Based on the philosophy of balancing Qi (chi) between the Yin and Yang natures of a person, TCM can be used to treat a wide variety of physical, mental and emotional concerns.
Acupuncture is the use of sterile needles to manipulate the Qi or to create a local response in the tissue. ND’s are trained in two systems of needle location selection; the TCM system and the ‘medical acupuncture’ system based on local anatomy.
Acupuncture treatments are used in a wide variety of conditions from sports injuries to female hormone issues & fertility to pain management. It is very effective in treating musculoskeletal concerns such as low back pain, sprains & strains and to speed the recovery from injury.
Rehabilitation Programs:
Rehabilitation programs are prescribed exercises aimed at reducing pain and restoring strength, flexibility, endurance and physical abilities affected by an injury. Patients are instructed to perform specific exercises tailored to their condition, which they can easily perform at home or at their office. Doctor prescribed exercises ensure that the exercises do not aggravate symptoms, which can often occur when exercises are given by someone who does not understand your condition.
Therapeutic Modalities:
Interferential Current and Ultrasound are types of therapeutic modalities used at our clinic as an adjunct to treatment to help reduce pain, decrease inflammation, promote healing and restore function.
Orthotics:
The American Podiatric Medical Association says that the average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, which can be a lot of walking for an individual with poor-fitting shoes or painful feet. It is important to realize that your feet have a direct impact on your body and support you with every step. Research has shown that even the smallest abnormality in foot function can have a large impact on the joints in our body, and may be the cause of foot, ankle, knee, hip and back pain.
Orthotics are inserts that comfortably fit into shoes. A foam cast, plaster cast or computerized scan is used to take an imprint of your foot to ensure that the orthotic is specifically designed for you. The custom made orthotics provide support, improve the functioning of your feet and can relieve pain.
Activator:
The activator method has grown to be the most widely used “low force” technique in chiropractic. Activator technique utilizes a small spring-loaded adjusting instrument to deliver a focused corrective impulse to the desired spinal segment to help restore proper motion. This technique is commonly used in patients who prefer a low-force correction without the traditional “hands-on” thrust.
Nutritional Counseling:
Proper nutrition and supplementation have long been emphasized as a fundamental component to optimal health. The food we intake allows our body to function and perform our daily duties. However, certain foods can also have an affect on specific health conditions, exacerbating symptoms. Conversely, certain foods and supplements can also be beneficial in managing different conditions and/or symptoms.
Digital X-Ray Facility:
On- site x-ray facility allows for convenient access for patients who may require an x-ray for further evaluation of their present condition.