Chiropractic care allows the body to function correctly. It is a scientific fact that the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves control every aspect of the human body. As a result, any imbalance in the spine can cause an adverse effect to a patient's overall health. Chiropractic care allows individuals to achieve a higher level of health and wellness throughout life without the adverse affects of medical solutions involving medications or surgery. In fact, very few other forms of health care are safer. Not only does chiropractic care improve vitality, most patients experience a higher level of performance and stamina in all areas of life, as their bodies function optimally from the inside out.

Chiropractic produces results by helping the nervous system work the way it should. When vital nerve links between the brain and the body are impaired, ill health can result. A common source of interference comes from the moving bones that encase the "information super highway" of the spinal cord. Spinal nerves come out from between each of the bones in the spine. Pressure or irritation on these nerves then causes those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling from the brain. When one or more of the bones of the spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves, subluxations occur.

These subluxations can create a multitude of health problems because the nervous system controls and coordinates all the functions of the body. When the signal transmission is interfered with, parts of the body will not receive the proper nerve messages and will not be able to function well. Nerve pressure can also cause numbness and weakness as well as the under-performance of organs and tissues. Or, spinal misalignment can cause nerve tissue to stretch, chafe or become irritated. This can also distort nerve messages between the body and the brain resulting in hyperactive organ function, high blood pressure or even pain.

The traditional medical approach puts chemicals into the bloodstream to artificially change the way the body works. Laxatives to speed up elimination. Antacids to reduce stomach acid. Besides the fatal mistakes, side effects and possible kidney damage, drugs often ignore the real cause of the problem. For example, in traditional health care, a patient may be instructed to take aspirin for a headache to relieve the pain. The headache may be relieved but the initial cause of the headache still exists. A symptom such as a headache is the body's way of telling the individual that there is something wrong, and taking medication to get rid of the symptom can erase the telltale signs of the initial problem.

However, a chiropractor is different. The chiropractic doctor will take note of the symptoms a patient is having, and use that as a guide to the area of the body where the structural cause of the problem exists. By doing a thorough medical history and examination, the chiropractor can also locate areas where a problem exists before it causes symptoms. By performing a thorough examination, the doctor helps locate areas of nervous system compromise.

The moving bones of the spine are common culprits. Spinal joints that are "locked up," fixated or not moving right can affect the health by "choking" or irritating nearby nerve tissue. Then, specific chiropractic adjustments help reduce these interferences and add motion to these stuck areas. This helps restore nervous system integrity and can improve the healing process. The intent is to restore the body's ability to regulate and heal itself without drugs and without surgery. Chiropractic is simple. It's natural. It honors the wisdom of the body. And it has helped millions enjoy relief and better health for more than a century.

There are many ways to adjust the spine. Sometimes the doctor's hands deliver a quick, highly accurate thrust. Or an instrument directs a repeatable force to a fixated spinal joint. Other times, a slow, constant pressure is used. Some chiropractic doctors use special tables with moving sections. Several areas of the spine may by adjusted or just one. The key is to use the precise amount of energy at the exact spot in the right direction at just the right time to get spinal joints moving again.

Myofascial release and chiropractic treatments are highly complementary and can mutually enhance the health care benefits of both types of treatment. Myofascial release can reduce muscle spasms, reduce pain and swelling, and improve range of motion of stiff, achy joints. Myofascial release done to the deep tissue zones can significantly improve and reduce scar tissue formation which can impede any chiropractic adjustment. Myofascial release also helps to stabilize the spine and increases the benefits of chiropractic adjustments through creating greater blood circulation and the release of tension. Tight muscles can pull the spine out of alignment, and myofascial release relaxes and releases muscle tension. Myofascial release enables the muscles to relax, allowing the chiropractor to adjust segments of the body much easier. It also helps with reeducating muscle tissue into a much healthier way to function, enabling a longer lasting spinal and postural correction which improves muscle strength and endurance enabling the chiropractic adjustments to be maintained by the body.

Myofascial release is a systematic manual application of pressure and movement to the soft tissue of the body, skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia (the membrane surrounding muscle and muscle groups). Myofascial release promotes the flow of blood and lymphatic fluid, relieving tension, stimulating nerves, and stretching and loosening muscles. Joint subluxations, troublesome enough on their own, are almost always accompanied by tension or injury in the soft tissue. In fact, soft tissue pain can actually spread because it causes the muscles to tighten in a protective fashion in surrounding areas. Over time, tight, inflamed muscles and fascia (together called myofascia) suffer poor circulation and can develop glue-like myofascial adhesions which prevent muscles from lengthening and relaxing completely. Painful trigger points can also develop, often causing referred pain or tingling in other areas of the body. In extreme cases, tight muscles can compress nerves just as painfully as a subluxation.

Addressing soft tissue problems is an important complement to chiropractic care because muscles move joints, while ligaments and fascia support them. If a subluxation is adjusted without addressing the related soft tissue problems, the patient may still experience pain. In addition, the tight muscles and shortened fascia can rapidly pull the joint out of alignment again.

A myofascial release specialist use a variety of techniques to address soft tissue problems. Gentle kneading and stretching lengthens contracted muscles and fascia. Techniques such as sustained pressure and stretching can release trigger points. Painful sprains and strains, as well as myofascial adhesions, can be addressed directly with movements that improve circulation and stimulate the healthy separation and realignment of injured fibers. The resulting increased circulation reduces painful swelling and inflammation, and promotes healing by removing waste products and bringing nutrients to the tissues. Like sponge absorbing water, both fascia and muscles begin to soften and lengthen.

Myofascial release can also liberate chronically contracted muscles and fascia, improving the balance among muscle groups. As a result, the patient's body will be more resilient in the face of daily stresses and be less prone to injury and subluxation. Myofascial release triggers the body's relaxation response, interrupting a cycle of stress and muscle tension that can build in response to life's challenges. When a patient is feeling relaxed and rejuvenated after a myofascial release session, they are less likely to slip into patterns of tension that can contribute to soft tissue problems and subluxations.