Did you know that chiropractors in Texas can also perform Extremity Adjustments? For introduction purposes, Extremity adjustments are moving an extremity's joint to introduce motion into that joint. If your wrist or shoulder has ever frozen upon you, you know how significant these changes are.
When joints lack their range of motion, they begin to deteriorate over time. Any joint, including wrists, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, ankles, and even your mouth, might benefit from an adjustment. So what are its benefits or advantages?
Well, it benefits your entire body mechanics first and foremost. When one part of your body isn't functioning correctly, the whole body must adjust. For example, when you injure your ankle, you naturally shift your weight to the other foot when walking to relieve pressure on the injured joint.
While it may temporarily help, it is vital to address the problem so that your body's various parts can resume carrying their typical burdens. Nerve pressure in your extremities may develop if your ankle is out of place and your joints aren't functioning correctly, limiting your range of motion, among other things. Adjusting your ankle can help you get back on track and avoid overcompensating, leading to global changes and misalignments.
As a matter of fact, In a case study of a 23-year-old woman who was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, her doctor recommended a treatment regimen that included orthotics, daily foot stretching, and daily ibuprofen. Unfortunately, none of these therapies worked, so she sought an alternative and saw a chiropractor. Improvements in her activities of daily living and lower extremity function were noticed after ten chiropractic visits over four months.
Understanding the importance of how your body is connected is linked to the second benefit of extremities adjustments: body mechanics. In the last scenario, we discussed shifting your weight when walking to relieve strain on your wounded ankle.
You might not realize how much stress you're placing on your other joints by doing so. You'll walk in a different way, which will cause your hips to adjust. Your "good" foot will be put under more strain. Changing your walk, whether you realize it or not, shifts your spine, which might also influence your upper body.
Your equilibrium is off, so you adapt by shifting your shoulders and tilting your head slightly without even realizing it. If the underlying problem is not corrected, this might lead to other issues. Thus it's critical to understand how our bodies work as a system and how everything is connected.
Then there's the concept of "referred pain." It is when you experience pain in a portion of your body other than the one where it originated. "Brain freeze" is one of the most well-known forms of transferred pain. Because of the fast cooling and rewarming of the blood vessels in the sinuses, the nerves in the throat and palate transmit pain signals. However, this phenomenon can occur anywhere in the body, making it difficult to pinpoint the source.
Chiropractors are educated to understand nerve pathways and how to ease pressure on them. So, while you may be experiencing pain in your elbow, it's possible that the misalignment in your shoulder is to blame. By altering the source, you can help enhance nerve flow and relieve pain, whether it's referred or not.
A case study of a 45-year-old woman who complained of numbness in her little finger is an excellent example of this. The nerves that branch out of these sections of your spine supply your arms down to your fingertips. Thus doctors tested her cervical and thoracic spine. The results of the tests were negative. Improvements in the exam findings were seen after just four chiropractic office visits with wrist adjustment procedures. Her little finger was blamed for her numbness, but the real cause was in her wrist.
The fourth advantage is that whole-body vitalistic treatments include extremities alterations. The example of the injured ankle above explains how a single malfunction in a biological system may throw everything out of whack. Everything is interconnected, and it's vital to keep everything in working condition to avoid putting unnecessary strain on other sections of the body. The TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is a highly stressed joint, whether from chewing food or grinding teeth at night.
Many people don't think about it until it becomes a problem. It's the bit junction where your jaw joins your temple, directly next to your ear. You can feel it when you open and close your jaw. Because it is so close to the ear, even minor changes can produce headaches, earaches, and ringing. Allowing a chiropractor to modify it can assist your body return to normal function while also providing relief. An out-of-place ankle can quickly move up your leg, causing hip and spine problems.
This brings us to the fifth benefit: the impact of extremity changes on athletes and how they can help us all stay healthy while training. I'm sure you've previously considered how that misplaced ankle is hurting the rest of the system. For athletes, this is a potentially dangerous situation.
If a part of their body, such as their ankle, is weaker than other parts, exerting strain on it can result in severe damage. Keeping the spine and all extremities aligned allows athletes to function at their best. They are frequently placed in situations requiring fast movements, and if those nerves are blocked due to misalignment, the movement will be substantially affected. Many professional sports teams are beginning to hire their own chiropractors.
Most people think of a chiropractor in texas as someone who only adjusts the spine and not your shoulder or wrist; however certain chiropractors are educated to help your entire body work better, not just your spine. If you're experiencing pain in your extremities, make an appointment with a chiropractor in Peak Potential Family Chiropractic - Houston Heights to ensure that your joints are correctly aligned. Call us now!
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