Other Therapies

Electrical Stimulation

Electric stimulation works by mimicking the natural way by which the body exercises its muscles. The electrodes attached to the skin deliver impulses that make the muscles contract. It is beneficial in increasing the patient’s range of motion and improves the circulation of the body. It is used in treating conditions like sprains, arthritis, back pain scoliosis, and sciatica.

Therapeutic Ultrasound

Ultrasound therapy is used to minimize muscle pain and movement dysfunction. Therapeutic ultrasound uses sound waves to deliver deep heat to the treated tissues. The treatments may help reduce stiffness, swelling, and pain, increase circulation, and promote pain-free movement. Ultrasound therapy may be used alone or in conjunction with stretching, therapeutic massage, heat, or gentle chiropractic manipulation. Ultrasound therapy is a painless procedure, and many people find it relaxing.

Cryotherapy/Cold Therapy

Cold therapy stimulates vasoconstriction, which is the narrowing of blood vessels to slow down blood circulation in an area. When you tear a muscle the body knows to send blood to the area to try to heal itself. When there is too much blood sent to the tear it can create a bigger tear. So cold therapy is used to slow down or control the blood being sent to the affected area. Some advantages of this are:

  • Reduces pain and swelling after an injury.
  • It is the preferred therapy for spinal pain within the first 72 hours.
  • Cold reduces the flow of fluid into tissues and slows the chemicals that inflame and cause pain.
  • Cold decreases swelling and bleeding and nerve ending conduction of pain impulses.
  • Deep tissue cooling with ice diminishes muscle spasm by lessening muscle contraction.

Thermotherapy/Hot Therapy

Heat therapy fosters vasodilation, the enlarging of blood vessels to bring more blood to an area. When the affected area has had time to heal then you want to bring blood back to promote the healing process.

  • Heat is typically sedating due to its nature to decrease the transmission of pain signals and calm tense muscles.
  • Heat enlarges blood vessels around a painful area, adding oxygen and nutrient flow to the muscles which aids in healing damaged tissue.
  • Heat also reduces stiffness and increases flexibility which is most important in a healthy back to help you regain your quality of life.

Combining cryotherapy and thermotherapy is often preferred. This generates stimulation of blood flow by drawing blood into a swollen and painful area with heat and pushing out the blood with an ice pack application.

Cryotherapy/Thermotherapy/Electrotherapy Combined often this hot/cold/hot therapy is applied along with electrical stimulation which is extremely effective for your pain alleviation. This generates stimulation of blood flow by drawing blood into a swollen and painful area with heat and driving out the blood with ice pack application and nerve pain sedation with electrotherapy.

Athletic Taping

First used by acupuncturists and chiropractors in Japan, today kinesiology tape is used by practitioners throughout the world to treat injuries and improve sports performance.

While the use of kinesiology tape is often associated with elite athletes, medical professionals have been using it to alleviate a wide variety of ailments, not just sports injuries.