Chiropractors come from a wide range of backgrounds and each has they're own unique method of treatment, but whether they use applied kinesiology or activator technique, they all have one thing in common; a belief in a non-surgical approach to pain management. This does not mean I am against surgery or even medications, but I believe in trying different methods to find the root cause of the problem and not just cover up the symptoms. In some cases surgery is the only plausible option, but in many cases surgery is used too quickly and without exhausting other resources available first.
The main long-term goals I treat my patients for includes: 1. The elimination and prevention of all types of body pain 2. Strengthen the body by increasing your lean muscle mass and improve flexibility to reach optimal muscle lengths 3. Lifestyle protocols to make sure the problem never returns (This ranges from postural training to physical therapy techniques to do from home). The short-term goal is usually to get out of acute pain, eliminate chronic pain, lose 20-30 pounds, and/or increase strength & flexibility. I focus on PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE BROOKLYN, NY for all my patients.
Optimal muscle lengths are very important to bio-mechanics because a muscle can only function properly if it is the correct length. Its called the "Goldie Locks effect." Your muscle cannot be too short or too long, it needs to be just right to function optimally. A tight muscle ends up putting more stress on a joint then normally causing pain and dysfunction, while a loose muscle does not provide the stability or strength a normally sized one produces. An example is a person who has forward rolled shoulders and horrible posture. All the muscles in the back, the trapezius m, shoulder stabilizers (Rhomboid minor/major), and rotator cuff in the shoulder become elongated and weak due to the forward rolling of the shoulders. While the muscles in the front, pectoralis m, SCM, scalenes, and the levator scapulae (located in the back) become overworked and tight, sometimes causing headaches. And if it wasn't enough that the muscles mentioned above become short or lengthened, the deep neck flexor muscles (The 'core' muscles of the neck) become weak and inhibited. These deep neck muscles are responsible for posture and keeping your neck in an upright position, when these become weak your entire bio-mechanical structure breaks down causing chronic pain.
So what do chiropractors do exactly? Well, we do much more then just "crack bones." The cracking and clicking you sometimes hear is just nitrogen bubbles being released within your joints when the area is moved through is physiological range of motion. The chiropractic adjustment is designed to provide passive movement to a joint to help facilitate proper movement and bio-mechanics. There has been excellent research to back up the use of JOINT MOBILIZATION BROOKLYN, NY, used effectively with cases involving osteoarthritis. When your joint or muscle experiences pain the first thing your body does is to tighten the area up so the movement is decreased thereby causing less pain. Now that the area's range of motion has decreased its bio-mechanical motion has been compromised. Compromised bio-mechanical movement then causes more pain which then causes the muscle to tighten up even more creating a "viscous circle of pain." A chiropractor, massage therapist, acupuncturist, physical therapist, and other muskuloskeletal specialists attempt to break this viscous cycle; by adjusting the area, applying massage & muscle stripping to loosen the surrounding area around the joint, and/or increase the Chi (Energy) flowing through in area the practitioner attempts to break the cycle of pain and restore normal range of motion back into the area in question. It has been theorized that the adjustment itself, through the use of passive motion techniques, increases the synovial fluid in the surrounding joints that are being treated therefore adding to and speeding up the healing process.
When finding a chiropractor be sure that during the history and physical examination not only are you completely comfortable with the practitioner but that they actually physically touch and test your body for bio-mechanical dysfunction. You would not believe the amount of patients I treat that have been to multiple MD's, PT's, and Chiropractors that never laid a finger on them. My profession is called physical medicine for a reason! How can you possible tell if a patient has a stiff neck if you never actually palpate the neck and look for restricted joint movement ?!?
Don't be afraid to ask questions, this holds true for any doctor or professional you plan to hire. If you are afraid of getting your neck adjusted (Cracked), have to doctor explain the process to you and ease you into the technique. If you are really too scared to have anyone move your neck like that... don't worry, all is not lost, there are still plenty of other treatment options you can have done that will help decrease neck pain. If your not satisfied with the answer or you don't like the "bedside" manner of the practitioner, don't be afraid to leave and look for another one. A second opinion never hurt, and any doctor that tells you otherwise is suspect right off the bat.
Chiropractic is a wonderful tool that must be utilized with proper flexibility training, core strengthening, and postural training in order to be completely successful. Just getting a massage is not enough, just getting adjusted is not enough, the doctor needs to find the root cause of the problem and address it through the use of adjusting, massage, stretching, physical therapy, and eventually home exercises to prevent the problem from re-occurring. Remember that physical health is a dynamic process that requires a pro-active approach.
Please feel free to message me with any questions or concerns about CHIROPRACTOR BROOKLYN, NY to learn more about what I do!
Dr. Gordon Kuang C.S.C.S.
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