by Chris Towery
Despite an overwhelming amount of evidence to the contrary, there are a lot of people who are hesitant—and even scared—of chiropractic adjustments. Many times, this fear is due to the highly physical nature of adjustments, along with the “popping” or “crunching” sounds sometimes generated during the procedures. Other times, a person’s reluctance to undergo adjustments may be somewhat valid, especially if they suffer from certain diseases or have a small, frail body type. In these cases, their physical condition may make traditional chiropractic adjustments uncomfortable and perhaps even unsafe.
However, the high speed and low force of modern adjusting instruments can eliminate the fear of adjustments, while also increasing the safety and effectiveness of a DC’s treatments. The advanced technology of these devices not only removes nearly all of the discomfort and side effects of manual adjustments, but it also opens up chiropractic care to certain patient populations that would normally be difficult to treat with traditional adjusting techniques.
The comfort factor
While manual adjustments are typically safe for just about all patients, the overtly physical nature of such methods can intimidate some people. Even if a patient is in great shape, the notion of manipulating their spinal column and other body parts can be quite intimidating. Moreover, with manual methods, patients do occasionally experience a bit of discomfort or soreness following the adjustment. Because of these factors, manual adjusting can make some patients uneasy, less likely to comply with treatment, and possibly even frighten them away from chiropractic altogether.
However, instrument adjusting allows DCs to quickly deliver care without the stress or discomfort of manual adjustments. In fact, instrument adjusting enables patients to receive their entire treatment while lying prone, which is far easier on their bodies as well as their anxiety levels. Furthermore, instrument adjusting is much less likely to cause unwanted side effects, such as muscle pain and soreness, brought on by manual adjustments.
Safe treatment for more patients
Instrument adjusting also widens the range of patients DCs are able to care for.
Manual adjustments can be extremely challenging when dealing with certain patient populations, such as young children, the elderly, and the obese. Beyond someone’s age and physical size, patients presenting with injury and/or disease present an equally difficult dilemma. At the very least, manually treating such populations takes up much more of a DC’s time and energy.
At worst, the increased risk of serious injury brings the potential for career-ending lawsuits. However, instrument adjusting can be used with nearly all patients, no matter their age, size, or physical condition. Your ability to effectively provide chiropractic care to these populations can be highly beneficial for those who would otherwise be forced to rely on expensive medication and/or surgeries. Furthermore, the increase in the number of patients you’re able to successfully treat will be
equally as beneficial to your practice’s revenue and reputation.
Chris Towery is the former associate editor of MASSAGE Magazine and is currently a fulltime freelance journalist. He has written hundreds of articles for more than 20 different magazines, newspapers, and custom publishers. Much of his recent writing has been for the complementary and alternative healthcare industry. To contact Chris, email cmreuben@yahoo.com.
