Do you suffer from back pain, neck pain, or frequent headaches? Depending on the cause of your pain, there’s an alternative therapy that could bring you relief and it’s called dry needling. For people who have never heard of dry needling before, it can sound a bit scary. Many wonder if it’s the same thing as the traditional Chinese therapy called acupuncture. In today’s post from Flex Chiropractic, we’re going to discuss the differences between the two and why one may be a safer and more effective alternative to managing pain. Keep reading and then contact Flex Chiropractic if you have additional questions or would like to schedule an appointment.
What is Acupuncture?
Many people have heard of acupuncture, but you might not be familiar with how it works or the theory behind it. Acupuncture is deeply rooted in Chinese traditional medicine. It is believed that pain and illness are a result of an imbalance in the energy or qi (pronounced “chi”) within our body. In order to restore balance and promote health, an acupuncturist uses very thin needles and inserts them into strategic points that are intended to help rebalance the flow of energy.
Some people have found relief from various ailments including back pain, respiratory disorders, osteoarthritis, and headaches, but there are some risks. First, science has yet to prove the effectiveness of acupuncture and there is little evidence as to why it may work for some. Second, many acupuncturists have little formal training and some complications have been reported from the use of nonsterile needles and improper delivery of treatments.
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a safe, pain-relieving treatment performed by a trained, skilled therapist. Dry needling uses extremely thin, monofilament needles to penetrate the skin for the purpose of eliciting a twitch response and treating underlying muscular trigger points. Although it may sound scary or painful, there’s no reason to be afraid. The needles used are so small that it’s virtually impossible to feel them.
Although dry needling may sound similar to acupuncture, it is in fact very different. Acupuncture is rooted in Chinese Medicine and functions to “restore energy balance.” Dry needling, however, is rooted in Western Medicine and uses the understanding of the musculoskeletal system to treat patients by stimulating the myofascial trigger points that are causing the problem.
Dry Needling to Reduce Pain
If you suffer from chronic or acute pain as a result of injury, arthritis, or poor posture, dry needling may be able to help. It not only helps to relieve pain by stimulating the trigger points that cause pain, but it also helps to activate the immune system and increase blood flow.
Although many patients have found relief with dry needling, it can be more effective when used in conjunction with other treatments like chiropractic treatments, ultrasound, and massage. All of these treatments seek to heal the body from within instead of relying on potentially dangerous and risky alternatives like surgery and opioid medication. With regular treatments, dry needling can be a very effective and safe way to manage pain and improve range of motion.
Contact Flex Chiropractic
At Flex Chiropractic, we take a holistic approach to wellness, which is why we offer several alternative therapies to help our patients find relief and restore their health. At the Flex Chiropractic office in Columbia, we offer dry needling as well as ultrasound, cold-laser therapy, massage, chiropractic adjustments, decompression, and more. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you live a life free from pain, contact our office today. We’ll schedule an appointment at a time that works for you so we can discuss your needs and concerns.
While chiropractic adjustments are an excellent way of helping to adjust the body and reduce inflammation, they are far from the only types of treatments offered at your local chiropractic clinic. In fact, many of the treatments you’ll find at a chiropractic office today are more high-tech than ever. Sometimes this includes ultrasound therapy, other times the use of a Pro Adjuster. Today we’re going to look at one of the most technologically advanced pieces of equipment you might experience at a chiropractic clinic: a cold laser therapy machine.
What’s In A Name?
The idea of “cold lasers” might seem like an oxymoron. After all, aren’t lasers hot light used to cut metal and blast starships? While the former is true (and the latter is Hollywood fantasy!), not all lasers are hot. Lasers are used for many different purposes; you might also encounter lasers at hair removal salons, at grocery store scanners, laser-guided levels, in DVD and Blu Ray players, and laser pointers
Cold laser therapy is sometimes known as LLLT therapy, or Low-Level Laser Therapy. Other names include low-power laser therapy, soft laser biostimulation, and photobiomodulation. These lasers are tuned to a very specific frequency so that they gently interact with tissues in the body. The low levels of energy used are not enough to directly heat the skin.
How Does It Work?
Cold laser therapy works by using the light to stimulate the cells inside the body. Invisible wavelengths on the light spectrum are delivered to the cells, causing the light-sensitive elements of the cell to be stimulated. This can increase blood flow to the cells, which therefore also increases their oxygen intake and speeds healing.
LLLT is used on nearly any part of the body that has pain. This means any place a chiropractor believes increased blood flow will help, such as joints and discs. The primary uses of cold laser therapy are to reduce pain, inflammation, edema, and to reduce healing time of injured areas.
What Can You Expect During LLLT Treatment?
The chiropractor or clinician will get you comfortable in the appropriate chair or on a table, depending on the part of the body to be treated. The area is exposed and the laser device — about the size of a flashlight — touches the skin and may be moved around to ensure the area in question is hit by the low-level laser. The device is usually used for as little as 30 seconds to as many as five minutes or more. An area in greater pain or that covers a larger area of the body may require more time.
The laser has different settings depending on the depth of the area inside the body to be treated. These settings change the wavelengths of the light from around 600 nanometers for shallow pain to 950 nanometers in order to target deeper pain (or to get through deeper tissue on a heavier patient).
Does Cold Laser Therapy Hurt?
As we mentioned in this article that detailed the level of pain involved in chiropractic procedures, there’s no pain associated with cold laser therapy. At most you might feel a bit of tingling in the area due to increased blood flow in the area. Not only is there no pain, but there’s no ionizing radiation and no risk of cell damage.
Cold Laser Therapy Or Ultrasound?
Ultrasound therapy is another type of treatment you might find in a chiropractor’s office. Instead of using light waves like LLLT does, ultrasound uses sound waves that are above the range of human hearing. While most people think about in-utero baby imaging when they hear the word ultrasound, therapeutic ultrasound uses a different wavelength of sound and has no image-receiving head.
If your chiropractor offers both LLLT and ultrasound, which should you choose? We’d suggest listening to the doctor’s opinion. Both have their advantages, but the better option might come down to the severity of the injury, where it is in the body, and your body type. The are some instances in which using both is advantageous, so we advise simply taking your chiropractor’s advise.
Are There Any Disadvantages?
The primary disadvantage of cold laser therapy is that it doesn’t tend to offer immediate relief. It’s a slow process that builds over time, so eight or more sessions (typically twice a week, but check with your chiropractor) may be needed to see good results.
Let Our Chiropractic Clinic Help!
Cold laser therapy is often used in conjunction with other services you find in a chiropractic office. It’s seldom used alone but can be an excellent addition to other forms of high-tech and traditional chiropractic care. If you’re experiencing pain, we’d very much like to help you. Contact our chiropractic office in Columbia and Lexington at the first sign of pain!
The benefits of ice treatments have been around since humans have had aches, pains, and injuries. Ice helps reduce inflammation, reduce swelling, and aid the healing process. In the 21st century, cryotherapy has taken the benefits of ice treatments to a superior level — as well as timely with the average treatment lasting only three minutes.
Flex Chiropractic in Lexington offers cold laser therapy sessions to help improve pain, aches, and mobility. In this blog post, we’ll review in brief just a few of the benefits of cryotherapy. Contact us today to get started!
WHAT IS CRYOTHERAPY?
Cryotherapy is a therapeutic technique where the whole body or parts of the body are exposed to extremely low temperatures in order to solicit a response. Below, we’ll examine just a few of the health benefits of cryotherapy.
THE BENEFITS OF CRYOTHERAPY
Cryotherapy and cold laser therapy both work to help patients in many areas of their well-being, from the physical ailments of pain to depression, which afflicts the brain. Flex Chiropractic in Lexington offers cold laser therapy to help patients who suffer from lower back pain. These low-powered lasers will help to increase blood flow and bring in vital nutrients your body needs to rid itself of inflammation and thus pain. Cold laser therapy also works well on joint pain.
THE FLEX CHIROPRACTIC DIFFERENCE
Flex Chiropractic in Lexington is the best local chiropractor. We offer a variety of services, from chiropractic adjustments on all ages, including pregnancy adjustments, as well as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and cold laser therapy. Begin your road to recovery. Call to speak with one of our expert chiropractors today!
At Flex Chiropractic in Columbia and Lexington, we believe in offering patients safe and effective alternatives to surgery and pain medication. If you’re looking for a more natural approach to help your body heal from injury and get effective relief for pain, cold laser therapy is another alternative treatment we offer that may be able to help. If you’ve always wondered ‘How does cold laser therapy work?” and “Can it really help relieve my pain?” we’re going to explore those questions and more in today’s blog from Flex Chiropractic.
What Is a “Cold” Laser?
When you think of a laser, you might think of a high-intensity light that can burn its way through anything. It sounds rather scary when you think of it in relation to a medical procedure. However, that’s why the term “cold laser” is used to describe a technique that uses low levels of light to promote healing. Because the low levels of light aren’t enough to create heat, it is described as cold — even though you will likely feel nothing at all.
How Does Cold Laser Therapy Work?
During the procedure, the low levels of light are applied to the affected area and absorbed into the skin. You won’t hear or feel anything but when the light is absorbed by your cells, it causes a healing reaction that results in a reduction of pain and inflammation as well as healing time.
Benefits Of Cold Laser Therapy
Cold laser therapy may sound like an unproven new-age treatment, but in fact, it has been around for over four decades and certain low-level devices are approved by the FDA to provide relief for a variety of conditions. Cold lasers are effective for stimulating a variety of muscle, cartilage, and nerve cells. This makes cold laser therapy an effective treatment for minor pains and injuries such as tendonitis, knee pain, ligament sprains, tennis elbow, lower back pain, and more.
In addition to being an effective treatment, patients appreciate that cold laser therapy comes with little risk and no recovery time as it is a non-invasive procedure. For those who prefer to stay out of the hospital and take as few medications as possible, cold laser therapy may be able to provide the safe and gentle relief you’re looking for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Even if you have a basic understanding of what cold laser therapy is, chances are you still have some questions. The following are a few of the most frequently asked questions about cold laser therapy.
What Does the Treatment Feel Like?
You will feel little if anything during treatment. Some people feel a mild warmth or tingling, but more often than not, patients feel nothing at all.
How Long Does Each Treatment Take?
The length of treatment will depend on the condition being treated and the size of the area. Most treatments only take ten to fifteen minutes.
Will I Experience Results Immediately?
Cold laser therapy isn’t like popping a pill, but it can be very effective. However, the time it takes for you to experience results will depend on your unique situation and how quickly your body naturally heals. In general, most people experience some kind of relief within one to two visits, but for more serious or degenerative cases, you may need several more treatments to get the improvement you desire.
Why Should I Try Cold Laser Therapy?
There are several reasons why you may want to try cold laser therapy over conventional methods like surgery or medication. First, cold laser therapy is medically proven and approved by the FDA for the treatment of various conditions. Second, it’s non-invasive, safer, and much more affordable than most surgeries. Finally, cold laser therapy helps to heal what is causing you pain instead of just treating the symptoms.
Learn More About Cold Laser Therapy At Flex Chiropractic
Hopefully, we’ve been able to answer any questions you may have had such as “What is cold laser therapy?” and “How Does cold laser therapy work?” If you have additional questions or would like to schedule a consultation at our office, please contact us to make an appointment.
At Flex Chiropractic in Lexington and Columbia, we offer a wide range of alternative treatments aimed at helping you get relief from pain and achieve optimum health. Our treatments are designed to work with your body to help it heal naturally from the inside out.
Because the services we provide are non-invasive and come with little to no risk, they’re perfect for just about anyone of any age. After your consultation, your chiropractor may suggest multiple types of treatment to achieve optimum results in the least amount of time.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
You don’t have to live with pain — and there are other alternatives besides risky surgery. Give Flex Chiropractic a call and let us help you get back to feeling like yourself again with a personalized treatment plan made just for you!
Healing comes from many different sources. Sometimes a medicine will come from a natural source and then be synthesized into a Western medicine. Other times the body can simply take care of itself and doesn’t need any additional treatment, like when you bump your arm and get a bruise. In the most extreme circumstances, a doctor will have to perform surgery in order to set the body straight.
Chiropractic is yet another source of care that has been discovered and proliferated around the world. While our chiropractic clinic offers many different types of alternative medicine that are both traditional (such as massage therapy) and state of the art (cold laser therapy and cryotherapy), today we’re going to focus on the core of our business: physical adjustments.
What Is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine. It is primarily focused on manipulating the spine in order to treat problems associated with the musculoskeletal system. Some chiropractors believe that its primary usefulness is limited to the skeleton and related system. Others believe that regular chiropractic adjustments can positively affect the entirety of the body, treating anything from diseases to allergies.
Chiropractic is formed from two Greek words: hand and practical. To most ears it sounds like chiropractic should always be an adjective, such as in the phrases chiropractic care of chiropractic medicine. But chiropractic is a noun by itself, so saying “we practice chiropractic” is perfectly accurate.
The Founder
Chiropractic is a relatively new form of alternative medicine, especially when you consider that Eastern practices like acupuncture have been around for thousands of years. But chiropractic is neither ancient or foreign; it began in Davenport, Iowa in 1895.
Daniel David Palmer, also known as D.D., was wary of the traditional medical community. (Considering it was the end of the 19th century, we don’t blame him!) A man named Harvey Lillard told Palmer that he had suffered from severely-reduced hearing for nearly two decades, and that the reduction in hearing had been accompanied by a pop in his back. Palmer, having heard of alternative medicine such as osteopathy and bone setting, gave Lillard a spinal manipulation. Days later Lillard described his hearing as being nearly back to normal.
Both D.D. and his son Bartlett Joshua Palmer were both religious men who were convinced that the revelations of chiropractic had been revealed in order to better align the life force that represents God’s presence in man. He believed that subluxation, or the misalignment of the spine, was the cause of all human diseases.
The Growth
For a few years D.D. Palmer kept his study of chiropractic within the family. But when he noticed the good it was doing for them, he decided to take on some students and open the Palmer School of Chiropractic. This was the first school of chiropractic in the world.
One of D.D.’s students was his son, Bartlett Joshua (B.J.). B.J. was convinced that chiropractic was an excellent alternative to the medicine of the time. Eight years after the school opened, B.J. took over and expanded enrollment. Many of the chiropractic schools of today were founded by graduates of the Palmer School of Chiropractic.
The Pushback
For over a century there has been contention between the American Medical Association and practitioners of chiropractic. D.D. Palmer himself was jailed for practicing medicine without a license. Over the course of around 60 years, chiropractors have won the right in all fifty states to secure licensing that is separate from traditional doctors.
The Splits
The difference between scientifically-minded people and those who retain the mystical or religious aspects has caused numerous splits within chiropractic over the years. Another split was between those who wanted to use devices, such as x-rays, in order to assist with chiropractic. Those who didn’t want to use equipment were known as “straights,” while those interested in using equipment were called “mixers.”
Today
In today’s world there is still a divide in the chiropractic community. While some adhere to its mystical roots, the majority of chiropractors have extensive medical training and many are doctors. Most use a variety of equipment in order to assist, such as drop tables and decompression equipment. A chiropractic clinic isn’t just a place to get the spine adjusted; it’s a place to get a wide variety of alternative medicine treatments.
Visit Us At Flex Chiropractic!
Flex Chiropractic can be found in both Columbia and Lexington, offering you a wide variety of treatments that can help you feel better. Whether you’re in need of traditional subluxation or a more specialized treatment like decompression, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, cryotherapy, or cold laser therapy (or a combination of any of them), we can provide you with the best in alternative therapy. We look forward to hearing from you!
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