Chiropractic Care in Knoxville, Tennessee
Learn How Chiropractic Care Can Benefit You
At Institute for Alternative Healthcare, our goal is to keep you healthly and informed. Below we have listed some of our services we offer in our Knoxville, TN chiropractic clinics, as well as some of the conditions that we treat regularly using chiropractic care. Choose a condition below to learn more about it and how chiropractic can benefit you. If you ever have any questions or concerns about your health we encourage you to come in for a consultation with your Knoxville chiropractors.
UltrasoundUltrasound utilizes high or low frequency sound waves that penetrate into the targeted tissues and muscles to cause warming and relaxation. Therapeutic ultrasound is a form of deep heat therapy created by sound waves. When applied to soft tissues and joints, the sound waves are a form of micro-massage that helps reduce swelling, increase blood flow, and decrease pain, stiffness and spasms. Interferential Therapy (Electrical Stimulation)Interferential therapy uses a mid-frequency current for treating muscular spasm and strains. The current produces a massaging effect over the affected area at periodic intervals. Interferential therapy helps to relax muscle stiffness and spasms and minimizing scar tissue formation. Through various frequencies, interferential therapy promotes vessel vasodilatation to increase circulation and assist healing, and can help decrease tissue inflammation. |
Conditions We Treat |
Mechanical and Manual Traction
Mechanical and manual traction involves the application of tension to a specific area of the spine in order to distract areas of the spine and stretch specific tissues. This treatment helps separate the vertebrae, resulting in disc decompression and reduced nerve root pressure. Lumbar traction, which is designed to specifically target the lumbar curve, restores your lumbar spine to its appropriate degree of curvature. Cervical traction is designed for the cervical curve, helping to reduce neck tension. Traction helps to decrease muscle spasm, nerve pressure and increase range of motion.
Rehabilitation Exercises
Synergy Therapeutic Systems exercise programs offer stretching, strengthening and conditioning for specific areas of the body. This system offers exercises that train the body to fire the musculoskeletal system faster and protect and stabilize the joints and body. The object is to restore pain free range of motion, allowing the body to get back to what it used to be. Series one exercises stretch the muscles, ligaments and tendons, waking up the entire group of tissues surrounding the joint. Stretching also helps circulation and properly aligns the joint, restoring its biomechanical advantage. Series two and three exercises use gentle and resistance strengthening which benefits atrophied and weakened tissues surrounding the joint including ligaments, tendons and muscles while improving the bodies’ circulation.
Hydro Massage
Hydro massage is a type of massage based on the therapeutic use of warm water. The essence of hydro massage is applying massage techniques to the human body through water. Hydro massage helps to relax muscles, increase blood circulation and relieve muscular pain.
Massage Therapy
Therapeutic Massage is one of the best compliments to chiropractic care. Because muscles are attached to bones and joints it is very important for them to be relaxed and stretched to aid in adjustments to the skeletal system. Proper alignment helps to ensure the free flow of nerve impulses and circulation of blood and lymph. Massage helps prepare the body for better adjustments. It increases the effectiveness of treatments and relieves muscle tension and pain. Massage helps you relax and become more receptive to the adjustments needed and helps prevent future pain and injuries.
Spinal Manipulation
Spinal manipulation is a technique that treats back pain, neck pain and other musculoskeletal conditions via the application of force to the spinal joints, with the idea being that such treatment of dysfunctional areas in the spine can restore the spine’s structural integrity, reduce pain and initiate the body’s natural healing processes.
The styles of manipulation we offer are
Diversified
Diversified Technique is the classic chiropractic technique, developed by D.D. Palmer, DC. and taught in all chiropractic colleges. Diversified Technique was refined and developed by the late Otto Reinert, DC, to address biomechanical failure in each section of the spine, as it relates to specific subluxation. The focus is on restoration to normal biomechanical function, and correction of subluxation. In addition, Diversified methods have been developed to adjust extremity joints, allowing for beneficial applications in treating sports injuries and other injuries. Diversified adjusting of the spine uses specific lines of drives for all manual thrusts, allowing for specificity in correcting mechanical distortions of the spine. X-rays and case histories are used in analysis and diagnosis. No instruments are used in the adjusting procedure. Motion palpatation and full spine, hands-on techniques are used to deliver a deeper thrust, which makes an osseous (popping) sound as the adjustment is given.
Cox
Cox Technique founder, Dr. Cox explains Cox Technique / Flexion-Distraction as a marriage of chiropractic principles with osteopathic principles. These principles were set forth by Alan Stoddard, DO, in his book, ‘Manual of Osteopathic Technique’ written about the manipulative procedures developed by John McManis, DO, in the early 1900′s. Since the early 1970′s, Dr. Cox has refined the technique; developed a manipulation instrument for effective use of the technique; conducted clinical, as well as participated in experimental, research; lectured around the world; and written well-received articles, chapters for textbooks, and textbooks. Cox Flexion-Distraction is a gentle, non-force adjusting procedure that works with the body’s natural design to aid it in healing. Dr. Cox has developed a special table for effective use of the technique. The Cox Table (www.coxtable.com), a Flexion-Distraction table, is used to apply the distraction spinal manipulation adjustment. What to expect from this technique: Tractioning the spine and then flexing it can resolve pain from joint and disc problems painlessly. It is a powerfully effective, conservative approach to low back and leg pain, and an alternative to explore before recommending surgery. For patients with non-disc related conditions causing back pain (facet syndrome, spondylolisthesis, sprain/strain, scoliosis, transitional vertebra, sacroiliac subluxation, stenosis), Cox Flexion-Distraction provides all of the above benefits plus the ability to place spinal joints into normal movements to restore spinal motion without pain.
Activator Methods
Activator Methods is based on the postulate that understanding body mechanics and force is the key to understanding how to move bones. A leg test is utilized to tell the doctor if the subluxation exists, chiefly in the lumbo-sacral area or cervical region of the spine. With further research into body mechanics, W.C. Lee D.C. and A.W. Fuhr D.C. were able to analyze the body and produce from the analysis consistent changes using a light non-force specific chiropractic adjustment. Lee and Fuhr understood that force was not necessary to correct subluxations in the body. Two components are necessary for fast, effective reduction of nerve pressure caused by subluxations. They are speed and line of drive. Speed and line of drive are what make chiropractic the distinct and dynamic art and science that it is. The activator instrument was designed to deliver this specific dynamic thrust. It is a small hand-held gun-type mechanism that delivers a sharp percussive thrust upon triggering. The activator instrument controls the force and speed of the adjustment exceptionally well and with the activator, the line of drive can be more specific.
Gonstead
In the early 1960′s word was spreading throughout the world that there was a healer in a small farming community in Wisconsin to whom people of all ages, and walks of life, were flocking. The man was Clarence S. Gonstead. He became a chiropractor in 1923 following a personal experience with chiropractic that had helped his body heal from a painful, crippling episode of rheumatoid arthritis. With a background in mechanical engineering, he would come to apply the principles of this discipline to the evaluation of the spine. Based on his studies, he developed the “foundation principle” to explain how a fixation in one area of the spine created compensatory bio-mechanical changes and symptoms in another. He was a pioneer in the chiropractic profession, developing equipment and a method of analysis that used more than one criteria to verify the precise location of vertebral subluxation (A subluxation is a spinal bone that is fixated or “stuck” resulting in nerve pressure and interfering with the innate ability of the body to maintain health). One hallmark of the Gonstead Technique is adjustment of the neck with a very specific maneuver that is completed with the patient seated. The neck is adjusted in this manner to eliminate the twisting or rotation aspect of the adjusting procedure. The Gonstead Technique is recognized throughout the global chiropractic community as one of the safest systems of evaluating and caring for conditions related to the spine.
Applied Kinesiology
Applied Kinesiology is an interdisciplinary approach to health care which draws together core elements of complementary therapies, creating a more unified approach to the diagnosis and treatment of functional illness. The origin of contemporary Applied Kinesiology is traced to 1964 when George G. Goodheart, Jr., D.C., first observed that in the absence of congenital or pathologic anomaly, postural distortion is often associated with muscles that fail to meet the demands of muscle tests designed to maximally isolate specific muscles. He observed that tender nodules were frequently palpable within the origin and/or insertion of the tested muscle. Digital manipulation of these areas of apparent muscle dysfunction improved both postural balance and the outcome of manual muscle tests. Goodheart and others have since observed that many conservative treatment methods improve neuromuscular function as perceived by manual muscle testing. These treatment methods have become the fundamental Applied Kinesiology approach to therapy. Included in the AK approach are specific joint manipulation or mobilization, various myofascial techniques, cranial techniques, meridian therapy, clinical nutrition, dietary management, and various reflex procedures. With expanding investigation, there has been continued amplification and modification of the treatment procedures. Although many treatment techniques incorporated into AK were pre-existing, many new methods have been developed within the discipline itself. AK uses muscle testing to examine how the body is functioning and to make a diagnosis. A patient’s health history is required, along with examination and laboratory findings, to determine the treatment required. AK uses functional assessment measures such as posture and gait analysis; manual muscle testing as functional neurologic evaluation; range of motion; static palpatation; and motion analysis. These assessments are used in conjunction with standard methods of diagnosis such as clinical history, physical examination findings, laboratory tests, and instrumentation to develop a clinical impression of the unique physiologic condition of each patient. When appropriate, this clinical impression is used as a guide to the application of conservative physiologic therapeutics. The practice of AK requires that it be used in conjunction with other standard diagnostic methods by professionals trained in clinical diagnosis. As such, the use of AK or it’s component assessment procedures is appropriate only to individuals licensed to perform these procedures. AK exam is designed to enhance standard diagnosis procedures, not replace them. The Applied Kinesiologist finds a muscle that tests weak and then attempts to determine why that muscle is not functioning properly. The practitioner will then evaluate and apply the therapy that will best eliminate the muscle weakness and help the patient.