Chiropractic is a profession that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions, which are caused by mechanical dysfunction of the spinal and extremity joints and their effects on the nervous system. When the bones of your spine are not moving properly, or are out of their normal position, irritation to the nerve or pain in the joints may occur. Chiropractic care and the adjustment/manipulation of the spine restores the proper position and movement the bones and joints within the spinal column and/or extremities.

Headaches are a sign that something's wrong and chiropractic treatment can be very effective in treating many types of headaches. It is estimated that 20 to 30 percent of adults have more than one episode of tension-type headache a month. Over 17 percent of those with frequent headache meet diagnostic criteria for cervicogenic headache. Headaches result in a significant number of missed work days each year and can have an untold negative impact on the personal lives of headaches sufferers.

Your spine supports your body weight, aids in movement, and serves as a passageway for your spinal cord and nervous system. The spine is made up of 25 bones, or vertebrae, that are individually designed for specific roles. Each vertebrae is separated by a tough disc that cushions the bones and allows flexibility and movement. The spine as a whole, with its many bones and discs, is capable of very large motions. But each individual joint by itself allows only a few degrees of movement. Therefore, when one vertebra is not moving properly, the entire spinal column can be affected. This condition can lead to pain, disability, degenerative changes, arthritis, stiffness or nerve problems.

Because mechanical loading of the neuro-musculoskeletal tissues plays a vital role in influencing proper growth, repair and healing, chiropractic rehabilitative care should focus on the normalization/minimization of abnormal stresses and strains acting on spinal tissues. Spinal and extremity manipulation alone is not enough. Therefore, postural chiropractic adjustments and manipulation, active exercises and stretches, resting spinal blocking procedures, traction and ergonomic education are deemed necessary for spinal rehabilitation. Chiropractic care is effective with a wide variety of conditions and for patients of all ages.

Your treatment at the Winchester Chiropractic Center Center can be divided into three separate and distinct phases. These stages typically describe the reaction to any musculoskeletal injury: the Acute Stage, the Sub-Acute Stage, and the Chronic Stage. Each stage has characteristics that represent the nature of the particular physiologic processes that are involved at the time. The body's reaction to injury proceeds in a predictable manner and the passage from one stage to the next typically follows a similar time frame and sequence of events. In fact, the length of time that has elapsed since the injury occurred is one of the most common methods of determining which stage the patient is in.

Your program of treatment will be designed to your individual needs. Your treatment will include an approach that will strengthen and rehabilitate the area and help prevent re-occurrences.

The acute stage is defined as that period immediately following the injury. Symptoms are usually most severe in this stage. This period has a relatively short course that typically lasts from 48 to 72 hours, although some patients may remain in this stage for a week of more. The primary characteristic during this stage is inflammation. One of the clinical characteristics is the presence of pain in the early part of the range of motion. In some patients, even the slightest movement may produce pain. Treatment efforts are largely directed at pain relief, controlling swelling and supporting or protecting injured tissues. Patient recovery is usually quicker and more complete when they seek chiropractic intervention during this stage.

Pain, inflammation, and spasm are reduced in the office and home care advice is given. Chiropractic treatment usually involves multiple visits to move you from pain relief to stage 2. Physiotherapeutic modalities are often used in the stage (electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound and ice.)

After passing quickly through the acute stage the body changes directions from a physiologic point of view. Attention is no longer directed at controlling the impact of the injury. Rather, the body attempts to turn its attention and resources to the task of healing and repair. This sub-acute period has a variable time frame that may last for several weeks. There is a gradual reduction in pain and inflammation. In addition, there is a gradually increasing degree of pain-free motion, with pain present near the end of range of motion. Because many patients are still in pain during this phase, the increase in function may be used as a reasonable guideline to monitor progress. The primary characteristic of the sub-acute stage is the presence of fragile, re-injured tissue. As the pain and symptoms subside during the sub-acute period, it is not uncommon to see patients exceed their functional limitations and exacerbate their condition. If this happens, the patient may re-enter the acute phase. Some patients may vacillate several times between these stages. As a patient begins to feel better, compliance tends to fall off. However, it's important to continue and follow through with a treatment plan to avoid falling back into the acute stage.

A variety of techniques (soft tissue techniques, rehabilitative exercise, stretching ergonomics) are employed to restore proper function so that you are not limited in any activities of daily living.

In some patients, recovery is delayed or incomplete and they enter the chronic stage. By their very nature, these conditions are long-lasting and may last for several months or even years. Although clinicians may not agree on when a particular problem enters the chronic stage, it is usually agreed that a condition that is not showing continued signs of improvement at 6-7 weeks should be considered chronic. The primary characteristic is shortened connective tissue in the form of fibrosis and adhesions. Pain is present at the end of range of motion, although the total range may be reduced.

In addition to the three stages described above, recent attention has been directed at the fourth stage, the remodeling stage. As described, following an injury the body goes quickly through the acute and subacute stages. If the injury is not too severe and the treat-ment is appropriate, the problem heals and the condition never reaches the chronic stage. Under less than ideal circumstances, however, tissue healing may be inadequate and chronic problems may develop.

During the remodeling stage, the body attempts to return to normal structure and function. The body responds to the demand placed on it, and if the demand is sufficient, the injury heals with no residual defects or problems. If the demand is not appropriate, if the injury is too severe, or if the treatment is inadequate there may be residual (chronic) deficits. There is some evidence that this stage may last as long as 1-2 years post trauma in some patients.

On your first visit we will answer the following questions:
What's causing my problem?
Can chiropractic care help me?
How long will it take for me to be well?
How much will it cost and does my insurance cover chiropractic care?

One of the most important aspects of the first visits is to make sure that you are in the right place. If it is determined that your particular problem is not something which we can help you with, a prompt referral will be made to the appropriate specialist.

You might wonder what to expect if this is your first visit to the Winchester Chiropractic Center Center. It's not uncommon to have some anxiety if you've never been treated by a chiropractor. But not to worry, it can be a pleasant experience.

We will make every effort to schedule a timely appointment and keep that appointment. On your first visit to the office we will have some initial paperwork for you to fill out. These forms will usually include a questionnaire on your medical history. This will allow one of the Chiropractic Doctors to have a brief overview of your background, including, surgeries, diagnostic tests, medications and nutrition.

The Doctor will use this information, furnished by you, to evaluate you before the actual exam. Once your paperwork is completed, the Chiropractic Doctor may ask more detailed questions before he starts the actual examination.

This is the time to let your chiropractor know why you visited the office in the first place. After this, you will have a physical examination similar to that of any medical physician. The doctor may perform some orthopedic and neurological tests concentrating on your current complaint.

The doctors at the Winchester Chiropractic Center Center understand that the entire body is a fully integrated system and one part is not independent from the other. They would not do justice simply examining only the area of complaint. The doctors will also look at other areas that may be contributing to your complaint.

Once the exam is completed, the doctor will explain his findings to you and lay out a course of treatment. The doctor may prescribe some physical modalities similar to those used in a physical therapy office in order to speed the recovery and healing process. These may include ultrasound, interferential current (electrical therapy), ice, heat or rehabilitation exercises.

On your first visit, plan for extra time to fill out paperwork. Using the links above, you can print the ‘New Patient Paperwork’ ahead of time and bring the completed forms with you to your appointment to save time. Plan on spending about 60 minutes in the office on your first visit. Successive visits may last anywhere between 15-30 minutes.

Although the back is the primary focus of chiropractic, the manipulations can be applied to any muscle or joint in the body. After proper positioning, the chiropractor creates tension around the offending joint, then applies pressure to return it to its proper position. A popping sound is often heard and sometimes felt, following this maneuver. The noise is similar to the one you hear when cracking your knuckles. It results from the release of nitrogen gas built up, and is generally painless. After the adjustment, pain is relieved due to the proper function being restored to the joint.