The Chiropractic profession is fluent in all basic medical sciences with specific focus on the biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system and its interrelationship with the nervous system. Such expertise is essential and imperative in order to fully address all systems involved in the evolution of neuromuskuloskeletal (NMSK) pain.
The doctor of chiropractic is able to assess, diagnose and treat a multitude of NMSK conditions, whether acute or chronic, resulting from a variety of causes including trauma or postural stresses to name a few.
Our goals
The practitioners at the Robichaud-Lévesque (RL) Clinic take pride in providing evidence-based care while educating patients in order to attain and maintain an optimal quality of life while reducing pain and improving physical well being. We offer a combination of non-invasive specialized and innovative treatment options garnered over years of experience, so that you receive the most effective and efficient treatment.
What to expect
Following a thorough case history and examination, our clinicians will determine the best course of action for the patient. A customized treatment plan, individualized and specific to you, will be proposed. Risks associated with recommended care will be discussed while reviewing consent.
The doctors at the RL Clinic rely on different techniques for the correction of spinal related disorders, as well as peripheral joint and tissue dysfunctions. These include Spinal Manipulative Therapy, the Ultralign system and laser/ photobiomdulation therapy. To complement the chiropractic treatment, soft tissue techniques including acupuncture, dry needling and instrument assisted myofascial therapies may be used in conjunction with the treatment. Active rehabilitation protocols may be prescribed to maximize outcomes.
The 3 basic types of chiropractic care
- Acute care is provided to patients with acute injuries and receive care to correct and stabilize their condition. Acute care is typically of a 4 weeks duration, which amounts to a total of 6 to 12 treatments.
- Supportive care is administered to patients who have reached the maximum medical improvement or maximum therapeutic benefit, but fail to sustain this improvement and progressively deteriorate when treatment is withdrawn (in other words, supportive care is therapeutically necessary). Frequency of visits vary and depend on the patient’s condition.
- Preventative/Maintenance care is provided for a patient who has no present pain or symptoms but seeks to prevent pain and disability, promote health and enhance quality of life (in other words, preventative/maintenance care is optional or elective).
WHAT IS SPINAL MANIPULATION?
Spinal manipulation as a treatment for spinal pain has a long tradition dating back to antiquity. It is defined as a skilled, passive manual therapeutic maneuver and is carried by way of a brief, shallow and carefully administered thrust directed to a dysfunctional spinal segment.
Many patients with low back pain and other spinal related disorders benefit from the application of spinal manipulative procedures. Spinal manipulative therapy primarily addresses joint dysfunction to reduced pain, reduces muscle hypertonicity, restores altered biomechanics and ultimately limits joint wear and tear.
This procedure is considered very safe and may be accompanied by a popping sound that is termed the Cavitation Phenomenon (gas is released in the joint).
Manipulation has also been shown to have a direct and immediate effect on the nervous system.
THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTING SPINAL MANIPULATION
Over the years, spinal manipulation has been subjected to considerable scrutiny of its clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness as a treatment for spine pain. All this study has led to the conclusion that spinal manipulation is an effective and safe treatment for spine pain of mechanical origin.
THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF SPINAL MANIPULATION
The therapeutic effects of spinal manipulation are explained in terms of mechanical (physical) and neurophysiological (reflex) mechanisms.
The physical effects of manipulation involve:
- Increase in active and passive ranges of motions
- Breaking of intra-articular adhesions
- Joint and muscular mechanoreceptor stimulation
The neurophysiological reflex effects include:
- Inhibition of pain by afferent impulses to the central nervous system
- Relaxation of muscle by inhibiting motor neurons
- Stimulation of the autonomic nervous system
Alternatives to spinal manipulation
Sigma Ultralign System – Read more