Our Services
Chiropractic Services
What is chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient assessment, diagnosis and treatment. In particular, chiropractors assess patients for disorders related to the spine, pelvis, extremity joints, and their effect on the nervous system. Chiropractic is a highly skilled treatment by trained professionals.
How does chiropractic work?
Your spine has a very important function in your body. Not only does it support your body’s weight, it also protects your spinal chord, which is the “central highway” of your nervous system. Our ability to walk, run, jump, lift, and feel almost every sensation below our neck requires a healthy spine.
The bones in your back, called vertebrae, are connected by cartilage and work together in a very specific way. When everything is working well, your spine is in-line, strong and flexible. The stress of daily living, injuries or accidents can cause the bones to shift out of their proper alignment or affect their range of motion. These small changes can cause pain by putting pressure on the different joints, muscles, and nerves along your spine.
Chiropractors understand how to relieve this pain. They are specifically trained to find the source of your back pain, assess the problem, and make the proper adjustments to allow your spine to work properly again.
What does a chiropractic treatment involve?
The chiropractic joint manipulation or “adjustment” is a treatment where the chiropractor uses his or her hands to apply a very quick, precise, and safe amount of pressure directly on the problem area of your spine. This pressure momentarily separates the joints, allowing a gas bubble to escape (this is the popping sound or cracking noise you may have heard about). This relieves the pressure on the joint and surrounding nerves, allowing your spine to return to its proper position.
Chiropractors are also trained to recommend therapeutic exercise, to utilize other non-invasive therapies, as well as to provide nutritional and lifestyle counseling.
Who needs a chiropractor?
The majority of patients who seek chiropractic health care do so for complaints of the musculoskeletal system, most often for conditions affecting the spine such as back pain, neck pain and headaches. Work, accidents, sports injuries, household chores, and even the stress of daily living can cause painful joint and spinal problems. Even if you do not have painful symptoms, chiropractic care can help you maintain healthy spine and joint function.
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Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is the manual treatment of the soft tissues of the body, to achieve a therapeutic response. It enhances the function of muscles and joints, improves the circulation of the blood and lymph, and relieves pain and stress.
Massage techniques are designed to rehabilitate, maintain or improve physical function. In addition to soft tissue techniques, massage therapists are also trained in hydrotherapy and remedial exercise.
Massage therapy treats specific conditions as well as affecting the body as a whole, promoting a general sense of well-being. A variety of techniques and modalities may be used to achieve optimal effects, according to your specific requirements.
The therapeutic effects of massage therapy benefit men and women of all ages - infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly. It can provide relief and often recovery from a wide variety of mild and acute conditions.
In addition, massage therapy has been found to be beneficial as an adjunct to general stress reduction programs.
Massage therapy is an effective treatment for:
- low back pain
- stress
- whiplash
- fibromyalgia
- insomnia
- respiratory problems
- temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ)
- repetitive strain injuries (RSI)
- muscle spasm
- athletic injuries
- tendonitis (tennis/golfer's elbow; jumper's knee; achilles)
- bursitis
- frozen shoulder
- arthritis
- thoracic outlet syndrome
- general muscle tension
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- headaches
- migraine
- whiplash associated disorder
- muscle strains
Massage therapy is not covered under the Nova Scotia Health Plan; however, many people have private or group insurance which provides full or partial coverage under their extended health care plans. Some plans require a physician's referral or other specific criteria for coverage. Check your individual policy to determine your type of coverage.
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Custom Orthotics
Your feet have a direct impact on the rest of your body. When a small problem develops in your feet, the subtle change in the way that you walk will cause a chain reaction of adjustments in your posture and walking mechanics. These changes can put stress on joints higher up in your body, and lead to more serious problems.
Prescription orthotics look like insoles, but are biomechanical medical appliances that are custom made to correct your specific foot imbalance. Orthotics reduce the stress and strain on your body by bringing your feet back into proper alignment. Orthotics can reduce problems associated with pressure points, muscle strain and abnormal forces on the ankles, knees, hips and spine.
Orthotics are fitted by making a foam impression cast of your foot which is then scanned to produce a custom orthotic which meets your specific biomechanical needs.
Do I need a doctor’s referral?
Yes, the majority of private health care plans which have coverage for orthotics require a referral from a medical doctor or podiatrist.
How would I know if I had a problem?
The symptoms of faulty foot mechanics can include any one of the following:
- Localized foot pain
- Bunions, hammer toes
- Arch/Heel pain
- Leg/Knee pain
- Hip or back pain – even neck pain
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