Spine Health and Athlete Performance
Dr. Brad sat down with Jonathan ‘Boomtown’ Gillham on KCSU radio to do a podcast regarding chiropractic care and how sports injuries to the spine can have different effects on performance and more…Read More
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic Care in Johnstown for Full Body Health
When it comes to biological engineering, your spinal column is nothing short of miraculous. It’s made up of 24 independent vertebrae, and it allows you to twist, bend, and move in virtually every way. Not only that, but your nervous system is encased within, which is responsible for controlling all of your body’s muscle, tissue, and nerves.
This also means that your body is a tightly interconnected system, and if you’re hurt in one spot, the pain won’t just stay there. When you drop a rock into a pond, the splash caused by the impact pushes water outwards in ripples. Pain in your body behaves in a similar fashion, and an injury can have unexpected consequences for other parts.
If you’re experiencing neck pain, back pain, or headaches, you can always pop some medication which will reduce the discomfort for a while. But it won’t address the root cause, and you can expect the pain to return. Chiropractic care, on the other hand, is designed to take a broader view by focusing on your entire body, and providing treatment that removes pain, increases flexibility, and improves your general health.
We Want You To Be Pain-Free
At Connected Chiropractic, we’re focused on holistic treatment methods, ones that don’t utilize invasive surgery or expensive drugs. Instead, our chiropractic solutions are safer, more natural, and proven to work. With over 13 years of experience, we’ve helped hundreds of patients to live pain-free and reclaim their lives. You deserve your life back, too. For more information or to schedule an appointment with your local chiropractor, contact us today.
What Is Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic medicine focuses on the spine and other joints in the body, and their relationship to the nervous system. More specifically, chiropractic care is concerned with diagnosing and treating neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders that can affect your overall health and wellness. Your chiropractor in Johnstown addresses these disorders and other health conditions through the application of focused and controlled manual therapies that best suit your specific needs, injuries, and health goals. These manual therapies may include chiropractic manipulation of the spine and joints in the body, along with muscle therapy, traction, and passive stretching techniques. Your chiropractor may also employ the use of chiropractic adjusting tools such as an activator and other treatment methods. Chiropractors use many tools to enhance chiropractic treatments to alleviate swelling and inflammation that contribute to pain and stiffness of the muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments, which, essentially, can restrict overall movement. To address these issues, your chiropractic treatment may include electrotherapy (electric muscle stimulation), ultrasound, and the use of heating pads or cold packs. Your chiropractic treatment will be applied while you lay in different positions on an adjusting table, which may include seated, prone (lying face down), supine (lying down facing upward), and supported side positions. Chiropractic care is a proven, safe, and highly-effective alternative to treating pain without the use of medications and invasive surgical procedures. Our chiropractic treatments are customized to your unique needs.
The Goal of Chiropractic Care
Most people seek chiropractic treatments to relieve pain, heal from an injury, or to enhance their overall wellness. While each patient is unique, the overarching goal of chiropractic care is to reduce and remove pain so that a patient can get back to living and doing the things they enjoy without being hindered by pain. Additionally, your chiropractor seeks to:
- Diagnose, treat, and correct neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders.
- Relieve pain and discomfort.
- Restore nerve function.
- Improve mobility and movement.
- Maintain and improve the structural integrity of the spine and supportive tissues.
- Enhance general health and wellness.
Chiropractic for People of All Ages
Many people assume that chiropractic care is only for those ages 18 and older, but this is not the case. Of the more than 50 million Americans who receive regular chiropractic care each year, this estimate includes patients of all ages and walks of life. Our chiropractic office in Johnstown offers safe and effective chiropractic care for the whole family, because health and wellness does not just start once you have reached a certain age — it is a lifelong investment that begins in childhood. Our chiropractor, Dr. Brad Cranwell, treats children and adults of all ages with gentle yet effective chiropractic treatments. Contact us to talk more about pediatric chiropractic care and chiropractic for teens and adolescents.
What To Expect During Your First Chiropractic Treatment
For those people who have never had a chiropractic adjustment, the idea of this type of treatment may sound a bit scary at first. In an effort to help you feel more at ease about receiving chiropractic care for the first time, here is what you can typically expect when you begin chiropractic treatments with us at Connected Chiropractic in Johnstown.
Consultation
During your first visit with us, your chiropractor will meet with you to discuss your health history, injury history, symptoms (type, frequency, and duration), lifestyle, and your health and wellness concerns. Your chiropractor may also perform a physical examination through different movements that will allow him to test and measure posture, balance, gait, motor skills, range of motion, and other functional aspects that can help him determine the right treatment plan for you.
Spinal and Postural Screenings
We offer spinal and postural screenings to measure your alignment and determine the best course of action for your chiropractic care. If your chiropractor feels that further examinations are needed, such as X-rays or MRI studies, he may recommend these images prior to your chiropractic adjustment.
Assessment
A health consultation and examination will allow your chiropractor to determine the best treatment plan that fits your specific health condition, injuries, and overall health and wellness goals.
Treatment Plan
Because every patient is different, we will customize your treatment plan to best suit your unique needs. Here is a typical breakdown of treatment plans and expectations that guide us in determining your specific treatment plan:
Chiropractic Care for Pain Relief and Injury Recovery –
Depending on the severity of pain and/or injury, a patient can expect to receive 2-3 chiropractic treatments per week for 4-12 weeks.
Corrective and Restorative Chiropractic Care –
To help the soft tissues heal and to prevent future injuries, patients typically receive 4-8 chiropractic treatments each month for 6-24 months, depending on your specific condition and pain.
Chiropractic Wellness Care Plans –
Once your body has reached 100 percent functionality (or close to), your chiropractic care may move into the maintenance phase. Treatment plans may vary depending on injuries and health conditions, but patients can generally expect to receive 1-4 chiropractic adjustments per month.
Chiropractic Treatment
In most cases, you can expect to receive a chiropractic adjustment during your first visit, unless your chiropractor determines a manual therapy is contraindicated, in which case, you may be referred to an appropriate medical provider who we work with in our network of local specialists.
How to Prepare for Your Chiropractic Appointment
There is not a whole lot you need to do in terms of preparing for your chiropractic appointment, but here are a few considerations for you to ponder prior to your initial visit with us:
- Please download and fill out our patient intake forms located below. You can either fax them or bring them with you to your initial appointment.
- Be prepared to discuss your pain, injuries, symptoms, health conditions, etc. It may help you to take a few notes to help you remember any questions or concerns you may have for your chiropractor, and notable information that can better assist us in optimizing your chiropractic treatments (e.g. lifestyle practices, medications, supplements, allergies, current injuries, previous medical and alternative medical treatments, etc.) If you have had recent radiological imaging (X-ray, MRI, or other), feel free to bring those scans if you have them.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your tissues hydrated prior to an adjustment. Many patients prefer to bring a water bottle along with them to hydrate after a treatment.
- Bring your insurance information.
- Do try to avoid strenuous activity before your visit (heavy lifting, awkward bending and twisting, intense physical activity like contact sports, etc.)
You can also access these forms and more information about our patient intake process by following this link to our Patient Forms page.
Conditions We Treat With Chiropractic Care
As your trusted local chiropractor in Johnstown, we have treated patients with all types of conditions, injuries, and ailments. Whether you are experiencing minor discomfort in your neck or back, suffer from recurring migraine headaches, or have suffered an injury that is now causing you severe pain, chiropractic care can help you heal. Here are some of the most common conditions we treat with our chiropractic treatments:
- Neck pain
- Back pain
- Headaches and migraines
- Shoulder, elbow, and wrist pain
- Arm and hand pain
- Leg, ankle, and foot pain
- Hip and lower back pain
- Sciatica (pain in the lower back with radiating leg pain)
- Muscle spasms and strains
- Sprains
- Numbness and tingling
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Joint pain
- Pinched nerves and Neuropathy (nerve pain)
- Herniated discs
- Bulging discs
- Degenerative disc disease, Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Stenosis
- Abnormal spinal curvature
- Chronic pain
- Chronic spinal tension
- And more
Care
As your trusted local chiropractor in Johnstown, we have treated patients with all types of conditions, injuries, and ailments. Whether you are experiencing minor discomfort in your neck or back, suffer from recurring migraine headaches, or have suffered an injury that is now causing you severe pain, chiropractic care can help you heal. Here are some of the most common conditions we treat with our chiropractic treatments:
Common Causes of Pain
There are many different reasons you may be experiencing pain and discomfort. Here are some of the most common causes of pain, inflammation, decreased function, and limited mobility.
Auto Injuries
Being involved in an auto accident can lead to all kinds of injuries and pain. Some of common auto-related injuries include:
- Whiplash
- Upper, mid, and lower back pain
- Chest pain (sternum injury) and bruised ribs
- Sciatic nerve pain
- Hip and pelvic pain
- Headaches and migraines
- Muscle spasms and fatigue
- Pinched nerves
- Stress and anxiety
- Difficulty sleeping
- Herniated discs
- Arthritis caused by injury
Work-Related Injuries
With the wide array of jobs, work injuries are just as diverse. These can be caused from prolonged sitting, repetitive motions, and heavy lifting. Some common work-related injuries include:
- Neck, shoulder, and back pain
- Spinal nerve compression
- Headaches and migraines
- Sciatica
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Hand and foot pain
- Tennis elbow
- Knee pain
- Sprains/strains
- Muscle spasms and fatigue
- Numbness and tingling
- Disc herniations
- Poor posture
- Cranial sacral
Sports Injuries
Sports injuries are often the cause of extremity injuries as a result of contact, overexertion, and repetitive movements. Common sports injuries include:
- Rotator cuff injuries and shoulder dislocations
- Collarbone injuries
- Wrist injuries
- Knee injuries (ACL, MCL, LCL)
- Ankle and foot injuries (muscle strains, ligament sprains, and fractures)
- Contusions
- Bruised ribs
- Head injuries
Health Conditions
There are many illnesses and health conditions that can affect that can cause pain and discomfort, including:
- Chronic lower back pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Diabetes (Diabetic nerve pain/neuropathy)
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Recurring or chronic headaches (migraine and cluster)
- Rapid weight gain and obesity
- Pregnancy
- Scoliosis
- Lyme disease
- And more
Ways to Ease Pain At Home
Your wellness care and pain relief don’t have to end when you walk out of our chiropractic practice. In fact, there are many ways you can manage your pain and improve your health and wellness at home. Below are some techniques for self-care that you can apply to your daily routine to reduce pain, increase flexibility, and feel better.
Aromatherapy
Essential oils derived from plants, flowers, and herbs have healing properties that can alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, encourage relaxation, help you destress, enhance your yoga and meditation practices, improve your sleep patterns, and so much more.
- Lavender – Lavender has been used for centuries to relieve pain in muscles, reduce headaches, soothe swollen and inflamed joints, calm anxiety, and improve sleep.
- Peppermint – Along with soothing stomach aches, peppermint alleviates muscle and joint pain, and can reduce headaches. This aroma is great for respiratory symptoms, too.
- Eucalyptus – While this is a go-to remedy for colds and other respiratory issues, eucalyptus provides soothing pain relief and can aid in relieving symptoms associated with arthritis.
- Rosemary – Rosemary is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties that can assist in pain relief. While this essential oil can stimulate brain function and improve clarity and focus, it also has a calming effect that reduces stress.
Stretching
Stretching your muscles can ease tightness and tension that contributes to pain in the body. Plus, stretching before and after any type of physical activity, whether it be walking, a high intensity workout, a sporting event, throwing the frisbee to your dog, or going on a hike, it is essential to warm up the muscles, connective tissues, and joints to prepare them for different movements, which can reduce your risk of injury.
Here are the muscles groups you will want to stretch:
- Neck and shoulders
- Arms, wrists, and hands
- Back, lower back, and hips
- Legs and feet
Talk with your chiropractor to see which stretched may be right for you.
If you are ready to get out of pain so that you can reclaim your life and get back to doing the things you enjoy most, give your Top Rated Local® chiropractor at Connected Chiropractic a call today. We are Johnstown’s source for effective pain relief, injury recovery, and wellness care. Contact us with any questions or to schedule an appointment for chiropractic care for the whole family. We take a holistic approach to health to improve and maintain your whole body health.