By Guest contributor Tyler Hamel, DC

Edited by Mila McManus, MD

Chiropractors evaluate the spine and nervous system to determine whether issues with these are affecting your health condition.  Your neck pain, back pain, sciatica, or migraine headaches may be caused by spine/nerve irritation and, if that’s the case, chiropractic treatment can help.

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

Oftentimes postural stress causes wear and tear on the spinal joints in your neck, mid-back and low back.  These joints become compressed which causes irritation, pain and muscle spasm. In the simplest explanation, here is what the chiropractic adjustment does:

• Decompresses the spine
• Realigns the spine
• Takes pressure off of nerves
• Restores proper function

Why be open to chiropractic treatment?

• It’s very safe and more effective at treating neck and back pain than any other treatment out there, including, e.g., muscle relaxers, pain pills, or surgery.
• Chiropractic helps the body heal from the inside out naturally by restoring proper alignment and nerve flow.
• It’s affordable. Chiropractic adjustments are a fraction of the cost of long-term use of pain medicine, ongoing cortisone shots, and surgeries.
• Everyone can be helped with chiropractic care. Our youngest patient was 7 weeks old, and our most senior patient 99 years old.
• You don’t need a referral from a doctor.
• We accept insurance, but keep in mind that sometimes insurance co-pays cost more than our cash prices.

Which Chiropractic technique is best for you?

• Manual adjusting- you will hear pops and cracks when we release pressure from the spine during a chiropractic adjustment. This is very safe.
• Instrument adjusting- we use vibrating adjustment tools that accomplish the same result as manual adjusting.

Why do we offer both?

• Some patients do not want their neck or back “popped”, whereas others love the feeling of a manual adjustment.
• Depending on the age of the patient, it may be easier and safer to use instrument adjusting. For example, if a patient has osteoporosis, or recently had surgery, instrument adjusting may be preferred.
• Having more than one adjusting technique makes it easy for anyone to come and experience the benefits of chiropractic care.

Dr. Hamel cares for patients part time at our TWIHW facility, and part time at his Kingwood office.