Chiropractic
What is Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that focuses on the spine, the joints and the musculoskeletal aspects of the body and their connection with the nervous system.
Chiropractic is a drug free, surgery free, hands-on healthcare practice primarily for the musculoskeletal system including the bones, joints, muscles and ligaments, and some of the neurological system, including the nerves and the spinal cord.
Chiropractors have a minimum of five years University education. In addition to their academic qualifications, chiropractors who want to work in Australia must be registered with the Chiropractic Board of Australia and fulfill requirements administered by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), including annual continuous professional development.
In order to make an accurate diagnosis of your problem the chiropractor needs as much information as possible. This will involve you completing a form when you arrive to describe your current condition and supply details of your medical history. The chiropractor will then perform a physical examination. It is possible that you may require further tests or x-rays, CT scans, MRI or ultrasound. The chiropractor should then have sufficient information to tell you what is wrong and whether they will be able to help you or if you require a referral to your GP or a specialist.
Chiropractors use a variety of specific techniques to reduce pain and improve mobility and function. The one technique that most people associate with chiropractic is hand-delivered manipulation of the spine. Chiropractors call this an ‘adjustment’. They may also use other techniques and modalities like heat, ice, massage, specific exercises, ultrasound and dry needling. They may also give lifestyle, ergonomic and dietary advice.
Benefits of Chiropractic
Chiropractic may help a large range of conditions, even some that you may not expect. Typical conditions treated by a chiropractor are back and neck pain, sciatica, certain types of headaches, shoulder pain including frozen shoulder, elbow and wrist pain including tennis and golfer’s elbow, hip, knee, ankle and foot pain.
Chiropractic treatment can help with:
- Cervicogenic headache (headache arising from the neck)
- Joint pain including hip and knee pain
- Muscle spasms
- Acute and chronic backache (not arising from injury or accident)
- Neck pain
- Frozen shoulder, shoulder or elbow pain arising from associated musculoskeletal conditions related to the spine
- Tension and ability to relax (through lifestyle advice)
Pregnancy – Prenatal and Postpartum Care
Chiropractic treatment can help pregnant women with:
- Back and spinal pain
- Other pregnancy related musculoskeletal pains
- Reducing the need for pain medication for musculoskeletal conditions.
Our chiropractor can also offer ergonomic advice to expecting mums during every stage of their pregnancy & postpartum.
If you are suffering from an injury or condition or are experiencing acute or chronic pain, please feel free to contact us for more information as to whether chiropractic treatment may help.
Our chiropractors are registered with Private Health Funds, Medicare, DVA and WorkCover.
Massage
What is Remedial Massage
When muscles and tendons become damaged or impaired, knotted and tense or immobile, remedial massage provides a healing treatment that can be soft or firm, deep or shallow. Remedial massage treats the whole body and traces the discomfort as far as possible back to the original cause, helping fix both the cause of the problem as well as the symptoms.
Remedial Massage Technique
There are several specific techniques to locate and repair damage and to support and speed up the body’s own repair mechanisms. The massage is applied directly to the skin using a lubricating medium, usually oil, which ensures that the muscles associated with the disorder and mobilisation of the joint are treated. Passive stretching moves are also used.
Benefits of Remedial Massage
The benefits of Remedial massage include: stimulation to the blood supply allowing built up toxins in the muscles to be released; the calming of the peripheral nervous system to ease pain and discomfort; and the toning and relaxing of muscles to improve joint mobility. An improvement to the health of the cells, the repairing of tissues, and the easing of stiffness and tension can also be experienced through both remedial and therapeutic relaxation massage.
Muscular and skeletal dysfunctions often addressed with remedial massage include sports injuries and tight muscles from training, fibrositis, spondylitis, arthritis, frozen shoulder, muscular cramps, whiplash and muscular atrophy. Treatment duration ranges between 30 minutes up to 1.5 hours, depending on the whether the practitioner is addressing one specific area, multiple areas or treating the whole body.
Relaxation Massage
This massage is solely focused on allowing the client to experience ultimate relaxation. The 1 hour massage aims to take you away from the daily stressors and to completely relax the body and mind. In this massage you will experience the following:
- Pressure that is intensely deep, but not painful
- Occasional use of essential oils to enhance the environment and the general effect of the massage.
Smooth gliding strokes in which are flowing and rhythmic.
Benefits of Relaxation Massage
As with any massage you will likely experience the benefits for several days after your treatment, these are as follows:
- Improvements to skin tone and complexion
- Reduction in muscle tension and assists with muscle pressure headaches
- Improvements to stress related symptoms
Lymphatic Massage
Lymphatic massage, also known as manual lymphatic or lymph drainage massage is a very gentle light pressured massage technique which is intended to encourage the natural flow of lymph. Lymph transports nutrients and oxygen to cells through the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system helps fight infections and is part of your immune system. It collects toxins and flushes them out through the lymph nodes.
One common use for lymphatic massage is the treatment of lymphedema resulting from the removal of lymph nodes. It has been reported to have many other benefits such as detoxification, relaxation and scar tissue healing.
Benefits of Lymphatic Massage
- Skin Care
- Reduce Swelling
- Reduced fluid retention
- Headaches
- Detox
- Promotes Healing
Pregnancy Massage
When people hear “Pregnancy Massage” it is often assumed the treatment is structured around the belly, when in fact it’s quite the opposite. You can expect a normal, full body massage increasing feelings of relaxation, de-stressing, reduced fluid retention, pain relief and even symptom relief of pregnancy related conditions.
With the added luxury of a pregnancy pillow, you will have the opportunity to lay face down on your tummy throughout the treatment. Pregnancy Massage is a preformed by a specifically trained and qualified therapist.
Benefits of Pregnancy massage
- Feelings of relaxation and de-stressing
- Reduced fluid retention
- Pain relief and muscle tension release
- Can assist in symptom relief of pregnancy related conditions