Your Chiropractor Comes Highly Skilled
Chiropractic Care
Your chiropractor at Hoffman Chiropractic & Wellness utilizes many different gentle and effective techniques for enhancing spinal mobility and improving nervous system performance. Our chiropractors will use information gathered from your initial exam to develop the best approach for each person individually.
Learn more about our different techniques below.
Our chiropractic techniques include:
Cranial Adjusting
Your skull is made up of many individual bones that are supposed to move, but when this movement is impaired from injuries or even the birth process, it has a significant impact on your health and the function of your nervous system.
Extremities
Chiropractors are famous for their work with the spine but there are many other joints in the body that benefit from a good chiropractic adjustment. Shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands as well as hips, knees, ankles and feet can all be adjusted for pain relief, mobility and improved function. And while not technically in an extremity, we wouldn’t want to forget about the jaw. Fixing restrictions and imbalances in this important set of joints has resulted in huge relief for many sufferers with TMJ and headaches.
Cold Laser Therapy
The Erchonia cold laser device has gained recent FDA approval for the non-surgical treatment of neck and shoulder pain, low back pain, and heel pain. It is being used widely in the NFL and by the USPS tour de France team chiropractor.
The beneficial effects of the Erchonia laser is also useful in speeding up the healing of soft tissue injuries as well as post-operatively.
When the body has an injury the cells are damaged and fail to function within normal parameters. Low level lasers penetrate deeply into the skin and work by restoring this abnormal cellular function. Physiologic effects include improved metabolism, circulation and tissue healing.
Laser therapy may be useful to you if you have any of the following:
- tendonitis
- frozen shoulder
- post-operative wounds
- sprain-strains
- scar tissue
- chronic or acute pain
- wound healing
- arthritis
- migraines
- disc herniations
- minor nerve damage
- carpal tunnel syndrome
Diversified Technique
When vertebrae are stuck and not moving properly or misaligned, a chiropractor can use a specific adjustment thrust can be used to gently restore its motion and position free up “stuck” spinal joints. Diversified is probably one of the most common chiropractic approaches out there. This is the one most people think about when they imagine what chiropractic is. You may hear a slight popping or cracking sound, but this sound simply comes from gas shifting within the fluid in the joint and isn’t really necessary for a good, skilled adjustment.
Gonstead Technique
Another full spine technique is Gonstead and has been in use for decades. While similar to Diversified in some respects, the patient positioning during the adjustment is different and allows for less rotation and more straight-line adjustment that many patients prefer. Our chiropractors use this safe and effective technique to offer patients another style option.
Thompson Drop Technique
Some patients love the cracking from a traditional chiropractic technique, but some people would prefer a technique that doesn’t have the popping noise. Thompson Drop Technique assesses your spine and pelvis using a unique series of leg length checks and uses a special table that uses a quick drop piece that makes the adjustment gentler and more comfortable for more sensitive patients. This method offers the chiropractor with a very precise and safe method for back, neck, and extremity adjustments. Our chiropractors love to use the technique that best suits the patient’s needs.
Torque Release Technique
By using a gentle, specific instrument to deliver a precise, low-force impulse into the spine, Torque Release Technique was developed out of the need for a reproducible approach that could be used in research protocols with consistency regardless of the practitioner. One of the new techniques in the world, many patients prefer this low-force technique with no joint popping, cracking or twisting at all. Changes occur quickly after each adjustment, requiring a quick re-check after each application. One of our chiropractors in Red Deer can offer this technique.
Upper Cervical Technique
One of the earliest special approaches to chiropractic was the development of the Upper Cervical Technique that focuses on restoring the position of the top two vertebrae of the spine, known as the atlas and axis. Proper correction of this important area can help to shift the rest of the spine and posture, gently improving spinal balance. Adjustments here are so important, we want to make sure each patient has this area working the way it should!
The Insight Subluxation Station | 5 Tech System
This technology helps us assess your nervous system by measuring tiny amounts of heat and electrical differences along your spine.
Introducing the 5 Tech System
One component to our approach to chiropractic is the remarkable Insight Subluxation Station technology. This system has been awarded certification as Space-Certified technology by NASA. This technology allows us to establish a reliable and scientifically valid representation of our patient’s condition. This system is able to detect problems are not measurable by a doctor alone.
The Insight Subluxation Station™ Discovery model is a 5-technology unit that provides a comprehensive picture of our patient’s neurospinal health. The tests are painless, non-invasive, scientifically sound and easy to understand. Our integrated technology includes:
Thermal Scan
As you’d expect, this measures temperature. When there are disturbances to your nervous system along the spine, there are often temperature differences from side to side. This is due to inflammation and changes in blood flow. Our thermal scan is non-invasive and reveals the condition of your autonomic nervous system controlling your organs, glands and circulatory system.
Inclinometer
The Insight™ Inclinometer is used to perform accurate spinal range-of-motion (ROM) measurements. There are three market-leading features to the Insight Inclinometer:
- It is three dimensional – meaning you can do rotation with the patient in the upright position!
- It is hands-free which leads to a much faster and more accurate exam.
- It is wireless using Blue Tooth™ technology and has passed all wireless coexistence regulatory requirements.
Algometer
The Algometer enables doctors to obtain accurate information concerning the sensory portion of the nervous system by mapping pressure/pain sensitivity along the spine. The doctor applies pressure to tender areas; the Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT) is determined by the amount of force required for the patient to first perceive discomfort. Previously subjective perceptions can now be accurately measured, mapped and graphically displayed to assess progress throughout a course of care.
PWP – Pulse Wave Profiler
The Pulse Wave Profiler helps the doctor to determine your overall ability to adapt to stress. It does this by looking at the timing of your pulse, and determining the balance and tone of your nervous system. This exam is known as heart rate variability. Proper balance and tone are associated with better adaptability and a healthy lifestyle. Low heart rate variability is associated with aging and poor heart health. Published research has shown that chiropractic adjustments have a beneficial effect on heart rate variability.
Surface EMG
Surface Electromyography measures the minute amounts of electrical energy in the muscles along your spine. Subluxations disturb the function of the nervous system. This can produce too much or too little electrical activity in your muscles. We use this highly-accurate, non-invasive scan to document your progress. It’s more accurate than how you feel.
Get Started Today
Visited a chiropractor before and have a preferred chiropractic technique? We invite you to let our doctors know so you can benefit from the individualized chiropractic care you want and deserve.
Chiropractors Who Care | (403) 346-2297