What is chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care is a hands-on approach to improving your health through use of a range of adjustment techniques to reduce pain, improve function and increase mobility of your spine, joints, and muscles. Chiropractic comes from the Greek word ‘chiro’ meaning ‘of the hands’. Chiropractors use safe and painless adjustment techniques to alleviate pain, restore range of motion to the joints, and address some types of acute injury as well as repetitive motion injuries.
McTimoney Chiropractic treatments consist of a broad range of adjustment techniques to improve your joint function resulting in relief from pain and muscle spasms. Treatments are focused on specific areas of your body, such as individual joints, rather than broad areas. The intent of this is to pinpoint the exact area where treatment is needed, with the understanding that dysfunction and pain in surrounding areas can be alleviated through manual therapy in that area. Other treatments which may be included in your chiropractic care include mobilisation, and soft tissue techniques such as trigger point therapy, active release technique, myofascial release, and massage.
Through gentle yet precise adjustments we can free up your neuro-musculoskeletal system, enabling you to achieve your varying goals; whether they be to resume your favourite sport, living without pain, moving more freely, sleeping better, or just feeling more comfortable in yourself.
What conditions can chiropractors help?
Many acute and chronic conditions can be treated via chiropractic care, especially concerns centered around neck and back pain. Your chiropractor will assess your lifestyle, medical history, and concerns to determine if chiropractic can help you, and formulate a plan of care that’s personalised to your needs. If your chiropractor feels that your condition could better benefit from or will require treatment from a general practitioner or specialist, they will discuss this with you and ask to confer with your GP so that appropriate referrals can be made. It is worth remembering, people can benefit from chiropractic at all stages of life, including babies, children, teens, pregnant women and into our later years.
Some common health conditions which may benefit from chiropractic care include:
- Low back pain / sciatica
- Neck pain
- Some headaches and migraines
- Shoulder pain, minor sports injuries and performance issues, repetitive strain injuries
- Back and pelvic pain during pregnancy
- Pelvic and spinal dysfunction in babies and children
What is the McTimoney chiropractic style?
While there are a few different types of chiropractic technique, we utilise the McTimoney method, and feel that it is the most enjoyable to both give and receive. This chiropractic style focuses on movement restrictions, spinal and pelvic misalignments, and areas of tension throughout the body. Precise, low force adjustments are used to realign the spinal vertebrae and other joints.
Your Chiropractic Sessions
Your initial Chiropractic consultation
When planning for your first clinic visit, you should estimate a 60 – 75 minute session. Your visit will consist of a recording of your medical history and lifestyle, a physical exam, and treatments if possible. Your future appointments will be be shorter, running around 25 minutes.
At the start of your visit, you will be asked to provide a detailed breakdown of your medical history and lifestyle, including the ways you use your body at work and during other activities. This can help to illuminate causes and contributing factors. Some underlying health conditions may determine how, or if, chiropractic care can be administered to you; while individualised care plans which accommodate your medical needs are common, referrals to a GP or specialist for an x-ray, MRI, CT scan or further health assessment may be needed before chiropractic techniques can be safely performed.
During your exam, you can expect to experience a blood pressure check, and your spinal alignment, joint function, and neurological function will also be assessed. During this exam, issues and problems are identified and a rationale of care is determined. A full explanation of this decision, your plan of care, and any actions being performed will be discussed with you, and questions are always encouraged!
Your second chiropractic session
At your second visit, I’ll talk with you to hear how you feel following your first session, and we’ll do a quick assessment to determine how your body has responded to your first chiropractic treatment. You will then receive your second chiropractic treatment. After this appointment, you can anticipate approximately three or four visits over the following month to the clinic. When these sessions have been completed, we’ll review you body’s response to the treatments. Together, we can then discuss how to further proceed with treatments.
When appropriate, massage, trigger point release, and Zero Balancing styles which can support and enhance your treatment will be used, you will be informed before these techniques are used, and may always opt out of them if you wish. Your treatment will be explained to you as it is being performed, and questions are encouraged at every stage.
The stages of chiropractic care
Phase 1: Intensive Care
This is the initial phase, during which your chiropractor will address the health issues and symptoms which brought you to their office. It is during this phase visits are most frequent, usually one visit per week, for 4-6 weeks. It is the most essential part of care and establishes a good foundation for ongoing treatment.
Your care plan (number of visits, rehabilitation exercises, and postural advice) will be based on the findings of your chiropractor’s initial exam, as well as factors like medical history, physical condition, age, and lifestyle. After this phase has been completed, a progress evaluation will take place to allow for an updated assessment of your condition and the changing care recommendations and frequency of further visits.
Phase 2: Corrective & Stabilisation Care
During this phase, your spine and body is gaining strength and responding to treatment and symptoms have decreased. Your spine will begin to hold adjustments, increasing stability, increasing muscle strength, and improving nerve function. This phase is focused on further balancing and strengthening your body.
Phase 3: Wellness & health optimisation care
During this phase, your spine is functioning well, and your flexibility and strength are returning. Your visits to the chiropractor will be far less frequent, and the occasional vertebral subluxations that occur will be seen and attended to promptly. This helps prevent a repeat of the build up of subluxations and muscle compensations that had resulted in the initial reason for visiting your chiropractor. Your adjustments begin to last longer now, and you begin to enjoy a normal range of activity again.
Some frequently asked questions……..
What will be the cost of my treatment?
Your initial visit will be £70, and each subsequent session will be £45.
See more about fees and opening hours »
Do I need to undress?
While most chiropractic care can be performed while you are fully clothed, especially light tops and elasticated trousers, a more thorough examination of a specific area or the need to use an oil or cream to facilitate therapeutic massage may necessitate the removal of some clothing. Your privacy is assured through the use of a clinical gown.
Am I obliged to stick to my plan of care?
Of course not, you are in charge of your chiropractic care, and are encouraged to speak up if you are dissatisfied with your treatment plan in any way. Your plan of care will be reviewed regularly, but if you are not happy with your progress, are questioning the effectiveness of your treatment, or are feeling any discomfort, we sincerely encourage you to speak up so that we can work together to find a plan that works for you.
Is chiropractic care safe?
As a non-invasive natural health practice which involves neither medications nor surgery, chiropractic care is statistically safer than many other types of medical care and day-to-day activity.
Are there age restrictions on chiropractic care?
No, in fact, people of all age groups and during all stages of life have the potential to improve health through chiropractic care, including babies, children, teenagers, and pregnant women.
Is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy?
Yes it is, we advise using chiropractic after the first trimester, and in fact, it can serve to adjust spinal and pelvic misalignment that causes lumbar pain both during and after pregnancy. As a natural health practice, it uses neither medication nor surgery, and is non-invasive.
Why might my child or teen need to see a chiropractor?
Carrying a heavy pack, using computers and mobile devices, and watching television can all lead to the development of a posture in which children and teens lean forward, placing excessive strain on the back. These posture issues may benefit from chiropractic and postural advice. Additionally, children who have sustained a sport or playground injury may find relief from pain and increased range of motion after chiropractic treatment.
MoorCare McTimoney Chiropractic 