FAMILY CARE

PCW’s primary goal is to serve all members of your family, from its youngest to oldest members. Children can be checked for subluxations from a very young age allowing them to grow and develop to their full potential. Corrections to the spine and extremities are made more easily and effectively the sooner one begins Chiropractic Care. Think about how easy it is to correct the angle of a tree sapling when its first been planted vs. years later; the same is true with the spine. It is important for everyone in the family to have his or her spine checked for subluxation to experience true health!

FUNCTIONAL EXAMINATION

Each patient will receive a full detailed examination to obtain an understanding of their current health status. Range of Motion studies are a crucial portion of this examination process to determine the health of vertebral discs, supporting ligaments and muscle conditions. While Chiropractors can often be confused as only analyzing bones, this application of Chiropractic addresses loss of joint integrity between vertebra which can interfere with the delicate nerve fibers exiting the spine next to it. Decreased range of motion is a common finding for those who are subluxated. Visible differences in height between the ears, shoulders, and hips, as well as posture and walking stride, are used to confirm x-ray and other diagnostic findings.

ANALYSIS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Did you know on average, 10% of your nervous system is devoted to sensing and interpreting pain? This means a patient can have interference in their nervous system and not experience any pain at all. Because of this we use methods outside of the consultation or examination to analyze the nervous system. The Nervoscope and other instrumentation can detect even the slightest temperature changes along the spine, down to 0.002 degree Fahrenheit. These temperature changes and graph patterns are evidence of inflammation caused by subluxations. We check every spinal level, on every patient, every visit to be certain we are addressing true subluxations instead of compensations.

ONSITE X-RAYS

To see is to know and not to see is to guess. At PCW we do not want to guess with your health! Just as a fingerprint is unique to each and every person, so is your spine. For this reason, we perform full spine, weight bearing, digital x-rays in house to capture each patient’s individual spinal characteristics. Careful analysis of these x-rays, down to the millimeter, allows the doctor to be as specific as possible and custom tailor each adjustment for that individual patient. The line analysis, as seen on these x-rays is done on every patient’s films and helps the doctor in determining areas of true biomechanical dysfunction, not only in the areas of chief complaint but also places that show evidence of premature wear and tear too. The information gathered from this type of x-ray analysis is centered around spinal corrections for the long term and goes beyond the traditional medical application of x-rays (fractures, tumors, etc). Extremity x-rays are also taken as needed, and have their own specific line analysis as well.

PALPATION OF THE SPINE

The art of Chiropractic utilizes the specific adjustment to restore motion in areas of the spine where it has been lost. In order to determine problematic areas that are not moving properly we use both static and motion palpation. We motion the spine while seated, this is a unique approach that was started by Dr. Gonstead decades ago. He figured out that while sitting, the spinal discs are “loaded” the most. While standing our ankles, knees, and hips act like a spring cushioning the spine, and while laying down the spine stretches out. Motioning the disc while sitting gives the best information on how the disc is moving, or better yet, not moving in all planes of motion (side to side, up and down, back and forth). In addition to motion palpation we use static palpation as well. This can indicate evidence of subluxation like changes in contour, tone, texture, and temperature of the patient’s spine. Putting these two together helps the doctor determine the right line of correction to restore motion to a subluxated spinal joint.

SPINAL ADJUSTMENTS

The Gonstead System is a gentle and comprehensive system of analyzing and adjusting the spine by hand. The goal of a Gonstead adjustment is to be as specific, precise, and accurate as possible, addressing only the problem areas (areas of subluxation). Think of a dentist. They do an exam and take x-rays and fix the one tooth that has a cavity. They do not drill all of your teeth to make sure that cavity is fixed. We believe too many adjustments to an area that doesn’t need it can create a whole new problem. If you go to a Chiropractor and get the exact same generic treatment every time on multiple bones from head to toe, without any of the other aforementioned examination techniques it may be time to try something new. Dr. Gonstead has said “Chiropractic always works, when it does not seem to, question the application, but never the principle”. Great care is taken at PCW to ensure a bio-mechanically sound correction to provide the most accurate and effective adjustment possible. We believe you deserve the very best that Chiropractic has to offer.

EXTREMITY ADJUSTMENTS

In addition to correcting misalignments of the spine, we also adjust misalignments of the extremities — everything from shoulders, elbows, wrists to knees, ankles and even the jaw, making chiropractic very popular among those suffering with things like plantar fasciitis, extremity pain, carpal tunnel, TMJ pain, and sports injuries.