Dr. Marianne Gengenbach, D.C.

Knees can be adjusted in several different ways. One involves using the hands to hold one part of the joint while the other gently pushes the joint in the correct direction to increase movement of the joint. Another technique can use an instrument called an Activator to deliver a very fast impulse to the joint in a specific direction. Chiropractors also may have you put the knee through specific movements to help stretch tight muscles, and they may also treat trigger points in the surrounding muscles, all to create better and more correct movement of the joint.

The number of visits needed to help an injury after a car accident can vary greatly, depending on the type and severity of injury, how fast your own body usually heals, how well you follow through with home recommendations like exercise and, finally, on how well you follow through with the visit recommendations from the doctor. I personally have seen patients who needed only a few weeks of treatment (usually two or three times the first week or two), and some where treatment was needed for several months. A good chiropractor will do a thorough examination of your injuries and set you up with several visits to begin treatment. They will also reevaluate your progress every two to three weeks and adjust the visit frequency accordingly.

As a chiropractor who specializes in pediatric adjusting, I can tell you that chiropractic adjustments are safe for all ages, although, of course, adjustments for the very young are more gentle, and not every chiropractor is comfortable adjusting kids under 1 year of age. Chiropractic has even been found to be effective for certain forms of colic in infants, as well as neck spasms due to birth trauma. Your thirteen-year old should certainly be checked out for the causes of her low back pain. In fact, she is at the age where scoliosis first makes an appearance, so having a chiropractor evaluate and treat her would allow her to be screened for that as well.

As a rule, unless they also have an MD license, chiropractic physicians do not prescribe medications. In fact, chiropractic physicians pride themselves on being able to provide pain relief without the use of pain medications. We often work with patients and coordinate with their other physicians to begin chiropractic care and then have their other docs help them slowly come off their pain medications. Many D.C's also provide nutritional supplementation to their patients that can help the body deal with pain. A pain management doctor will be mainly focused on alleviating pain or blocking the pain from being felt, but will not necessarily focus on the cause.