FAQ

Chiropractic FAQ’s

What is Spinal Manipulation?

Spinal manipulation/adjustment is a specialized, gentle procedure used to create movement in joints that are “locked up” or not moving properly. This highly skilled and precise technique loosens the joint to restore normal joint function and provide pain relief. During an adjustment, the capsule surrounding the joint briefly stretches, releasing a gas bubble, which creates a “popping” noise. You may feel light pressure on your spinal joints and/or hear this popping sound.

Who can benefit from chiropractic care?

Chiropractic can help your body perform at its best through:

  • Relief from acute or chronic headaches, neck and back pain, joint pain and stiffness
  • Prevention of work-related muscle and joint injuries
  • Correction of gait and foot problems
  • Improvements in posture and symmetry across the body
  • Improved movement in neck, shoulders, back and torso and
  • Improved flexibility.

 

What type of training do chiropractors have?

In Canada, chiropractors are required to complete a minimum of three years of university, followed by four years at an accredited chiropractic college. A chiropractic student receives over 4500 hours of education, much of it in supervised clinical practice. Once students have completed their education, they must pass a stringent set of licensing exams to earn the right to practice as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC). Chiropractors are one of only five health professionals permitted to use the title ‘doctor’.

 

 Acupuncture FAQ’s

What are the benefits of Medical Acupuncture?

Medical Acupuncture is generally considered to have non-specific effects. This means that in addition to addressing acute injuries and symptoms, it can have generalized benefits for the body as a whole. The benefits of acupuncture can include, but are not limited to:

  • Pain relief
  • Decreased swelling
  • Muscle relaxation
  • Scar tissue breakdown
  • Endorphin release and pain modulation
  • Autonomic nervous system activity altered (vasomotor tone, cardiac rhythm, peristalsis)
  • Neuroendocrine and immune response augmentation
  • General relaxation
  • A feeling of psychophysical well being
  • Improved sleep
  • Nausea relief during chemotherapy

 

What can Acupuncture treat?

Based on current evidence from controlled trials, the World Health Organization established that the following conditions could be effectively treated using acupuncture:

  • Headaches
  • Acute sprains/strains
  • Pain from nerve entrapments (e.g. sciatica)
  • Repetitive strains (e.g. carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis)Pain relief
  • Degenerative disc/joint disease
  • Postoperative pain
  • Essential hypertension
  • Depression
  • Allergic rhinitis
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Chronic pain

 

Massage Therapy FAQ’s

Who can benefit from Massage Therapy?

The benefits of massage are not limited solely to muscular problems. Massage can be used in the treatment of insomnia, constipation or respiratory conditions, such as bronchitis. It can increase circulation and therefore, decrease edema (swelling), as well as being helpful in the rehabilitation of many conditions, from fractures and sprains, to post-operative conditions.

When should I get a massage?

You don’t need to wait until you’re stressed or injured. Massage works wonders as preventative care for a person’s body and mind. A regular massage is a wonderful way to cope with stress, both physical and emotional, and to keep if from causing discomfort or harm to your body. Once or twice a month is probably a minimum for best physical performance, but more often if injuries are being treated. Your massage therapist will discuss frequency of treatment depending on your situation.

How long will a massage treatment last?

An average full body massage will generally last approximately one hour. Shorter half-hour sessions are adequate for focus on certain body parts, either upper or lower body. It’s best to discuss treatment duration with the massage therapist regarding your injury. For optimal relaxation, a full hour to ninety minute massage is ideal.

Orthotics FAQ’s

Who can benefit from Orthotics?

Even if you don’t suffer from any obvious foot pain you may have some biomechanical imbalances in your low back, hips, pelvis or knees. These imbalances could lead to problems later if left untreated. Our practitioners perform a detailed biomechanical examination to assess any abnormal foot function and related lower body mechanics. Some common conditions that orthotics are used for are:

  • Plantar Fasciitis heel pain
  • Patellofemoral syndrome
  • Shin Splints
  • Metatarsalgia
  • Morton’s Neuroma
  • Pes planus (flat feet)
  • Leg length differences
  • Low back pain

 

Are Custom Orthotics only for people with foot problems?

Many clinical conditions may be present without any obvious foot problems. Subtle imbalances in the foot are amplified as they go up the leg, knee, hip and back resulting in problems that may not have been properly assessed due to lack of a full biomechanical evaluation.

Are your Orthotics custom?

Our orthotics are truly customized to your needs. We first perform a clinical biomechanical evaluation to determine the amount of correction necessary. Then a neutral position foam foot mould of your foot is taken, and sent to our orthotic lab for preparation. Your orthotic is derived from this platform with the corrections necessary to address your specific situation. Any orthotic dispensed without a complete biomechanical evaluation and neutral, non-weight bearing plaster cast, is not custom.

Does OHIP or Private Insurance cover them?

Custom Orthotics are not covered by OHIP . You may be covered under your existing insurance policy from work or Extended Health plan. Our Podiatrist will provide you with the necessary documentation to provide to the Extended Health Plan. A prescription from your medical doctor may NOT be necessary for insurance coverage in most cases.[

How long do they last?

With everyday use under normal conditions you should get between 2-3 years of correction from your Custom Orthotics. Patient’s age, orthotic type, weight and level of activity will also affect orthotic longevity.

 

 Laser Therapy Session FAQ’S

What can I expect in a Laser Therapy Session?

Treatments are short and painless. The average number of treatments is five to eight sessions for acute conditions and 18 to 20 sessions for chronic conditions. Treatments can last from five to 15 minutes depending on number of sites.

What are the benefits Laser Therapy

Low Level Laser Therapy speeds up recovery from a recent injury to a ligament, tendon or muscle. It reduces pain, swelling and promotes healing. It can also be used to treat an old injury in one of these structures.

Injury to a muscle leaves behind residual scar tissue, which causes the muscle to shorten and work less efficiently. Laser can help break down this scar tissue, allowing exercises to be done to stretch and strengthen the muscle, thereby reducing the risk of further strain and preventing other injuries.[/spoiler]

What conditions does Laser Therapy treat?

Common conditions treated with Laser Therapy are:

  • Low back and neck pain
  • Acute sports injuries such as muscle tears, tendinitis, tennis elbow, etc.
  • Joint arthritis and chronic pain
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Nerve root irritations
  • Repetitive stress injuries
  • Wound healing

 

What can Laser Therapy Work?

Laser heals tissue by stimulating the molecules in the cell with photons or light energy. The basic principle is that the photon energy in the light emitted by the laser is incorporated into the natural process of the living cells.

Research shows that this energy is absorbed by the cell and is converted into complex biochemical substances that provide biostimulating effects – the basis for reducing pain and inflammation, healing the cell and restoring it to normal function.

 

Active Release ART® FAQ’S

What is ART® Treatments Like?

After the practitioner reaches a diagnosis based on a thorough history and examination, treatment can begin. ART® can act as a diagnostic tool to assess the severity of the injury, which will also be apparent with any improvements from concurrent treatment. The practitioner’s skill in palpating the structure helps determine where the adhesions are, as well as the severity of the soft tissue injury .

ART® is generally performed with direct contact from the doctor to the patient’s skin. The practitioner will find the area to be worked on and either have the patient actively move a body part or passively move the body part for the patient. The practitioner’s contact along with movement of the patient, allows the adhesions to separate and move normally.

Does ART® hurt?

The treatment is directed specifically onto the sites of adhesion and surrounding structures in order to break up the scar tissue creating the pain and dysfunction. Since these sites can initially be very sensitive to begin with, ART® may create some discomfort described by many patients as a “good pain”. However, pressure is never applied beyond the patient’s tolerance level.

How long does the Treatment Take?

Each patient is different. On average, between four to eight visits (each lasting about 15-30 minutes) are required for correction of soft tissue problems. Factors that affect prognosis of injury include severity of the problem, your willingness to commit to your treatment plan and your overall health status. Patients must take an active role in their recovery to help reduce the chances of reoccurence. This may involve strengthening an area or reducing certain activities. ART® is considered one of the most effective and successful therapies for soft tissue injuries. However, like all other techniques ART® cannot fix everything. Other modalities such as acupuncture and cold laser therapy can improve the tissue health and help make our ART® treatments even more effective.

Who can benefit from ART®?

The quick answer to this is anyone who is in pain due to a soft tissue injury. ART® has successfully reduced overall discomfort and even improved performance in not only professional or recreational athletes, but also office workers who sit at a desk all day, general laborers, home workers, youth athletes, as well as many others. The commonality between these groups is that they perform repetitive movements that lead to tissue damage. Our health professionals are skilled in assessing and treating not only the tissue damage, but also correcting the poor movement patterns creating the problem.

How does ART® improve performance?

Performance of any task such as golfing, typing, or running can be improved significantly with ART® by restoring proper muscle function and movement patterns. Reducing the number of adhesions between tissues increases the efficiency and endurance of these tissues, and hence performance. Combining tissue restoration with muscular re-patterning is the key to consistent performance.

What conditions can ART® treat?

ART® can effectively treat:

  • Neck and low back pain
  • Persistent headaches
  • Sciatica and other lower body nerve entrapment syndromes
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome and other upper body nerve entrapments
  • Rotator cuff injury (tendinitis/tears)
  • Shin splints
  • IT Band Syndrome and Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
  • Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow and
  • Plantar fasciitis and other foot problems.