What is Chiropractic Medicine? Chiropractic is a health care discipline that emphasizes finding the source (s) of many common health and pain-producing problems, using a “hands-on” mechanically based approach to resolve or improve the condition (s) without the use of drugs or surgery. Though chiropractors are thought of as “back doctors” or “spine doctors”, at Charschan Chiropractic and Sports Injury Associates, we look at not just the spine, but the whole skeletal, myofascial and muscular systems to end the pain and help our patients feel better and enjoy a better quality of life both now and for years to come. Chiropractic spinal and extremity manipulation, myofascial manipulation, active evaluation, and active treatment protocols have been proven to be safe, effective. Our Approach to Health Care We provide safe, effective spinal, and non-spinal (arms, legs, feet, wrists) corrections to help you achieve your fullest health. Chiropractic treatments may also include acupressure (no needles here—just massage-like pressure), Myofascial Release (trained in Active Release Techniques in 1994, Graston Technique – tool-assisted muscular treatment) improves outcomes to help you recover faster than many conventional methods including exercise alone. Our unique active evaluation protocols allow for better diagnosis and treatment and make our practice unique in the chiropractic community. Our treat – test – treat methodology is safe, efficient, and has been proven to be a scientifically validated protocol helping us resolve many difficult to treat conditions that have not resolved with other treatment approaches. Customized stretches and exercises As a patient of Charschan Chiropractic and Sports Injuries Associates, you can expect to receive some training during your chiropractic appointment to help you manage your pain and maintain your health at home. This usually includes stretches and structured exercises that are designed to address your particular needs. Myofascial Release, Active Release Techniques, Active Evaluation Protocols, and Graston Technique Many muscular complaints never go away, even with exercise which many times can aggravate the condition. Myofascial release has been available in many forms over the years. Myofascial release improves muscle and nerve function by removing entrapments and adhesions created as a consequence of the way they heal after activity, injury, and exertion and improving the function of the myofascia which covers and affects the function of all the muscles and internal organs of the body. The Active Release Techniques ® style of myofascial release has become well known to athletes because of its effectiveness in getting them out of pain and back to their sport without the use of drugs and surgery. Dr. Charschan was trained by Dr. Michael Leahy, the founder of Active Release Techniques in the 1990s. We also use other styles of myofascial release as well, depending on which one we believe would work best for the problems we find. Many chronic pain patients are told they have Fibromyalgia by their doctors. Often, they are people with chronic myofascial pain that their doctors may not understand fully due to their limited training in body mechanics. Many of them find themselves living on drugs such as Lyrica instead of having their problems resolved. Most patients diagnosed with Fibromyalgia have pain that is mechanically based. A mechanically based approach such as chiropractic is the most appropriate way to understand and improve chronic pain symptoms throughout the body. Rarely, are mechanical problems a disease process. By hand or with the assistance of Graston Treatments or other instrument-assisted soft tissue tools, we diagnose and restore normal function. The pain is gone as well as the chronic tightness. Many television stations have reported on how Graston Technique eliminated pain which prompted many inquiries from prospective patients like yourself. Myofascial release, Graston Technique, and our active evaluation protocols add reliability to the diagnosis, treatment, and overall cost-effectiveness of neuro-musculoskeletal injuries. Treadmill diagnostics Many athletes and regular folks often have abnormalities they do not understand that affects their gait (the way they walk). Treadmill analysis is a unique out of the box approach to why you hurt. Often, a short video can show us major problems that may be the source of your pain. Look at you, rather than just your symptoms is the best way to help you get out of pain as quickly as possible. Benefits of Myofascial Release, Graston instrument-assisted soft tissue technique, and active evaluation protocols Shorter treatment times with improved outcomes, by evaluating and treating the whole patient Chronic lower back problems resolved or significantly improved. Chronic sciatic cases: We often can resolve long term cases more quickly. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Resolved in an average of 6-10 visits. TMJ: Restores normal jaw function in many patients with a high rate of predictability. Chronic neck stiffness: We can often eliminate lingering pain that other treatments can’t resolve. Common running complaints such as shin splints, knee pain, kneecap tracking problems can be eliminated and get you back in your sport. Many chronic pain syndromes are significantly relieved or resolved (myofascial pain syndrome, fibromyalgia). Chronic headaches are often improved or resolved. Shoulder pain or adhesive capsulitis is effectively treated and rehabilitated. Improved function of the hip joints which improves knee health. Many patients with knee pain actually have hip pathology as the source.