By: Jhanae Winter

Chiropractic adjustments are one of the few ways to address musculoskeletal pain such as back, shoulder and neck pains in the body. But it goes much deeper than that.

Instead of segmenting various issues on one’s body, Chiropractic care takes a holistic approach in finding solutions and tackling many problems. 

According to Owner of Bahamas Concierge Chiropractic & Wellness Ltd. and President of The Bahamas Association of Chiropractic, Dr Ricquel Greene “Chiropractic care is important because it looks at the body from a holistic standpoint. Meaning, although our primary focus is the spine, we do understand that the entire body works as a unit and if one part is not functioning properly it can cause other parts of the body to compensate and ultimately cause dysfunction.”

Chiropractic adjustments are not limited to the spine or those with back and neck pains, the care provided treats a plethora of issues in the body. Some of them include pregnancy associated pains, joint pain (shoulder, wrist, hips, knees, ankle), sciatica, plantar fasciitis, whiplash, sleep disorders, asthma, bowel irregularities, said Dr Greene.

The process of these adjustments can even help minimize a person’s snoring.

As Dr Greene explains. Chiropractic adjustments work from the outside to the inside. When the body is adjusted, it removes pressures from a particular nerve that is connected to the spine. These nerves are consistently sending instructions to every organ, tissue, cell etc. from the brain. Through Chiropractic adjustments the “free” nerve is now able to send whatever messages it needs without any interference (i.e pressure). 

This pressure aids in the “pop” sound heard in many Chiropractic adjustments videos. Don’t fear it's not your bones breaking or something going wrong. 

It’s all bubbles. Yes, bubbles!

The air in the body is made up of various gases that can travel around the body and sometimes gets trapped in the synovial fluid surrounding the joints, Dr Greene said. “When enough pressure is applied through an adjustment the tiny pocket of air is released and you hear a pop,” she said. The reason they can sound so intense in videos depends on the quality of the microphone, it may not be that loud in person.

So yes, Chiropractic adjustments actually work!

But it’s different for everyone. There is no blanket approach in dealing with each person in terms of what their body may need. 

For Dr Greene she takes into consideration each of her patients' needs and customizes their care and services based on her experience, examinations and judgment. 

“The frequency of sessions received depends on the individual and ultimately what they want out of treatment. Before creating a treatment plan, I always ask the patient, what do you want out of treatment to ensure that their care plan is successful. Some people want quick pain relief which can happen in a few sessions or for those who want to experience long term benefits, they may decide to get regular adjustments once a month,” Dr Greene told Bahamaslocal.com

Still having doubts?

The main element of chiropractic adjustment is that it focuses on the spine which holds up and frames the body. With a safe medical practice honing in on this area, it ensures the spine can withstand the daily wear and tear the body endures. 

“Think of the spine as the foundation of your house and your muscles as the walls. If your foundation is not properly laid, then your roof, walls and everything else will not have proper support and will eventually lean or collapse. We also focus on the surrounding structures such as muscles, ligaments, tendons. If you focus solely on the muscles and do not ensure that the root cause is corrected, the muscles are more likely to revert, and pain will return” she said.

So getting a massage or similar services is not the same nor does it offer the same benefits as Chiropractic care.

Dr Greene's primary focus is not simply servicing her patients but educating and informing all on how to treat and take care of their own body.

It must be said that while Chiropractic care and services address various issues in the body, it is not a cure. Chiropractors like Dr Greene “simply seek to remove interference from the nervous system to restore body function and allow the body to heal itself”, she said.

However, receiving Chiropractic care once or on a regular basis has numerous benefits. 

Patients can experience “better posture, improved sleep, decreased pain, pain management for chronic illness, strengthens the immune system, provides more flexibility and more mobility, decrease the need for and dependency on medications, encourages proper digestive health,” Dr Greene told Bahamaslocal.com

Dr Greene offers a wide range of services which include Chiropractic adjustments, Ultrasound therapy, Electrical Nerve Stimulation, Cupping therapy, Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization, Active Release and Kinesiology taping.