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Evaluation of the neck.
Evaluation of the neck consists of typical neurologic, orthopedic, and muscle tests which would be performed by any doctor. Dr. Martin also takes the time to evaluate each level of the neck on each side using joint compression. By isolating each joint Dr. Martin is able to put an increased amount of pressure onto the tissue in and around each joint or level of the spine.
Compression is first created in a more lateral of side bending direction. The tissues of concern include the spinal disc which lies between each vertebra and the ligaments around the posterior joints, known as “facets”.
Forces are also applied in a rotational manner to further evaluate the integrity of each joint. Through the use of this evaluation technique Dr. Martin is able to determine many important aspects of his patient’s injuries. Patients are able to actually feel where their injuries are and they are also able to rate their symptoms to help track healing. In cases where a patient’s neck pain is solely related to a muscle injury or pathology and the patient’s spine is perfectly healthy, the patient is able to avoid any unnecessary neck adjusting or chiropractic treatment.
Evaluation of the low back.
Similar to evaluation of the neck and midback, low back evaluation consists of typical neurologic, muscle, and orthopedic testing. Joint compression can also be utilized in the low back to determine if a patient’s symptoms are a result of a spinal disc or joint related injury.
In the case of the mid and low back, additional pressure on the spinal joints is created by pushing from back to front while the patient is laying face-down on the chiropractic table. The additional force often recreates symptoms that the patient was unable to feel due to muscle guarding, a natural response to injury.
Once again, Dr. Martin is able to examine each spinal level and determine where (right to left) your injury lies. After each level has been evaluated, treatment can be tailored to each patient’s particular injuries and eliminate any unnecessary care.
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