Bedford Chiropractic offers chiropractor services in Greater Halifax for the treatment of neck pain, whiplash, back pain and migraine headaches. Living with chronic or severe neck pain, back pain or migraine headaches and the after-effects of whiplash or sports injuries is no fun. It can have a debilitating effect on your life. Chiropractic and physical therapy can be the answers you're looking for.

If you suffer from neck pain, back pain, migraine headaches or whiplash and if you live or plan to be in the Halifax, Bedford or Dartmouth area, please contact us to find out how we can help.

Chiropractic..... What Is It?

The most important part of fixing any problem is first knowing exactly what is wrong! With an accurate diagnosis and a determination of what caused the underlying problem a chiropractor can formulate an appropriate treatment plan tailored to your specific condition.

Pain is only a symptom that something is wrong-don't just disguise this important warning signal with pain killers hoping the problem will fix itself. Imagine taking your car into the repair shop complaining of a odd noise from the engine. Do you want the mechanic to identify the problem and fix it or to give you a set of earplugs so you won't hear the noise?

Using our understanding of bio-mechanics (body motion) chiropractors can treat such diverse conditions as low back/leg pain, neck pain, disc injuries, headaches, sciatica as well as complaints stemming from the extremities (foot, hip, shoulder, etc) such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow.

Accurate diagnosis starts with a thorough history of the problem followed by a physical examination of the involved areas (patients may be requested to wear a gown and shorts for proper examination). This information is combined with results from other tests (i.e. X-rays) to determine a 'working diagnosis'.

At this point the entire diagnosis, proposed plan of treatment and prognosis for recover will be reviewed with the patient-ensuring full agreement and understanding.

Chiropractors may use a variety of techniques including spinal manipulation, soft-tissue therapy, acupuncture, stretching and exercise as well as other modalities such as ultrasound and icing all aimed at restoring normal function, reducing pain and increasing range of motion.

Manipulation helps restore normal joint mechanics (movement) and has been proven to reduce pain, relax tense muscles and increase range of motion. Combined with other treatments and rehabilitation provides faster recovery and improved long term outcomes.

Many scientific studies have proven the effectiveness, cost effectiveness, and safety of Chiropractic care.

top 

Rehabilitation

Exercise is a major focus at our clinic - more specifically functional rehabilitation and core stabilization. While treatment has proven very effective at resolving complaints research shows that problems often return at a later date. The problem may reoccur for several reasons -- underlying injury, weakness, poor posture or the demands of work/home. Too often people just go to the gym and lift a bunch of weights to "get stronger" - but having a healthy back is not that simple.

Combining the proper treatment - to resolve the problem/pain as quickly as possible, and a specific exercise program to restore normal strength and balance is the best defence against recurrent complaints.

Rehabilitation can involve many different exercises - not just "lifting weights". In our clinic we use mostly "low tech" equipment - making it easier for patients to perform the same program at home or in a simple gym. Perfect form and balance are paramount to minimize the risk of injury - which is why patients are supervised and given 1-on-1 training.

Functional rehabilitation first requires diagnosis of the underlying weakness or dysfunction, and then build a specific program of exercises and stretches to correct any imbalance and restore more normal function.

Core stabilization refers to the internal muscles around your core (or stomach). Functioning properly these muscles provide stability to the spine - with stability comes a reduced risk of injury. Unfortunately studies show that just one episode of low back pain can disrupt these muscles and thereby increase your risk of suffering repeated episodes of pain - the good news is that a few simple daily exercises can correct it.

top 

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is the manual manipulation of the soft tissues (muscles) of the body. It enhances the function of the muscles and joints, improves the circulation of the blood and lymph, and relieves pain and stress. Massage techniques are designed to rehabilitate, maintain and/or improve physical function. Massage therapy treats specific conditions as well as affecting the body as a whole, promoting a sense of well-being. Massage therapists often work in conjunction with other health care professionals such as chiropractors and can provide effective treatments for many of the same complaints. Massage has been effective for such conditions as low back pain, whiplash, fibromyalgia, repetitive strain injuries, neck & shoulder tension, carpal tunnel syndrome, stress, insomnia and arthritis.

top 

Industrial Consulting

With back pain a major factor in time lost from work, work related injuries and Worker's Compensation costs businesses have spent a lot of effort on potential solutions.

Some have tried requiring all staff to wear back supports (just check out any Home Depot store), others have tried preventative training with Back Schools. Unfortunately the majority of research into these various preventative measures has revealed that back injury prevention programs don't appear to work.

There are several reasons why the programs fail.

• Support belts may actually weaken underlying musculature as the individual becomes dependant on external support.
• Plus the belts don't really provide sufficient support against injury.
• Back schools may not have been specific to individual job requirements
• Teaching without addressing the specific challenges of individual jobs reduced the worker's capacity to use the new techniques.
• Insufficient understanding of which muscles are important for stabilization of the spine lead to improper exercise programs.

Our goal is to improve on past attempts by taking advantage of new research into core strength, proprioception, spinal stabilization and effective training techniques. Combined with proper management of injuries when they occur this method has proven very effective -- some companies experiencing an 8-1 return on investment from similar a program (view article). Organizations such as Air Canada, Boeing, Chrysler and many others have employed similar programs - reporting substantially reduced injuries AND worker's compensation costs. Some reporting as much as a 41% reduction in back injuries or over a 75% reduction in days lost due to injury.

Programs are individualized to specific groups - making sure that factory floor workers are getting a program relevant to their own work space demands, and different than the program provided to the administrative personnel.

Programs can be customized for any company and various levels of input and may include:

1. Job site analysis and Program customization - specific determination of risk factors and training needs combined with level of training requested.
2. Employee education - discussion on why back pain happens, how the spine is supposed to work and the latest research into correcting problems and/or avoiding injuries.
3. Pre-work program - stretching and/or brief exercise programs that can be preformed by personnel a few times per day to alleviate muscle fatigue and stiffness.
4. Obstacle course training - to observe bad habits and ensure proper understanding of healthier techniques. Self and group evaluation of performance helps ingrain new habits.
5. Discussion of results plus Q&A regarding program or specific exercises/techniques.

Customization allows for various levels of input - for example a program could be as simple as - 45 min seminar to a group of staff. Discussing how problems develop, ergonomic changes to minimize strain (desk set-up, chair and computer positioning etc.) and a discussion/hands on training of pre-work stretching and proper stabilization exercises.

Or as complex as individualized programs for several different employee groups. Discussion focused on more specific job demands, addressing individual ergonomic issues, evaluation of individual risk levels, obstacle course training plus hands on training of stabilization exercises with special focus on those at risk of future injury.

Programs may also include preferential access to the clinic for individuals who have suffered an injury - ensuring early assessment and diagnosis of the injury, proper early management and alteration of job duties -- rather than delayed assessment resulting in delayed recovery and longer times off work.

top