A chiropractors office will have many tools, including electronic ones.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics defines chiropractic treatment as "based on the principle that spinal joint misalignments interfere with the nervous system and can result in lower resistance to disease and many different conditions of diminished health." When chronic illnesses and other conditions do not respond to conventional medical treatments, some patients pursue alternative medical treatment, such as chiropractic services. Chiropractors treat patients using a variety of methods, such as massage and electronic chiropractic tools.
EMG Tools
Chiropractors use EMG (electromyography) tools for diagnostic purposes. The units consist of two sets of tiny, thin needles connected to an electrical power source with a monitor for reading the data recovered. Treatments with EMG tools begin with the insertion of needles into the affected muscle tissues. Next, a very small (adjustable) electrical current is sent along one set of the needles and the readings from a second set are displayed on a monitor. When an electrical current passes through muscles, it shows whether the pain felt in that area is the result of physical injury or nerve damage.
Biofeedback Equipment
Biofeedback units are used by chiropractors to teach patients lower tension and relax muscles to relieve pain. Relaxation techniques are employed to lower blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and to increase blood flow to areas of the body. Large clinical units, or smaller personal units for home use, are electrically powered with sensors to monitor the patient's skin temperature, sweat gland activity to produce a report showing how relaxed or tense the patient is. The results may be in numerical form or shown by lights. As a patient becomes familiar with the units, she learns to reduce her stress level and pain. The use of biofeedback equipment leads to a gradual "reprogramming" whereby patients learn to change behaviors which lead to, or increase, pain.
Heating Tools
To relax a patient's muscles before massage and manipulations, chiropractors place an electrically powered heating pad over the lower back area for up to 20 minutes. Features include automatic cut-off switches that sense when a pad becomes too hot, a hand switch on the power cord to allow patients to control the unit's temperature and a variety of pad covers. Some models come with a filling of mixed, dried herbs that aid relaxation, such as lavender and peppermint. This pad may be applied in conjunction with herbal tinctures and moisture (great care must be taken never to use liquids with an electrically powered pad not rated for it).
Tags: electrically powered, electrical current