What is chiropractic care?

What is chiropractic care? Commonly asked questions - answered by our Chiropractor Dr. Tannis Boisvert!

Why would I go see a chiropractor?

When you think of chiropractic care, your brain most likely jumps to ‘back cracking’. But chiropractic care is so much more than that. After completing 8 years of post- secondary education, chiropractors learn how to assess your body from head to toe-treating the muscles and joints that you use every day to function at your best!

We assess the entirety of a person’s health and look for ways to optimize movement patterns to prevent injuries and pain in the future. We discuss sleep, stress levels, nutrition and so much more to develop a complete picture of how well your body is functioning.

The first chiropractic appointment can be intimidating and when you don’t know what to expect, it can be hard to make the leap and book your first appointment. I hope the following eases any concerns you may have and sheds some light on how chiropractic can help improve your quality of life.

During your first appointment, I take the time to listen to you, ask questions and assess your body to find the root cause of what’d been causing you discomfort. After providing a diagnosis and explanation of what I believe will help, I provide gentle hands-on treatment within your comfort level. Adjustments, or what has been labelled ‘back cracking’ is only one of many tools I can utilize to get you back to feeling your best. I assess my patients on an individual basis to determine if adjustments are needed and always discuss my patients comfort levels before proceeding with any form of treatment. There is no one-size-fits-all approach- I honour the individuality of each of my patients and ensure you always feel comfortable and cared for.

My methods of treatment:

  • Manual therapy

    • Mobilizations of joints (moving the joints in a gentle way to increase range of motion)

    • Spinal manipulations

      • Adjustments are what is linked most to chiropractic care. During an adjustment, a chiropractor positions the joint of focus (eg. The low back) in a particular position and then applies a gentle high velocity, low amplitude force through the joint to induce increased motion. This often results (but not every time) in a ‘popping’ noise. This popping noise is simply gas being released from the joint. It is safe and not ‘bones being put back in place’.

  • Acupuncture

    • Is the practice of applying thin needles at specific areas of the body to improve blood flow, alleviate pain and dysfunction and help restore optimal health.

  • Myofascial release techniques

    • Think of this as a very targeted massage to address trigger points in muscles.

  • Kinisiotaping

    • Kinesiotape provides gentle support to strained muscles and irritated joints, encourages healing by increasing blood flow and increases proprioceptive awareness during movement of that injured area.

  • Rehabilitation and exercise

    • I prescribe exercises targeted to help optimize your movement and prevent injuries from coming back.

  • Nutrition counselling

    • I can provide gentle conversations around nutrition to help you feel your best. There’s no judgement from me- and every discussion involving nutrition is all about helping you glow from the inside-out.

Overall, how chiropractic can help you:

  • Relieve any aches and pains- from head to toe, even headaches!

  • Improve movement patterns to identify root causes of injury

  • Improve your strength and mobility

  • Provide tangible take-aways to help relieve your pain yourself!

Is chiropractic treatment safe?

It is entirely safe. Research continues to support the safety and value of chiropractic treatment

for musculoskeletal related complaints.

Do you need a doctor’s note to see a chiropractor?

You do not need a doctor’s note to see a chiropractor! Chiropractors are primary healthcare

providers- you can walk into a clinic with no referral and book your first appointment!

What should you expect and how to prepare for your first appointment?

Before your first appointment, you will be sent a new patient intake form. This form will ask you some questions about what problem you would like addressed and a little about your past medical history so to allow your chiropractor to be familiar with your case prior to your initial assessment. During this first appointment, we may have you moving around- so please wear comfortable and loose fit clothing! During our hour together, I will ask some questions and perform some tests to determine a diagnosis and a treatment plan that will best serve your needs.

Interested in getting started? Head to our booking link to schedule your first appointment with Dr. Tannis!

Crafted Balance Clinic