When you’re in pain, you want to experience relief and healing as soon as possible. At our practice, we combine chiropractic, massage therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture and at-home exercises to help patients get the best results possible.
Every condition we treat has a secondary muscular component to it, whether it’s a disc, nerve or joint problem. Massage therapy or neuromuscular therapy is a part of almost every patient’s plan of care as there’s synergy in combining approaches. Doing so helps to relax and lengthen tight, shortened muscles, and work out the knots and trigger points. Chiropractic care can then be more effective, more quickly.
Your Best Interest Comes First
Dr. Lichter aims to only accept cases that are likely to get better with the care that we provide. Most patients wind up receiving a combination of two or more types of treatment within our office. When we have complicated cases like disc herniations or spinal stenosis we sometimes combine our care with that of other medical specialists. There’s a time when we may recommend medication. Or you may need to talk to a pain management doctor. Other patients may be advised to speak with a spine surgeon. Our goal is to guide you toward the best treatment for your unique case.
How Acupuncture Is Helpful
Acupuncture is another tool in Dr. Lichter’s toolbox. It can be used as an adjunctive or alternative therapy for the conditions we are addressing with chiropractic. Someone with a low back or sciatic problem or migraine headaches may be given the option of receiving acupuncture as part of their care plan.
There are many conditions that aren’t amenable to chiropractic that do respond to acupuncture. For example, acupuncture can address anxiety, depression, insomnia or menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.
Acupuncture can also help with musculoskeletal conditions such as shoulder, elbow, wrist or knee problems, as well as arthritic joints. “Acupuncture is a powerful tool that’s probably the most underutilized of them all,” said Dr. Lichter. Though many people are apprehensive about receiving acupuncture due to the needles, it’s practically painless. Acupuncture is highly effective for those who give it a reasonable chance to work.
Starting With a Conservative Approach
We’re always going to start with the most conservative, safest and least expensive treatment options. So we look at chiropractic, massage therapy and physical therapy first, drugs second, and medical procedures third. These include epidural steroid injections or nerve blocks with surgery as always the last resort.
With some joints such as knees and hips, there are times when we can tell patients that they’re probably going to get better with treatment from us and doing exercises at home. There are other times when Dr. Lichter will send a patient out to a surgeon when a joint is too far gone and a replacement is in order.
Discover how you may benefit from receiving a combination of our therapies. Contact us today for an appointment.