Many patients who come to see Dr. Nathen Horst for the first time may know nothing about how chiropractic care works or the kind of equipment that chiropractors use to perform adjustments. Much of the equipment that chiropractors use may look odd, old fashioned, or possibly even scary to the uninitiated patient. If a patient is already dubious about the benefits of chiropractic care, they may feel even more nervous if they do not understand what the equipment is supposed to do. In fact, Dr. Horst’s chiropractic equipment allows him to provide effective, fast care for patients with a minimum of risk to either patients or himself.

What Types of Equipment Do Chiropractors Use?

• Hands: This is perhaps the most important equipment available to a chiropractor. Dr. Horst will use his hands to test for any painful, stiff, or otherwise out of the ordinary movement of the joints and surrounding ligaments, tendons, and muscles. He may also actually use his hands to manipulate the joint back into its proper position. In fact, the word chiropractic comes from the Greek words for hand (cheir) and action (praxis), or “done by hand.”
• Mechanical adjusting device: These small devices look similar to a pogo stick. Dr. Horst may use an adjusting device to manipulate joints. The advantage over manipulation with the hands is that a greater thrust can be exerted on the joint, but with much less force. This means Dr. Horst can deliver the same amount of force, but with much less effort, making it safer for the patient. Dr. Horst will often use an adjusting device for pediatric patients because it will be much gentler than a manual adjustment.
• Drop table: This table looks very similar to a massage table, with a headrest that has an opening in the middle for the patient’s head. The difference is that various parts of the table are hinged and can be raised or lowered as Dr. Horst performs the chiropractic adjustment. The advantage of the hinged table is that Dr. Horst can drop various parts of the table to add more thrust to the adjustment by letting gravity and the patient’s own weight do the work for him.
• X-ray machine: Dr. Horst will often use this during a patient’s first visit to help him diagnose the specific problem. In some cases, he may also use computed tomography to get a better image of the specific trouble area.
• Roller table: This table has a series of rollers that massage the spine, helping to loosen up tight muscles before Dr. Horst does the actual chiropractic adjustment.
• Cold laser: Research has shown that cold lasers emit light at a frequency that can reduce inflammation and help with healing, particularly for sprains or other soft tissue injuries. It is cold to the touch, and can be placed directly against the patient’s skin.

Although chiropractic equipment can look daunting, the principle as to how it all works is actually quite simple. Much of it just uses or enhances the body’s own natural healing abilities. Dr. Horst is always happy to explain to patients how his equipment works. Contact Horst Chiropractic today to schedule a consultation.