At South Mountain Chiropractic, we take great pride in providing the finest chiropractic wellness care to our patients. Below is a sampling of the different chiropractic services we offer in our Chandler office.

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Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic is a gentle, safe and effective form of healthcare that not only focuses on relieving pain but also promoting optimum health and wellbeing. Through your nervous system you coordinate all of your body’s functions and movement and your spine encases the main column of your nervous system. Tension, misalignments or altered movement of your spine distort the essential information that your nervous system is providing to your body. This can have dramatic effects on your health and wellbeing. These misalignments can form in response to physical, mental, emotional and chemical stresses and can be exacerbated by the stresses of everyday life. Using various gentle adjusting and soft tissue techniques, Chiropractic has been shown to be effective for the following:

• General health and wellbeing
• Improved sleep quality
• Improved strength and flexibility
• Improved concentration
• Improved posture
• Back, hip and leg pain
• Neck, shoulder and arm pain
• Core strengthening
• Sports injuries and prevention
• Whiplash injuries
• Headaches
• Pregnancy care
• Infant and children’s health care – asthma, colic, bedwetting, developmental problems, postural problems
• Chronic pain syndromes
• We also provide nutritional and exercise advice for a healthy lifestyle

Dr Bernard is an Advanced Certified Activator Technique practitioner.

Activator technique utilizes a small spring-loaded adjusting instrument to deliver a focused corrective impulse into the dysfunctional spinal segment. This technique is most commonly used in patients who prefer a low-force correction without the traditional "hands-on" thrust. 

The hand-held Activator instrument is specifically designed to deliver a controlled, light and fast thrust without undue strain to the patient.When any force, such as a chiropractic adjustment, intrudes into the body, muscles in the involved area are automatically contracted by reflex mechanism, in order to protect that area from the intrusion.  The Activator instrument produces a thrust which is quicker than the body's reflexes can respond and tighten up the local muscles.  In other words, the thrust delivered by the instrument is so quick that it accelerates ahead of the body's tendency to tighten up and resist the thrust of an adjustment.

So, in simple terms, the force necessary to move and adjust the joint is developed by the "speed" of the instrument's thrust, and not by a high "force". So, although the Activator instrument produces a very effective thrust, it is felt as a very gentle sensation only. Because of the accuracy and controlled light force, Activator Methods adjustments are suitable and comfortable for all types of patients, ranging from pregnant women, babies and children, to athletes and seniors.

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Acupuncture

Acupuncture has more than 5000 years of history. It involves insertion of extremely fine needles into therapeutic points called acupuncture points. There are more than 360 such points identified on the human body. They all have different therapeutic effects. Usually a combination of 3 to 10 points are selected following a thorough diagnostic procedure including pulse and tongue diagnosis. Therefore the selection of acupuncture points is different from pathology to pathology and from person to person.

Acupuncture treatments are gentle and highly effective. The needles cause only a mild sensation after insertion. This sensation is an important sign, as it indicates that the acupuncture point is activated and that the treatment is effective. However, if you have a strong aversion to needles, acupuncture points can be stimulated with microcurrent probes. This method is just as effective as traditional needle acupuncture. During acupuncture sessions you will receive guided relaxation and visualization to help resolve the stress and emotional aspects often associated with a physical problem. After a treatment you may feel slightly light headed, soft, wanting to relax or 'curl up' on a couch.
Acupuncture has long tradition in successfully treating painful conditions. However, the scope of acupuncture is much wider than treating pain. Numerous clinical trials have proved its effectiveness in treating female infertility and other women's health problems. After more than 40 years clinical experience in the West, its effectiveness in many other health conditions has been demonstrated and documented.

Microcurrent Therapy

All matter radiates electromagnetic energy. The radiations emitted by the different organs of living tissues have specific characteristics such as frequency and wave shape. Microcurrent Therapy uses an electrical current that is compatible with the electro-magnetic field of the human body. The amount of electrical current is usually below our ability to feel or perceive.

When, for various reasons, the cells of the human body do not receive the appropriate strength and frequency of electrical current, they can't perform optimally. They won't produce ATP (cellular energy); therefore tissue healing, and metabolism as well as detoxification will slow down. Microcurrent Therapy, like a micro electric booster, provides the specific current that will correct that problem.

Some decades ago a laboratory trial shook the medical world by demonstrating that microcurrent (an extremely minute electrical current) applied to living tissue increases cellular energy production by 400% to 500%. Following this experiment, various clinical trials concluded that Microcurrent Therapy could increase the body's ability to heal and recover from injury by 200% to 300%, provided the appropriate frequency was applied. Since then, Microcurrent Therapy has become the most effective and gentlest method of boosting recovery from injuries and surgery, and reducing inflammation and pain.

If you have an aversion to needles, but would like to experience the benefits of acupuncture, then Microcurrent Therapy is for you.

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Massage Therapy

For thousands of years massage has been the most fundamental of all natural healing techniques. Massage Therapy is proven as an effective method for muscle and connective tissue rehabilitation. Remedial massage assists the body to repair itself, enhancing healing and recovery from injury and illnesses. In addition, massage is able to dramatically reduce stress, alleviate depression and promote deep relaxation, when it is conducted on a regular basis.
In general, massage does not interfere with medical protocols, and is rarely contraindicated. The various types of Massage techniques offered at Reach for Health are tailored to your individual needs to achieve an optimum result ideal for you.
Our superb customer service is enhanced by our well-appointed private therapy room to create the perfect environment for your relaxation and comfort.

Massage Therapy Options
• Deep Tissue Massage
• Aromatherapy Massage
• Remedial Massage
• Relaxation Massage
• Reflexology
• Pregnancy Massage

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Spinal Decompression

Spinal decompression is a non-invasive, non-surgical therapy to treat severe and chronic back pain, resulting from different health conditions. Such back pains can be the end result of a pressure exerted by an expanded spinal disc to the spinal nerves, or it could also be a result of several arthritic issues.  There are actually a lot of health conditions that require this treatment. The following sections will examine these conditions and their implications for successful decompression treatment.
Herniated Disc

Among all the conditions that call for disc decompression therapy, herniated disc is the most common. This health condition happens when the spinal disc is compressed, thereby exerting pressure on the spinal nerves, which then result in an excruciating pain. The decompression treatment relieves the pressure from the damaged or expanded disc, so that it goes back to its original size.

Degenerative Disc

Another common condition that requires this treatment is degenerative disc disease. Spinal compression can cause a loss of disc height that causes the vertebral bodies to be more compressed. When there is too much compression, the surrounding nerves will be constricted and this leads to the onset of back pain. Decompression therapy can help reduce the pressure on the degenerated disc, which then alleviates the painful symptoms.

Facet Syndrome

The facet joint syndrome is another condition treated with spinal decompression therapy. Unlike the first two conditions, this one has less promising results, since this is not due to a compressed disc. Basically, facet syndrome is brought by arthritic changes around the vertebral bones. These changes can cause severe back pain. While it is not a result of disc compression, non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is still recommended in order to give more space in between the vertebral bones and therefore reducing pain.

How does Spinal Decompression Work?

Gone are the days of pulley and weight traction system to treat spinal disc injuries. The old-fashioned inversion therapy has only been proven to provide temporary pain relief, as it is more of a fitness therapy rather than treatment. Today, modern disc decompression therapy is being implemented in most hospitals all over the world.

The process begins by placing the patient over a computer controlled spinal table, known as spinal decompression machine. Depending on the findings verified by MRI results, the physician may enter different modes of disc therapies. The machine tucks the patient in place and applies force to the affected area; this is where decompression occurs. The negative pressure exerted by the machine can help retract the expanded disc back to its original size. It also reinforces oxygen and helps regulate proper blood flow to the discs to relieve the pain and facilitate healing.

This therapy may also be accompanied by cold or hot compresses to provide immediate pain relief. Likewise, patients are advised to increase oral fluid intake, especially those with facet joint syndrome. Since this condition is brought about by arthritic issues, diet modification is highly recommended.

Sufferers may be required to undergo a series of therapies, depending on the severity of the condition. On average, a patient is advised to undergo twenty-eight treatment sessions, which will run for one to two months. Each session of spinal decompression therapy lasts only for thirty to forty minutes.

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Physical Therapy/Rehabilitation

Physical therapy is a health care profession that uses scientifically proven non-invasive interventions to reduce pain and restore function in people dealing with muscular-skeletal injury, disability or disease. Physical therapy care and services are provided by or under the supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant. Physical therapists are the only health care professionals who are licensed to provide physical therapy.

Most physical therapists hold masters or doctorate degrees, and all have extensive education in anatomy and body mechanics. Many physical therapists may also specialize in one or more specific areas, including cardiopulmonary, clinical electrophysiology, women’s health, geriatrics, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics and sports physical therapy. Physical therapists know how the musculoskeletal system works; yet recognize that each individual is unique. They are specially trained to improve movement and function.

A thorough evaluation is performed on each patient that includes the patient's history, observation of posture and movement and palpation (using hands to feel and "see" the problem). Testing for muscle strength, range of motion, and other special tests may also be included in the evaluation. A treatment plan is then formed to fit each patient's individual needs and goals.

The tools of physical therapy take a variety of forms, but certainly the most commonly used are therapeutic exercise, mobilization and manipulation, massage, heat, cold, hydrotherapy, aquatic therapy, ultrasound and electrical stimulation. Even more important for treatment than the tools is the unique appreciation that physical therapists have for the workings of the human body. For decades, physical therapists have demonstrated their power both in treating existing conditions and in helping to prevent their recurrence. Physical therapists and the tools they use are an integral, and increasingly important part of modern health care.

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