Chiropractic care
in Bryan, Texas.

Your spine

Your spine, in three parts

Your spine is a stack of 24 small bones called vertebrae, with a cushion-like disc between each one. Together they hold you up, let you bend and twist, and protect the nerves that run to the rest of your body. At the back of each level, two small facet joints guide how you move, and nerves exit through openings on each side. When a joint gets stiff or irritated, the muscles around it often tighten to protect it, which is why back pain so often comes with stiffness.

• Neck: 7 vertebrae that hold up your head
• Mid back: 12 vertebrae, each joined to a pair of ribs
• Low back: 5 vertebrae that carry most of your weight

Chiropractic adjustments

What an adjustment does

An adjustment, also called spinal manipulation, is a quick, controlled push applied by hand to a spinal joint that isn't moving well. It moves the joint slightly further than it would go on its own, but still within its normal limits. Here is what happens, step by step:

• The set-up. You are positioned comfortably and your doctor gently takes up the slack in the joint.
• The thrust. A quick, shallow push that lasts a fraction of a second.
• The pop. The facet joint surfaces separate slightly (on MRI, about half a millimeter to a millimeter) and a gas bubble forms in the joint fluid. It is not bones cracking, and research has not found that you need to hear a pop for it to help.
• The nervous system responds. The quick stretch stimulates sensors in the joint and muscles. That can calm protective muscle tightness and change how pain signals are processed.
• What it is not. It does not “put a bone back in place.” Studies have not found lasting changes in bone position; the benefits come from restored motion and the nervous system.
• Afterward. Mild soreness or stiffness for a day is common, and serious problems are rare. Gentler, low-force techniques are always available.

Sources: NIH NCCIH; Cramer et al., 2012 (MRI of facet gapping); Kawchuk et al., 2015 (what makes the pop); Pickar, 2002 (neurophysiology); Bialosky et al., 2009 (mechanisms model); Flynn et al., 2003 (the pop is not needed).

Decompression therapy

How decompression works

On a special table, your spine is gently stretched and relaxed in slow, timed cycles, so your muscles don't tense up against it. The aim is to take pressure off the discs between your vertebrae and the nerve roots beside them. It is a non-surgical option for disc-related back and neck pain, including sciatica.

• You lie comfortably, fully clothed
• The stretch is slow and controlled
• Your doctor decides after your exam if it fits your condition

Massage therapy

How massage helps

Hands-on work on your muscles and soft tissue loosens tight spots and eases tension. Pressure and movement stimulate nerve endings that help muscles let go and can improve local blood flow. It pairs well with adjustments, because relaxed muscles let your joints move more freely.

• Focused on the areas that hurt
• Pressure adjusted to what feels right to you
• Often scheduled alongside adjustments

Acupuncture

What acupuncture is like

Very fine, sterile, single-use needles, about as thin as a hair, are placed at specific points and left in briefly while you rest. Most people feel little more than a light tap. Research suggests it may help some kinds of pain, such as low back pain, neck pain and tension headaches.

• Needles are far thinner than a shot
• You rest while they are in place
• Often combined with other care

Physical rehab classes

Why rehab exercises matter

Guided exercises rebuild strength, balance and stability around the joints you're treating. Exercise is one of the most recommended treatments for back pain in medical guidelines, because stronger core and hip muscles share the load your spine carries. You learn the movements in class, then keep them up at home to help your progress last.

• Led by our team, at your pace
• Simple moves you can repeat at home
• Adjusted as you get stronger

Digital X-rays

When we take X-rays

Most back pain does not need imaging. When your exam calls for it, after an injury, with warning signs, or when something structural is suspected, we take digital X-rays right here in the office. They show the bones and alignment of your spine, help rule out anything serious, and guide your treatment plan.

• Only when your condition calls for it
• Taken on site, no separate imaging appointment
• Your doctor walks you through the images