Discs:
The COX protocol for the non-surgical care of herniated discs.
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Gentle Care:
Dr. Strasser emphasizes non-force and low impact chiropractic techniques as well as traditional chiropractic adjusting depending on your needs.
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Headaches & Migraine:
An Effective Natural, Drugless Program of Care.
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Cranial Therapy:
Combining Gentle Cranio-Sacral, Craniopathy and European Cranial techniques, Dr. Strasser provides a unique approach.
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Children'ds Care:
For over 20 years, Dr. Strasser has specialized in treating Children and Adolescents. Dr, Strasser discusses his gentle approach to care.
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"I've never seen a doctor show so much concern, nor go so far out of his way to care for a patient...I think your method of adjustment is much easier for kids to handle than the more traditional ways..."
Judy K.
Portland, Oregon
Portland Oregon Chiropractor
GENTLE & NON-FORCE CHIROPRACTIC: Using Gentle, Integrated Care to Treat the Cause of Pain without Drugs
Arn Strasser DC
Over the past 20 years as a chiropractic clinician, I have increasingly emphasized gentle techniques in my treatment protocols. There are a number of patient groups that respond especially well to low and non-force techniques, and a number of conditions require the use of these techniques for the most effective outcome.
Let's first look at the patient groups that I have found to be especially responsive to gentle techniques:
• Older patients often have degenerative syndromes in the spine and extremities caused by aging, wear and tear, and hereditary factors. Their spinal joints have become restricted. I treat these patients with gentle flexion-distraction technique, gentle stretching types of manipulation and emphasize manual techniques such as muscle energy therapy. The results are often wonderfully positive. I cannot reverse spinal joint degeneration, but I can optimize motion in the spine, increase flexibility and sometimes dramatically reduce pain.
• Children and Adolescents usually have spines that move easily and respond rapidly to treatment; they need gentle techniques that are appropriate for their smaller structures. Children have a more positive experience when they are treated with gentle, low and non-force techniques.
• Patients who have sensitive nervous systems, chronically tight muscles and stiffness, and acute patients who are in significant pain-- these and many other adult patients are effectively treated with gentle techniques.
There are a number of conditions that require low and non-force techniques. Some examples are:
• Disc injuries including herniated and "slipped" spinal discs in the neck and low back. The treatment of choice for acute disc injury is gentle Cox flexion-distraction technique combined with other low and non-force techniques. This is the protocol that I have found to be most effective for the solution to back and leg pain, and neck and arm pain, resulting from disc bulging.
• Stenosis and the inflammation of the nerve root, and other spinal structures, is effectively treated with non-force and low force protocols, including flexion-distraction.
• Headache and Migraine in both children and adults are treated with cranial therapeutic techniques that I have to be beneficial to my patients, including chiropractic and osteopathic craniopathy, and cranio-sacral technique. Manual techniques as well as lifestyle, nutrition and botanical treatments are included to provide an integrated approach to headache care.
When my patients require the often extraordinary benefits of traditional diversified chiropractic adjusting, and many of my patients do every day, I emphasize two important lessons I learned from chiropractors who had the most influence on me, and my own practice over the years:
First, when I examine your spine, I am always focused on finding the exact restricted spinal joints that require adjustment, and the exact position in which their restricted. I want to know precisely the character of the spinal "lesion" I am treating.
Second, when I do adjust, I use the least amount of force necessary and I always prepare and inform my patient of the adjustment.
Gentle care is possible using a wide range of chiropractic techniques, from non-force techniques that depend on "energy" for their effective to directed traditional spinal adjusting. Gentle care is a good experience for my patients, and appears to improve the results of chiropractic care.