Services & Techniques

Axial Decompression Therapy is a non-surgical treatment designed to improve herniated discs as well as degenerative discs (arthritis of the spine) in the neck and low back. It is also effective in treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

The discs of the spine are made of a firm outer covering called the Annulus Fibrosus, and a soft, jelly-like substance on the inside called the Nucleus Pulposus. The purpose of each disc is to act as a cushion between the vertebrae, and to separate the vertebrae so there is enough room for the nerves to exit the spine and travel to the different parts of the body.

When a disc herniates, the firm, outer covering (Annulus Fibrosus) tears and the jelly-like fluid (Nucleus Pulposus) starts to push through the outer layer. This creates a "bulge", which usually compresses the nerves of the spine or the spinal cord, causing severe pain and loss of normal function.

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD - one form of arthritis of the spine) occurs when the jelly-like fluid (Nucleus Pulposus) begins to evaporate and shrink. This condition progressively becomes worse with time.

In both cases (the herniated disc and DDD), the disc becomes shorter (compresses), which pinches nerves of the spine and causes pain and other symptoms, depending on the disc involved.

Axial Decompression Therapy is designed to decompress the herniated / degenerated disc, utilizing a series of traction / relaxation cycles with increasing strength over a period of approximately 30 minutes. The treatment itself is very relaxing, and has a very high success rate (86%) in correcting these types of conditions.

What is Cold Laser?

Cold Laser is a special type of laser that produces a very focused, high frequency of light. When the laser is placed over damaged tissue, it causes a dramatic increase in the amount of energy the cell produces, which speeds healing time by 200%.

How does Cold Laser work?

The laser stimulates a part of the cell called mitochondria. The mitochondria are responsible for producing the energy the cell needs in order to be healthy and function normally. When the cell is injured, the mitochondria slow down, and the cell isn't able to bring in a normal amount of oxygen and nutrition, which is necessary for healing. When the cold laser stimulates the mitochondria, the cell is able to bring in plenty of oxygen and nutrition, as well as push out toxins that build up from the injury, which speeds the healing process.

What does Cold Laser feel like?

Because the laser is cooled, there is really no sensation during the treatment (it doesn't feel hot, painful, etc.). Because all of the healing is occurring at the cellular level, the person being treated rarely feels anything during the treatment. The effects after the treatment, however, are usually very noticeable. People usually report faster pain relief following the cold laser treatment. You may also notice improvements in other areas of the body, because as blood flows under the laser, the blood cells are also improved, which then takes these healing benefits throughout the body.

Why is Cold Laser used?

Cold laser is usually recommended for conditions that take longer to heal. It is also used when a person has scar tissue in the injured area. Scar tissue is weaker than normal tissues of the body, which makes the area easier to reinjure. In these cases, the problem area never heals completely, leading to a chronic condition that requires a lifetime of care to prevent it from flaring up. Cold laser is very good at helping scar tissue heal, which provides longer-lasting results.

Patient Benefits:

• Reduces painful symptoms
• Decreases local swelling
• Restores normal movements
• Strengthens muscles
• Increases flexibility
• Increases endurance
• Improves range of motion
• Breaks down scar tissue
• Promotes cellular healing

What is interferential therapy?

It is a therapeutic treatment to aid in the relief of pain and promotion of soft tissue healing.

How does Interferential Therapy Work?

Tiny amounts of electrical impulses are induced into the vicinity of the injury. Where these waves intersect below the skin, a low-frequency stimulation is created. This prompts the body to secrete endorphins and other natural pain killers to help relieve pain.

What does interferential therapy feel like?

Most patients find Interferential Therapy to be extremely beneficial and describe the treatment as a faint "pins and needles" sensation.

Why is interferential therapy used?

Interferential Therapy is most often used for pain relief. Ligament sprains, muscle strains and spasms often respond to this treatment, helping to reduce muscle weakness and increase blood circulation.

Patient Benefits:

• Reduces painful symptoms
• Promotes muscle tone
• Releases the body's natural pain killers
• Decreases local swelling
• Restores normal movements
• Accelerates the healing process

Combined with the Chiropractic Adjustment, Interferential Therapy is a very effective way to help reduce your pain more quickly.

What is intersegmental Traction?

It is a way of inducing passive motion into the spine for the purpose of stretching spinal joints and increasing mobility.

How does Intersegmental Traction Work?

The patient lies face up on a bench table which has roller-type cams beneath its surface. These rollers can slowly travel the length of the spine, stretching spinal joints.

What does Intersegmental Traction feel like?

Most patients find this form of treatment to be relaxing and very helpful. The gentle rolling action is restful, exercising the spine without effort.

Why is Intersegmental Traction used?

Since discs have a poor blood supply, they get nutrients from the circulation of fluids surrounding spinal joints. Fixations prevent this natural circulation and can cause disc thinning and degeneration. Intersegmental traction helps increase and restore necessary elasticity and motion to the spine.

Patient Benefits:

• Reduces painful symptoms
• Increases spinal mobility
• Improves blood supply to the disc, causing it to heal more quickly
• Decreases local swelling
• Reduces spinal fixations
• Accelerates the healing process

Combined with the Chiropractic Adjustment, intersegmental Traction is a very effective way to help your body heal more quickly.

What is Myofascial Release?

Myofascial Release is a special type of deep muscle treatment. Unlike massage, the goal of myofascial release is not just muscle relaxation, it is also to break down scar tissue that may be building up in the soft tissues of the body. This treatment is very important when a person has an injury - whether the injury is old or new.

How does Myofascial Release work?

During a Myofascial Release treatment, the therapist applies deep pressure on the problem areas with their hands. This deep pressure forces toxins out of the muscles and helps to break down scar tissue. This process allows the muscles to function better and stay relaxed longer, which helps you experience longer lasting relief.

What does Myofascial Release feel like?

Myofascial Release feels like a very deep massage. It is usually very relaxing, but the therapist will likely find some tender spots through the treatment as well. This treatment is performed to your comfort level, so it is important that you communicate with your therapist during the treatment. The pressure should only be done as deep as you can comfortably tolerate it - this is one area where the famous saying "no pain, no gain" does not apply!

Why is Myofascial Release used?

Although we can adjust the misaligned vertebrae in your spine, the muscles are responsible for holding those bones in their proper position. This treatment allows the muscles to stay relaxed longer, which helps keep the vertebrae in their normal position for a longer period of time. Also, because this treatment is designed to help break down scar tissue, it keeps the spine stronger and makes it less likely that you will re-injure yourself again. This means that you experience relief faster, and the results last longer.

Patient Benefits:

• Reduces painful symptoms
• Relaxes muscles
• Increases flexibility
• Improves range of motion
• Breaks down scar tissue

What is Neuromuscular Re-education?

NMR is any exercise that improves balance. By improving your balance, we are able to strengthen muscles of the spine that can not be strengthened with any other exercise. The benefit is that you experience longer-lasting results.

How does NMR work?

When we have you march on a mini-trampoline & bounce on a therapy ball, this forces the body to use small muscles that aren't normally used, because you have to keep yourself balanced in order to do these exercises. Over time, these muscles become stronger, and it becomes less likely that you will reinjure the weak areas of your spine.

What does NMR feel like?

Although these exercises are easy for a person in good health, these exercises may prove to be challenging to a person who is injured and experiencing pain. It is normal to experience mild to moderate discomfort while performing these exercises. It is also normal to experience soreness in the muscles immediately following the exercises. It is very important that you push through the discomfort and soreness, and don't give up. You will find that these exercises become easier, which is a sign that you are progressing.

Why is NMR used?

Although we can adjust the misaligned vertebrae in your spine, the muscles are responsible for holding those bones in their proper position. These exercises strengthen the smaller muscles around the spine that are responsible for balance, which helps keep the vertebrae in their normal position for a longer period of time. This means that you experience relief faster, and the results last longer.

Patient Benefits:

• Reduces painful symptoms
• Decreases local swelling
• Restores normal movements
• Strengthens muscles
• Increases flexibility
• Increases endurance
• Improves range of motion

What are rehabilitation exercises?

These are exercises specifically designed to strengthen the area of injury. By doing these exercises, you will experience faster relief, as well as longer-lasting results.

How do rehabilitation exercises work?

By strengthening the muscles that surround the injured area, you provide necessary support to the area to prevent future injury.

What do rehabilitation exercises feel like?

Although most of the exercises are easy for a person in good health, these exercises may prove to be challenging to a person who is injured and experiencing pain. It is normal to experience mild to moderate discomfort while performing these exercises. It is also normal to experience soreness in the muscles immediately following the exercises. It is very important that you push through the discomfort and soreness, and don't give up. You will find that these exercises become easier, which is a sign that you are progressing. As you progress, we will be increasing the intensity of the exercises, gradually building the strength of the injured area over a period of time.

Why are rehabilitation exercises used?

Although we can adjust the misaligned vertebrae in your spine, the muscles are responsible for holding those bones in their proper position. These exercises strengthen the muscles, which help keep the vertebrae in their normal position for a longer period of time, which means that you experience relief faster, and the results last longer.

Patient Benefits:

• Reduces painful symptoms
• Decreases local swelling
• Restores normal movements
• Strengthens muscles
• Increases flexibility
• Increases endurance
• Improves range of motion

What is Ultrasound?

It is a therapeutic treatment using high frequency sound waves administered in the region of soft tissue injuries.

How does Ultrasound work?

Sound vibrations, as fast as a million times per second, penetrate the tissues deep in the body, creating a heat response. These vibrations and heat help break down and disperse unhealthy calcium and other hard tissue accumulations.

What does Ultrasound feel like?

The gel used to conduct the sound waves is at room temperature and may momentarily feel cool to the skin when it is initially applied. Most patients feel nothing, or a pleasant and relaxing sensation below the surface of the skin.

Why is Ultrasound used?

Ultrasound treatment can usually be administered directly to the area of complaint, penetrating deep into the body. The rise in temperature increases blood flow, relaxes muscle spasms, massages damaged tissues, and speeds the healing process.

Patient Benefits:

• Reduces painful symptoms
• Reduces nerve root irritation
• Stimulates healing without irritation
• Speeds metabolism and improves blood flow
• Enhances the body's natural healing ability

Feeling Exhausted Lately?

Have you ever had one of those days where you just didn't want to get up in the morning?  And, no matter how much you sleep, you just can't seem to get over the exhaustion?  It's like there's no catching up!

In fact, exhaustion may be the least of your concerns.  How many of these symptoms do you deal with on a daily basis?

• Exhaustion
• Mental Fogginess
• Skin Problems
• Arthritis & Joint Pain
• Frequent Illnesses
• Chronic Muscle Pain

Did you know that all of these symptoms are usually caused by toxicity in the body?  Even if you live the healthiest lifestyle, there are toxins in our environment that we just can't avoid.

For example, have you taken a breath today?  I certainly hope so!  But guess what - the air we breathe is really not that clean if you think about all the pollutants and infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses that live in our air.  But what can you do?  You have to breathe!

Or how about the water we drink.  Do you really think that's as pure as it could be?  What about your food?  When was the last time you checked a food label and you were actually able to pronounce all the ingredients?

The point is, we all have issues with toxicity, and it can lead to some very serious symptoms for each of us.  What's the solution?  Well, detoxifying would be the obvious answer, but how exactly do we do that?

We've all heard of cleansing, and although that's a great thing when done properly, there's one serious flaw with the cleanses you'll see on the market.  They don't address the cellular structures of the body.

You see, your body is held together by something called a matrix, which is kind of like a mesh of cells.  Toxins will find their way into the cellular matrix, and they get trapped there for a number of reasons.  The main reason toxins get trapped there is because the matrix is electrically charged, and most toxins are attracted to this charge.

Cleansing through traditional methods may clean out particular organs (such as the colon, liver, etc.), but they won't clean your body at the most important level which is at the level of the cellular matrix.  This is primarily because you have to find a way to temporarily shift the charge of the matrix in order for these cellular toxins to be released by the body!

In other words, you go through all that effort to cleanse (and sometimes a lot of discomfort), and you're still not clean!  It's like those soap commercials where you think you're clean, but when they shine the blue light on you, you can see all the soap scum that's left on your body after your bath!

So, how do we get a much deeper cleanse that leads to better results?  This is where I get to introduce you to the EB-PRO Ion-Therapy System (you may have heard of these - it's a foot bath that removes toxins from the body).

Before                                 After

It's pretty simple - you put your feet in a tub of water, and the EB-PRO changes the polarity of the water which causes your body's cellular matrix to vibrate, releasing toxins at the cellular level throughout the body, and then draws the toxins out of your body through your feet.

It's a really neat thing - you can actually see the water turning colors and accumulating all the junk that was in your body before the treatment, so you can really know that it did its job.  The EB-PRO can help your body eliminate mucus, heavy metals, fungus, bacteria, viruses, and all sorts of unwanted chemicals that accumulate in your body.

Pretty amazing, right?  How do you think you would feel with all those toxins eliminated from your system?  Do you think it would be possible to have more energy, eliminate your daily aches and pains, and even think more clearly?  Absolutely!

In fact, you'd probably think this was pretty expensive to have done, but it's actually very reasonable.  Each EB-PRO treatment is only $30 in our office, or you can buy 10 treatments in advance and receive 2 for free (which reduces your cost to just $25 per treatment).

In general, it is recommended that you receive 2 treatments per week for 6 - 9 weeks for a thorough cleansing, and then continue the EB-PRO treatments once a month for maintenance.  Obviously, this will be different depending on the individual's lifestyle and current health status.

Now is your chance to finally experience a true cleansing experience, and really see what it feels like to have renewed energy, vitality, and health!

Each treatment lasts approximately 30 minutes, so as you can imagine, appointments are limited - please call us at (219) 932-8900 today to make sure you are able to reserve your spot!

**This treatment can not be performed if you have a pacemaker, organ transplant, arrhythmia, take heart regulating medication, are pregnant or lactating, or have open wounds on your feet.

Click here for a printable brochure about the EB-PRO Ion Therapy System

Click here for a printable poster that shows you the Major Sources of Toxins in our Environment

"After my first foot bath, all of my pains have disappeared completely..."

"I had a foot bath on May 11, 2009, just to try it out, because I was experiencing many pains throughout my body. After my first foot bath, all of my pains have disappeared completely. Now I sleep better and I don't feel as tired like before."

-  Gloria Rocha

"I was very surprised with the way it worked..."

"I wanted to try a foot bath to see if it works, and I was very surprised with the way it worked. So, I decided to continue the treatments to get all of its benefits, and I'm starting to sleep better. I am going to recommend it to all of my friends."

-  Antonio Rocha

"I can tell an improvement in my sinuses immediately..."

"I can tell an improvement in my sinuses immediately. My sinus headache clears, my sense of smell improves and therefore my sense of taste improves."

-  Terry Shawver

"After my initial foot bath I realized an immediate relief of arthritis in my knees and neck..."

"After my initial foot bath I realized an immediate relief of arthritis in my knees and neck. After about four visits, I began to see an improvement in my complexion. Additionally, I am aware of being able to think more clearly."

-  Margaret Shawver