What is a structural chiropractor?

At Huntington Beach Chiropractic our main emphasis is on what is called “structural correction”. I want you to think of your spine similar to the foundation for a building or your home.

If the foundation was shifted or cracked you would expect the floors to shift or creak, the windows to not align properly, the garage to not open and the house would eventually break down. Now you could repair the damage caused from a faulty foundation but you would have to do that over and over and over again.

Until you fix the structural issue in the foundation, your repairs will not hold for very long. The same holds true for chiropractic. Until you address and fix the underlying structural shifts then the symptoms will continue to return over and over again.

Rather than constantly work to repair the damage, at Huntington Beach Chiropractic, we have chosen to fix the underlying foundation and bring your spine back to normal structure.

Once the foundation, your spinal structure, is repaired then we will teach you how to keep it that way!

In healthcare, there are established normal values for many things. There is a standard measurement for blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, cholesterol, and vision. We don’t expect everyone to have an exactly perfect measure, but they are what are considered healthy ranges depending on age and current situation.

The same holds true for your spine. The cervical curve should measure between 35 degrees to 45 degrees, the pelvis should be within 3 millimeters of imbalance, and the vertebral bodies should align without any indication of posterior or lateral shifting.

At Huntington Beach Chiropractic, we are looking for a significant shift of the spine away from normal. The primary condition we are treating is called a structural shift also known as vertebral subluxation.

When the spine is shifted out of the normal range it can disrupt the spinal nerves, spinal cord, surrounding musculature and create an inflammatory response, thus creating secondary conditions or symptoms.

Depending on the location of the structural shift where the nerves are being disrupted will give us an idea of the secondary conditions that you may be experiencing. Some of these include:

• Numbness and tingling in the extremities
• Muscular Imbalances
• Blood pressure changes
• Posture related problems
• ADD/ADHD Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
• Carpal Tunnel Hip/Leg Pain
• Degenerative Disc Disease
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Neck or Low Back Pain

A thorough evaluation from a structural chiropractor can help determine if a shift is causing your symptoms.

The examination includes a thorough health history, a detailed postural evaluation, a range of motion test, a nerve tension test as well as specific structural radiographs (X-Rays). Your doctor will then determine if a structural shift is the cause of your problem and recommend a specific program to help correct the foundation!

If the doctor determines that a structural shift is not the cause of your symptoms then we can refer you to the proper health care provider in our network of massage therapist, acupuncturist, physical therapist and functional medical doctors.

Take care of your body.. It’s the only place you have to live.

Dr. Jennifer Campagna