Your Guide to Adding New Tech to Your Practice
Chiropractic treatment has evolved a great deal especially over the last decade or so because of the innovations in medical technology. Due to these advancements in technology, today’s chiropractic provider is able to provide more effective, more precise, and infinitely better treatment overall to our patients. There is a definite shift in chiropractic treatment with cutting-edge tools and techniques that are enhancing patient outcomes. Sadly though, there are still many chiropractic providers out there that are stuck with old techniques and technology whether due to lack of resources or reluctance.
This guide will help chiropractors absorb information regarding the new tech out there, and make an informed decision for their practice and patients, and not just based on being stuck in the past.
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Cryotherapy:
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What is it?
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A treatment in which cold temperatures are applied to decrease inflammation, muscle tension, and pain.
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What does it treat?
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This type of tech is usually utilized and most well-known for acute injuries, namely, sports injuries/recovery, but is also said to be helpful for chronic issues like fibromyalgia and arthritis if done regularly.
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May improve symptoms of anxiety, depression, asthma, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
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What types of cryotherapy are there?
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Whole body – this exposes the entire body to the very cold temperatures for a short period of time. At the moment, this is not FDA approved treatment, but practices that offer whole body cryotherapy have specialized tanks or chambers that are shoulder height keeping the head at room temperature. These are cooled to anywhere between -200- and -300-degrees Fahrenheit, and patients need to wear protective gear on their extremities as well as the ears standing in the tank for 2 – 4 minutes.
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Local – application of the cold temperatures to a specific part of the body. This is most common for treatment of skin conditions.
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Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBOT):
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What is it?
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In this treatment, patients are placed in a chamber that is pressurized and breathe in pure oxygen allowing more oxygen to be carried through the bloodstream. This is said to encourage healing, increase well-being, and decrease inflammation. This type of treatment has been used in various medical settings for some time, but its application in the chiropractic practice is new and potentially game-changing for the practice.
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What does it treat?
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Utilizing hands-off tech allows for us as chiropractors to enhance patient care by: increasing soft tissue injury healing, migraine control, decreased pain & inflammation, heightened performance & recovery, and complementary care for neurological conditions.
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How will it benefit my practice?
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There are a multitude of models, and newer ones include units that can hold more than one person, and there have also been advancements in vertical systems. All of this provides quick ROI and high use.
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Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Field (PEMF) Therapy:
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What is it?
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This treatment is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes electromagnetic fields to encourage the natural healing of the body.
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The electromagnetic field device generates an electric current through one or more solenoids, and can regulate the frequency and intensity of the magnetic field.
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What are the benefits?
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The benefit of this type of magnetotherapy is that it treats multiple pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
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It is said that the electromagnetic fields are beneficial in recreates a biomagnetic field at a cellular level.
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How will it benefit my practice?
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Being that chiropractic treatment heavily cares for musculoskeletal issues, PEMF therapy is the perfect companion as the pulsing electromagnetic fields reactivates the communication between cells speeding up tissue recovery.
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PEMF therapy works for osteoporosis, arthritis, fractures, chronic pain, inflammation, low back pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis, and more.
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Photobiomodulation (PBMT – light therapy):
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What is it?
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Also known as PBMT, is a non-invasive option of care that stimulates the cells in the body using low-level light. These can include lasers as well as LEDs to emit various wavelengths of light, with the newer implementation of LED producing better treatment options and outcomes.
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Types of Photobiomodulation:
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Laser – this type of light is what scientists call the biological window, meaning the light at this wavelength (500nm – 1100nm) can penetrate the skin and affect tissues by entering the cells.
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There is also deep tissue laser therapy which is also known as high intensity laser therapy (HILT). This type enables the provider to get a deeper penetration in the skin for those chronic conditions, and because of this can speed up healing as well as cell regeneration.
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LED – this is an acronym for light-emitting diode, and provides a non-focused light in comparison to laser light. The benefit of this newer type is that it can be administered unattended.
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Why is this a good option for my practice?
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PBMT is yet another drug-free, non-invasive treatment option for pain and inflammation relief as well as shorter recovery time.
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Virtual Reality:
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What is it?
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Virtual reality or VR, has quickly become a staple in many facets of the world of medicine. The FDA has approved a VR system for low back pain, and there have been many studies in recent years as to the efficiency of VR in the home and the provider practice.
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While it is usually something we think of in the video game industry, it is also now being utilized in the education and healthcare industries. This tech can provide patients with a setting that is controlled to work on various types of exercises with guidance from their chiropractor.
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How can this tech benefit my practice?
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In the chiropractic practice setting, VR systems are being used to heighten patient outcomes with treatment. It can be used to create in-depth, immersive atmospheres for the patient to truly grasp things like exercises, proper posture, and simulated chiropractic treatments.
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Additionally, VR can provide a means of pain relief through diversion and giving the patient relaxation techniques. By combining the visual, physical, and auditory, VR can improve patient compliance and acceptance of treatment plans and patient participation in their own healthcare. Patients will feel more motivated and confident in treatment after using VR.
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These 5 are blazing the trails for new and upcoming chiropractic technology, and there are plenty more where that came from both new and updated older tech for the practice.
Emerging Technology to look for:
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Dry Float
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Halotherapy (salt therapy)
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External Counterpulsation Therapy (ECP)
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Blood-floow Restriction (BFR)
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Lymphedema Electronic Cupping Therapy
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Hydrogen Inhalation Therapy
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Wearable technologies (light therapy glasses, whole-body neuromuscular stimulation, vibration therapy, motion testing, remote physiologic monitoring, metabolic testing, neuropathy screening, microvascular testing, and eye tracking technology.)
Benefits of Implementing New Tech in Your Chiropractic Office
There are great number of reasons that it is vital for a chiropractic provider to move with the times in the way of practice and technology. As providers, it is important that we are constantly learning and growing in order to best benefit the patient.
Bringing in new technology can:
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Earn patient loyalty and business – in today’s day and age, patients are looking for providers that have the latest and most innovative treatment options and/or technologies to ensure optimal health. Adding new tech shows potential patients both your commitment to providing the best for them as well as tech where results speak for themselves.
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Early implementation – as a chiropractor, if you are able to get ahead of the curve and implement and embrace new chiropractic technology in your practice, it allows you to work out the usage for the best results. In turn, this allows you to be seen by patients as a reliable resource for this new tech, and maintain a competitive edge in the chiropractic field.
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Beneficial business decision – many of these new technologies are unattended. Since this is the case, adding new tech is a great solution for not only filling empty office space, but also creating a cutting-edge practice without increasing overhead.