A Summary of Different Chiropractic Techniques

At Port Jefferson Chiropractic we offer a wide variety of techniques to keep you healthy and pain free.  Have you ever wondered why you go into specific rooms when you visit Dr. Horney's office?  We have two different types of chiropractic tables which offer customized adjustment possibilities.

Have you thought about the different types of chiropractic adjustments?  Doctor Michael Horney evaluates each patient who comes to Port Jefferson Chiropractic and chooses from the following techniques to treat each individual.  Have you wondered why you may need a special adjustment table and others may not?  Do you think that chiropractic only helps back problems.  There are techniques to relieve neck pain, headaches, leg pain and shoulder pain.  Feel free to ask the team at Port Jefferson Chiropractic if you have any questions about your specific treatment.

Diversified This type of adjustment is a combination of different hands-on techniques to adjust the entire spine.  Often you will hear the "popping" sound with this type of technique. The "popping" sound called cavitation is actually gas bubbling out of the fluid normally found in the joint space.  This noise let's us know that there was movement in the joint.

Cox (Flexion-Distraction) or Manual Spinal Decompression This technique involves traction or stretching of the spine to alleviate pain and pressure on the spine.  The Doctor uses the table itself to help the doctor to stretch out the patients back.  It's also known as a manual decompression technique.  It's very gentle and especially helpful with disc problems.


Applied Kinesiology This is a method that pays attention to the alignment of bones and muscles trying to balance both using massage and sometimes acupressure to restore muscle function.  It's considered an energy technique - also very gentle.


DNFT or Directional Non-Force Technique This is a way of using pressure on the spine and then checking leg length to see how well the adjustment has worked.


Gonstead This is a specific type of adjusting and analysis of the spine - similar to the diversified technique in terms of the "popping" noise you hear.


SOT or Sacro-Occipital Technique A gentle technique using wedges placed strategically to let the weight of your body actually make thee spinal correction.


Activator An instrument used to adjust the spine.  Very gentle and precise as opposed to a hands-on adjustment.


Soft Tissue Techniques - Manual Mobilization Hands-on technique used to massage the muscles, reduce trigger points, increase blood flow and reduce metabolic waste products that build up in tight muscles.

Port Jefferson Chiropractic: Doctor Michael Horney Helps and Heals

Port Jefferson Chiropractic: Doctor Michael Horney Helps and Heals: "Doctor Michael Horney Helps and Heals His Friends and Family. The following are three testimonials that are especially close to Dr. Horney..."

Doctor Michael Horney Helps and Heals

Doctor Michael Horney Helps and Heals His Friends and Family.  The following are three testimonials that are especially close to Dr. Horney's heart.

Barry:

I’ve known Doctor Horney all of his life.  I was recovering from a gallbladder operation in a hospital in Florida when I began to experience severe back pain.  The Doctors at the hospital said it was back spasms and prescribed high doses of various pain medications, anti-imflammatories and muscle relaxants.  It just wasn’t getting any better after several days.  Finally, I called Doctor Horney to ask for his opinion.  Although I had no fever and my Doctor at the hospital said that my blood work did not show any signs of an infection, Doctor Horney suggested that I get an MRI to rule out an infection of the spinal bones or disks.

 

The Doctors at the hospital would not order an MRI because they said I had no signs of infection.

 

Doctor Horney said that even though I had no fever and negative blood work, the severe pain I was experiencing in my back despite all the medication I was taking for the pain made him suspicious of a bone infection which can happen after a surgical procedure.

 

He suggested that I check out of the hospital and go to the emergency room, explain my symptoms and the ER Doctor would most likely order the MRI.  I did just that.

 

They took the MRI.

 

They diagnosed osteomyelitis of the spine and I was on IV antibiotics in a nursing home for 6 weeks.   I could have died.

 

Doctor Horney explained to me that despite testing, you always have to listen to the patient.  Tests are not infallible.  Doctor Horney listened and accurately diagnosed my condition over the phone, when the Doctors in the hospital would have released me and let me go home.

 

By the way, Doctor Horney is my brother.

 

 

Phyllis:

 

I’ve known Doctor Horney for 37 years.

 

A routine lab test came back with mildly elevated calcium in my blood.  My Doctor, who is very good, suggested that it was most likely due to the calcium supplement that I was taking.

 

When I showed the lab results to Doctor Horney he suggested that although it could be from the calcium supplements, calcium is very narrowly regulated in the blood and checking the parathyroid levels might be a good idea.

 

Although I had no symptoms, I went and had lab work to evaluate my parathyroid hormones.

 

It turns out that they were abnormally high.

 

Further follow-up showed a benign parathyroid tumor which had to surgically removed.

 

If I had not been diagnosed and treated at that time I may have developed osteoporosis and kidney stones.

 

I’m grateful to Doctor Horney to this day. 

 

By the way, Doctor Horney is my husband!

 

- Phyllis E. Radin

Laura:

I went to Doctor Horney to have my neck checked out.  He said he saw and felt what appeared to be a cyst or a nodule on my thyroid.

 

He suggested that I see my family Doctor.  My family Doctor did not see or feel what Doctor Horney did.

 

Doctor Horney was certain that he saw and felt a cyst or a nodule on my thyroid upon reexamining me and suggested that I see an Endocrinologist.

 

The Endocrinologist examined me, did some follow-up studies, sonograms etc. and sure enough, I had a solitary nodule on my thyroid that was treated with medication for a few years at which time it eventually resolved.

 

My name is Laura Farr.  I’ve worked with Doctor Horney for close to 25 years, as his office manager.

 

He’s a great diagnostician as well as a great Chiropractor and a wonderful person to work with,

 

- Laura Farr, Office Manager

Port Jefferson Chiropractic: Heat versus Cold - Chiropractic Smackdown!

Port Jefferson Chiropractic: Heat versus Cold - Chiropractic Smackdown!: "How do you choose between Cold or Heat to help with pain? If you are not in the office - where Doctor Horney can guide you -..."

Heat versus Cold - Chiropractic Smackdown!

How do you choose between Cold or Heat to help with pain?  If you are not in the office - where Doctor Horney can guide you - it may be hard to decide between Ice and Fire!

Some patients come into the office with severe pain and receive ice pack treatment.  This is meant to reduce inflammation in the area of pain.  Cold or cryo-therapy is a way to stop the cycle of extreme pain and allow the body to recuperate faster.

After the cryo-therapy has done its job, many patients still need pain relief and receive heat therapy.  Moist heat therapy allows muscles to relax and be more acceptable to chiropractic adjustment and healing.  Our moist heat pads are continuously heated in a temperature controlled hydroculator.  This assures that the heat is effective yet will not be too hot.  Always remember, though, that if you are feeling uncomfortable with either types of therapy, you can always shed the pads and drop them to the floor. Fifteen to twenty minutes is the ideal time for both therapies.

Have you experienced Biofreeze?  This is the gel that Doctor Horney may rub on the painful areas of your body.  It is a therapy that starts out cold to reduce inflammation and then within 5 minutes it turns to heat to relieve pain for hours.  This is a wonderful product that can help you, whether you need to sleep peacefully or need to get through a stressful day.

We also provide a ice/heat pad that you can either put into your freezer or your microwave - depending on your needs.  Maybe it can be used on a cold Spring Day to soothe your back with heat while you are enjoying a cup of tea and a nice movie.  Sometimes it's just nice to treat yourself.

Ultrasound Therapy - A Natural Pain Killer

Ultrasound is a treatment used by Chiropractors, Physical Therapists and Occuptaional Therapists to treat soft tissue pain in patients.  It may help reduce your pain if your have the following conditions:

- Neck and Back Pain
- Arthritis
- Myofascial pain (pain in the connective tissue)
- Bursitis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Scar tissue pain
- Sprains and Strains
- Tendonitis

For over 50 years, Ultrasound has been used as a healing therapy and is approved by the FDA.  Ultrasound is like a deep tissue massage due to the sound waves it emits.  Ultrasonic waves (sound waves of a high frequency) vibrate from the treatment head of the ultrasound machine.  The head is moved over the surface of the skin in the area of the pain or injury.  A special gel is applied to the skin and helps the sound waves penetrate the skin. 

The ultrasound waves cause a vibration of the tissues in the area of application and this leads to a production of heat within the tissue that may help to lessen pain and muscle spasms.  The heat and vibration may also increase blood flow which helps to rid the area of waste products and helps to reduce inflamation.  This may also stimulate to production of collagen (the main protein element in soft tissue) and this also helps healing.


If you feel that ultrasound can be helpful for you, feel free to discuss it with Doctor Horney.  He is always here for you.

A Beautiful Testimonial from Alicia Cedar

Fiteen or twenty years ago I went to see Doctor Horney.  He took X-Rays of an area bothering me and saw that I had alot of plaque in my carotid arteries.  He said that he was not going to adjust me as the plaque could break off and cause bad damage.  He strongly suggested that I go see my Doctor and the results were two operations.  One on each carotid artery.  He saved me from what would have been a stroke or worse if left unattended.

Last year, I had pain between my shoulder blades for a week or more.  I thought that I pulled a muscle at the gym.  I called Doctor Horney and went to see him.  I explained my problem.  He said to me "Alicia, you sounded out of breath on the phone, are you often out of breath?"  Then he said "Have you ever had a stress test?  Due to your history of your carotids, family history and age, I would advise you to take the stress test first and if all is well I'll treat you then."  Two weeks later I was undergoing a heart by-pass for 5 blockages in my arterial artery.

That was the second time Doctor Horney has saved me from grave damage or worse.  I thank my lucky stars for the day that I met this man.  Due to his willingness and ability to think beyond his field is a testament to not only his intelligence but his caring and humanity.

- Alicia Cedar