Hands on Health Chiropractic Clinic in Grapevine is becoming a little more hands off — but, it’s for the better.
With the new Insight Subluxation station, a screening and evaluation system, the staff hopes to be able diagnose problems before patients develop debilitating symptoms.
"It’s fairly new technology, only a few years old," said Jennifer McRimmon, a chiropractic assistant at Hands on Health.
"It’s a more accurate and subjective way of figuring out the main points of injury," she said.
The new system is designed to find subluxations or misalignments in the spine that put pressure on nerves, which can cause miscommunication between the nerves and the central nervous system.
"It can cause all sorts of problems from headaches, to back pain and stomach problems," McRimmon said.
The test consists of two parts.
The first is a thermal scan that checks the body for hot spots or inflammation, McRimmon said.
"When nerves have pressure on them it causes them to inflame like a wound or a bruise," she said.
The second is called a surface EMG.
This tests the muscles’ symmetry to see whether they are pulling to one side.
"The muscle becomes stronger on one side and atrophies on the other to compensate," McRimmon said.
These subluxations can cause loss of function throughout the body based on the lack of communication between the spine and the central nervous system.
Dr. Meredith Van Horn, a Grapevine High School graduate, opened Hands on Health in 2002 after earning her doctorate from Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas.
"I was provided with scientific research that proves having a subluxation-free spine and nervous system is an essential component of optimum health," Van Horn said in a recent news release.
For details, contact the clinic at 817-421-4775 or see www.dfwdrx.com.