Chiropractic adjustment
The signature tool of chiropractic. A precise, controlled force applied to a specific spinal segment that's not moving correctly. Restores proper joint mobility, reduces nerve interference, and breaks the cycle of pain-spasm-dysfunction.
Dr. Ngo doesn't use the same adjustment for every patient. Acute injuries get gentler, lower-velocity techniques. Chronic stiffness gets more direct work. Disc patients get specific protocols. Older patients get instrument-assisted adjusting when manual is contraindicated. The technique should match what's wrong with you — not the other way around.
What it treats: Joint dysfunction, mechanical neck and back pain, headaches with cervical origin, post-accident stiffness, postural strain, sports injuries.
Spinal decompression therapy
Computer-controlled traction designed specifically for disc problems. Creates negative pressure inside the disc, which allows herniated material to retract and lets the disc draw in nutrients and rehydrate.
Different from traditional traction, which just pulls. Decompression uses precisely calibrated cycles — sustained pull, brief release, sustained pull — that activate the disc's natural pumping mechanism. Sessions run 20-30 minutes. Most disc patients are seen 2-3 times per week initially, with treatment courses running 6-12 weeks.
What it treats: Herniated and bulging discs, sciatica from disc origin, degenerative disc disease, facet joint syndrome, certain types of stenosis.
Soft tissue therapy
Adjustments work on joints. Soft tissue therapy works on the muscles, fascia, ligaments, and tendons around them. Both are usually needed — fixing a stuck joint without addressing the muscle spasm causing the joint to lock up means the joint goes right back to where it was.
Dr. Ngo combines several soft tissue techniques: manual myofascial release, instrument-assisted soft tissue work, trigger point therapy, and stretching. The right combination depends on what's wrong and what stage of healing you're in.
What it treats: Muscle spasm and tension, post-injury adhesions and scar tissue, repetitive strain, postural muscle imbalances, chronic neck and shoulder tension.
Rehabilitation & corrective exercise
Adjustments and soft tissue work fix what's wrong now. Rehabilitation prevents it from coming back. The deep stabilizing muscles — transverse abdominis, multifidus, rotator cuff, deep neck flexors — usually need specific retraining after injury or after years of dysfunction.
Dr. Ngo prescribes specific exercises tailored to what's wrong with you. Not generic "do these every day" handouts. Each exercise has a purpose. We progress them as you improve.
What it addresses: Core stability, postural correction, prevention of re-injury, strength deficits, return to sport or activity, ergonomic correction.
Diagnostic evaluation
Treatment without diagnosis is guessing. The first visit is always evaluation: detailed history, physical exam, range of motion, orthopedic testing, neurological screening, palpation. When indicated, we order imaging — usually MRI rather than X-ray, because MRI shows the soft tissue.
Dr. Ngo tells you exactly what she found, in plain language. You'll know what's wrong, why it's hurting, what the treatment plan looks like, and what realistic timelines are. If chiropractic isn't the right answer for what you have, she'll say so and refer you appropriately.