What Is a Chiropractic?
A chiropractic is a licensed healthcare professional who focuses on your body’s capability to heal itself. Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that cares for your neuro musculoskeletal system—the bones, nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A chiropractor helps manage back and neck pain through the use of spinal adjustments to maintain good alignment.
Chiropractic is focused on the body’s ability to self-heal and includes other treatments like nutrition and exercise. By improving the neuromusculoskeletal system’s ability to perform, chiropractors believe the benefits of spinal adjustment and realigning joints improve the functioning of other systems throughout the body. Both areas are very similar. Chiropractors and osteopaths both work with your bones, connective tissue, and muscles to help with your body’s function and structure. Osteopaths usually take a 4-year course to earn their BSc degree (BOst). Chiropractors have 4-5 years of training including a BSc in human sciences and chiropractic, as well as a year of postgraduate training. Then, they’ll earn their degree in chiropractic.
Both experts use a common technique called the “high velocity thrust.” This is a short and sharp motion done on your spine. It can be done in many ways. Chiropractors usually push on your spine with their hands, while osteopaths tend to use your arms and legs to make the thrusts. Many other movements are shared between the two professions. Your chiropractor might use X-rays to help diagnose you, while an osteopath usually uses them to rule out other potential issues. Treatment with your chiropractor might include six sessions. The first ones might be more frequent, while the later sessions may be on a weekly basis. With an osteopath, you’ll tend to go to them “as needed” instead.
What Does a Chiropractic Do?
Chiropractics conduct an examination of a patient, looking at their spine’s position and muscle reflexes. They also perform tests to diagnose the patient’s condition, then come up with a treatment plan and monitor progress.
Chiropractors do not prescribe pain medication. Instead, they rely on and assist the body’s ability to heal itself. A chiropractor’s primary therapy is spinal manipulation where they use hands or instruments to apply force to a joint in the spine, moving the joint in a specific direction for better alignment.
Are Chiropractic Doctors?
While chiropractors don’t hold a medical doctor (MD) degree, they are doctors of chiropractic care. They’re not medical doctors but are still considered doctors. Chiropractors study a lot of the same subjects that medical doctors do. This includes physiology, orthopedics, anatomy, microbiology, radiology, and more. They also have a very similar amount of patient experience time, hours spent in classes, and time spent in labs like medical school students.
What Conditions Does A Chiropractics Treat?
Low back pain, neck pain, and headache are the most common problems for which people seek chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractic care is a useful pain management resource. Chiropractors ensure the muscles surrounding the joints are working properly.
Chiropractors can also treat arthritic joint functioning. Depending on the type of arthritis, the chiropractor may provide gentle manipulation to increase range of motion and reduce muscle spasms.
A chiropractor can also treat things like:
Pain or issues after whiplash or an accident Joint pain or joints that won’t function properly Stiff muscles or muscle aches