More than 30 million people visit a chiropractor every year. There is a common misconception that chiropractic care is used for spine and health problems but, actually, chiropractic care can help to treat a wide variety of physical health issues.
What is chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care practitioners are licensed physicians with a 6-7 year academic background where they learn to diagnose, evaluate, and create and deliver a treatment plan. The diagnostic process is very similar to the one that you would experience with a medical doctor and can include blood/urine tests, x-rays, and CT scans.
Where chiropractic care differs from traditional medicine is that it takes a very personalized approach to treatment. Rather than presenting a treatment plan based on a diagnosis, a chiropractic practitioner will present a treatment plan that is aimed towards treating all aspects of the patient's physical and mental wellbeing.
Because of this whole-body approach, there is a wide range of chiropractic care techniques. Some of these techniques are aimed at giving direct relief to physical problems but others are focused on supporting patients in improving their health in between chiropractic care visits.
Chiropractic care treatments
• Manual therapy, including spinal adjustments
• Soft tissue techniques, such as massage, active release technique, and stretching
• Electronic modalities, such as TENS machines and cold laser therapy
• Personalized exercise programs
• Nutrition advice
• Help with posture
What can chiropractic care help with?
Back and neck pain
The most common reason why people seek out chiropractic care is for neck and back pain, and chiropractic care is a recommended treatment for these problems. Spinal adjustments are the most common treatment for this, and they involve the chiropractor making short controlled thrusts on the joints of the spine. This can improve spinal function and relieve tension.
Pain in other joints
Chiropractic care can also help with pain in other joints in the body, such as the elbow, ankle, and hip. Chiropractors can use manipulation techniques, soft tissue therapies, exercise rehabilitation programs, and electronic modalities to improve joint function and reduce pain.
Stress, anxiety, and depression
There is such a strong link between the brain and the body and the chiropractic care approach uses this idea to treat mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Reducing chronic pain can help with all of these, but also can relieving muscle tension, helping with sleep problems, nutrition advice, exercise advice, and relaxation techniques.
Sleep problems
Chiropractic care can help with sleep problems by promoting relaxation, reducing pain, reducing muscle tension, exercise advice, and advice about sleep posture and techniques.
Headaches and migraines
Headaches and migraines have a wide range of causes. If they are caused by tension in the neck and the spine, spinal manipulations can help to relieve this. Migraines and headaches can also be helped by many of the other treatment techniques, such as soft tissue therapies, electronic modalities, exercise programs, and help with posture.
Sports injuries
Chiropractic care isn't just for people with chronic health problems. It can also help with acute injuries, such as sports injuries. Soft tissue techniques can help to reduce muscle pain, joint manipulation can help to improve range of motion, and exercise rehabilitation can aid recovery.
Chiropractic care uses a wide variety of treatment techniques that can help to improve physical wellbeing by treating common physical and mental ailments. It uses a patient led approach to ensure that the treatment plan helps patients to not only treat their current problem but also improve their wellbeing in other areas of their life.
