When an individual feels pain in their back or neck, their first instinct might be to visit a conventional hospital to consult their regular doctor. A doctor might recommend medication, exercises, and in some cases, even surgery.
A Chiropractor’s approach is different from what a patient can generally expect from a health practitioner, but there are many who do not fully understand what a Chiropractor does. So what is a Chiropractor?
The Chiropractic Philosophy
Chiropractic therapy focuses on helping patients improve physical functionality and lessen their pain. This is done through physical therapies, ergonomics, exercise and proper dieting. Categorically, Chiropractic is known as complementary or alternative medicine.
Chiropractic is unique in its fundamental understandings of health and the major sources of pain. It relies on bringing harmony to the partnership of the spine and the nervous system; structural and biomechanical damage to the spine can possibly affect an individual throughout the entire body through the nervous system. This can lead to an entire host of various conditions.
By applying non-surgical treatment to the spine—reducing pressure on sensitive areas and restoring its original alignment—an individual can expect to recover from long-term pains and other conditions they might not even be aware of.
What Can A Chiropractor Treat?
Chiropractic can treat a variety of issues, as the spine and the nervous system have influence all over the body. Chiropractors can treat a variety of conditions, such as:
- Headaches and migraines
- Digestive issues
- Lower back pain
- Blood pressure
- Neck pain
- Pregnancy pain
- Car accident injuries
- Arthritis
- Sports injuries
The most common reasons why individuals seek Chiropractic treatment is neck pain, back pain, and headaches.
The Chiropractic Experience
While the experience of visiting a Chiropractor might be similar to a visit to an average doctor, there are some nuances that one should expect. Here is a breakdown of the entire Chiropractic experience, from consultation to the healing process.
Examination
Visiting a Chiropractor begins with an initial Chiropractic exam. This guide will describe a standard Chiropractic experience, in which a patient gets treatment for lower back pain. There are three parts to the exam, beginning with the consultation, then followed by an analysis of the patient’s history and finally the physical examination.
- Consultation: This is the initial meeting between the patient and the Chiropractor. In some cases, a patient may walk into a Chiropractic clinic and have a consultation with an available Chiropractor right away. During the consultation, the Chiropractor will assess the individual’s symptoms, including its duration, description, the areas of the symptoms, and what makes the pain worsen or reduce
- Case History: The Chiropractor will ask more personal questions about the patient’s background, such as their family history, their average diet, any other past complications they might have had, their job, and their possible sources of stress
- Physical Examination: The Chiropractor will then examine the patient’s body. This is done with several methods that will test the patient’s spinal integrity, or how much of the spine has been damaged and what areas need treatment. These methods might include motion and static palpation techniques. In some cases, a Chiropractor might opt to use other tests such as X-rays and skin temperature measurement
Diagnosis
A case of lower back pain can be categorized into three different kinds of injury. These three diagnoses include:
- Potentially Serious: These include fractures, infections, problems with joint implants, tumors, bleeding, and other issues
- Nerve Problem: An injury is categorized as a nerve problem when a part of the spine—the nerve root—is compressed or stressed, leading to sciatica
- Non-Specific: Non-specific cases are the most common, and generally include cases in which there is no specific cause for the patient’s pain
Chiropractors also have four possible categories for a patient’s symptoms, grouped according to their duration:
- Acute: Less than 6 weeks
- Subacute: 6 – 12 weeks
- Chronic: 12 weeks and over
- Recurrent: Symptoms that come and go, possibly as a result of the patient’s circumstances
Adjustment
After consultation and diagnosis, a Chiropractor will then begin to arrange the patient’s actual treatment. This is known as a Chiropractic adjustment (sometimes referred to as Chiropractic or manual manipulation). The Chiropractor manually manipulates or adjusts the spine, helping it return to its natural alignment. This will improve functionality, reduce pain, and increase flexibility.
During a Chiropractic adjustment, a patient can expect the following:
- The Chiropractor will apply a quick thrust to a vertebra
- The patient should feel and hear a release of gas in their back. This is the carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen causing joint pressure
- There should be a sensation of relief with some possibility of short-term minor discomfort
Other Services
A Chiropractor will provide other forms of therapy beyond a Chiropractic adjustment to assist with the holistic treatment of the patient. These treatments include:
- Heat and cold: Back pain can be treated by alternating heat and ice therapy. This consists of applying ice packs and heating pads to a patient’s back in 15-minute periods
- Diet management: Chiropractors are also nutritional experts. They provide advice and dietary plans that will help patients manage their pain and improve their lifestyle
- Massage: By massaging the tissues around the spine, Chiropractors can reduce inflammation and swelling by improving circulation
- Exercise: Chiropractors generally provide exercise programs that patients can follow after their treatment to continue their healing
Your First Chiropractic Visit
Interested in talking to a real Chiropractor? Contact us at First Choice Chiropractic and make the most of our New Patient Offer while it lasts! We will give you the full Chiropractic experience at an amazing deal.
Contact us today, and try your first Chiropractic care treatment right away.
