If you’re experiencing back problems, you may be wondering, what does a chiropractor do? Chronic pain often causes people to search far and wide for effective treatment.
Patients who want to avoid steroid injections or addictive pharmaceutical drugs often turn to a chiropractor for help. However, few people truly understand what a chiropractor does. Most people consider chiropractic care to be a form of alternative medicine.
To find out what exactly does a chiropractor do and if it’s right for you, check out the information below what does chiropractor do and chiropractor for hip pain.
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What Does a Chiropractor Do?
A chiropractor is not a medical doctor, but similar to other professions like physical therapy or osteopathy. These professionals manipulate bones and soft tissue for rehabilitation.
Many chiropractic patients express more satisfaction with chiropractic care than medical care, specifically in cases of back pain. This field is based on the theory that aligning the spine helps the body heal itself.
Find out the good chiropractor from here and how to make sure youβre getting quality Chiropractic care.
What Is Chiropractic Treatment?
Chiropractic treatment involves manual manipulation of the spine. This manual manipulation is also known as “adjustment.”
Before the adjustment, a chiropractor should perform a diagnostic physical exam. They may also request an x-ray to determine if this treatment is safe and appropriate for the patient’s specific condition.
The chiropractor will move parts of the body to determine range of motion. With a sudden movement, applying force, the chiropractor manipulates joints, bones, and soft tissue. The chiropractor intends to improve the range of motion this way.
What Are the Benefits?
This treatment is generally regarded as safe. Many would argue that it’s much safer than a prescription for painkillers.
Patients who suffer from acute lower back pain may benefit the most from this treatment. If you think you may benefit as well, don’t hesitate to find out more about chiropractic care.
Those experiencing neck pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, and osteoarthritis have also reported positive effects of chiropractic care.
What Are the Risks?
As with many different kinds of treatments, there are risks. The swift, forceful movement involved in manipulation may be a cause for concern. There have been a few, rare cases where this movement caused vertebral artery dissection, compression fractures, and death.
Of course, severe complications are extremely rare. The biggest cause for concern is previous medical history. People who have a history of cancer, osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis, or spinal cord compression are not good candidates for spinal manipulation.
As always, make sure to consult your primary care physician before beginning any new treatment. Don’t forget to divulge your full medical history to your chiropractor.
More Health and Fitness Guides
What is chiropractic care? And what exactly does a chiropractor do? It’s an alternative health field that may help treat back pain. There are some risks associated with manual manipulation, but there are also some potential benefits. Consult your primary care physician if you feel this treatment may address your needs.
For more useful health and fitness guides, don’t forget to check out our medical section.
