A chiropractor is a licensed health care professional who focuses on your body’s capability to heal itself.

Chiropractic is a health care profession that cares for your neuromusculoskeletal 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.

 

Chiropractors 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.

Your chiropractor may perform treatments such as:

Adjustments. This can help realign your body, allow you to move better, and lower any pain you have.

Exercise. Your chiropractor might have you stretch or do certain exercises to help with joint mobility and balance.

Soft tissue therapy. This can help ease spasms, tension, and tight muscles in your body.

Kinesio taping. Your chiropractor might perform joint bracing or tapping to help with sprained joints or muscles.

Other treatments might include hot and cold treatment, diet and weight loss counseling, or relaxation methods.

Sometimes to relieve pain, chiropractors will go further by using massage therapy, ultrasound, braces, and shoe inserts. They might also refer you to other specialists like integrative medicine experts. They can give you more information on how to lower inflammation and keep a healthy weight through nutrition.