Chiropractic care is a drug-free, hands-on approach to health problems. Chiropractors exam, diagnose and treat patients for a broad array of medical conditions. This article will give you the basics of chiropractic care.

Focus Of Care

Chiropractors focus on the neuromusculoskeletal systems and how they relate to a client's overall health and wellbeing. Your chiropractic practitioner will be interested in your lifestyle and dietary habits, and will counsel you on ways to improve these. They may also recommend certain rehabilitative exercises that you can do at home to increase your progress towards wellness and to relieve pain.

Techniques Used

The spine needs to be both strong to protect the spinal cord and flexible to allow the body to move. It is a very complex structure and contains several joints (articulations) where each vertebra connects. When these articulations are not in the correct position, they can adversely affect your nerves that exit from the spinal column.

Chiropractic physicians use spinal manipulations or adjustments (controlled and precise force) to restore normal mobility in joints and in the spine. This can relieve dysfunction, pain, and inflammation and allow affected areas to heal.

Use Of Diagnostic Tools

When you go for an initial appointment, you will undergo a clinical examination. Your chiropractor may also order some lab tests and/or diagnostic imaging so that they can have a better understanding of your condition before they design a treatment plan.

Conditions Treated By Chiropractors

The most common conditions that chiropractors treat are:

• Low back pain
• Sciatica (leg nerve pain due to spinal bone compression)
• Head and/or neck aches
• Sports injuries
• Joint pain
• Digestive disorders
• Asthma and sinus problems
• Arthritis
• Repetitive strain injuries
• Neck sprain (whiplash)

Fibromyalgia patients can also benefit from chiropractic care because the treatments can increase ranges of motion in their back and extremities while reducing pain.

Referral for Standard Medical Treatment

It is possible that your practitioner may feel that while you can be helped by chiropractic techniques, you may also need medical interventions as well.  If your practitioner feels that chiropractic treatment will be of little benefit for your specific condition, they will recommend that you see a medical professional.  For example, if you have a badly bulging or herniated disk, you may need surgery and will be referred to an orthopedic physician/surgeon.

Combined with Other Therapies

Chiropractic care is often used in conjunction with other therapies, such as deep tissue massage or acupuncture to good effect.

For more information, contact a chiropractor like those at the Gillette Chiropractic Center to discuss your options!