Chiropractic 101

What is chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a profession that treats patients with pain and mobility issues.

Forms of treatment include:

• Spinal and extremity manipulation
• Soft tissue therapies
• Exercise therapy
• Physiotherapy modalities
• Education

A common misconception is chiropractors only work on spine problems. Chiropractors are trained in the evaluation and management of different types of neuromusculoskeletal problems. There are also subspecialties in chiropractic across patients and body systems. These include sports medicine, pediatrics, neurology, obstetrics, radiology, posture, and occupational health.

Washington State views chiropractors as a port of entry for healthcare providers. This means they can help patients manage their care. Chiropractors can offer safe treatment options, develop treatment plans, and refer to other healthcare providers if necessary.

What can chiropractic help with?

Chiropractic is effective for many different types of ailments, include muscular and joint problems related to:

• The head
• The spine
• Shoulders
• Hips
• Elbows
• Knees
• Wrists
• Ankles
• Hands
• Feet

Chiropractic can also help with things beyond muscles and joints:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nerve pain
• Gastrointestinal disturbances
• Sleep disturbances

Who can chiropractic help?

There are specific groups of people that use chiropractic for their care:

• Athletes place big demands on their bodies. For this reason, they often see huge benefits from chiropractic care. This includes an increased range of motion, decreased muscle soreness, increased flexibility and performance, and natural pain relief.
• Elderly individuals often use chiropractic care. Gentle joint manipulation and muscle release can ease arthritic joint pain.
• Office workers seek chiropractic care for issues associated with desk work. Their issues are low back pain, midback and neck stiffness, and wrist pain.
• Car wreck or personal injury patients can benefit from chiropractic care.

The care often starts with gentle intervention at first. It increases the intervention intensity as the patient progresses through the healing process.
The truth is, chiropractic can help anyone. If you’re experiencing pain, mobility issues, or just not feeling your best, try chiropractic to give your body the best opportunity to heal itself.