What Can a Full Service Chiropractor Do For Me?

A chiropractor is a care professional who most commonly helps to relieve back or neck pain with non-surgical treatment methods.

Chiropractors can also provide assistance and pain relief for individuals with severe headaches, joint pain, and whiplash. Chiropractic care is most effective in combination with other non-surgical treatment methods that often go beyond the services of an ordinary chiropractor.

However, a full-service chiropractor can offer all of these additional treatment methods to ensure that the patient experiences faster pain relief or injury recovery. 

One of the most common misconceptions surrounding chiropractors is that they only treat back pain. On the contrary, chiropractors can treat any point in a patient’s musculoskeletal system, which means anyone suffering from joint or muscle strains and sprains can also benefit from chiropractic care.

Another common misconception is that chiropractors receive less training than regular doctors.

While chiropractors are notably not medical doctors, they still study and train intensively for several years before beginning patient treatment. 

In this article, we’ll cover how full service chiropractors can go above and beyond to provide pain relief for their patients. Chiropractic care can extend far beyond ordinary spinal adjustments in an effort to make recovery a faster and more efficient process.

Note that all methods of chiropractic care are non-surgical, which means they are often less expensive and intensive than traditional treatments provided by doctors and surgeons. 

Pain or Injury Assessment

The first step in the chiropractic care process is to identify the joints, nerves, or areas of the musculoskeletal system where pain or soreness originates.

Chiropractors will spend time speaking with the patient to get a better idea of what treatment methods are necessary and often ask the patient to rate their pain level.

For situations where the back or neck needs adjustment, the chiropractor may order an x-ray scan to identify the problem.

The physical assessment process is non-invasive, doesn’t incur any additional fees, and is crucial for taking the next steps toward relieving pain. 

Chiropractic Adjustments

Adjustments for the back or neck area are the most common form of chiropractic care. The adjustment process is frequently referred to as spinal manipulation and involves moving the joints slowly to provide pain relief.

Many patients are unsure of how the adjustment process will feel and may perceive this treatment as potentially painful based on its name.

However, chiropractic adjustments are often the fastest way of relieving pain during initial visits with a chiropractor. Adjustments improve mobility and strength in the affected area and are often the foundation for further treatment options. 

Acupuncture and Massage Therapy

A full-service chiropractor can provide further pain relief with acupuncture treatment. The acupuncture process focuses on applying small needles to the affected area to relieve pain and reduce tension in the surrounding nerves.

Contrary to popular belief, this process is typically painless, and with the aid of a licensed full-service chiropractor, there are no risks involved with this process. 

Acupuncture is often relaxing and energizing, which can, in turn, make the recovery process after an injury easier. 

Massage therapy is available from select full service chiropractors and can provide many of the same pain relief and relaxation benefits as acupuncture. Massage therapy aims to relieve the stress or tension in the muscles and tendons surrounding an injury.

Massage therapy produces the best results when administered by a chiropractor who already understands what’s causing pain and the other forms of treatment that the patient has received targeting pain relief for the musculoskeletal system.

Relieving tension and stress with acupuncture and massage therapy can go a long way in reducing recovery time. 

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is a longer-term treatment method than chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, and massage therapy but is no less effective in reducing pain and improving mobility.

A full-service chiropractor can get you started with physical therapy, help you understand the process, and provide advice surrounding this treatment option.

Not all chiropractors have a physical therapist available through their practice and may as a result refer you to another care provider. If you aren’t sure if physical therapy is a good option for your circumstances or financial situation, it’s best to ask your medical doctor. 

Custom Orthotics 

Many chiropractors treat injuries in and around the ankle and can provide custom orthotics to support your foot after an injury.

These supports are molded around a patient’s foot to provide the best possible support. They can also assist with the long-term realignment process that can sometimes be necessary when treating bad posture.

Patients experiencing spine or neck pain caused by poor posture may also benefit from custom orthotics. Custom orthotics are typically most effective when paired with shoes offering substantial arch support.  

Sports Injury Recovery

Many professional athletes will visit a chiropractor after an injury to speed up the recovery process and get back in the game as soon as possible.

Individuals who have recently experienced a sports-related injury may want to pursue chiropractic care in combination with physical therapy to avoid surgery.

Whiplash and other similar injuries that come from collision sports are also treatable with the assistance of a full-service chiropractor. 

Advice For Further Pain Relief and Treatment

Not every injury is fully treatable with chiropractic care and may require more direct medical attention.

A full-service chiropractor will provide patients with advice for further relief or treatment when necessary and will let you know if it’s time to consider other care options.

For many patients, chiropractic care is most effective with the additional assistance of a medical doctor who can prescribe medication or write referrals for treatment. 

Conclusion – What Can a Full Service Chiropractor Do For Me?

A full service chiropractor can help patients experiencing back, neck, or joint pain with treatment options that go above and beyond chiropractic adjustments.

Before seeking care from a chiropractor, ask about the additional services they offer to help relieve pain and reduce recovery times. All chiropractic treatment is a safe and highly effective way to avoid surgery and find relief. 

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

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