What Is Chiropractic Care?

By Dr. Philip Cordova

August 31, 2022


“What is chiropractic care?” Why do so many people have trouble defining what it means to see a chiropractor? The primary issue (from what I can tell) is that chiropractors can practice very differently from each other. Some doctors of Chiropractic focus on pediatrics, others athletes. Some are focused almost exclusively on auto accident cases while others only want to see families.

Which type of chiropractic care is right for you? How do you choose?

I can’t speak for other chiropractic offices, but most chiropractors will end up growing their practice based on their location. For CORE Chiropractic, the general population around our office is people that work on their computer all day. Some are athletic, but most are not. Since most of our patients come to see us with chronic headaches, neck pain, and back pain that is largely due to extended periods of bad posture, that’s how our office is set up.

what is chiropractic care

If you ask “What is chiropractic care?” when you walk into our office, you would learn that it’s about chiropractic adjustments that are based on your spinal x-rays, home exercises and stretches, posture-related education, and additional therapies like electrical stimulation, mechanical traction, spinal decompression therapy, and PEMF therapy.

That’s what chiropractic care is to us, but another office would answer that question much differently. If you’re someone that works at a computer all day, it’s likely our office will be perfect for your needs. We already have systems in place to help alleviate your pain and then provide education, exercises, and stretches that will help prevent recurrences.

Sports Chiropractic Care

A rapidly growing area of chiropractic care is treating athletes and the common injuries associated with their specific sport or activities. If you enter a sport-focused chiropractor’s office and ask, “What is chiropractic care?” – you will learn that while many will still perform chiropractic adjustments, a larger focus is on the soft-tissue (muscles, ligaments, and tendons).

They may utilize soft-tissue techniques such Active Release Technique or Graston. Additionally, dry needling is a popular option to help with sports-injuries. Following treatment, you may be taped using kinesiotape to help support the area treated.

Pediatric Chiropractic Care

As the name would suggest, these chiropractic offices are focused on pediatric chiropractic care. This often includes pre-natal care for expectant mothers. If you ask What is chiropractic care?” when you walk into a pediatric-focused office, you may see smaller adjusting tables and kid play areas to help accommodate their active patients.

In addition to chiropractic care, many offices of this type offer massage therapy to help expectant mothers deal with their back pain and discomfort during pregnancy.

Auto Accident Chiropractic Care

Another common type of chiropractic office is the clinic focused on treating auto accident patients. These clinics are typically set up specifically to deal with the types of soft-tissue injuries that are common with car accident patients, like whiplash. They are also comfortable working with attorneys and waiting on payment until your case is settled.

While the types of treatment offered at least clinics may range from acute care (hot/cold packs, electrical stimulation, or ultrasound therapy) to rehabilitative care (exercise equipment, bands, weights), the main goal is to help you recover as quickly as possible from your injuries so you can settle any pending litigation.

What Is Chiropractic Care?

Chiropractic care is using the hands or instruments to realign the joints of the spine or the extremities. When working on the spine, the objective is to alleviate pressure on nerves so your body can work at it’s optimal levels. Additionally, chiropractic offices may offer therapies that enhance or complement the chiropractic adjustments, but this can vary widely.

Each chiropractic office often will have a population that they specialize in treating, either on purpose or what has naturally developed over time. Make sure the office you choose is set up to handle your type of problem.

Dr. Philip Cordova

About the author

Dr. Philip Cordova is a chiropractor in Houston, Texas. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and decided to become a chiropractor after hurting his back as a teenager and getting help from chiropractic care. He is speaker on health & posture. Click Here To Read His Full Bio

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