Who is a chiropractor?
Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.), known as chiropractors, are licensed healthcare providers who use various methods of physical manipulation to relieve body pain associated with certain musculoskeletal disorders of the muscles, nerves, joints, cartilage, spine, neck, back, etc.
Some common conditions treated by chiropractors are:
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) problems- Pain and restriction of movement in the jaw joint are called Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD). TMD symptoms include an audible popping sound of the jaw, a locked jaw, and discomfort and pain while opening or closing the jaw. Skeletal deformities, head and neck trauma, and disturbed sleeping patterns resulting in the clenching of the jaw or grinding of the teeth are some notable causes of TMD. A chiropractor will help relieve pain for a patient with TMD by making manual adjustments to the jaw.
- Back injury and pain- Back pain is considered a leading disability worldwide, preventing many individuals from working and engaging in other activities. It is also the third most common reason to visit the doctor's office after skin disorders and osteoarthritis. A majority of back pain cases are mechanical, i.e., they are not caused by severe conditions like inflammatory arthritis, cancer, or fracture. While most individuals with back pain can recover quickly, back pain can become recurring and lead to chronic pain and disability for a small percentage of people. Spinal manipulation (performed by applying a force of a certain magnitude to a spinal joint) is considered one of the most common and effective treatments for back pain. This adjustment relieves back pain and stiffness and realigns the spine. Further long-term back pain treatment involves daily stretching exercises and nutritional advice, which a chiropractor or a dietician can give.
- Arthritis- Inflammation of the joints characterized by pain, stiffness, swelling, and redness is known as arthritis and generally occurs in adults. The location of symptoms and severity depend on the particular type of arthritis. According to the CDC, nearly 46 million U.S. citizens have reported arthritis symptoms and other rheumatic conditions. Arthritis is also one of the most common disabilities in the United States. Early diagnosis and chiropractic care involving exercises, weight management, and physical techniques can alleviate pain caused by arthritis.
What kind of education and training do chiropractors receive?
Chiropractors typically train for nearly eight years, earning a bachelor's degree in science and a four-year degree in anatomy and physiology. To achieve their D.C. license and practice in all states of the U.S., individuals must then clear specific exams conducted by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE). Candidates gain clinical experience in chiropractic adjustments and can further recommend tests such as MRIs, CT Scans, and X-rays to diagnose musculoskeletal disorders. Some also earn postgraduate degrees to specialize in fields such as pediatrics or orthopedics.
Specialties in chiropractic
Some chiropractors pursue additional two- to three-year residencies to specialize in specific fields. These specializations include:
Radiology: Chiropractors trained in radiology can interpret X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, sonography, and PET scans. They often focus on the musculoskeletal system.
Rehabilitation: This specialization helps individuals recover from injuries, particularly those affecting the back, legs, feet, or arms. The aim is to enhance strength, endurance, balance, and motor control.
Clinical nutrition: Chiropractors may earn certificates from the American Clinical Board of Nutrition or the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition. They provide comprehensive dietary advice to support overall health.
Internists: Focusing beyond joints and muscles, internists address conditions such as autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, eczema, and infections.
Neurology: This field emphasizes nonsurgical treatments for neuromuscular and orthopedic issues. Specialists use spinal adjustments to send specific messages to the brain. Two years of further training can lead to subspecialties like chiropractic neurology, brain injury rehabilitation, and vestibular rehabilitation for improved balance.
Forensics: Forensic chiropractors conduct examinations required for criminal investigations and legal cases, offering expert opinions in court.
Sports medicine: This specialization addresses sports-related injuries, focusing on prevention and recovery without surgery or medication.
Acupuncture: Chiropractors trained in acupuncture use this traditional Chinese medicine technique, involving inserting tiny needles at specific body points to promote healing.
Pediatrics and pregnancy: This specialty caters to children's growing spines and provides spinal care for women before and after childbirth.
These specializations allow chiropractors to offer targeted, expert care in various health and wellness areas, enhancing their ability to meet diverse patient needs.
When should I visit a chiropractor?
You can visit a chiropractor for the following concerns:
- Back and neck pain
- Joint pain
- Hernia
- Sprains, strains, and tears
- Stress
- Stiffness in the neck, arms, or shoulders
Like their medical counterparts, chiropractors practice in hospitals and multispecialty clinics. They also use outpatient clinical facilities such as labs and X-rays to diagnose and treat non-hospitalized patients. You could directly visit a chiropractor or get a referral from your family physician. However, chiropractic care only typically requires a referral from an M.D. if specified in your insurance plan.
What are the benefits of visiting a chiropractor?
A chiropractor can offer several non-invasive and non-drug treatments such as heat and ice therapy, ultrasound therapy, exercises, low-level lasers, and massage therapy. These alternative methods can provide the following benefits:
- Posture improvement: Sitting for extended periods of time in front of a computer or smartphone may result in bad posture or spinal curvature. Chiropractors can use spine adjustment or manipulation to assist in realigning the neck and spine. This will improve your posture and decrease unnecessary load and tension in the spine.
- Reducing dependency on opioid painkillers: The first line of pain management treatment, oftentimes offered to individuals suffering from chronic pain, is opioid prescriptions. Chiropractic care can offer alternative and minimally invasive ways of relieving pain, thereby reducing reliance on opioids. A recent study also found that adults who saw a chiropractor were less likely to get an opioid prescription for their pain compared to those adults who only saw their doctor.
- Eases symptoms of headache: Individuals suffering from tension headaches and headaches starting in the neck area may be able to manage them by getting spinal manipulation done.
- Joint pain management: While some joints, especially those that are weak, inflamed, or infected, cannot be treated by a chiropractor, some therapies, such as joint mobilization and soft tissue therapies, provide pain relief, increase the range of motion in the joint and further prevent the risk of future injury in the same joint.
- Possible improvement in athletic performance: Spinal adjustments that aid in increasing joint mobility, reducing tissue restriction, and decreasing pain can potentially help improve an athlete's performance. Chiropractors can assess an individual's mobility range to determine if they are healthy enough to perform their sport and if they have any sports injuries that would prevent them from competing. Athletes can also consult chiropractors about other related issues, like physical stress. Even non-athletes simply looking for a specific exercise regimen with the desire to move with ease can consult a chiropractor.
- Improvement in the quality of sleep: Issues like neck and back pain, as well as headaches, tend to affect an individual's quality of sleep. By using special spinal adjustments, chiropractors can help patients find relief from chronic discomfort and also improve blood circulation, thereby providing better overall relaxation. This helps in improving sleep quality.
What should I expect during the first visit to a chiropractor?
At your first chiropractic consultation, you can expect your chiropractor to ask about your medical history and the symptoms you've been experiencing. They may then proceed to perform a physical exam where they use specific tools. To further diagnose your condition, they may also recommend additional tests, such as X-rays, to rule out the possibility of fractures.
Once your test results arrive, the chiropractor will create and explain a treatment plan tailored to your condition, which may involve specific painless adjustments, changes in diet, rehabilitative exercises, etc. Other treatments may involve:
- Stretching exercises
- Techniques to manage stress
- Proper ergonomics to achieve correct posture
- Electrical muscle stimulation
- Ice or heat therapy
Depending on the severity of your problem, the chiropractor may ask you to visit more than once. The need for multiple visits is due to the hands-on nature of the treatment. Unlike medical doctors, who often provide a pre-established plan for at-home treatment, chiropractors administer chiropractic care in their offices. A chiropractor may offer acute, chronic, and/or preventive care, requiring several visits. Your chiropractor would outline the recommended treatment and its expected duration.
What happens during a chiropractic treatment?
Once you zero in on the best chiropractor near you, it's time to understand what happens during a chiropractic adjustment. First, you lie down on a special table, and the chiropractor uses their hands or small tools to make quick and controlled moves on specific body parts. This helps your spine realign and releases some gases from your joints, making a few cracking sounds. When you hear these popping sounds during the adjustment, do not fret, as it is just the release of gas trapped in small cavities of the joints. It's similar to the sound you hear when you crack your knuckles.
If you're wondering if chiropractic treatment hurts, most people don't feel much pain during the adjustment. It's more like the feeling after a workout. The chiropractor uses a lot of pressure, but it's not supposed to be painful.
After the adjustment, you might feel sore or achy in the areas the chiropractor worked on. But don't worry; this usually goes away in a day.
What are the risks involved in chiropractic treatment?
While most manipulations licensed chiropractors perform are considered non-invasive and safe, some adjustments could lead to mild side effects. However, serious complications associated with chiropractic adjustments are rare.
Some risks include:
- A herniated disk
- Stroke after a specific neck adjustment
- Compression of nerves in the lower spine
- A high magnitude of thrust or force applied during cervical manipulation can cause vertebrobasilar stroke (interruption of blood flow to the posterior circulation)
- Cauda equina syndrome (compression of nerve roots present at the bottom of the spinal cord that affects the legs and bladder)
Find the best chiropractors near you in Las Vegas, NV
Finding the right chiropractor can be quite a daunting task. However, with platforms like Zocdoc, you can easily find Chiropractic care and book an online or in-person consultation at your convenience. If you are in Las Vegas, Nevada, and need to consult a chiropractor in your area, visit the Zocdoc website and enter your condition, location, insurance carrier plan, and the date you wish to schedule an appointment.
You can add medical, dental, and vision plans to your Zocdoc account if you have multiple insurance plans. However, you can only search for and book appointments using one insurance plan at a time. When booking, you can mention your secondary carrier and plan for the provider in the notes during the final step of the process. Additionally, if your provider uses Zocdoc's intake forms, you can include secondary insurance information when filling out the forms online. Please visit Zocdoc's patient help center for more insurance-related questions.
The website will show you a list of your area's healthcare providers. Zocdoc helps users make an informed decision by providing each health practitioner's educational background, medical certifications and specialties, and honest patient reviews and ratings.
Depending on the chiropractor's availability, you can book appointments before, during, and after office hours. If the chiropractor's schedule permits, you can also book appointments during weekends and holidays. Further, you can find out whether the chiropractor treats children, the languages they speak, and their gender if you specifically want a male or female practitioner.
Booking appointments with the best chiropractors near you through Zocdoc is quick, safe, and free.
Chiropractor statistics in Las Vegas, Nevada
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nevada accounted for 22.8% of the total cases of arthritis reported in the United States in 2022 among people over the age of 18. Of these cases, a higher percentage was reported in women (24.8%) than in men (20.6%). In 2021, approximately 10% of the Nevada adult population with arthritis had activity limitations, and an estimated 29.6% had severe joint pain. About 59.8% of arthritic adults in Nevada received counseling from their healthcare provider for physical activity.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that in May 2021, the state of Nevada employed nearly 370 chiropractors, i.e., the employment incidence of chiropractors per 1000 individuals is 0.29.
Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[1]
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[2]
WebMD[1]
Cleveland Clinic
American Chiropractic Association
handsdownbetter.org[2]
Mayo Clinic
National Center for Biotechnology Information
Verywell Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
handsdownbetter.org[1]
WebMD[2]
Chiropractic First
Healthline
