What is chiropractic care?
Chiropractors are professionals skilled at treating neuromuscular disorders through manual adjustment and spinal manipulation. According to an article published on Forbes Health, around half of U.S. adults report visiting a chiropractor, while almost two-thirds believe chiropractic treatment/ adjustments can relieve back pain. Another article published on Little Chiropractic states that approximately 22 million Americans visit chiropractors annually, of which around 7.7 million seek relief from back pain.
A chiropractic adjustment, specifically spinal manipulation, is a secure and effective treatment for lower back pain. It is a non-drug, noninvasive intervention with an endorsement from the American College of Physicians. As licensed practitioners, chiropractors undergo at least four years of graduate-level education from an accredited chiropractic school. They also must clear the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners Exam and obtain a practicing state certification.
Chiropractic care focuses on chronic pains and medical conditions rooted in subluxation or misalignment of the spinal column. When the vertebrae and the spinal bones get shifted out of alignment, it can create acute pain in the back. People with these issues experience medical conditions such as hernias, TMJ, ear infections, and diabetic-like symptoms. They also care for patients with injuries and ailments of the musculoskeletal system, including the muscles, ligaments, and joints. In other words, chiropractic care focuses mainly on relief, corrective, and holistic wellness care.
What is a chiropractic adjustment?
It is a type of manual therapy performed by a licensed chiropractor, most often involving spinal manipulation. Today, spinal manipulation is considered an effective and recommended treatment for chronic lower back pain in the medical community. Similarly, cervical manipulation attends to neck pain issues.
How do you choose the right chiropractic services for yourself?
Being informed, educated, and familiar with the most common chiropractic techniques can help you feel more at ease, comfortable, receptive, and less overwhelmed before your first interaction with the chiropractor.
All chiropractic practitioners prefer specific techniques and decide on the application based on the patient's condition. Some of the most common practices are:
- Flexion-Distraction: It is a widespread technique used to treat lower back pain, disc-related injuries, and sciatica
- The Gonstead technique is a precise and effective method of realigning the spine.
- Activator method: A specific activator-adjusting instrument alleviates back, neck, and extremities pain.
- Extremity manipulation is a technique that manipulates joints outside the spine, such as the shoulder, wrist, and elbow.
- Spinal manipulation: This technique has almost become synonymous with the name chiropractor. The focus is on restoring and improving joint function in the spinal area.
- The Drop technique requires a unique table that can drop or descend in small fractions as the chiropractor applies pressure.
Is chiropractic adjustment safe?
This method is relatively safe when performed by a trained and licensed practitioner. It helps with pain relief and improves strength and mobility.
When should one opt for chiropractic care?
Usually, people seek chiropractic help when experiencing neck pain, back pain, or mobility challenges if they feel pain around several joints, chronic headaches, frequent illness, excessive fatigue, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, gait issues, etc. Spine misalignment can cause severe symptoms, discomfort, and chronic pain.
How many adjustments does one require, and how often?
You may require adjustments at the beginning of a treatment plan multiple times a week. When the body starts to heal, the frequency could drop once a week. As time and healing progress, the frequency may decrease to once or twice a month.
Depending on the reason for chiropractic care, some patients prefer regular visits to keep their alignment & flexibility intact.
How much does chiropractic treatment cost?
The chiropractic adjustment cost depends on the location, the reason for care, your treatment plan, and your provider. Many health insurance providers include and cover chiropractic care, and you can use your health savings accounts.
What are the advantages of chiropractic treatment?
Chiropractic adjustments offer multilayer benefits, some of which include:
- Back pain relief: According to an article published on Forbes Health, multiple studies confirm that chiropractic adjustments provide short-term, short-term, moderate back pain relief.
- Migraine relief: A 2019 six-study review on the effectiveness of spinal manipulation concluded that it helps reduce migraine days and intensity.
What to do before and after visiting a chiropractor near you?
Before making an appointment, you must know the type of chiropractor you want to opt for based on your needs. Chiropractors can be broadly classified into two categories:
- Mechanistic chiropractors focus on treating individual bodily systems, believing that, like machines, removing and eliminating the issue in a particular body part would heal the entire body.
- Vitalistic chiropractors focus on holistic healing, believing in the body's healing ability. They could be a good fit if you require a wellness approach.
After the chiropractic adjustment session, you must avoid sitting for long hours. You don't want your body to stress and go back to its previous condition. You may take long walks to make the most of your improved motions. Although you may feel some tenderness as your movements get corrected, follow some more self-care tips, such as:
- Keep yourself hydrated with ample water to flush out toxins from the body after the adjustment.
- Keep moving, stay active, and continue mobility in any form. Mobility and movement are part of the healing process. Exercise enthusiasts can continue with low-impact yoga, pilates, swimming, or even tai chi.
- Take adequate rest and aim for sound sleep. Our body's natural ability to repair and heal during sleeping hours works.
- Use a firm mattress to keep your spine straight; an appropriate pillow will help maintain your neck and spine alignment.
- Follow the plan prepared by your chiropractor to get the full benefit of an adjustment.
Differences between chiropractors and physical therapists
Both chiropractors and physical therapists use noninvasive methods and physical modalities, such as electrical heat or stimulation, to improve mobility and alleviate pain post-injury. However, their approaches and treatments differ. Recognizing these differences can assist you in determining who is better suited to address your specific injury.
Chiropractors specialize in the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, addressing joints, muscles, tendons, and overall function. Their main goal is to align and manipulate the spine to reduce pain and inflammation. After evaluating the symptoms, chiropractors may suggest massages, lifestyle, and dietary adjustments. Chiropractic care effectively addresses neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, sports injuries, back pain, headaches, and joint discomfort.
On the other hand, a physical therapist focuses on preventing injuries and restoring body mobility, strength, and function while managing pain in patients who are ill or injured. After a thorough evaluation and diagnosis, they create a wellness plan, recommending exercises, postures, hands-on therapy, remedies, and injury-prevention strategies.
Whether it's restricted movement from surgery, injury, a health condition, or an accident, a physical therapist is there to help. They also play a crucial role in developing personalized strength-building plans for patients undergoing rehabilitation due to conditions such as stroke, Parkinson's, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and multiple sclerosis.
Another difference between the two is their educational journey. To become a chiropractor, one needs a bachelor's degree followed by attending chiropractic school for a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. Subsequently, they also have to pass state exams for licensure. On the other hand, to become a practicing physical therapist, one must earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and pass a licensing exam.
Some individuals may benefit from chiropractic care, while others may benefit from physical therapy for their issues. Still, your doctor is the best judge of the correct treatment plan.
Difference between chiropractic care and acupuncture
Chiropractic care and acupuncture are both effective therapies for pain management, but they differ in their methodologies.
Acupuncture, rooted in ancient Chinese medicine, involves inserting fine needles into focus points along energy channels, known as meridians, to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. This practice aims to promote balance, alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, and improve overall health by enhancing the flow of qi (energy). Acupuncture is also beneficial for addressing emotional issues like stress and anxiety and can be used alongside conventional medical treatments for conditions like chronic pain, insomnia, and digestive problems.
In contrast, chiropractic care focuses on the alignment of the spine and its effect on the nervous system. Chiropractors use manual adjustments to fix spinal misalignments, which can interfere with nerve communication and hinder overall bodily function. This approach seeks to relieve pain, improve mobility, and enhance physiological functioning.
Both therapies offer non-invasive and holistic approaches to health, targeting not just symptoms but the underlying issues contributing to discomfort or imbalance.
Top benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy
Here's how you can benefit from prenatal chiropractic care:
- Better sleep: Pregnant women need more good-quality sleep than others. However, incorrect sleeping posture often causes restlessness and pain, resulting in sleep disturbances. Chiropractors can help you learn the right techniques for proper sleep posture to get uninterrupted sleep during pregnancy.
- Relieve back pain: During pregnancy, your body undergoes many changes as it prepares to accommodate the growing baby. Sometimes, these changes can mean discomfort and pain. Lower back pain is a common problem during pregnancy. The loosening of joints and ligaments causes it as the body prepares for delivery. Chiropractic adjustments can help relieve pain and lower the chances of injury due to spinal instability.
- Reduce nausea: Some women may experience extreme nausea and morning sickness during pregnancy. Chiropractic care can offer a more holistic and effective solution to recurring nausea than medications. Chiropractors focus on spinal realignment to enhance the functions of the nervous system. It helps improve the digestive system and maintain hormonal balance, significantly reducing nausea and morning sickness.
- Avoid injury: Pregnant women are at higher risk of stress injuries as their bodies undergo rapid changes. Chiropractic care helps you maintain flexibility and adapt to bodily changes.
- Smooth delivery: Long labor hours and intense pain during delivery could be a nightmare. Routine chiropractic care during pregnancy can ensure a shorter labor period and less pain during delivery. Regular spinal adjustments help keep the pelvis and hips appropriately aligned for a smoother delivery. They also help enhance nerve functions, enabling you to easily control the contractions during labor.
Finding the best chiropractor near you in Philadelphia, PA
With Zocdoc, you can quickly locate a chiropractor and book an appointment. Zocdoc helps you secure a timely appointment and provides authentic and verified information. It lists a provider's review and professional details for you to note, verify, and proceed.
If you want to find a chiropractor who accepts your insurance, add your insurance information (your insurance provider and plan) on the Zocdoc search. It will help you see in-network providers who accept your plan. When you search for providers on the Zocdoc app on your phone, upload a photo of your insurance card (this option is not available for vision and dental plans), and we will scan and display your insurance plan. It will help you find accurate results of in-network chiropractors. Check out Zocdoc's patient help center for more information and solutions related to insurance.
Zocdoc aims to provide easy access to care and helps you find the best chiropractor near you. It also facilitates booking an appointment that is convenient for you, whether in person or through a video call.
All bookings on Zocdoc are simple, secure, and free!
Statistics of chiropractors and arthritis in Pennsylvania, US
As of May 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that approximately 41,480 chiropractors were actively practicing in the United States. In Pennsylvania specifically, around 1,860 chiropractors were employed during the same year. The state had a location quotient of 1.15, indicating a higher proportion of chiropractors in Pennsylvania compared to the national average.
Chiropractors play a significant role in managing various health conditions, including joint pain associated with arthritis. According to America's Health Rankings, in 2022, about 31.9% of adults in Pennsylvania reported having arthritis, which is notably higher than the national average of 27.7%. The prevalence of arthritis was particularly pronounced among individuals over the age of 65, with approximately 58.9% affected. In contrast, only about 13.4% of adults between 18 and 44 experienced this inflammatory condition. The report further highlighted that the incidence of arthritis was more common among women in Pennsylvania, with around 36.2% affected, compared to about 27.3% of men.
Sources
WebMD
Corrective Chiropractic Clinic
Fischer Chiropractic
American Chiropractic Association
Forbes Health
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
America’s Health Rankings[1]
America’s Health Rankings[2]
America’s Health Rankings[3]
TrueCare
Verywell Health
Grand Canyon University
Genesis Chiropractic
