What is a chiropractor?
Licensed healthcare practitioners who diagnose and treat conditions affecting the neuromuscular system, consisting of nerves, muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments, are known as chiropractors. They typically use manual manipulation and spine mobilization techniques to treat patients. They also train in prescribing exercises and diet plans that help reduce pain and swelling and improve functionality. The field of chiropractic treatment comes under complementary medicine or alternative medicine.
Education and training of a chiropractor
Chiropractors in America must earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree (D.C.) to practice. Additionally, they must pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners exam and be licensed by their state. Apart from the three years of undergraduate study, the Doctor of Chiropractic degree program typically lasts four years.
Basic sciences like anatomy and physiology are part of chiropractic education. Supervised clinical training, where students learn diagnostic and treatment procedures like spinal examination and adjustments, is also part of their schooling. Some chiropractors may pursue advanced training in specialized fields such as orthopedics or pediatrics.
Few state statutes require chiropractors to pass specific exams and background checks, and every state mandates that licensed chiropractors take continuing education courses.
Chiropractic specializations
Chiropractors can pursue specialized training, typically through an additional two- to three-year residency in various fields. These specialties include:
- Radiology – Chiropractors trained in radiology focus on interpreting X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, sonography, and PET scans, primarily examining the musculoskeletal system.
- Rehabilitation – Chiropractors specializing in rehabilitation work on recovery plans for injuries, particularly for the back, arms, and legs, aiming to improve strength, balance, and motor control.
- Clinical nutrition – Through certification from the American Clinical Board of Nutrition or the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition, these chiropractors provide in-depth dietary advice to support overall health.
- Internal medicine (Internist) – This specialty goes beyond joint and muscle issues, addressing conditions like autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, eczema, and infections.
- Neurology – Chiropractic neurologists focus on nonsurgical treatments for neuromuscular and orthopedic conditions, using spinal adjustments to influence brain functions. Subspecialties, like brain injury and vestibular rehabilitation, require an additional two years of training.
- Forensics – Chiropractors specializing in forensics conduct examinations for legal cases, providing expert opinions in criminal investigations and court proceedings.
- Sports medicine – Sports chiropractors focus on preventing and treating sports injuries, promoting recovery without the use of surgeries or medications.
- Acupuncture – Chiropractors trained in acupuncture use traditional Chinese medicine techniques, placing needles at specific body points to stimulate healing.
- Pediatrics and pregnancy – Chiropractors in this specialty focus on children’s spinal health and provide care to support spinal health during pregnancy, addressing both prenatal and postnatal needs.
These diverse specialties enable chiropractors to address specific patient needs, expanding their scope beyond traditional chiropractic care.
What common conditions do chiropractors treat, and does insurance cover them?
Back pain: Through spinal adjustments, chiropractors help reduce the pain, improve the alignment, and restore movement in joints and the spine with aches and stiffness.
Neck pain: Chiropractors can treat pain in the neck, shoulder, arms, and upper back regions. It is the primary treatment for cervical problems such as mechanical neck pain (pain originating from the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joint capsules, and fascia in the neck) and issues with the cervical disc, such as tears and irritation of the nerve roots.
Headache: The chiropractic approach is also commonly used to treat migraine and tension headaches.
Arthritis: Chiropractors are also experts in caring for arthritis patients with limited-functioning joints. By gently manipulating the affected joints, chiropractors can minimize muscle spasms and improve range of motion.
Other conditions where chiropractors are involved include:
- Sciatica (leg pain).
- Scoliosis (malformation in the curvature of the spine).
- Hip bursitis.
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems.
- Fibromyalgia.
If a qualified and licensed chiropractor manipulates the spine using chiropractic practices, Medicare covers it. However, other procedures that chiropractors order, such as acupuncture, X-rays, and massage therapy, are not covered by insurance.
What to expect at a chiropractic examination?
A chiropractic examination consists of the following:
- Visual inspection of the spinal curvature, as well as its movements.
- Palpation of the spine to examine the muscles and other soft tissues that support it.
- Conducting a generalized orthopedic examination to detect health conditions relating to the bones, joints, muscles, and soft tissues, including ligaments and tendons. An orthopedic exam also includes analyzing the joint movement and measuring its range of motion.
- Understanding the patient's complaints and enquiring about their and their family's medical history.
- Examining the patient's vitals, including body temperature, pulse, respiration rate, and blood pressure.
- Conducting a neurological examination to assess the function of the sensory, motor, and cranial nerves, including the testing of reflexes.
A chiropractor may occasionally suggest diagnostic tests like MRI scans or X-rays to help them better understand and assess your condition. After this, your chiropractor will provide you with an accurate diagnosis and a thorough explanation of your condition. They will also detail the natural history of your issue (when you can anticipate it to be resolved) and available treatment options. Your doctor will also highlight the benefits and risks associated with these treatments.
What are the advantages of chiropractic adjustments?
Visiting a chiropractor near you for adjustments has several advantages. Chiropractic adjustments help improve the body's ability to heal by enhancing nerve function and promoting blood flow to the affected area and can offer a range of benefits:
Alleviate pain: Chiropractic adjustments aim to realign the spine and address misalignments (subluxations) that may be causing pain. By alleviating pressure on nerves and promoting proper spinal alignment, chiropractic care can help minimize pain, particularly in the back, neck, and joints.
Improve joint mobility: Misalignments in the spine or other joints can restrict movement and impair joint mobility. Chiropractic adjustments aim to correct these misalignments, restore proper joint function, and improve overall mobility.
Reduce muscle tension: Spinal misalignments can cause muscle tension and stiffness, leading to discomfort and restricted movement. Chiropractic adjustments can reduce stress in the muscles surrounding the spine and other joints, promoting relaxation and improved flexibility.
Enhance overall physical function: Chiropractic adjustments improve physical function by addressing spinal misalignments, reducing pain, and improving joint mobility and muscle tension. Improved spinal health and proper alignment support better posture, movement, and coordination, improving overall well-being and quality of life.
Who should avoid chiropractic adjustments?
The chiropractic adjustment is not advisable for people with a previous diagnosis of severe osteoporosis, cancer in the spine region, disk herniation, or stroke. It is also not the correct approach for treating patients with bone abnormality in the upper neck area and a tingling sensation or loss of strength in the legs or arms. Chiropractic treatment can sometimes lead to severe complications such as compression of the nerves in the spinal cord region, stroke, and herniated discs.
Can chiropractic care help release toxins from the body?
During chiropractic adjustments, targeted pressure is applied to the spine or joints to address misalignments and enhance nervous system function. This process triggers the release of accumulated toxins from muscles, joints, and surrounding tissues. These toxins may comprise lactic acid, generated during muscle energy breakdown, inflammatory chemicals responsible for inflammation, and metabolic waste products from cellular processes.
The sudden release of these toxins into the bloodstream can induce a phenomenon known as toxic release syndrome (TRS). Symptoms include fatigue, headaches, muscle soreness, and mild fever-like sensations, indicating the body's efforts to process and eliminate these harmful substances.
Supporting the body during detoxification involves staying hydrated, consuming a nutrient-rich diet, and prioritizing adequate rest. While it may cause some discomfort, it usually disappears quickly as the body gets used to the treatment. As a patient, you should consider these factors when visiting a chiropractor near you and adopt preventive measures to minimize toxin exposure.
Are spinal manipulation and spinal mobilization different?
Chiropractic treatment procedures involve changing the joints of the spine. The spine is manipulated or mobilized depending on the condition treated and the patient's preference.
Spinal manipulation, also known as high-velocity low-amplitude (HVLA) thrust, is a chiropractic technique that involves using hands or a particular device to apply a controlled thrust to the problematic spine joint. During this procedure, the chiropractor applies a sudden force and moves the joint more than its normal range of motion. When the chiropractor uses the force properly and positions the body correctly, an audible "pop" is heard.
Spinal mobilization, on the other hand, involves gentler force within the patient's control and the normal range of motion of the joint. The manipulation or mobilization of the spine is a relatively safer approach for treating disorders in the region of the spine and is rarely followed by severe complications. More often than not, there is temporary stiffness, soreness, or increased pain following chiropractic procedures, which subside as the treatment progresses. Ice packs help with relieving the symptoms.
Does exercise complement chiropractic treatment?
Chiropractic treatment alone will not yield results when dealing with lower back problems. It would help to supplement it with strengthening and cardiovascular exercises. Whether the pain is acute or chronic, regular and reasonably-paced exercises help reduce the stiffness and improve circulation without placing undue strain on the spine.
Strengthening exercises are recommended based on whether the patient feels better when bending over (flexion-biased) or extending the lower extremities (extension-biased). Workouts involving the trunk, hamstring, and adductor muscles are generally part of the regime for people with lower back pain. Cardiovascular activities for people undergoing chiropractic treatment include brisk walking, working on the elliptical or step machine, stationary cycling, swimming, and other water aerobics.
Locating the best chiropractor in Savannah, Georgia
Chiropractic care not only helps reduce pain and improve the functioning of bodies affected by musculoskeletal diseases, but it can also strengthen the immune system and increase the body's energy with timely and adequate treatment. Thus, chiropractic care prevents diseases and improves the patient's overall well-being.
Finding a qualified and experienced chiropractor near you to help treat your musculoskeletal issues is tough, but Zocdoc can simplify this process. Using the Zocdoc application, you can filter and search for the best chiropractors in Savannah, Georgia, based on your current location, symptoms, languages spoken by the healthcare professional, gender, hospital affiliations, and even the age of the patient.
Once you filter results as per your requirements, you can learn more about the listed medical practitioners by studying their bios. The comprehensive profile details their educational qualifications, affiliations, accreditations, areas of specialization, years of work experience, awards received in their field, and licensure. You can also view verified ratings and reviews from past patients in the bios.
Zocdoc allows you to book both in-person and virtual appointments, and you can choose the time slot that you are most comfortable with based on the doctor's availability. You can also narrow down the chiropractors near you by the type of medical insurance they accept. If your insurance plan isn't listed on Zocdoc, you can try uploading an image of your insurance card (available for medical insurance only, not vision or dental). Zocdoc will scan the card to identify and display the most likely plan. If you experience any issues while uploading the image, feel free to reach out to Zocdoc's service team for assistance. For more insurance-related questions, you can visit Zocdoc's patient help center.
All bookings on Zocdoc are fast, free, and secure!
Chiropractic statistics in Savannah, Georgia
As per the May 2021 data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Georgia had 1,610 licensed and registered chiropractors practicing in hospitals and other government institutions. Georgia's location quotient, the ratio between the concentration of employment in a state and the average concentration in the country, was 1.45. It indicates that Georgia has a higher employment share than the national chiropractor average. Out of the 1,610 chiropractors, 50 were practicing in Savannah, and the location quotient for the city was 1.04, which is still higher than the national average.
The National Institutes of Health issued an article in 2009 about a retrospective study in the Chiropractic Spine Center of North Georgia. The study aimed to understand the outcome of chiropractic cervical care in patients with neck pain and disabilities related to it. The article recorded the results of chiropractic treatment in patients who visited the center for a year. Out of these patients, the study selected 66 people who met all the criteria.
The results showed statistically significant neck pain and disability improvement after only two weeks of chiropractic treatment. None of the patients showed any severe adverse effects. The study proved that the upper cervical low-force (UCLF) is a promising treatment option for patients with chronic neck pain and disability.
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