What does a chiropractor do?
Chiropractic treatment relieves pain caused by musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as osteoarthritis, low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, temporomandibular (TMJ) dysfunction, and headaches. Professionals who provide chiropractic care are called Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) or chiropractic physicians.
Chiropractors possess many diagnostic skills and can recommend rehabilitative and therapeutic exercises to help recover from injuries and reduce pain. While chiropractic treatment may be the primary treatment for conditions like low back pain, some diseases, such as severe scoliosis, may require surgery. Your chiropractor will likely recommend you visit a physician in such a case. In some medical conditions, such as diabetes, chiropractic care can complement and support the primary treatment.
Education and training for chiropractors
Unlike medical doctors (doctors with an MD degree), chiropractors are designated physician-level providers in most US states. To become a chiropractor, you must complete at least three years of pre-med undergraduate studies emphasizing biology, kinesiology, or exercise sciences. After that, you can enroll in a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) program, which takes between three and a half to five years and at least 4,200 instructional hours to complete.
This program covers courses in basic anatomy and clinical and chiropractic sciences. You must also undertake clinical internships during the program's final phase. While some schools have chiropractic clinics, others require students to intern at external medical centers. The internship helps you transition smoothly from chiropractic theory to practice.
Before you can start practicing, you must also pass specific exams conducted by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. You might also have to pass additional tests to obtain a medical license in certain states.
What exactly is the distinction between osteopathic medicine and chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care and osteopathic medicine are the same in that both primarily focus on diagnosing, treating, and managing musculoskeletal and nervous system disorders. Both treatments use manipulations or adjustments to treat conditions like back pain, arthritis, stress injuries, and joint pain. However, the critical difference lies in their education and the range of treatment they can provide.
A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), also called an osteopath, practices osteopathic medicine. They treat patients holistically, emphasizing whole-body health and wellness. Similar to chiropractic adjustments, an osteopath often uses osteopathic manipulation therapy (OMT) techniques to treat mechanical pain in muscles, tendons, and joints. Like Doctors of Medicine (MDs), osteopaths also complete four years of medical school. They get 300 to 500 hours of working knowledge of hands-on manual medicine. They can further specialize in other areas of medicine like psychiatry, emergency medicine, and cardiovascular surgery. A DO's training allows them to perform surgery and prescribe medication. On the other hand, chiropractors (DCs) are not medical doctors; they cannot perform surgery but are board-certified.
What is known as a chiropractic adjustment?
In a chiropractic adjustment, chiropractors use pressure to move various joints to relieve pain and straighten your spine. It is also known as spinal or joint manipulation. During an adjustment, you must lie facedown on a padded chiropractic table, slightly elevating certain affected parts of your body. Next, your doctor will use their hands or small instruments to apply controlled but sudden pressure to your spinal joints and stretch them beyond their usual range of motion. It is completely normal to hear popping or cracking sounds during this procedure. After a chiropractic adjustment, you might feel slightly sore or get a headache, but it should subside within 1-2 days.
While chiropractic therapy is usually safe, your doctor will conduct a physical exam and might also recommend a few other tests to determine if spinal manipulation is suitable for you.
When should you visit a chiropractor?
You should consider visiting a chiropractor near you if you experience:
- Headaches and migraines: Persistent headaches and migraines often stem from muscle tension in the neck. This muscle tension and joint inflammation can lead to intense headaches. Chiropractors can perform spinal manipulations to alleviate spinal tension, consequently reducing head tension.
- Joint or muscle pain: Individuals grappling with muscle and joint pain should avoid relying on over-the-counter medications, as the pain may be linked to musculoskeletal alignment issues. Chiropractors are skilled in ensuring optimal bodily function by employing spinal manipulations to relieve pain in joints and muscles.
- Chronic back pain: Persistent or long-term back pain is a definitive signal to seek a consultation with a chiropractor. Various factors contribute to back pain, including poor ergonomics, repetitive tasks, and prolonged sitting. Chiropractors can often offer pain relief without resorting to invasive surgery or narcotics.
- Limited range of motion: A restricted range of motion in the legs, arms, or neck, accompanied by reduced flexibility, signals the need for a chiropractic assessment. Chiropractic adjustments realign bones and joints, alleviating pain and enhancing the body's range of motion.
- Shooting pain in legs: Sharp shooting pain or tingling and weakness in the legs may indicate a pinched nerve or slipped disc. A skilled chiropractor can identify the root cause and administer spinal adjustments to alleviate nerve pressure, thereby relieving pain.
- Active lifestyle: Individuals with an active lifestyle who are involved in workouts or sports may experience additional strain, making the body susceptible to pinched nerves or alignment problems. Regular chiropractic consultations help maintain optimal bodily function for an active lifestyle.
- Recent injury: If you have suffered an injury and continue to experience pain, limited range of motion, stiffness, or joint and soft tissue pain, it's advisable to consult a chiropractor for appropriate assessment and intervention.
What to expect when visiting a chiropractor?
During your first visit to a chiropractor near you, they will ask for your medical history, and you may need a physical examination. Your chiropractor may also recommend additional tests, such as X-rays, to check for fractures or other underlying conditions.
Once this is done, the chiropractor may begin the adjustment. You will typically sit or lie on a padded table for the treatment. Throughout the appointment, the provider may ask you to move into different positions so they can target specific areas of your body. Hearing popping or cracking sounds is normal as controlled pressure is applied to your joints.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing for your appointment, and remove any jewelry before treatment begins. In most cases, your chiropractor can perform all necessary adjustments without requiring you to change into a hospital gown.
After your visit, you might experience mild headaches or feel tired. The areas treated by your chiropractor may also be sore briefly. These effects are usually temporary and mild.
Sometimes, the chiropractor may recommend corrective exercises for you to do outside of your visits. Additionally, your chiropractor may suggest lifestyle changes, such as nutrition and exercise, or complementary treatments like acupuncture or homeopathy into your care plan.
Remember that the specific practices a chiropractor's license allows can vary depending on the state. In some states, chiropractors may be able to order diagnostic tests, including imaging and lab tests.
Are chiropractic adjustments safe?
Chiropractic adjustments are usually safe when performed by a trained and licensed professional. Severe complications from these adjustments are rare, but they can include:
- Damage to the disks between the vertebrae in your spine. These rubbery cushions, if injured, can lead to a herniated disk in which the soft center of the disk slips out. An adjustment may also worsen an existing herniated disk.
- Nerve compression in the lower spine.
- A specific type of stroke following a neck adjustment.
You should avoid chiropractic adjustments if you have:
- Severe osteoporosis.
- Numb or weak arms or legs.
- Cancer in your spine.
- A higher risk of stroke.
- An abnormality in the bone structure of your upper neck.
How do athletes benefit from chiropractic care?
Besides being a non-invasive form of treatment and alternative to medication, chiropractic care also helps to enhance an athlete's musculoskeletal and nervous system performance. A chiropractic sports physician is trained to provide rehabilitative therapy and techniques to maintain strength and recover from a sports injury. Several professional teams from sports leagues like the MLB and NFL employ official chiropractors specifically for their athletes.
Here's why chiropractic care is vital to athletes:
Improves overall mobility and range of motion- Professional athletes participate in intense physical activities, which can create spinal alignment issues as their bodies undergo a lot of pressure during training. Spinal problems can restrict mobility, therefore minimizing performance. Chiropractic care can fix these issues and prevent injuries in the future.
Decrease in recovery time- Fatigue and soreness are common when performing intense physical activity regularly. Athletes sometimes need more than just rest to recover from soreness so they can continue training. After a game or training session, a chiropractor may use soft tissue therapy, such as massage or cold laser therapy, to reduce swelling and inflammation.
Help managing injuries- Leg, arm, knee, and muscular injuries are extremely common in all sports, whether dance, football, or baseball. Recovering from an injury can take quite a long time. However, chiropractors adjust joints, use Kinesio tape, and apply soft tissue techniques to increase blood flow to injured parts, improve muscle tone, and decrease adhesions or buildup around injured areas, which helps in faster recovery. It enables the athlete to go back to training as soon as possible.
Find chiropractors near you in White Plains, New York
Chiropractic care alleviates chronic pain in the joints, spine, lower back, and muscles and helps improve overall mobility and maintain good posture. It is also an alternative to medication (for issues like back pain), covered by most health insurance plans, and is considered cost-effective compared to conventional treatments.
If you reside in White Plains, New York, and seek chiropractic care, you can schedule an online or in-person consultation with the best chiropractors via Zocdoc. With just a few clicks, Zocdoc helps users to find the best healthcare providers nearby.
You can have multiple insurance plans linked to your Zocdoc account, but you must select one to use for each appointment booking. You can provide information about any additional insurance you have during the booking process or on the provider's intake forms. If you have any questions about your health insurance, reach out to Zocdoc's patient help center.
Visit the Zocdoc website and enter your condition, location, and insurance plan. You will then view a list of top-rated chiropractors in your area. You can filter these search results by gender, distance, languages spoken, or hospital affiliation. Depending on the provider's availability, you can book appointments with chiropractors on the same day, in the morning or evening (after 5 pm), or even on weekends.
Moreover, Zocdoc provides each healthcare professional's educational background, training, and certifications to help you make the right decision. You can also browse verified patient reviews and ratings to determine the right chiropractor near you. You can also see if your selected provider takes your insurance by choosing your insurance carrier and plans from the top-of-the-page drop-down box.
All bookings on Zocdoc are fast, free, and secure!
Chiropractor Statistics for New York
According to the New York State Education Department, as of 2023, New York employed nearly 4,952 chiropractors. This number has declined from previous years. In 2022, only 144 chiropractor licenses were issued, whereas in 2023, 111 licenses were issued. Westchester County, where White Plains is located, has 240 chiropractors.
Research has shown that exercises recommended by a chiropractor can help manage acute and chronic back pain. Exercise also improves posture and avoids injuries such as falls and fractures. A sedentary or inactive lifestyle, on the other hand, can lead to obesity and damage muscles and bones over time. According to data collected by the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) in 2019, nearly 72.8% of New Yorkers engaged in leisure activities (exercises not including work) such as walking, running, and calisthenics. This percentage was lower than the national average of 73.7%. In addition, only 24.1% met aerobics and muscle-strengthening guidelines, i.e., 150 minutes of moderate activity per week and muscle-strengthening exercises on two or more days of the week.
BRFSS data collected in 2018 showed that over 7.4% of adults in Westchester County had poor physical health, nearly 59.4% were overweight or obese, and 19.7% had arthritis. Further, 23.5% of people over 65 experienced at least one fall. The above data suggests that the need for chiropractic treatment has significantly increased.
Sources
American Chiropractic Association
SPINE-health
Reid Health
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
New York State Education Department[1]
New York State Department of Health[2]
New York State Department of Health[3]
Westchester County Department of Health
MedlinePlus[1]
MedlinePlus[2]
Northwestern Health Sciences University
Cleveland University
CB Physiotherapy
Healthline
Mayo Clinic
Northeast Spine and Sports Medicine
