Before you see a chiropractor, it’s good to learn about what chiropractic care entails so that you aren’t completely unprepared for your first appointment. Some people stumble across chiropractic care on their own, while others are referred to a chiropractor by their doctor. No matter the situation, understanding what a chiropractor does can help you decide whether it might be the right path for relieving your pain. Here are all the basics you need to know about chiropractic care.
What It Treats
Chiropractic care can treat anything from back and neck pain to muscle tension or imbalances within joints. You may suffer from back pain caused by an accident or simply by sitting in a chair all day for years at your job. Whatever the case, you can seek out a chiropractor to see if they can treat your pain.
How It Works
Chiropractic treatment works around the ideology that an aligned body is a much healthier body. When joints are misaligned or muscles are pulled out of place, neural pathways can become disrupted, causing pain and other problems. A chiropractic adjustment pushes bones back into alignment, thus strengthening the route for nerves that pass through them. Chiropractors can also work with joints that are immobile, using gentle movements to progressively return them to full function. Headaches or pain in specific areas of the body may be treated by massages, acupuncture, or electrotherapy as well.
If It’s Safe
Many people question how safe it is to receive chiropractic care. The answer is: very safe. It is one of the least invasive treatments that creates another option aside from pharmaceuticals and surgical procedures. People who have been in recent accidents may be referred to a chiropractor to treat things like whiplash, and pregnant women may be referred to ease the stress their growing abdomen places on their spines.
What to Expect
When you attend your first chiropractic treatment, you’ll have to go through a physical exam and inform the chiropractor of your medical history. Anything that could be related to your pain, such as past injuries, should be reported. A chiropractor, like a chiropractor in Silver Spring, MD from AmeriWell Clinics, may even suggest dietary or other lifestyle changes as part of your treatment plan. During an adjustment, you may be asked to lay or sit in different positions so the chiropractor can apply pressure to specific joints. The first appointment may last up to 30 minutes, but subsequent adjustments could be as short as 10 minutes.