What is chiropractic?

Apr 8

What exactly does a chiropractor do?

Top 10 questions about chiropractors answered.

What is Chiropractic in simple words?

Chiropractors are evidence-based experts in musculoskeletal injuries and disorders and specialize in using conservative treatments. This means they are able to assess and diagnose any muscular, tendinous, ligamentous, joint, or nerve injury in the body. Conservative treatments are non-surgical treatments that include but are not limited to spinal manipulations (a.k.a. chiropractic adjustments), joint mobilizations, myofascial release therapy (a.k.a. deep tissue massage), acupuncture, cold laser therapy, shockwave therapy, and physical rehabilitation. While chiropractors are most known to treat low back pain or neck pain, chiropractors are able to treat overuse or acute injuries to the shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles.

At Rehab Hero, our chiropractors in Markham are also experts in assessing your athletic movements and weight lifting technique. Through the use of corrective exercises, stretches, mobility exercises, and strengthening exercises, they help you to optimize your performance.

Are chiropractors doctors?

The short answer is yes. Chiropractors are doctors of chiropractic and receive this designation after 4 years in professional studies. They are NOT medical doctors (or physicians) but are doctors in the same respect that your dentist or optometrist is a doctor. This title is not acquired with the need of a PHD, but some chiropractors do continue their studies to receive that designation as well. Just like the aforementioned professionals, chiropractors are regulated health care professionals in Ontario (and most provinces of Canada and states in the USA).

Why should you go to a chiropractor?

You can see a chiropractor directly without requiring the referral of a physician for any overuse or acute injury to any part of the body. Chiropractors are well trained in assessing all parts of the body, from your hands and toes to your spine and discs. You can go to a chiropractor if you are looking to reduce pain, increase range of motion, increase function, decrease tension, or for wellbeing.

How do chiropractors know where to adjust?

Chiropractors use palpation and motion palpation to determine which segments of the body are hypomobile (or restricted in movement). Palpation is a term used to describe diagnostic touching, which is use to assess muscle tonicity, joint range of motion, and tenderness. Chiropractic adjustments are then applied to joints that are determined to be hypomobile. This is to re-introduce movement beyond what it is currently capable of doing. Similar to how the goal of stretching is to improve muscular flexibility, chiropractic adjustments are used to improve joint range of motion.

Why is there a stigma around chiropractic?

As experts in musculoskeletal health, chiropractors may use spinal manipulation or spinal adjustments to treat injuries to the low back and spine. However some chiropractors may claim that spinal manipulations do more than what is covered by the scope of their practice. This includes persuading patients that non-musculoskeletal disorders can be improved with adjustments, dissuading patients from seeking medical care, and fear-mongering. As a result, some medical professionals have lost trust in chiropractic. However, these types of chiropractors are among the select few, and as a whole do not represent the profession.

Are chiropractic adjustments good for you?

When required, chiropractic adjustments or SMT (spinal manipulation therapy) can help you to recover from joint related injuries such as sacroiliac joint syndrome or lumbar facet syndrome. This type of treatment is not a one-all-fix-all treatment, and should be used to address symptoms of arthrogenic origin (pain or muscle weakness coming from the joints) or to momentarily increase a joint`s range of motion.

It should be noted that SMT does not “re-align the spine”. Correcting spine alignment through SMT is an antiquated concept that does not fit the evidence-based model that modern chiropractors follow.

Are chiropractic adjustments safe?

While there is a risk of injury with any type of treatment, chiropractic adjustments are overall considered to be a safe treatment for the general population. Certain risk factors should be taken into account prior to delivering an adjustment which should be taken into account by your chiropractor during the initial assessment. Examples of risk factors include osteoporosis, joint hypermobility (resulting from conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome), and local fractures. This is why a thorough questionnaire to uncover your family history or conditions you may have is required.

Can a chiropractor break your neck?

Chiropractic adjustments generally do not result in neck fractures unless underlying disease such as bone cancer is present. This type of fracture is an insufficiency fracture where normal forces applied to abnormal bone can result in fracture. This is not to be confused with fatigue fractures where abnormal forces are applied to normal bone (such as what occurs in stress fractures or acute fractures). Fatigue fractures do not occur with adjustments. A thorough patient is typically collected during the initial assessment to determine if any contraindicated factors are present. If they are, an adjustment will not be used to prevent an insufficiency fracture.

How much does it cost to see a chiropractor?

The costs of seeing a chiropractor varies depending on the region and the private health care clinic. At Rehab Hero the initial assessment is $120 and may include a treatment if time permits. The follow up appointment cost varies depending on the length of time required but is typically $80 for a half an hour appointment. In Ontario, as a health care service, no tax is applied to these appointments.

What is the difference between a chiropractor and physiotherapist?

Differences in scope of practice between chiropractors and physiotherapists will vary depending on your state/ province as governing rules change depending on the location of practice. In Ontario, both chiropractors and physiotherapists are able to diagnose musculoskeletal injuries, provide myofascial release therapy, joint mobilizations, use cold laser therapy, and shockwave therapy. Both professionals can offer acupuncture if additional certification is completed. Although chiropractors can provide adjustments right after graduating from chiropractic college, physiotherapists may also provide SMT if additional certification is completed.

As for differences, your chiropractor in Ontario will be able to interpret and order x-ray imaging. In terms of scope of practice this is the main difference between a chiropractor and physiotherapist in private care practice. Most differences occur on the individual level depending on the extent of additional training that is completed. For example, most physiotherapists do not complete additional training to be able to provide spinal adjustments and will not provide this service (while chiropractors will since it is part of their core training).

To book in an appointment with a physiotherapist or chiropractor in Markham, you can check in with us at Rehab Hero using the button below:

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