How Does a Chiropractor Know Where to Adjust a Patient?

Chiropractors complete a specialized higher-education program, usually lasting four years, to perform chiropractic treatments. At LifeCare Chiropractic, our chiropractor welcomes questions from patients at any point in their treatment. We believe in the importance of understanding your condition and how chiropractic treatment may improve your mobility and lessen or eliminate your pain.

The body has the wonderful ability to heal itself, and chiropractic treatments can help it heal on its own without the need for surgery or medications.

Your chiropractor uses their hands and arms to manually manipulate your spine, using specialized techniques applied to the joints. This can return the spine to its normal, healthy position so you can enjoy full mobility.

Adjustments can also eliminate the cause of pain elsewhere in the body, not just the back and neck. Pain very often develops in seemingly unrelated areas even though the cause is rooted in misaligned joints — this is known as referred pain. Adjusting those joints can bring relief.

Your chiropractor takes many factors into account. The process begins with a comprehensive physical examination and a review of your medical history, and may include diagnostic testing depending on the severity and nature of your pain. Because every patient is different, you get an individualized treatment plan. Adjustments may focus on:

• Range of motion
• Joint palpation
• Gait and posture
• Your symptoms

Treatment often begins with determining which, if any, of your spinal joints are restricted in movement, and what is causing that limitation. The exam includes manual manipulation of the affected areas to find where and how mobility is affected. Usually this can be done without X-rays or MRI scans, but in some cases they may be necessary.

If your back or neck is in pain, visit us for an examination. We can provide an accurate diagnosis and suggest a treatment plan — and if your condition can't be treated with chiropractic adjustments, we can recommend medical professionals who may help.