Components of Chiropractic Care

Many people have a poor understanding of chiropractic care and what it entails. It is strongly associated with “back-cracking,” but there is so much more to it than that. It is true that chiropractors perform adjustments to the spine and other joints. However, there are additional components involved in chiropractic care than most people may not be aware of until they become patients.

Manual Manipulation

The main component of chiropractic treatment is manual manipulation, also known as adjustment. This can occur at any joint in the body but most often involves the bones of the spine. It involves quick, forceful motion applied with the hands or a manual tool to adjust the alignment of the bones.

Chiropractors go through at least 10 years of education at accredited institutions to learn how to perform adjustments safely and effectively. They must also be licensed and certified by the appropriate boards in the state where they practice. It is not safe to receive an adjustment from anyone who is not a qualified chiropractor.

Chiropractic adjustment can result in a cracking sound. However, this is incidental and is not an indication of the effectiveness of treatment. It is caused by bubbles of gas in the synovial fluid breaking due to pressure from the manipulation of the joint.

Postural Training

Many problems that occur in the spine and larger musculoskeletal system are the results of poor posture. Chiropractic adjustment can help to improve alignment and relieve the pain, but if the patient does not maintain proper posture, the same problems may keep coming back. To prevent this from happening, chiropractors may provide training on proper posture and teach patients exercises on how to achieve it to maintain the gains made due to chiropractic adjustment.

Nutritional Counseling

Eating right also helps patients to achieve and maintain overall health. Chiropractic care takes a whole-body approach, and that involves counseling patients on the proper foods to eat to maintain strength, energy, and proper immune health. Eighty percent of chiropractors in the United States provide patients with nutritional counseling in one form or another. Many musculoskeletal complaints, such as arthritis, are caused or worsened by obesity. Therefore, helping patients to maintain healthy body weight is an integral part of treating the musculoskeletal system through chiropractic treatment.

Chiropractic care is a complementary medical practice that places emphasis on the body’s ability to heal itself. Components of chiropractic are intended to facilitate this healing. Find out more by contacting a chiropractor, like a chiropractor in Baltimore, MD, to schedule an initial consultation.

Thank you to the clinicians and experts at Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic for their insight into chiropractic care.