If you suffer from body aches and pains including headaches, neck and back pain or joint pain, you are not alone. Eight out of ten adults will experience low back problems, and nine out of ten adults experience headaches at some time in their lives. Many of these symptoms can be caused by problems with muscle, muscle tension, spasms, ligament or muscle tears, and joint problems. Many people turn to medications, injection and surgery, however, chiropractic is a safer more natural approach.

What Is Chiropractic?

Doctors of Chiropractic medicine (D.C.s) adjust the skeleton, typically with their hands, to move the spinal vertebrae back to their normal positions. A chiropractor can adjust most bones in the body including shoulders, feet, knees, and elbows just to name a few. Adjustments may relieve a wide variety of ailments such as headaches, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, sciatica, scoliosis, whiplash, torticollis, menstrual cramps, allergies, asthma, stomach disorders, and many more. Some patients with asthma and emphysema turn to chiropractic care to release tension in the chest. Research is helping to determine if manipulation of the neck helps the ears drain properly, thus alleviating otitis media — the ear infection that plagues children.

What Happens during a Chiropractic Examination?

A chiropractor will take a medical history, conduct physical, neurological, and orthopedic examinations. Chiropractic physicians spend a considerable amount of time assessing posture, examining the spine, testing reflexes, joint motion, and muscle strength. X-rays and other diagnostic images are often used to locate vertebral dysfunction and to rule out disorders like tumors or fractures, which require the attention of other healthcare experts.

What Training Do Chiropractors Have?

To become a chiropractor requires rigorous course of study is necessary to receive a degree of Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.). There are over 60,000 D.C.s practicing in the United States. All state licensing boards require four years of undergraduate education, and completion of a four-year chiropractic college course.