Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on one’s general health. Chiropractic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches.

Doctors of Chiropractic, often referred to as chiropractors or chiropractic physicians, practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to healthcare that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.

The most common therapeutic procedure performed by doctors of chiropractic is known as “spinal manipulation,” also called “chiropractic adjustment.” The purpose of manipulation is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force onto joints that have become hypomobile – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a tissue injury. Tissue injury can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminish function. Manipulation, or adjustment, of the affected joint and tissues restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness which allows tissues to heal.

In many cases, such as lower back pain, chiropractic care may be the primary method of treatment. When other medical conditions exist, chiropractic care may complement or support medical treatment by relieving the musculoskeletal aspects associated with the condition. Doctors of chiropractic may assess patients through clinical examination, laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and other diagnostic interventions to determine when chiropractic treatment is appropriate. Chiropractors will readily refer patients to an appropriate health care provider when chiropractic care is not suitable for the patient’s condition, or the condition warrants co-management in conjunction to chiropractic care.

What is a Chiropractic Neurologist? A Chiropractic Neurologist is a Doctor of Chiropractic that has taken 300+ post-doctoral hours of coursework in functional neurology and passed the rigorous written and performance exams required for certification by the American Chiropractic Neurology Board. These doctors are referred to as Diplomates of the American Chiropractic Neurology Board (DACNB). DACNB’s use the patients’ body and environment to assess, diagnose, and localize areas of dysfunction. The human body systems are constantly affecting the neurological system and being effected by the neurological system. The human neurological system is constantly affecting and being affected by the body’s other systems, such as the musculoskeletal system. DACNB’s use this functional and holistic approach to target interventions specific to the location of the dysfunction.

Typical dysfunctions treated by a chiropractic neurologist include a variety of disorders affecting the nervous system, such as radiculopathy, sciatica, or other nerve entrapment syndromes. Chiropractic neurologists also work with patients who have central nervous system dysfunction such as multiple sclerosis or from a stroke or brain injury.