What Do Chiropractors Do?

Chiropractic care is a field of natural medicine that focuses on a patient's spine and nervous system. The majority of patients seeking out a Chiropractor are doing so because they are suffering from back or neck pain, although a noticeable pain in these areas is certainly not the only symptom treated by chiropractors. While some of these patients are used to throwing around words like manual adjustments and nerve compression, those who have never visited a specialist themselves often aren't quite sure what, exactly, chiropractors do; they can read on to find out a little bit more about the chiropractic field.

The function of the Spine

The spine is actually comprised of many smaller component bones, connected to each other via facet joints on their sides. The purpose of the spine is simple: it protects the spinal cord and the nerves that make it up from damage. Unfortunately, these bones can move out of alignment due to acute trauma, chronic conditions, or even simple genetics, and when this happens it can compress the nerves.

The function of the Nerves

A patient's nervous system is responsible for connecting his or her muscles and organs to the brain, allowing signals to travel freely between these organs. The spine has tiny holes in each of its bones that allow nerves to exit the spinal column in order to distribute information from the brain to the organs and muscles. When these nerves become compressed, it can cause a wide array of problems.

Symptoms of Nerve Compression and Damage

As noted above, the most frequent patient concerns addressed by chiropractors are neck and back pain. However, nerve damage can also cause less obvious symptoms such as allergies, fatigue, a weakened immune system, and even digestion problems. These diverse symptoms mean that patients may be suffering from nerve damage without even realizing it if they are not experiencing substantial pain.

What to Expect

The first thing chiropractors will do when they begin to treat a new patient is to take a full medical history and perform an exam; this will help them come up with a treatment plan. This plan might involve manual adjustments, which use controlled force to improve a patient's range of motion, certain exercises or stretches, and even nutritional counseling. Chiropractors tend to divide their care into three categories: relief care, corrective care, and maintenance care, and to treat their patients according to this schedule.

Learn More Today

The first step toward attaining relief is to find a Chiropractor Lawrenceville patients can trust to provide comprehensive pain relief and spinal care. Make an appointment today to get started.