Traditional medicine, also known as allopathic medicine, is not the only kind of treatment available for problems such as mobility issues, joint pain or muscle issues. Chiropractic care and physical therapy are types of therapies and treatments that can help ease pain and enhance your quality of life without using drugs or medication to do so. Before using each of these treatments, talk with your health care provider about what these forms of therapy can provide for you.
What Is Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic care is care of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system and the disorders that affect these systems, says the American Chiropractic Association, or ACA. This type of care is drug free, which means that chiropractors do not prescribe medicine; instead, they use manual manipulation on joints and the spine. They are also able to recommend therapy and rehabilitation exercises, as well as counseling about nutrition and lifestyle choices. Chiropractors have had a four-year undergraduate education, typically of a premedical nature, including classes in anatomy and physiology, physics, chemistry and psychology. They also have an additional four to five years of study at an accredited chiropractic college and pass national board examinations and state licensing exams, says the ACA.
What Is Physical Therapy?
Many people think of physical therapy as something to be done after an accident or broken bone or surgery, but it can be more than that. The University of Iowa Health Care defines physical therapy as minimizing any physical impairment or functional limitations or disabilities and helping to restore and encourage optimal bodily functioning. A physical therapist may prescribe exercises to restore movement, provide muscle massage, manipulate joints and muscles or use tools such as ice, heat packs or electrical stimulation to provide therapy, says the University of Iowa. To become a licensed physical therapist, an individual needs a graduate degree from an accredited physical therapy program and must pass a national examination and a state licensing exam, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Who Can Benefit from These Therapies?
Chiropractic care and physical therapy may be used for a variety of purposes. An athlete wanting to prevent further injury or strengthen weak muscles may see a physical therapist for strengthening exercises and care of weakened muscles; another individual with balance problems or arthritis may see a physical therapist to help with mobility. A person with back pain, joint pain or headaches may use chiropractic care as a natural treatment if they do not want to use medication. Both kinds of treatment involve manipulating parts of the body to improve health and wellness, aim to alleviate pain or discomfort and increase functioning and mobility.
Considerations
Before choosing chiropractic care or physical therapy, talk with your health care provider about seeking additional therapies and how they may impact the conditions you seek to treat. Make sure to find a licensed professional who has received the appropriate education and training so that you get quality and safe care. If finances are a concern, you may want to check with your insurance company because not all insurance companies will cover these kinds of treatments.
