Whether you are one of the 3.5 million visitors to visit beautiful Tucson in Arizona or one of the million happy Tucsonan’s to call the area home, there is little that can turn a great day bad than having back or neck pain which will not go away. Although you probably know that chiropractors help with more than just a pinched neck or a back that’s been “put out”, these would be two of the most common reasons that make people think of seeking chiropractic help.
What Can A Chiropractor Help With?
Because of the way which a chiropractic treatment works it often will take more than one session to truly be ‘fixed’, however you should start feeling relief from certain conditions almost immediately. The spinal adjustment and massage used in a chiropractic treatment can aid a range of issues that are ultimately related to the nervous system.
Common areas treated include carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatic, pregnancy pain, headaches, and old knee injuries. However, a licensed chiropractor may also be able to help provide relief from and treatment for problems like allergies or seasonal sinus issues, recurring indigestion or even jaw pain.
What Does A Chiropractor Do?
Although people often think of chiropractic treatment as being spinal manipulation, this is not always the case. Much of the time, after an examination which will include taking a medical history and asking pertinent questions, chiropractic treatment will also look at long term lifestyle changes that will greatly improve your condition. This might be as simple as showing you how you can stand to correct your posture in order to provide long term reduction in back pain, or how to adjust your office chair to provide better support to prevent carpal tunnel aggravation.
If you are looking for a chiropractor in Tucson you will be experiencing a medical professional with years of specialist medical training with a particular emphasis on the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system.
Is A Chiropractor A Doctor?
Although a qualified and licensed chiropractor is generally not a medical doctor (although a medical doctor can, of course, go on to become a qualified chiropractor), a Chiropractor that is practicing in the state of Arizona must be licensed by the State of Arizona Board of Chiropractic Examiners. In order to be licensed an applying chiropractor must have graduated from a chiropractor college that has been approved by the board (either in Arizona or out of state). Generally, this is a four-year course resulting in the Doctorate in Chiropractic. More details can be found on the webpage of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
After graduating a chiropractor can still not legal practice until they have passed the examinations by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. In Arizona, they must pass prove that they are of good character and pass a jurisprudence exam. Because of the nature of chiropractic treatment, a person wishing to obtain a license to practice must also be able to prove that they are both mentally and physically able to do the job and provide treatment to their patients safely.
What Won’t A Chiropractor Do?
Although you may have heard disturbing stories about ‘alternative medicine’ practitioners trying to cure cancer with a few herbs, this is not what a chiropractor does! Their specialty area is related to conditions that can be improved or treated by manipulation of the musculoskeletal system and nervous system.
While this may mean that chiropractic treatment can be used successfully alongside a medical treatment in a complementary fashion, generally a chiropractor will refer you to other practitioners if they are concerned or feel that the issue is outside of their specialty.
There is much cross over between areas like chiropractic and occupational or sports therapy, and some chiropractors have also chosen to undergo additional training to allow them to specialize in areas like nutrition. You should be able to trust your chiropractor to refer you to a qualified medical doctor if they see anything that warrants testing beyond their facilities.
X-Rays and Adjustments
One of the common chiropractic treatments is spinal adjustment or manipulation. Generally, after a medical consultation with the patient, an x-ray or scan of the spine and/or problem area will be taken. This will give the practitioner a visual indication as to what is going on with the patient. From there they will be able to accurately move, massage and manipulate the spine or joints to relieve pain and tension from the patient.
