What is a chiropractor?

A chiropractor is a doctor who specializes in the alignment of the bones in the body, particularly the spine. The spine is a piece of very intricate machinery. It is dependent upon many factors to keep functioning properly and remain pain-free.

A chiropractor knows exactly where each vertebra should be: the correct position, angle, and distance from the other bones. He or she will adjust your bones to help correct the height of your hips in relation to each other, ensuring that you are walking straight. Your chiropractor can also adjust your neck, the angle of your tailbone and many things that fall out of proper alignment for a variety of reasons. Women have hip problems many times due to child birth.

Athletes play hard and this can take a toll on their body. Football players are prone to neck injury because of the impact that happens as a natural part of the game. Shoulders also take hard impacts in tackling that can cause many issues. Every athlete will likely see a chiropractor at some point if they are a professional athlete.

Age plays just as much of a role in causing misalignment to the spine. The human body is a very intricate creation. Each muscle is attached to a bone at what is called an insertion point. These points pull bones in various directions. When they are all in proper condition, they pull with equal pressure that pulls the spine uniformly and keeps it straight. Core muscles play an especially important role in keeping the spine straight and healthy.

With age, most of us grow out of shape. As the core muscles get weak and the back ages, we lose our muscle tone. The bone structure suffers greatly from this loss of muscle to help hold it together properly. Combined with bone loss as we enter our senior years, the body can become drastically out of alignment and that can cause issues with hips, knees, ankles, the back and more.

Are chiropractors doctors?

Chiropractors go to college for many years to become specialists in their field. They are Doctors of Chiropractic and have to be properly licensed in your state. They have gone to school for at least as many years as most surgeons. They are not only doctors, but they are highly trained doctors who use some of the same specialized equipment that your general practitioner has in his or her office. You can rest assured that your chiropractor has spent many years becoming an expert and will be happy to explain the process and plan for treatment that they intend to put into action for you. Adjustments are typically done a little at a time, to ensure the body learns to stay in the right position.