What is the Difference Between Physical Therapy and Chiropractic Care?

Jul10th 2022

Find Out Which Will be Best For You!

Think about the last time you felt any kind of chronic pain. If it was related to your back, your friends or family might have recommended that you go and see a chiropractor, but did anyone recommend that you see a physical therapist? Chiropractic care is different from physical therapy, but many people don’t understand what sets these two forms of pain management apart from each other. Both physical therapists and chiropractors are knowledgeable when it comes to reducing your pain and improving your mobility and function instead of just treating symptoms with surgery or medication.

One of these methods of treatment provides temporary pain relief, while the other addresses underlying problems and provides patients with education to actively manage pain symptoms even when they’re at home. Our innovative care strategies at Compleat Rehab & Sports Therapy will help you find quick relief. Read on to learn more about the differences between physical therapy and chiropractic care, and to find out which would be the best option for your pain!

What is Chiropractic Care?

Chiropractic care focuses on neuromusculoskeletal issues. This specifically involves the diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders involving the spine and joints, although chiropractors can address pain symptoms in other parts of the body as well. Chiropractors often use hands-on methods of treatment to alleviate a person’s pain symptoms, but they may also utilize tools such as EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) and laser therapy.

People tend to see a chiropractor for neck, back, or spinal pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, during a typical session, a chiropractor will ask the patient to lie down for treatment, and then they will use their hands to apply a controlled, sudden force to a joint, pushing it beyond its usual range of motion. Sometimes popping or cracking sounds can be heard as adjustments are made to joints during the treatment.

Chiropractic care is not for everyone, and patients typically have to go back to their chiropractor daily for adjustments and re-treatment of their problem.

What is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is also a natural way to treat pain. Physical therapists are movement experts who specialize in improving a person’s quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education.  They focus on joint health and can treat a wide array of pain conditions that result from injuries, illnesses, degenerative conditions, and more.

Physical therapy teaches a patient skills that allow them to independently take control of your pain for the rest of their lives, and it also offers benefits for people who have a simple goal of being healthier and preventing health problems in the future.

Physical therapists conduct thorough evaluations to develop customized treatment plans that will improve a person’s mobility, manage or reduce their pain, restore their range of motion, and prevent disabilities from occurring. A physical therapist educates patients on how to change their overall movement and recommends targeted exercises they can perform independently to work towards healing.

Physical therapists can also work with ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation, laser therapy, and more as treatment options. The biggest part of a physical therapist’s role is not only to treat the underlying cause of a person’s pain, but also to educate them so that they can prevent future injuries from occurring.

Which Treatment is Best For You?

All too often, people assume that a chiropractor is the only medical professional who can help with chronic pain. While chiropractors are certainly skilled when it comes to spinal injuries and back pain, chiropractic care simply will not set you up for long term pain relief, nor does it provide education on how to prevent your pain from coming back.

If you’re struggling with chronic pain of any sort, whether it involves your back, hip, knees, shoulders, or any other part of your body, a consultation with a physical therapist could greatly benefit your situation.

Your therapist will do a full assessment of your body and pain condition, ask you questions about your medical history, and create a customized treatment plan just for you. You’ll receive information that can also aid you in the future on how you can change your movements and posture to prevent pain. To learn more about the benefits of physical therapy, call us today.

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