When doctors encounter injuries, they often refer their patients to other healthcare professionals for further diagnosis or treatment. Chiropractors are such professionals. If you were directed to a chiropractor by your doctor, here’s what will happen: a thorough physical examination, a medical history, and possibly some tests. This is to determine your present condition and the underlying cause of any pain or lack of mobility so the chiropractor can move forward with a personalized treatment.
Chiropractors are keenly adept at diagnosing issues with the spine and nervous system. The treatment methods are intended to help you stay off addictive pain medications, get at the root cause of the problem, and enhance your overall health.
What chiropractors cannot diagnose or treat are issues in other parts of the body, like your major organs. If they deduce that your problems stem from one of these organs, they will refer you back to your doctor for treatment.
Now that we’ve established that chiropractic care focuses on pain from spinal injuries that affect the nervous system let’s delve deeper into what chiropractors treat, how they diagnose, and what they cannot.
Can Chiropractors Diagnose Injuries?
The answer is yes, but there are some limitations. As previously mentioned, their realm of expertise is with the musculoskeletal and nervous systems in the body. Anything outside this arena requires a medical doctor.
The legal and regulatory scope of chiropractic practice is different in every state. However, chiropractors are licensed to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal disorders of the spine and nervous system, such as:
-Upper and Lower Back Pain
-Neck Pain from Injury
-Severe Headaches
-Immobility and Pain from Sciatica
-Work Injuries f. ex. Carpal tunnel syndrome
-Slipped Disc, Herniation
-Various Kinds of Arthritis
-Uncontrollable Muscle Twitching
-Joint injuries, f. ex. Tendonitis
Chiropractors may also provide other services to aid in injury recovery, like nutrition advice, exercises to reduce pain, weight management, relaxation techniques, and wellness counseling.
How Do Chiropractors Diagnose Injuries?
Chiropractors use specific techniques to diagnose injuries, including:
-Your complete medical history before and after the injury
-Your symptoms, their duration, and intensity
-MRIs or X-rays
-Lab tests
Once a chiropractor has diagnosed an injury, they will develop a treatment plan to help the patient recover. It will most likely include a series of spinal manipulation sessions to realign the spine and restore it to its proper position. This relieves nerve pain and swelling.
They may also recommend performing very specific exercises that will help you regain mobility and range of motion. It’s also possible they will offer nutrition tips as certain foods can alleviate pain and swelling. They may perform soft tissue work depending on your symptoms and their severity.
Working With Other Healthcare Providers
There’s an old adage that says, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” There is truth in that, especially when it comes to healthcare professionals banding together to speed your recovery and get you back to your daily life. This is known as interdisciplinary care.
Along with the treatments chiropractors perform, other members of your “team” could include physical therapists, acupuncturists, or massage therapists. The result for you is a more effective treatment and recovery without the slowdown of complications.
If you’re interested in the benefits of interdisciplinary care, make sure you find a team of professionals with experience in caring for your specific symptoms.
Summary
As an alternative to surgery and painkillers, chiropractic care is one of the preferred alternatives. It is non-invasive and helps your body to access its natural healing abilities. Chiropractors use many proven methods of alleviating pain, inflammation, and joint stiffness caused by misalignment of the spine or nerve pressure.
Because it is an alternative medicine, people often wonder if a chiropractor can accurately diagnose symptoms resulting from injuries. The answer is yes, but they can only legally diagnose issues stemming from the spine or nervous system. A medical doctor should treat any other matters in the body like heart, digestive, or major organ issues.
With their in-depth knowledge of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, chiropractors are uniquely qualified to help realign the body to its pre-injury position so it can recover.
Chiropractors can be a godsend for a fast physical recovery as well as the prevention of future injuries. They work with your doctor and other healthcare professionals to provide a well-rounded treatment.
Need More Information? We Can Help!
Dominguez Injury Centers offers a team of excellence dedicated to helping you recover from your injury and find physical restoration. Our services include:
-Realignment Therapy – hands-on expertise to restore the spine and relieve pain.
-Movement – We develop a personalized exercise program to strengthen the muscles around your spine and improve flexibility.
-Beneficial Nutrition – We can help you make sound choices about what to eat. Nutrition therapy helps to promote faster healing.
-Weight Management: Losing weight can help to reduce the stress on your spine and improve vitality.
-Relaxation Therapy – stress management techniques like yoga and meditation help to reduce overwhelming stress that weakens the body.
-Health Counseling – We redirect your focus to healthy lifestyle choices like getting enough sleep and avoiding smoking.
We also work closely with other healthcare professionals, like physical therapists, acupuncturists, and massage therapists, to provide optimal care as a team.
Contact Us
If you’re injured, don’t wait. Contact Dominguez Injury Centers today for more information or to schedule your initial injury assessment. Your recovery begins now!