Types of Chiropractic

"Which Types of Chiropractic
Are Right For You?"

A few different types of chiropractic are practiced around the world today. Which is right for you? That is up to the chiropractor to choose. It depends on the type and severity of your injury or condition, also whether or not it's an acute or chronic condition.

There are two primary types of chiropractors:

Straight Chiropractor:

A straight chiropractor focuses all energy and attention to the spinal column. They believe the cause of all disease is the chiropractic subluxation. A subluxation is a mis-alignment or motion restriction in the spinal column. Straight chiropractors believe the body's own innate intelligence will heal itself if interference is taken off the nervous system.

Mixer Chiropractor:

A mixer chiropractor is just as the name implies. A mixer utilizes other forms of natural care such as nutritional supplementation, dietary recommendations, educational advice, rehabilitation, physical therapy, etc. This group makes up the vast majority of chiropractors. A mixer looks at the body as a whole and not just the spinal column.

There are three primary phases of care:

Pain Relief:

Chiropractors focus mainly on pain relief from acute injuries or conditions. Once a patient is relieved of their pain they discontinue care until the next time it flares up or another injury occurs. Treatment plans are centered on pain scales. The patient will start out getting care 3-4 times per week until the pain has subsided.

Corrective Care:

Corrective care is based on long term correction of condition or problem. When the spine is injured it becomes weak and often loses stability. Strength and stability are restored over time with the help of chiropractic adjustments and rehabilitation of the joints and muscles. Corrective care is utilized over a period of weeks to months to correct the chiropractic subluxation and restore optimum function.

Maintenance/Wellness Care:

Maintenance care takes place after the initial pain relief and corrective care. The goal of maintenance care is injury or condition prevention with the help of chiropractic adjustments, physical exercise, etc. Usually maintenance care is given once or twice per month, or as you and your chiropractor feels necessary.

Wellness care involves the whole spectrum of healthy living. It combines monthly chiropractic adjustments, monthly massages, nutritional supplements, dietary changes, physical exercise, educational health advice, etc. Wellness care is all-around preventative medicine.

Written By: Steve Smiley, D.C.

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