| Both chiropractors and physiotherapists offer a useful | | | | the misalignment of the spinal chord. This can affect |
| service and can offer relief from a variety of joint and | | | | even seemingly distant body parts and areas due to |
| muscle related issues. Both involve the manipulation of | | | | the fact that the spine contains the sciatic nerve that |
| painful areas to help combat pain and mechanical | | | | carries all of the body's signals to and from the brain. |
| issues and for this reason they are often confused | | | | By realigning the spine then, a chiropractor can address |
| with one another. Despite their seeming similarity, the | | | | many different issues throughout the body and even |
| two systems actually use wholly different approaches | | | | treat problems that don't seem to be musculoskeletal. |
| and offer different benefits. Understanding these | | | | This is a 'holistic' view of the body that doesn't believe |
| differences can help you to make the right choice | | | | in treating areas in an isolated fashion. Instead by |
| regarding your treatment. | | | | aligning the spine and encouraging wellness in other |
| The American Physical Therapy Association (PTA) | | | | areas, a chiropractor will help improve all manner of |
| describes physiotherapists as being in the health care | | | | health issues in the individual. |
| profession. This means that they are able to diagnose | | | | As such, the differing philosophies of physiotherapists |
| conditions and can prescribe medicine and drugs | | | | and chiropractors result in different treatment methods |
| where necessary. They can also advise on other | | | | and make them more suited to particular problems. For |
| forms of treatment such as lifestyle and diet changes, | | | | example, a physiotherapist might be the more |
| and use a set of 'precautionary wellness' programmes | | | | appropriate treatment for something such as an |
| aimed at improving the patient's fitness and combating | | | | infection or a broken bone, while a chiropractor might |
| things such as obesity. It is not uncommon for a doctor | | | | be more useful for a chronic condition such as |
| to refer a patient on to a physiotherapist in order to | | | | persistent sciatica or arthritis. The differing views of |
| help with things like broken bones, arthritis or damaged | | | | chiropractors when compared to modern medicine has |
| joints. Their aim is to help others regain movement in | | | | resulted in it being labelled 'alternative' medicine, |
| their damaged areas and thereby combat disability and | | | | however this is a view that many chiropractors |
| aid recovery from a variety of conditions. | | | | dispute. |
| A chiropractor meanwhile, also classified by the PTA | | | | By seeing both professionals you can get a thorough |
| as being in the field of health care, is an alternative or | | | | and all-encompassing treatment for your conditions |
| complementary treatment for mechanical problems, | | | | and enjoy the best of both worlds. Different methods |
| again revolving around the musculoskeletal system and | | | | will suit different people and it's important to get the |
| nervous system. Unlike physiotherapists, chiropractors | | | | most experience you can to give yourself the best |
| have one underlying philosophy that they can apply to | | | | chance of a recovery. Understanding the difference |
| a variety of situations. This is the fundamental principle | | | | will hopefully help you make a choice in future. |
| that a vast selection of health problems are caused by | | | | |
