Chiropractic (Greek: done by hand) is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. There is an emphasis on manual techniques, including joint adjustment and/or manipulation, with a particular focus on joint subluxation/dysfunction.
Chiropractic practice emphasizes the conservative management of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system without the use of medicines and surgery. Management includes joint and soft-tissue manual treatments, rehabilitation exercises, patient education and lifestyle modification, and the use of physical therapy modalities and orthotics and other supports.
Excerpt from "The Current Status of the Chiropractic Profession - Report to the World Health Organization from the World Federation of Chiropractic (December, 2012)"
Correcting Body's Structure to Improve Function
Your nerves are important because they carry messages to and from your brain, driving each and every function in your body. Your spinal cord, which is made up of nerve bundles, is housed and protected by a series of segmented bones, known as your spinal vertebrae. Your nerves branch in and out of each segment, allowing messages to be carried to and from your entire body.
In order for your spine to function properly, the movement of some 30 vertebral bones and close to 100 inter-connecting joints must be synchronized.
With so many moving parts, it’s not surprising that nerves often become impaired or injured when the movement of an individual bone segment becomes restricted. Misalignment of the spine can occur when there is muscle imbalance, injury to the area, or degenerative changes.
Because chiropractic doctors focus on the structure and function of the spine, they are able to diagnose, treat and prevent musculo-skeletal disorders that can compromise your nerves.