Your Doctor of Chiropractic and You

Most people think chiropractors treat only neck and back problems. Chiropractors, in fact, treat many conditions of the nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems as a whole. Shoulder problems involving all three systems often respond to chiropractic spinal adjustments, shoulder manipulations, and other techniques that don't require medicine or surgery.

Historically, spinal adjustment and shoulder manipulation have been accepted as successful methods for treating musculoskeletal problems. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, applied this approach more than 2,000 years ago.

Training in chiropractic requires a minimum of six years of college study and clinic internship, including science, anatomy, x-ray, physiology, and clinical practice. Emphasis is on treating and preventing neuromuscular skeletal problems of the entire body, including the back, neck, and shoulder.

Today, the chiropractic profession is a recognized field of health care throughout the U.S. and most foreign countries. Every year, millions of people with neck problems visit their chiropractors to find relief or for preventative health care. Chiropractors are also active in sports medicine, posture screenings in schools, safety lectures, and worksite design.

Chiropractic practice makes use of spinal adjustments, shoulder manipulations, soft tissue manipulation, and other treatments such as cold, heat, ultrasound, and electrotherapy. If chiropractic is not appropriate treatment for your problem, your chiropractor will refer you to another health specialist.