Physiotherapy versus Chiropractic

Chiropractic therapy is based on the idea that proper alignment of your musculoskeletal structure allows your body to heal naturally. Chiropractic care involves a hands-on technique for spinal manipulation, with correct alignment being the ultimate, and often immediate, goal. Physiotherapy focuses on your movement and aims to prevent or treat injury. It deals with helping you maintain mobility rather than just focusing on your spine. Chiropractic care also helps with mobility but in a more curative manner than physiotherapy. Chiropraxis utilizes alternative treatments as well as spinal manipulation. Physiotherapy is also a holistic treatment, but instead of specializing in spinal treatment, physiotherapy takes a broader approach to healing.

1) Chiropractic Is Better Than Physiotherapy for Focused, Personal Care

Chiropractic treatments are well known for the personal level of treatment. Whereas with physiotherapy, you are most likely to be hooked to machines that monitor you, a chiropractic treatment plan is one on one with your chiropractor by your side at all times. While physiotherapy also deals with spinal manipulation, it is not as focused as chiropractic methods. In the chiropractic field, spinal manipulation is a dedicated and well-studied technique.

2) Chiropractic vs. Physiotherapy: Chiropractic Is More Affordable

Chiropractic sessions tend to cost less than those of physiotherapy. Physiotherapy charges for hands-on work as well as for machine tests. Aside from the initial chiropractic visit, during which x-rays are taken, a chiropractic method of treatment will cost less per session than physiotherapy in most cases.

3) Chiropractic Treatment Is Better for Neck Pain

New studies published in “The Annals of Internal Medicine” show that chiropractic care is better than, , and narcotic medications for treating neck pain. This type of injury is one of the most likely types of pain to prompt a person to seek treatment. Three of the most common forms of treatment for neck pain are chiropractic spinal manipulation, physical therapy, and pain medication. Of these three treatments, Dr. Gert Bronford studied chiropractic care versus pain medication. With chiropractic treatment, patients experienced 75% pain reduction. Patients using prescribed medications only showed 38% pain reduction. Even a year after the chiropraxis studies were conducted, the beneficial effects of chiropractic spinal adjustment over the effects of physiotherapy could still be observed.

4) Is Chiropractic Better Than Physiotherapy for Immediate Relief?

When it comes to immediate relief from pain, the chiropractic method of spinal manipulation is more effective than physiotherapy. The latter treats many areas of the body, so it can take several visits for a patient to feel relief. Many times, chiropractic treatment achieves results in the short term and sometimes after only a single session. Since many pains, including those of the back, neck, stomach, and head, result from excessive stress, chiropractic spinal adjustment often helps alleviate those pains as well. The spinal adjustment method is also a type of massage. The purpose of massage in chiropraxis is to relax your muscles and spine. Physiotherapists treat soft tissue rather than bone.

5) Chiropractic Techniques Are Specialized for Back Trauma

Chiropractic sessions can relieve patients of many ailments, but chiropractic treatment is honed for treating back trouble. Worldwide, one of the leading causes of disability is lower back pain, and thirty-one million Americans experience this type of pain. When asked, 50% of the workforce in America admitted to having lower back pain. The three leading causes of back pain are arthritis, bone degradation, and sports injury. Chiropractic spinal manipulation offers relief of back pain safely, effectively, and without medications.

Physiotherapy treats symptoms over a longer period than chiropractic treatment does. Physiotherapists employ various holistic techniques in treating the whole body, which takes time. Chiropractic adjustments to the spine trigger the quick release of tense muscles, alleviating much of a patient’s discomfort. An article in the “Journal of the American Medical Association” suggests that chiropractic spinal manipulation is a good option if you suffer from lower back pain. The article adds that surgery should only be considered as a last resort. The article’s author claims surgery usually isn’t needed.

6) Chiropractic Sessions May Relieve Many Ailments

In addition to relieving neck, back, and headache pain, chiropractic treatment has also been linked to the relief of various other illnesses and symptoms that aren’t closely related to your musculoskeletal system. These maladies include indigestion, pregnancy issues, fainting, dizziness, asthma, and pneumonia. No similar claims have been made about physiotherapy. Chiropractic solutions may be suitable for acute pain associated with your neck and back, acute lower back pain, and pain caused by wrenching or jerking your back or neck.

If you suffer from spinal-cord compression, osteoporosis, or inflammatory arthritis or you are taking blood-thinning medications, you should not volunteer for chiropractic spinal manipulation. If you have cancer, you should consult your doctor for clearance.