Find the Help You Need Today:
Common questions about chiropractic care, adapted from the American Chiropractic Association. Select any question to expand its answer — opening one closes the others.
Doctors of chiropractic care for patients with back pain, neck pain, headaches, and a wide range of injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Many also offer guidance on diet, nutrition, exercise, and healthy lifestyle habits.
Ask people you trust — friends, family, or your other healthcare providers — for a referral. You can also use a professional “find a doctor” directory to locate licensed chiropractors in your area.
Chiropractic is widely regarded as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available. Some patients feel mild soreness after an adjustment, which typically eases within 24 hours. Serious complications are rare.
Usually no referral is needed, though some insurance plans have their own requirements. Check with your insurer or your employer’s HR department to confirm your plan’s rules.
Yes. Children can benefit from care that’s tailored to their size and needs, using very gentle techniques for the strains and injuries that come with everyday activity and sports.
Yes. A growing number of chiropractors work in hospitals and outpatient facilities. Chiropractors were first granted hospital privileges in 1983.
Chiropractic care is included in most health insurance plans, including major medical plans, workers’ compensation, Medicare, and many military and veterans’ health programs.
Chiropractors complete extensive schooling — several years of pre-professional undergraduate study followed by four to five years of professional education, totaling a minimum of about 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory, and clinical training at accredited institutions.
An adjustment is a manual procedure in which the practitioner uses their hands or an instrument to move a joint — most often in the spine — to help restore motion and reduce inflammation and pain.
It depends on your situation. Care may be short-term for an acute problem, longer-term for a chronic condition, or preventive. Your chiropractor should explain the recommended course and duration of treatment.
The sound comes from the release of a small gas bubble between the joint surfaces as pressure changes — much like the sound of cracking your knuckles. It’s normal and usually causes little or no discomfort.