Physical therapy and chiropractic care are two health specialties that offer pain relief for patients. They have differences and similarities, and both can help patients recover faster. The recovery can be from injuries or various health conditions. The most common reason people visit chiropractors is to seek relief from back and neck pain.
Physical Therapy And Chiropractic Care
These two forms of care use manual therapy techniques. These include soft tissue massage and other physical modalities. Both modalities provide patients tips to ease pain through lifestyle modification and exercise.
They strive to understand what the patient is going through and the best ways to restore movement and function. The goal of treatment is to address issues such as muscle weakness or tightness and joint mobility issues.
Chiropractic Therapy Techniques
Chiropractic professionals often use adjustments and manipulations to provide relief. The treatment targets the musculoskeletal system to find the source of the problems. In some cases, spinal manipulations are not enough. Thus, chiropractors often use physical therapy techniques.
These improve the effectiveness of the adjustments and other techniques. A therapeutic massage can relax the muscles and allow the chiropractor to perform adjustments more easily.
How Physical Therapy Modalities Are Used
Physical therapy (PT) modalities help enhance fluid exchange in the treatment area. They boost healing in the injured tissues, reducing the amount of pain. They also increase muscle strength and reduce inflammation and spasms.
They use thermal, electrical, and mechanical energy that causes changes in muscle tissue. They help release endorphins, the body’s natural pain relievers. Corrective exercises can help strengthen the muscles. They also allow the body to maintain correct spinal alignment and posture.
PT Modalities In Chiropractic Care
Chiropractors use several PT modalities. They work to complement the techniques in their field, and they include:
- Laser therapy.
- Electrical stimulation (E-stim).
- Spinal traction.
- Cold or heat packs.
- Active-release therapy.
- Myofascial release therapy.
The Treatment Plan
The chiropractor will come up with an individualized treatment plan for each patient. The care plan is based on the pain or injury’s cause, location, and severity. Including physical therapy in the treatment helps reduce pain and improve mobility.
Conditions treated using the therapy include:
- Back pain.
- Neck pain.
- Sciatica.
- Herniated discs.
- Chronic joint pain.
- Soft tissue damage.
The modalities can also help to treat muscle weakness and neurological issues.
Chiropractors may combine several treatment techniques to achieve the best results. Combining two or more modalities is helpful if you suffer from a chronic health condition. The modalities include massage, interferential muscle stimulation, intersegmental spinal traction, or ice or heat therapy.
Physical therapy modalities allow patients to get more out of their chiropractic care. The adjustments can help treat many conditions, helping to improve the patient’s comfort, function, and health.
For more on physical therapy modalities and chiropractic care, visit O’Neill Chiropractic. Our office is in North Charleston, South Carolina. Call to schedule an appointment today.